Simple B&O upgrade and sub solution.

[Derwood]

So, I went through this elaborate breakdown of my B&O system upgrade, installation, research, and results only to have it disappear before I could post it. Wasted a couple hours. Not doing that again so here's a quick rundown of what I did.

I had a bad door woofer, so rather than have the dealer put in another crappy speaker under warranty, I decided to upgrade.

Rockford fosgate prime 6.75 components in front doors with corresponding tweeters in dash. Crutchfeild $75. Hoel wire harnesses for tweeters $14. This made a dramatic difference. Louder, added clarity, punch and a lot more bass. This is where I realized how bad the factory speakers are, and that the B&O amp was actually pretty good. So down the rabbit hole I went...

Next, was Rockford fosgate prime 4" two ways in rear pillars. $53 on Amazon. Hoel wiring harness $14. These added more clarity, and Imaging.

So here I've replaced six speakers, with only two left. The new speakers completely buried the already inept factory subwoofer so that was next.

After an embarrassing amount of research hours, learning enclosure design, subwoofer design, researching the space I had to work with, and understanding what B&O was trying to do with the factory sub, I made an adapter plate and the experiments began.

I didn't want to add an amp or under seat sub except as a last resort. Been there, done that. I wanted to keep it as original, inexpensive, and simple as possible.

After a couple tries I found the solution. The Dayton Audio DCS165-4 6 1/2" classic subwoofer. $69 on Amazon.The Maverick comes with a wiring harness for bed customization that also works with the subwoofer plug for the amp. It plugs in inside the enclosure.

I know this may not be what everyone is looking for, but it's perfect for me. It works the way the upgraded B&O should have worked from the factory. It's loud, clear, deep, easy, inexpensive and works way better than I thought I would ever get without an additional amp and sub. And It only bothers other drivers at a red light a little bit. Lol. I've had 8 inch powered subs in the past that didn't perform this well. Shakes my rearview... All that from the factory B&O amp, and I didn't splice a single wire, or break a single clip.

Also added sound deadening to the front door skins and chased down all the annoying Maverick rattles. The cleaner and louder the stereo got, the more small rattles I found and fixed. I painted the adapter plate with plastidip, added sound deadener to the underside of the adapter plate, and addaed rubber seals between the plate and subwoofer enclosure, and between adapter plate and subwoofer.

I have the subwoofer grill on order. And in the process of finalizing the remaining center channel. I approached the center channel a little different than others have, so if interested, stay tuned...

Thanks for reading.

Wow, if you consider the stock speakers bad my old Kias were downright horrific then! Lol

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[22Lariat]

Wow, if you consider the stock speakers bad my old Kias were downright horrific then! Lol

Lol I didn't realize how bad they were until I had something to compare them too. It became apparent once I heard the new ones.

 

[thev8man]

So, I went through this elaborate breakdown of my B&O system upgrade, installation, research, and results only to have it disappear before I could post it. Wasted a couple hours. Not doing that again so here's a quick rundown of what I did.

I had a bad door woofer, so rather than have the dealer put in another crappy speaker under warranty, I decided to upgrade.

Rockford fosgate prime 6.75 components in front doors with corresponding tweeters in dash. Crutchfeild $75. Hoel wire harnesses for tweeters $14. This made a dramatic difference. Louder, added clarity, punch and a lot more bass. This is where I realized how bad the factory speakers are, and that the B&O amp was actually pretty good. So down the rabbit hole I went...

Next, was Rockford fosgate prime 4" two ways in rear pillars. $53 on Amazon. Hoel wiring harness $14. These added more clarity, and Imaging.

So here I've replaced six speakers, with only two left. The new speakers completely buried the already inept factory subwoofer so that was next.

After an embarrassing amount of research hours, learning enclosure design, subwoofer design, researching the space I had to work with, and understanding what B&O was trying to do with the factory sub, I made an adapter plate and the experiments began.

I didn't want to add an amp or under seat sub except as a last resort. Been there, done that. I wanted to keep it as original, inexpensive, and simple as possible.

After a couple tries I found the solution. The Dayton Audio DCS165-4 6 1/2" classic subwoofer. $69 on Amazon.The Maverick comes with a wiring harness for bed customization that also works with the subwoofer plug for the amp. It plugs in inside the enclosure.

