Is the factory B&O "premium" sound system salvageable?

[ImTheBrian]

...annnnd a full Saturday later it's all done but the crying. The sound improvement cannot be put into words. For those interested, the Epicenter was not needed - the bass roll-off of the factory system comes from their amp not the head unit.

If you're on the fence about doing this, trust me - just do it. Crystal clear highs and solid lows that'll rattle the dirt off the undercarriage of the vehicle next to you from a completely stealth factory-looking system. The way it was meant to be. ;-)

 

[ConspicuousConsumption]

How much did the install cost you?

 

[ImTheBrian]

How much did the install cost you?

I believe the labor itself was $750, there were a few minor parts here and there that were necessary to complete the install that I hadn't already ordered (i.e. power distribution block, rca patch cables, etc.)

 

[RSmith21]

First, TYVM for serving.

I had '20, '22, and '23 Explorer STs with the 10-speaker B&O system, and while they never sounded horrible or unlistenable, they never sounded very good and never had any audible bottom-octave energy.. I've had several 2019-era (chassis designation 9Y0) Cayenne Turbos with the premium Bose systems, and while they, too, never sounded unlistenable, they had no bottom-octave bass in spite of that largish 'subwoofer' in the spare-tire area, and I was never happy with them.

I bought a '25 ST...
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...with the 14-speaker B&O system (that was one of my requirements while searching for this car) a month ago and am quite pleased with its overall performance.. The 'soundbar' across the instrument panel has the orchestra in front of me now rather than somewhere around my knees, and the music never sounds low in quality.. The only thing I plan to do with the sound system is to add some 'sub'woofer system to have some bottom-octave energy.

Good luck in your quest; I hope you 'get there' without spending thou$and$.

Glad you're happy with it too... From these threads, I'm getting the impression that the newer-year B&O systems sound better than the older ones (so maybe that's why older year B&O owners are so negative?). For a stock system, I think that my 2025 sounds fantastic for most music after some significant settings changes I've made to reduce front door bass and get more speakers involved with a bit cleaner mids. I also added a sub using the factory amp (zero electrical wiring), and it's so much better than I thought that could be.

 

[UNBROKEN]

Glad you're happy with it too... From these threads, I'm getting the impression that the newer-year B&O systems sound better than the older ones (so maybe that's why older year B&O owners are so negative?). For a stock system, I think that my 2025 sounds fantastic for most music after some significant settings changes I've made to reduce front door bass and get more speakers involved with a bit cleaner mids. I also added a sub using the factory amp (zero electrical wiring), and it's so much better than I thought that could be.

Are you gonna post the same thing in every audio thread? No, the 25’s don’t really sound any different. Same electronics and speakers, new tweeter locations. Stop trying to justify things.

 

[Flyman]

Trolls gonna troll.