I wouldn't start an amp, unless you're gutting it. And because you can't opt-out of B&O if you want adaptive cruise, there could be some folks replacing the whole thing immediately rather than doing piecemeal upgrades over time.
After listening to a number of vehicles recently, I think Ford did a fairly decent job with the imaging in stereo mode. It's using the center and while I've chirped about the dash tweeters, it actually does have good ambience and it gives a fairly decent soundstage in stereo mode. It gives a better soundstage than the Bose audio in my previous vehicle, a Mazda CX-9, by far. It's vastly inferior to the best I've heard which used to be the XC90's B&W system but a friend just bought a Cherokee with the McIntosh system and I was really impressed. I have not heard the B&O Unleashed in an F-150 but I have heard late model regular B&O in an F-150 and it's a lot louder than the Maverick, but the midbass 60-80 hz is overdone and the 8" sub is underwhelming, it can't play low at all. (Same sub in my Bronco. Same boomy midbass, too.)
Back to Maverick B&O.. The door speakers aren't great and it's not really feasible to replace only them, so might as well replace the tweeters also. I ran Focal mids with (stock) B&O tweeters for months and the B&O aren't bad at moderate volume say 12-15. They get a bit shrill and harsh at 25+ volume. I have to believe Darnon on the center recommendation because I haven't done anything yet. I will probably buy some 4ohm resistors and try running a replacement center at 4 ohm and then 8 ohm or 12 if necessary to tame it. (Stock is 8 ohm.) Hope there's space under the center for the resistors, we'll see.
I would do a powered sub or custom sub + amp first. Then door speakers. Then center and finally rear speakers. I would personally only replace the amp if you want to use front components that need a whole lot of power, say 75-100+ wrms. That's my plan at this point, at least.
After listening to a number of vehicles recently, I think Ford did a fairly decent job with the imaging in stereo mode. It's using the center and while I've chirped about the dash tweeters, it actually does have good ambience and it gives a fairly decent soundstage in stereo mode. It gives a better soundstage than the Bose audio in my previous vehicle, a Mazda CX-9, by far. It's vastly inferior to the best I've heard which used to be the XC90's B&W system but a friend just bought a Cherokee with the McIntosh system and I was really impressed. I have not heard the B&O Unleashed in an F-150 but I have heard late model regular B&O in an F-150 and it's a lot louder than the Maverick, but the midbass 60-80 hz is overdone and the 8" sub is underwhelming, it can't play low at all. (Same sub in my Bronco. Same boomy midbass, too.)
Back to Maverick B&O.. The door speakers aren't great and it's not really feasible to replace only them, so might as well replace the tweeters also. I ran Focal mids with (stock) B&O tweeters for months and the B&O aren't bad at moderate volume say 12-15. They get a bit shrill and harsh at 25+ volume. I have to believe Darnon on the center recommendation because I haven't done anything yet. I will probably buy some 4ohm resistors and try running a replacement center at 4 ohm and then 8 ohm or 12 if necessary to tame it. (Stock is 8 ohm.) Hope there's space under the center for the resistors, we'll see.
I would do a powered sub or custom sub + amp first. Then door speakers. Then center and finally rear speakers. I would personally only replace the amp if you want to use front components that need a whole lot of power, say 75-100+ wrms. That's my plan at this point, at least.
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