I know this may not be what everyone is looking for, but it's perfect for me. It works the way the upgraded B&O should have worked from the factory. It's loud, clear, deep, easy, inexpensive and works way better than I thought I would ever get without an additional amp and sub. And It only bothers other drivers at a red light a little bit. Lol. I've had 8 inch powered subs in the past that didn't perform this well. Shakes my rearview... All that from the factory B&O amp, and I didn't splice a single wire, or break a single clip.

Also added sound deadening to the front door skins and chased down all the annoying Maverick rattles. The cleaner and louder the stereo got, the more small rattles I found and fixed. I painted the adapter plate with plastidip, added sound deadener to the underside of the adapter plate, and addaed rubber seals between the plate and subwoofer enclosure, and between adapter plate and subwoofer.

I have the subwoofer grill on order. And in the process of finalizing the remaining center channel. I approached the center channel a little different than others have, so if interested, stay tuned...

Thanks for reading.

Booyah

So for us with XL and XLT units with no sub and amp, since you have done the research can those items be added cost effectively to our units?

 

[22Lariat]

Booyah

So for us with XL and XLT units with no sub and amp, since you have done the research can those items be added cost effectively to our units?

If it were me who had an XL or XLT, and not satisfied with the stereo, I would first replace all the speakers and see how it sounded. It was a dramatic difference when I did mine. The B&O sub was already inept, and then completely disappeared when I replaced the other speakers. That's what led me to these experiments.

If I still wanted more after that, the aftermarket sub and amp options are vast. I wouldn't try to repeat this, but I would look for a sub that I could squeeze behind the rear seat to keep the functionality of the rest of the truck.

I kind of envy you for having a blank slate. I had high expectations for the B&O system. When I ordered mine there were no demos anywhere. And I got it so I wouldn't have to do any upgrades. What I feel I did was salvage the B&O system to what it should have been from the begining. You can make yours whatever you want.

 

[thev8man]

If it were me who had an XL or XLT, and not satisfied with the stereo, I would first replace all the speakers and see how it sounded. It was a dramatic difference when I did mine. The B&O sub was already inept, and then completely disappeared when I replaced the other speakers. That's what led me to these experiments.

If I still wanted more after that, the aftermarket sub and amp options are vast. I wouldn't try to repeat this, but I would look for a sub that I could squeeze behind the rear seat to keep the functionality of the rest of the truck.

I kind of envy you for having a blank slate. I had high expectations for the B&O system. When I ordered mine there were no demos anywhere. And I got it so I wouldn't have to do any upgrades. What I feel I did was salvage the B&O system to what it should have been from the begining. You can make yours whatever you want.

Booyah
I am interested.

I have an XL and XLT non lux or B&O.

 

[colinl]

Booyah
I am interested.

I have an XL and XLT non lux or B&O.

the sticky thread in this forum is a good start. check that to see if you're up for DIY. otherwise, start visiting local shops to get some quotes.

https://www.mavericktruckclub.com/f...anel-removal-finished-with-lots-of-pics.4064/

 

[Skyline]

Lol I didn't realize how bad they were until I had something to compare them too. It became apparent once I heard the new ones.

My F150 from the late 90's, STX anniversary edition, had a better sound system, than my new Maverick. That was quite obvious at the very first time the Maverick sound system was turned on. I am still not convinced to keep the Maverick for various reasons, but if I do, I will follow your sound system update pass next spring. Thanks for posting it...

 

[todd92]

Just ordered all of this, just what I wanted and cost effective. What about the center channel? Another 4" 2 way? Which harness plug?

 

[Darnon]

Just ordered all of this, just what I wanted and cost effective. What about the center channel? Another 4" 2 way? Which harness plug?

The center channel is a 3.5". I believe should be a WPT-1186, although if you're handy with a soldering iron you can just steal the one off the stock speaker.

 

[colinl]

Just ordered all of this, just what I wanted and cost effective. What about the center channel? Another 4" 2 way? Which harness plug?

Discussion about the B&O center here:
https://www.mavericktruckclub.com/forum/threads/b-o-center-channel-speaker.27348/

You'll see in that thread several folks running an Infinity Reference center which is 3ohm nominal and stock is 8. We do not have a discrete level control for the center, it's in the sync3 audio control module, surround is a lot of center channel and stereo mode is less. (ALWAYS use stereo.)

I have a Kenwood KFC X3 center and have a 4 ohm resistor wired into it, so I have a nominal 8 ohm load. This tames the center a fair bit, which I like a lot. You could install the Kenwood without a resistor and it would be 4 ohm, and presumably, louder.

