Sponsored

Rate the new Bang & Olson 18 Speaker stereo.

David Gordon

Active member
First Name
David
Joined
Sep 17, 2021
Threads
3
Messages
39
Reaction score
23
Location
76048
Vehicles
2021 F-150 Platinum Powerboost
Occupation
Oilfield
Just took delivery of new Platinum w/ 18 speakers.
Am I missing something? Is there a secret button on how to turn it up?
My 2020 GMC Denali w/ 6 speakers would handily blow the doors off this radio.
So would my nabors 2020 Dodge 1500.
I think there is a secret button hidden somewhere that takes it to max power. I cannot find it.

I give this stereo 2 stars out of 5
Sponsored

 

rydfree

Well-known member
First Name
Benny
Joined
Sep 18, 2021
Threads
1
Messages
46
Reaction score
67
Location
Alabama
Vehicles
2020 Ford Ranger Crew cab FX4 Lariat- Mercedes GLK
Occupation
Maintenance
Just took delivery of new Platinum w/ 18 speakers.
Am I missing something? Is there a secret button on how to turn it up?
My 2020 GMC Denali w/ 6 speakers would handily blow the doors off this radio.
So would my nabors 2020 Dodge 1500.
I think there is a secret button hidden somewhere that takes it to max power. I cannot find it.

I give this stereo 2 stars out of 5
After buying the 2020 ranger with the B&O , I agree . My 'o7 King Ranch and the wife's 2011 Glk350 kick its butt . Was so not impressed by the sound :(
 

FordConvert

Well-known member
First Name
Craig
Joined
Aug 11, 2021
Threads
6
Messages
135
Reaction score
169
Location
Utah
Vehicles
2021 F-150 Lariat PB 502A
Occupation
Builder
Works well for me, but I’m not an audiophile. I don’t blast the music very often. What I do listen to has very high fidelity through this system, and the spoken word is crystal clear when listening to podcasts and the like.

When I do turn it up I notice buzzing and rattling that can be annoying.
 

BMWtoF150

Well-known member
First Name
Marty
Joined
Jan 7, 2021
Threads
10
Messages
276
Reaction score
317
Location
SC
Vehicles
2021 F150 King Ranch, 3.5 Eco
Occupation
Retired, Part Time Consultant
I have run live sound for years and am a musician as well. I have had Acuras and BMW's with top of the line sound systems. There is nothing wrong with the B&O Unleashed system. It reproduces sound very well and has plenty of volume. If your's does not it must be set up incorrectly.
 

kmayer

Well-known member
First Name
Kevin
Joined
Feb 24, 2021
Threads
2
Messages
64
Reaction score
69
Location
Seattle
Vehicles
99 F250
Occupation
Web Design Agency
I have run live sound for years and am a musician as well. I have had Acuras and BMW's with top of the line sound systems. There is nothing wrong with the B&O Unleashed system. It reproduces sound very well and has plenty of volume. If your's does not it must be set up incorrectly.
i agree. I’m a life long audiophile and this is a very nice system. Nothing like a high end home system, but very nice for a vehicle. Very good results playing FLAC files via USB. Bluetooth will naturally degrade.
 

Sponsored

OP
OP

David Gordon

Active member
First Name
David
Joined
Sep 17, 2021
Threads
3
Messages
39
Reaction score
23
Location
76048
Vehicles
2021 F-150 Platinum Powerboost
Occupation
Oilfield
I have run live sound for years and am a musician as well. I have had Acuras and BMW's with top of the line sound systems. There is nothing wrong with the B&O Unleashed system. It reproduces sound very well and has plenty of volume. If your's does not it must be set up incorrectly.
I figured that is what it was. I am going to take back to dealership Monday to get them to adjust doors so wind noise calms down. I'll get them to help me adjust it. I just got spoiled from GM's Bose system.
 

Pioneer74

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 16, 2021
Threads
3
Messages
481
Reaction score
860
Location
Dearborn
Vehicles
2021 F150
Terrible sound stage and muddy highs. Projects all the sound is in front of you with no stereo effects.

I never tried the standard B&O in the F150, but the B&O system in my wife's 2020 Edge Titanium has better sound and is louder. The only option on my truck I wish I hadn't paid for.
 

Vulnox

Well-known member
First Name
Bob
Joined
Mar 19, 2021
Threads
4
Messages
341
Reaction score
443
Location
Livonia, MI
Vehicles
2021 F-150 Lariat 502A, 3.5L PowerBoost
I'm fine with it. It definitely helps to have it in surround and not stereo, for some reason Ford sends a lot out in the Stereo setting. While I don't think it's bad, Ford definitely needs to stop having their marketing team determine the stereo and actually work with someone that knows what they are doing. It's a fantastic truck and Ford did so much to make it more than just competitive, but people spend almost all their time in the truck listening to the stereo. There is no excuse for it being worse than the competition year after year while they increase the speaker count but put in dollar store speakers.

