I've discovered that the factory sub amp is about 150-200 watts of solid bass with no low frequency roll off
(Ford Explorer ST, B&O 14-speaker system)
I've connected the factory sub amp to a 10" subwoofer in a ported bandpass box, and it sounds phenomenal! HUGE IMPROVEMENT. I estimate that it's about twice as loud and twice as deep, while sounding much cleaner and smoother. For anyone who wants to add some deep and loud bass you can feel in your chest, this is the easiest option. It greatly improves the quality of the overall sound spectrum. The smooth, deep bass compliments the mids and highs so well. And if you want to set the bass higher than -7, the rearview mirror can shake over an inch.
Steps to Add New Subwoofer Box:
1. Carefully cut around the factory subwoofer grill seam with an "X-acto" knife. Cut on 3 sides so that the grill can be folded out, exposing the factory sub. I left one side attached as a hinge, which is helpful to hold it aligned in place.
DISCLAIMER: The careful cut I made is in the factory seam, so it can ultimately be restored with adhesive in an invisible way. In my opinion, this is a better option than pulling out weather stripping and interior paneling to access the sub, which loosens clips and can even break them (especially if old). Complaints of rattling in panels are common, so I didn't want to create more problems by pulling everything apart. It's also just far easier and less time-consuming to just go through the grill. Again, if done correctly, the grill can simply be glued back in the seam to restore it to original look and function. Please watch YouTube videos of interior panel removal to decide which option you prefer. IF YOU CHOOSE TO PULL OUT THE INTERIOR PANELING INSTEAD, THAT WORKS TOO.
(You may also handle this in a more aesthetically pleasing way... I get it).
2. Remove the factory sub with only 4 screws holding it in place (only the result is shown below)
3. Connect factory sub amp outputs directly to a dual voicecoil subwoofer (4 ohm each coil). It's recommended to use a 10" to 12" sub in a ported box. The subwoofer would be relatively low wattage with a high sensitivity of 90db+ SPL (e.g., JBL Stage 122D).
The ford wiring has purple=positive and black=positive. (NOTE: I've verified all of the output properties with a multimeter, and the results are fantastic).
SEE PHOTOS WITH DESCRIPTIONS BELOW:
NOTE: Even if not adding a separate sub, I highly recommend setting the fade way back to second row headrest to drastically improve overall soundstage in stereo mode. I'll add another thread about optimizing settings for the B&O stereo because the factory defaults are terrible
....
Hope this helps someone! I enjoy it so much...
It is much louder and cleaner than I would've imagined, with no alteration to electrical wiring.
(Ford Explorer ST, B&O 14-speaker system)
I've connected the factory sub amp to a 10" subwoofer in a ported bandpass box, and it sounds phenomenal! HUGE IMPROVEMENT. I estimate that it's about twice as loud and twice as deep, while sounding much cleaner and smoother. For anyone who wants to add some deep and loud bass you can feel in your chest, this is the easiest option. It greatly improves the quality of the overall sound spectrum. The smooth, deep bass compliments the mids and highs so well. And if you want to set the bass higher than -7, the rearview mirror can shake over an inch.
Steps to Add New Subwoofer Box:
1. Carefully cut around the factory subwoofer grill seam with an "X-acto" knife. Cut on 3 sides so that the grill can be folded out, exposing the factory sub. I left one side attached as a hinge, which is helpful to hold it aligned in place.
DISCLAIMER: The careful cut I made is in the factory seam, so it can ultimately be restored with adhesive in an invisible way. In my opinion, this is a better option than pulling out weather stripping and interior paneling to access the sub, which loosens clips and can even break them (especially if old). Complaints of rattling in panels are common, so I didn't want to create more problems by pulling everything apart. It's also just far easier and less time-consuming to just go through the grill. Again, if done correctly, the grill can simply be glued back in the seam to restore it to original look and function. Please watch YouTube videos of interior panel removal to decide which option you prefer. IF YOU CHOOSE TO PULL OUT THE INTERIOR PANELING INSTEAD, THAT WORKS TOO.
(You may also handle this in a more aesthetically pleasing way... I get it).
2. Remove the factory sub with only 4 screws holding it in place (only the result is shown below)
3. Connect factory sub amp outputs directly to a dual voicecoil subwoofer (4 ohm each coil). It's recommended to use a 10" to 12" sub in a ported box. The subwoofer would be relatively low wattage with a high sensitivity of 90db+ SPL (e.g., JBL Stage 122D).
The ford wiring has purple=positive and black=positive. (NOTE: I've verified all of the output properties with a multimeter, and the results are fantastic).
SEE PHOTOS WITH DESCRIPTIONS BELOW:
NOTE: Even if not adding a separate sub, I highly recommend setting the fade way back to second row headrest to drastically improve overall soundstage in stereo mode. I'll add another thread about optimizing settings for the B&O stereo because the factory defaults are terrible
....Hope this helps someone! I enjoy it so much...
It is much louder and cleaner than I would've imagined, with no alteration to electrical wiring.
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