Budget stock Audio upgrades (XL) - plan, research, options and experimentation

[Rvnrock]

I’ll start this out by saying I’m a cheapskate. If I can pay a fraction of the price for something that’s almost as good but not crap, I’m about it.
Like the vast majority of “us” (maverick owners and enthusiasts), I felt the sound system just wasn’t good and HAD to upgrade (the stock speakers are pretty much junk). I’ve been following along with the other threads to get ideas of what people are doing to upgrade. My last vehicle was a ‘16 Toyota Camry SE and if I could get the Maverick to sound like that stock system for cheap, I’ll be happy. I went to a local shop that I’ve heard good things about, told em what I wanted to do and the dude told me the owner would spec it out and call me tomorrow…. A few weeks later, no call back and haven’t been able to get them to answer the phone and I don’t have time to go back there.

With that, they’ve lost their opportunity and I’m doing it myself. The plan is to upgrade all the factory speakers and add low end all for <$500. After digging and researching for almost 2 months I finally ordered components and a “sub” that will arrive mid-week.

After ruling a bunch of stuff out, below is basically the list of what was in consideration.
For the components, because of what I’m trying to budget, I narrowed it down to the following component sets:
Memphis Audio SRX60C
Hertz Uno K170/k165
Morel maximo 6

and ended up going with these because of the plug and play
Powerbass OE65C-FD
https://www.crutchfield.com/p_151OE65CFD/PowerBass-OE65C-FD.html - I couldn’t find them any cheaper than crutchfield and went with them for the free wiring harness which I may utilize on the rear speakers (had to put in a 2016 escape as the vehicle to register “fit” to get the free harness) - ***WRONG - can’t use on rear - used 72-5600 (72-5601 works as well, but pay close attention to positive/negative)

For the low end, I ended up deciding an under the seat set up would be best for what I’m wanting (probably mounting behind the seats, but we’ll see). The following were in consideration and the links are the cheapest I could find that particular unit for.

Jbl basspro SL and SL2 (link is for cheapest discontinued SL model)

KICKER HIDEAWAY HS8 and 46HS10 - link is for a refurb for >$190 for the 8”,

mb quart - RW-108A

Pioneer - TS-WX130DA Compact Active subwoofer

MTX terminator - TN8MS Terminator

Kenwood - looked at the KSC-pw8 and the KSC-SW11 (link for sw11)

Cerwin Vega VPAS10 - I love the size of this one for being a 10”, but they seem to be junk, def not the same cerwin Vega from the late 90’s (no link, cuz I wouldn’t buy this)

Rockford Fosgate PS-8

Planet Audio - P10AW

Alpine PWE-S8


At the end of the day I ended up going with the Kicker HS8, I didn’t buy the refurb I linked above, I found it NEW for $239.
For the hideaway, I’ll be following what others have done and tap the wiring harness using high level inputs so I don’t have to worry about the remote wire.
The powerbass components and kicker hideaway should be installed by the weekend.

Will be using this thread as a placeholder to update with pictures, lessons, review, etc…. I also ordered some Memphis 4x6 coaxials to try to retro/custom fit to the 4” speaker spots in the the C pillar speakers, but they’re back ordered meaning that will come later.
This will be my first car stereo system install in like 20 years after being heavy into the lowrider/car audio custom scene in the late 90s, so should be fun.

Figured I’d share what I’m doing to help those with research etc when trying to have the stock system sound decent.

**update on the 4x6s, they had no clue when the back order would be filled on the Memphis, so I cancelled. Ending up order these HERTZ Dieci DCX460 the cheapest I could find them prior was $149, and got them for $110 from Australia

total costs:
Front components - $129
Hideaway - $239
Rear speakers - $110
Which brings me to $478 + wiring, etc…

**Would reduce to $428 if I use the 4” and scrap the 4x6 for now per 1/26 update*

1/26 UPDATE**
Still waiting for the 4x6s and in the meantime I found a smoking deal on the 4” in the same product line
HERTZ Dieci DCX 100.3 for $60 on Amazon (again from overseas - UK) and those will be here tomorrow so planning on doing the rear install this weekend

The Hideaway is doing some weird shit at higher volumes so while I have the rear panels off etc, I’m going to re run my power cabling as well as a 9 way speed wire for future upgrades - I’ve also ordered a do it yourself t harness from LLJ customs and want to have it ready to go so I can add more and play around with different configs - a simple factory upgrade has turned into more of a hobby)