I do not know if anyone experiences clipping or volume reduction when using a 3 or 4 ohm center. Mine always has been wired up with the 4 ohm resistor. I already sold the other speaker in my pair - this is no longer for sale. But here's what they look like. I chose the Kenwood because it's 4 ohm and has a silk dome tweeter.

 

[22Lariat]

Just ordered all of this, just what I wanted and cost effective. What about the center channel? Another 4" 2 way? Which harness plug?

I just installed the center channel on mine yesterday. I read the issues others were complaining about on this forum and took a different approach. So far it sounds good, but I'm going to listen to it a couple days and get a full perspective before I recommend it.

 

[22Lariat]

The center channel is a 3.5". I believe should be a WPT-1186, although if you're handy with a soldering iron you can just steal the one off the stock speaker.

I read many of your posts before I went on this journey. Learned a lot from your experience. Thanks for posting.

 

[uh50]

Booyah

So for us with XL and XLT units with no sub and amp, since you have done the research can those items be added cost effectively to our units?

I waited almost a year before upgrading the XL's sound system in steps...not by plan, but by delivery of the components.

The first to arrive were an Infinity Reference four speaker kit that contained REF-6532IX 6.5" 2-way for the front and REF-3432CFX 4x6" 2-way rear. The set was $99 from Amazon. I installed the front using the included adapters plus sound insulation inside the door cavity. I drove it a few days noticing a tremendous improvement on the sound. I probably could have stopped here and enjoyed the sound system...but that's not me.

Next I installed the 4x6" in the rear and they bolted to the factory mounts, shaping the sound with gasket material to fit the cone in the C-pillar trim piece. I changed the sound settings to "all seats" selection. Another overall improvement in sound for me. I did not notice any frequency limitation after changing the sound settings and installing the 75Hz-21kHz 4x6" rear speakers.

Next to arrive was the Puzu PZ-C7 DSP Amp (found it on eBay for about $120, including the plug & play harness). Naturally it had the wrong harness, so I waited until I recieved the right one. The DSP Amp was a super easy install just by removing the harness connector at the ACM and plugging the T-harness in it's place and snaking the DSP Amp leads under the edge of the console and putting the DSP Amp under my drivers seat. Since the DSP Amp I bought was inexpensive and rated at 45W RMS, I didn't expect much improvement, but I was blown away.

I set the 3 bands on the factory ACM to flat and switched back and forth between amp mode and bypass. Again, it was remarkable the difference and that's without messing with any DSP settings. The music seems more alive through the DSP Amp. There is clarity in individual instrument sounds, clear channel separation, and consistent volumes.

I've said before I like the bright sounds of surfer music and Jimmy Buffet's attempt at Reggae. Those of you that have listened to Jan & Dean probably have experienced the duo singing and a muddled mess of background music without definition, which makes it hard to listen to, especially on low quality systems. Yesterday, a Jan and Dean song came on and the background guitars were clear, bright, and individual notes could be definitively heard with a solid plunk. Drums too. Reminds me of my old Kenwood system with Bose 901s in the front and 601s in the rear, probably due to the Maverick Cab acoustic properties. Listening to music like Acoustic Alchemy and Buggs Henderson is a real pleasure.

Finally, I installed and connected the power and DSP subwoofer output to a Rockville RW68CA subwoofer. I could have done without the sub and been fine with in my ignorance; however, after listening to it even at moderate settings, it fills out the lows very nicely. Although it has the capability to hammer and thump far more than I actually want to listen to. So overall, I now have an audio system that is far more capable of producing nice rich and full sound across the full spectrum of my hearing. The sub gives me the ability to listen to frequencies from 53Hz down to 20Hz as well as fill out the bass up to 100Hz.

Another benefit to adding the subwoofer, it gives the rear speakers a more prominent role. The frequency response of the 4" x 6" rear speakers is 75Hz-21kHz and sound great with the addition of the subwoofer to fill in the bass down to 20Hz.

So, overall, the system sounds better with the moderate subwoofer adjustments to fill in the bass. It was worth the nominal $115.00 cost (Subwoofer plus wiring kit).

So, the installation in stages worked for me and I enjoy the sound system tremendously. I've not noticed anything but clear sounds without clipping which happened regularly with the stock sound. Of course, I've not tried to overload any of the speakers. I know what I installed is not for everyone, but it fits with my preferences and compared to the original stock XL sound system it sounds amazing.

Everyone's cost effective thresh-hold is different. My installation was cost effective for me since it was what I could afford.