Source matters too of course. If listening to Sirius, it's going to sound worse than most other sources. Sirius audio is just more and more compressed so they can fit more channels in the bandwidth they have, same as how satellite TV has way more visual artifacts than cable. I only listen through CarPlay which uses Wifi for the connection and is capable of very high bitrate audio. I think the sound system is better than my 2019 B&O when using the right source.
 

Pibblemobile

Well-known member
Joined
Jul 16, 2021
Threads
0
Messages
159
Reaction score
114
Location
Sioux Falls
Vehicles
2020 F150
I thought it sounded great with the demo flash drive. Any system is only as good as it’s source. It’s not worth the upgrade if you only listen to talk radio or audio books. Also, Sirius quality usually sucks.
 

apMechorse

Well-known member
First Name
Steve
Joined
Mar 10, 2021
Threads
11
Messages
416
Reaction score
560
Location
Fargo, North Dakota
Vehicles
'21 502A 5.0L FX4 & '15 Audi A5 T2
Occupation
Aircraft Maintenance Technician
When I do turn it up I notice buzzing and rattling that can be annoying.
Do you perchance have the rear sliding window? Mine had that this issue as well, but went away as soon as I opened the rear window just the tiniest bit. Dealer was able to tighten the fit when closed, and now it doesn't buzz anymore.

Just took delivery of new Platinum w/ 18 speakers.
Am I missing something? Is there a secret button on how to turn it up?
My 2020 GMC Denali w/ 6 speakers would handily blow the doors off this radio.
So would my nabors 2020 Dodge 1500.
I think there is a secret button hidden somewhere that takes it to max power. I cannot find it.

I give this stereo 2 stars out of 5
I'm wondering if some of these stereos are having installation problems. There are a couple of other threads on here that have complained about sound quality and lack of volume, but I have zero complaints about my setup. I've never turned mine up past 50% volume, and even at that point it's practically deafening outside the truck with the windows up and the doors shut. I am also not an audiophile, however the sound quality is by far one of, if not the best sound system I've ever had in a vehicle.

With such a wide range of opinions of the Unleashed system, I'm thinking there is something wrong with some of the installations.

Either that or I just have sensitive hearing and no taste. Either one is possible, honestly. ?
 

Sponsored


Slade

Active member
First Name
Slade
Joined
Aug 8, 2021
Threads
1
Messages
26
Reaction score
14
Location
Pittsburgh
Vehicles
2021 F-150
Occupation
Attorney
I have had it for about a month. It is certainly clear.

That being said, it is nowhere near as loud as the bose system that my 2021 trailboss had. That seems to be a bit of common complaint (the volume not the clarity) on the forum.
 

BMWtoF150

Well-known member
First Name
Marty
Joined
Jan 7, 2021
Threads
10
Messages
276
Reaction score
317
Location
SC
Vehicles
2021 F150 King Ranch, 3.5 Eco
Occupation
Retired, Part Time Consultant
I have had it for about a month. It is certainly clear.

That being said, it is nowhere near as loud as the bose system that my 2021 trailboss had. That seems to be a bit of common complaint (the volume not the clarity) on the forum.
I am curious as to how loud you actually listen to the system. At 13-15 (out of 30), mine is quite loud and very clear. Any louder would be uncomfortable and I am a drummer, so loud doesn't bother me.
 

Slade

Active member
First Name
Slade
Joined
Aug 8, 2021
Threads
1
Messages
26
Reaction score
14
Location
Pittsburgh
Vehicles
2021 F-150
Occupation
Attorney
I am curious as to how loud you actually listen to the system. At 13-15 (out of 30), mine is quite loud and very clear. Any louder would be uncomfortable and I am a drummer, so loud doesn't bother me.
Around 20 to 24. Either through Android Auto, wireless or through the cable. Occasionally Sirius.

With the bose system I rarely was past half.
 

nearly

Active member
Joined
Aug 25, 2021
Threads
5
Messages
44
Reaction score
62
Location
Virginia
Vehicles
2021 F150 Lariat
Terrible sound stage and muddy highs. Projects all the sound is in front of you with no stereo effects.

I never tried the standard B&O in the F150, but the B&O system in my wife's 2020 Edge Titanium has better sound and is louder. The only option on my truck I wish I hadn't paid for.
I noticed this too but I changed the balance / fade to be on me the driver and the sounds improved. Not sure how it makes it sound for other people but other people aren't paying the loan...
 

apMechorse

Well-known member
First Name
Steve
Joined
Mar 10, 2021
Threads
11
Messages
416
Reaction score
560
Location
Fargo, North Dakota
Vehicles
'21 502A 5.0L FX4 & '15 Audi A5 T2
Occupation
Aircraft Maintenance Technician
Around 20 to 24. Either through Android Auto, wireless or through the cable. Occasionally Sirius.

With the bose system I rarely was past half.
That is really quite odd. Mine is too loud to talk over at about 6, and quite uncomfortable over 10. All sources are about the same, AM/FM/Sirius/AndroidAuto (Bluetooth)/and USB media.
Sponsored

 
 




Top