I have an old kicker OFC amp install kit but we moved a few months ago and couldn’t find it so I used the harness wiring that came with the hideaway to get it in and to test/play around. I’ll be yanking it and running 4 gauge wire for power and ground to distribution blocks and will be playing around with a loc/controller to wipe out the sound processing from the factory unit. I’ll also be playing around with building some custom enclosures for under the seats for 8” subs. the hideaway is everything I need if I can get the higher volume issues worked out, but I’m thinking I “want” a little more (and thought about the 10” hideaway, but the more I use one of these all in one powered subs, the more I think I want to separate that - I also don’t have the extra fractions of an inch thickness that the 10” has over the 8”). If I scrap the hideaway in favor of passive 8”s under the rear seats, I’ll utilize my existing mounting board for the hideaway for an the sub amp and likely an LC2i (or different audio control unit) and amp the fronts (might go with hertz components if I do all that as well).

I’ll keep updating with pics throughout the thread, and once I’m done and happy with the final product I’ll update the main post with detailed pics of the whole process.

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[Rvnrock]

I went with the Kicker 8 under the passenger seat and am very pleased with the results.

 

[Mad876Max]

@jayrx7trbo2 @colinl finally finished my setup inspired by both of your builds. Had a lil boo boo and had to shave a "piece" of the corner off, but it sounds amazing with the kicker key 500 and the 8" alpine.

 

[colinl]

Nice! I would recommend running the dsp tuning again after you've played the sub at least 20 hours.

Somewhere around that amount of use... Definitely by 40 hours, you should notice the performance changes. The structure of the sub is so beefy it takes a while to break in.

 

[Mad876Max]

Nice! I would recommend running the dsp tuning again after you've played the sub at least 20 hours.

Somewhere around that amount of use... Definitely by 40 hours, you should notice the performance changes. The structure of the sub is so beefy it takes a while to break in.

Roger Roger, thanks again for the help.

 

[colinl]

Do you hear any background static with your ISU 165's? It's a little rough with my Kicker Key amp plugged in.

background static is often caused by a bad ground, or improperly set gain. but since the key sets its own gain, it's very likely to be a ground.

where is your amp grounded and how long is the ground cable?

 

[colinl]

Thanks for the reply. I have the amp grounded to what looks like a factory ground on the right side of the glove box. I'm using a wiring harness from Hoel, and I'd say the ground is just over 2 feet long.

I would move the ground.

If there are other devices grounded there (which seems likely) and they are noisy devices like the HVAC fan or a power window motor, they most definitely can introduce noise to the amp.

Full disclosure: I never re-use factory ground. I know many do, and I can't recall anyone else complaining of noise with a Key amp. It could be they're using a different factory ground without issue, or it could be that you have a bad amp (which I've also never heard of, but surely Kicker has some kind of non-zero defect rate.)

I always find a concealed, flat section of the main frame and I use steel wool to remove a dime- to nickel-sized spot of paint, and install a new ground on the (now) bare metal with a short self-tapping sheet metal screw. I try to keep it the cable length under a foot.

 

[DrDan]

Do you hear any background static with your ISU 165's? It's a little rough with my Kicker Key amp plugged in. I'm not sure if it's my connections or the radio.

No static AT ALL.....crystal clear. Still loving it!

 

[colinl]

It's something else, but I am a bit over my head. The noise is still there when then amp is removed from the system.

Harness is my next guess, unless you did mean that you already tried removing that and using only stock wiring with the replacement speakers.

 

[Vangogh61]

I work from home, but when I do get in my xl the basic speakers sound was too thin. A very simple install of Hertz 165 in the doors improved quality so much. I had a Colorado replaced all the speakers with kicker and it didn't sound a as good.

 

[bckrupps]

Im surprised the Puzu C7 or C31 aren’t more popular. I was in about $150 with the harness. Seems like a good budget dsp and already has additional rca output and remote wire. Seems to power my infinities great and no issues connecting a subwoofer to the rca output. Im no audiophile by any means but it would seem like a simple excellent solution for the average person. Even without a sub it really wakes up the door speakers and the installation is rediculously easy. I do wish I got the C31 though as it’s definitely better with a sub for more eq adjustments

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