 

[thev8man]

I waited almost a year before upgrading the XL's sound system in steps...not by plan, but by delivery of the components.

The first to arrive were an Infinity Reference four speaker kit that contained REF-6532IX 6.5" 2-way for the front and REF-3432CFX 4x6" 2-way rear. The set was $99 from Amazon. I installed the front using the included adapters plus sound insulation inside the door cavity. I drove it a few days noticing a tremendous improvement on the sound. I probably could have stopped here and enjoyed the sound system...but that's not me.

Next I installed the 4x6" in the rear and they bolted to the factory mounts, shaping the sound with gasket material to fit the cone in the C-pillar trim piece. I changed the sound settings to "all seats" selection. Another overall improvement in sound for me. I did not notice any frequency limitation after changing the sound settings and installing the 75Hz-21kHz 4x6" rear speakers.

Next to arrive was the Puzu PZ-C7 DSP Amp (found it on eBay for about $120, including the plug & play harness). Naturally it had the wrong harness, so I waited until I recieved the right one. The DSP Amp was a super easy install just by removing the harness connector at the ACM and plugging the T-harness in it's place and snaking the DSP Amp leads under the edge of the console and putting the DSP Amp under my drivers seat. Since the DSP Amp I bought was inexpensive and rated at 45W RMS, I didn't expect much improvement, but I was blown away.

I set the 3 bands on the factory ACM to flat and switched back and forth between amp mode and bypass. Again, it was remarkable the difference and that's without messing with any DSP settings. The music seems more alive through the DSP Amp. There is clarity in individual instrument sounds, clear channel separation, and consistent volumes.

I've said before I like the bright sounds of surfer music and Jimmy Buffet's attempt at Reggae. Those of you that have listened to Jan & Dean probably have experienced the duo singing and a muddled mess of background music without definition, which makes it hard to listen to, especially on low quality systems. Yesterday, a Jan and Dean song came on and the background guitars were clear, bright, and individual notes could be definitively heard with a solid plunk. Drums too. Reminds me of my old Kenwood system with Bose 901s in the front and 601s in the rear, probably due to the Maverick Cab acoustic properties. Listening to music like Acoustic Alchemy and Buggs Henderson is a real pleasure.

Finally, I installed and connected the power and DSP subwoofer output to a Rockville RW68CA subwoofer. I could have done without the sub and been fine with in my ignorance; however, after listening to it even at moderate settings, it fills out the lows very nicely. Although it has the capability to hammer and thump far more than I actually want to listen to. So overall, I now have an audio system that is far more capable of producing nice rich and full sound across the full spectrum of my hearing. The sub gives me the ability to listen to frequencies from 53Hz down to 20Hz as well as fill out the bass up to 100Hz.

Another benefit to adding the subwoofer, it gives the rear speakers a more prominent role. The frequency response of the 4" x 6" rear speakers is 75Hz-21kHz and sound great with the addition of the subwoofer to fill in the bass down to 20Hz.

So, overall, the system sounds better with the moderate subwoofer adjustments to fill in the bass. It was worth the nominal $115.00 cost (Subwoofer plus wiring kit).

So, the installation in stages worked for me and I enjoy the sound system tremendously. I've not noticed anything but clear sounds without clipping which happened regularly with the stock sound. Of course, I've not tried to overload any of the speakers. I know what I installed is not for everyone, but it fits with my preferences and compared to the original stock XL sound system it sounds amazing.

Everyone's cost effective thresh-hold is different. My installation was cost effective for me since it was what I could afford.

Booyah

 

[22Lariat]

So after reading the issues others had with the center channel being too bright and forward, I decided to try something a little different.

I noticed everyone seemed to replace the center speaker with a 4ohm two way. I decided to try a one way/full range speaker instead. I thought the tweeter in a two way might contribute to the problem. There aren't many budget friendly options, so I decided to give this a try,

https://www.amazon.com/DS18-ZXI-354...qid=1699310371&sprefix=ds18+3.,aps,180&sr=8-2

Ds18 is not my first choice, I just don't know the brand. But it fit the parameters I was looking for. I added a 4ohm resistor to tone it down to 8ohms like the factory speaker, made a bracket out of plastic and installed it.

I think it sounds very good. I don't find it forward or bright at all. It fits in with the other speakers very well, even in surround mode.

I installed the subwoofer grill also, I'm finally happy. The biggest problem I had throughout this whole thing was chasing down all the rattles. They just ruin the experience. This concludes my upgrade. I hope this helps someone else out there.

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