B&O 8 speaker upgrade question

[Mebcop]

New to the F-150 owners club . I’m currently trying to improve on the lack-luster 8 speaker B&O, and I have a couple questions. I already have the sub stage taken care of, and I was looking to add JL C2 components up front (already ordered). I was told on tech support that I would be able to run the components off the stock B&O amp for now, until I get the a2b processor, because she said the front door woofers and pillar tweeters are wired in parallel off the factory amp… but when I looked up the wiring diagram last night, it shows the pillar tweeters are actually powered off the head unit, not the amp. That brings on the questions…

#1. Are the door speakers a full signal, so I could actually run the components through the crossover to power them both? In that case I’d just unhook the factory speaker wires to the tweeter, and run new tweeter speaker wire from the crossovers to the tweeters.

#2. Has anyone actually wired their components off the factory amp? Was the sensitivity difference between the factory and aftermarket speakers enough to hurt the performance of the aftermarket speakers, to where it’s not worth doing?

Thanks for any info!!!

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[Mebcop]

I can’t be the only person doing this… lol

 

[SoundsGoodStereo]

New to the F-150 owners club . I’m currently trying to improve on the lack-luster 8 speaker B&O, and I have a couple questions. I already have the sub stage taken care of, and I was looking to add JL C2 components up front (already ordered). I was told on tech support that I would be able to run the components off the stock B&O amp for now, until I get the a2b processor, because she said the front door woofers and pillar tweeters are wired in parallel off the factory amp… but when I looked up the wiring diagram last night, it shows the pillar tweeters are actually powered off the head unit, not the amp. That brings on the questions…

#1. Are the door speakers a full signal, so I could actually run the components through the crossover to power them both? In that case I’d just unhook the factory speaker wires to the tweeter, and run new tweeter speaker wire from the crossovers to the tweeters.

#2. Has anyone actually wired their components off the factory amp? Was the sensitivity difference between the factory and aftermarket speakers enough to hurt the performance of the aftermarket speakers, to where it’s not worth doing?

Thanks for any info!!!

On the 8-speaker, they are powered off the ACM in the dash. The 7-speaker systems and non-amplified ones, they are tied together in the dash.

The door speaker location is simple, just need speaker adapters, wire harnesses, and a good idea to add block-off plates while you are in there. The tweeter locations might get tricky for mounting, but if you are wanting to use the factory wire/power, you just want to make sure you have the crossover in-line with that wire.

The front doors have a decent high-frequency range and you will be able to use that signal to power your new speaker kit. You will have to listen to it and cross your fingers that new speakers by themselves will be better.

Remember, newer vehicles have all types of DSP processing including all-pass filters, EQ, crossovers, etc. This is so they can use cheap speakers to save $$$. Now that tune will be applied to a totally differently designed speaker.

Will it be better than the factory.... Yes, but unsure how much better.

 

[Mebcop]

On the 8-speaker, they are powered off the ACM in the dash. The 7-speaker systems and non-amplified ones, they are tied together in the dash.

The door speaker location is simple, just need speaker adapters, wire harnesses, and a good idea to add block-off plates while you are in there. The tweeter locations might get tricky for mounting, but if you are wanting to use the factory wire/power, you just want to make sure you have the crossover in-line with that wire.

The front doors have a decent high-frequency range and you will be able to use that signal to power your new speaker kit. You will have to listen to it and cross your fingers that new speakers by themselves will be better.

Remember, newer vehicles have all types of DSP processing including all-pass filters, EQ, crossovers, etc. This is so they can use cheap speakers to save $$$. Now that tune will be applied to a totally differently designed speaker.

Will it be better than the factory.... Yes, but unsure how much better.

I understand exactly what you’re saying, and I think I’m going to just order the interface from you, and not deal with the hassle… especially not knowing how it will turn out. It’s the only way to know for sure that it’ll sound great.

 

[SoundsGoodStereo]

I understand exactly what you’re saying, and I think I’m going to just order the interface from you, and not deal with the hassle… especially not knowing how it will turn out. It’s the only way to know for sure that it’ll sound great.

For the interior speakers, the block-off plates are the most cost-effective vs performance. It could also be we are tuning $$$$$ F-150 stereos every day and factory stereo power just makes us sad

 

[Mebcop]

For the interior speakers, the block-off plates are the most cost-effective vs performance. It could also be we are tuning $$$$$ F-150 stereos every day and factory stereo power just makes us sad

I’ll order the zen a2b and the block-off plates tomorrow morning. Any forum discount codes .
Thanks for the info! It def decided who I got the interface through

 

[SoundsGoodStereo]

No discounts outside of GovX, just a lot of labor and Made in America parts.. Not as much margin We appreciate it

 

[HammaMan]

New to the F-150 owners club . I’m currently trying to improve on the lack-luster 8 speaker B&O, and I have a couple questions. I already have the sub stage taken care of, and I was looking to add JL C2 components up front (already ordered). I was told on tech support that I would be able to run the components off the stock B&O amp for now, until I get the a2b processor, because she said the front door woofers and pillar tweeters are wired in parallel off the factory amp… but when I looked up the wiring diagram last night, it shows the pillar tweeters are actually powered off the head unit, not the amp. That brings on the questions…

#1. Are the door speakers a full signal, so I could actually run the components through the crossover to power them both? In that case I’d just unhook the factory speaker wires to the tweeter, and run new tweeter speaker wire from the crossovers to the tweeters.

#2. Has anyone actually wired their components off the factory amp? Was the sensitivity difference between the factory and aftermarket speakers enough to hurt the performance of the aftermarket speakers, to where it’s not worth doing?

Thanks for any info!!!

You're good to go so long as you have tweeter protectors on there (factory tweets have caps on the back of them). Personally I ordered the C3 tweets for mine (1" comes w/ tweet protector / crossover) and put alpine X 6x9s in the doors. Never tried w/ factory amp. C3s are bright, I've got 6db pulled out of driver and 5db pulled out of pass w/ DSP.

 

[Mebcop]

You're good to go so long as you have tweeter protectors on there (factory tweets have caps on the back of them). Personally I ordered the C3 tweets for mine (1" comes w/ tweet protector / crossover) and put alpine X 6x9s in the doors. Never tried w/ factory amp. C3s are bright, I've got 6db pulled out of driver and 5db pulled out of pass w/ DSP.

I bought the C2 component set directly from Crutchfield. I haven’t even opened it yet. I’m not sure what you mean by “protector”. Would it be something that came with the set? Their site says you can make a strap, or use glue/silicone to hold them in. I was going to just fab something up once I saw what was in there…. now I feel unprepared lol

 

[HammaMan]

I bought the C2 component set directly from Crutchfield. I haven’t even opened it yet. I’m not sure what you mean by “protector”. Would it be something that came with the set? Their site says you can make a strap, or use glue/silicone to hold them in. I was going to just fab something up once I saw what was in there…. now I feel unprepared lol

C2s are .75", C3s are a 1" version. Tweeter protectors stop freqs below 3500hz reaching them as lower freqs will damage them. Component sets come with crossovers that perform the same thing. What you can't do however is just straight connect the tweet to the factory wiring. You'd need to put a cap inline with it to protect them. You can search on it. If you insist on using the factory amp, the tweeters are fed by the ACM in the dash, all other speakers on B&O 8 channel are fed from the amp in the back. You'd need to either install a protection device on the tweeter, or wire in its crossover in the dash at the ACM.

Here on the factory tweeter you can see the protection built-in

What you can't do is just swap in the JLs w/ out any kind of protection on them. You could tear apart the factory tweeter and yank out its parts and use them if you want. Using a 3/4 tweeter there, you're going to have to gut it either way to retain the grille / mount.

 

[Mebcop]

Ohhhhhh. Ok. I know what you’re saying now. I had planned on running the front door signal into the crossover, and run the tweeters and door speakers off that signal, and abandon the stock tweeter feed from the ACM…. But I’ve decided to just order the nav zen and be done with it. Thank you for the info though!

 

[HammaMan]

Ohhhhhh. Ok. I know what you’re saying now. I had planned on running the front door signal into the crossover, and run the tweeters and door speakers off that signal, and abandon the stock tweeter feed from the ACM…. But I’ve decided to just order the nav zen and be done with it. Thank you for the info though!

Ha, that brings ya down a whole new path

 

[Mebcop]

Ha, that brings ya down a whole new path

That post sounded very ominous

 

[HammaMan]

That post sounded very ominous

Nah, you're just replacing everything at that point, and all it entails.

 

[Mebcop]

Nah, you're just replacing everything at that point, and all it entails.

Ya, that’s the idea. Lol. I was trying to not spend that much yet, on top of the MTI enclosure with JL 12, amp rack, components… and all the other accessories I’ve bought in the 3 weeks I’ve owned the truck It’s just kind of a necessary part for what I’m looking to do, I guess. No sense in fighting it too much.

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