[How-To] Subwoofer Upgrade - Replacing/Upgrading the Factory Sub

[jrbreeland]

Hey @RagnarKon do you know the measurements of the B&O DSP/Amp? If not the amp itself maybe the space between the mounting holes on the B&O enclosure? I've looked all over and can't find them anywhere. Spitballing from photos I'm guessing somewhere close to 8"x6"x2"

I have mine out right now and can measure. LMK if you need any other details. Holes are 2.725” x 5.75”

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[jrbreeland]

Does PNP have a harness for the 500.1 that will plug into the pre-existing wiring that I currently have plugged into the Fusion amp? I don't want to start pulling the car apart again, nor do I want to have to go up into the center panel where the ACM is. Also, does that create a "kicker amp" ecosystem, or are the 2 speaker "systems"...sub being 1 and the 6 speakers being the other, still run independently of each other, which to me, diminishes the value of swapping the Fusion out for the Kicker 500.1.

I’m not completely following your question(s) but I have a ‘23 with sub delete which means my subwoofer and amp from Ford don’t work and are basically fake.
I’m installing the Kicker 500.1 and a real subwoofer which will create a 7 speaker system.

 

[BlarneyStoned]

I have mine out right now and can measure. LMK if you need any other details. Holes are 2.725” x 5.75”

Overall dimensions of the main part (minus mounting feet), plus the dimensions with the mounting feet would be awesome.

 

[jrbreeland]

Overall dimensions of the main part (minus mounting feet), plus the dimensions with the mounting feet would be awesome.

roughly 22”w x 11”h x 8.5”d at its widest points. Not sure how to measure the feet. They’re all different

 

[BlarneyStoned]

roughly 22”w x 11”h x 8.5”d at its widest points. Not sure how to measure the feet. They’re all different

Those look like the dimensions of the enclosure, I'm looking for the measurements of the B&O DSP to get an idea of how large of an aftermarket amp will fit in the same space with the JL Stealthbox.

 

[RagnarKon]

Does PNP have a harness for the 500.1 that will plug into the pre-existing wiring that I currently have plugged into the Fusion amp? I don't want to start pulling the car apart again, nor do I want to have to go up into the center panel where the ACM is. Also, does that create a "kicker amp" ecosystem, or are the 2 speaker "systems"...sub being 1 and the 6 speakers being the other, still run independently of each other, which to me, diminishes the value of swapping the Fusion out for the Kicker 500.1.

They don't.

Probably wouldn't be a bad idea to make one though. I'll tag @plugnplaykits so he can consider it. It'll help existing 2023MY customers without a subwoofer and future customers who are looking to upgrade. You'd have to run your own power cable, but the signal is all right there.

The problem is there is something going on with the supply of Kicker Key amplifiers, I don't know what's going on... but if they are being discontinued probably doesn't make sense to build a harness for it. @plugnplaykits is a Kicker reseller so I assume he knows more than we do, but yeah... definitely seems like the supply of those are disappearing quickly.

 

[ILoveToDrive]

PNP bought up a bunch of 200.4's. Are the 500.1's also hard to come by?
But, my question still stands regarding how the sub wiring in the MY23 relates to the system when the 200.4 is introduced into the mix. Do the sound controls in the radio have any affect on the sub? AND...what happens if the fusion is swapped out for the 500.1 using the factory wiring.

I’m not completely following your question(s) but I have a ‘23 with sub delete which means my subwoofer and amp from Ford don’t work and are basically fake.
I’m installing the Kicker 500.1 and a real subwoofer which will create a 7 speaker system.

Let me know if the 500.1 will be an easy "swap fit" in place of the fake sub amp. I have a fusion amp in their now. If the 500.1 is an easy swap, I might go that route.

 

[ILoveToDrive]

PNP bought up a bunch of 200.4's. Are the 500.1's also hard to come by?
But, my question still stands regarding how the sub wiring in the MY23 relates to the system when the 200.4 is introduced into the mix. Do the sound controls in the radio have any affect on the sub? AND...what happens if the fusion is swapped out for the 500.1 using the factory wiring.

I’m not completely following your question(s) but I have a ‘23 with sub delete which means my subwoofer and amp from Ford don’t work and are basically fake.
I’m installing the Kicker 500.1 and a real subwoofer which will create a 7 speaker system.

My MY23 has the same. I've got a 200.4 driving the 6 speakers (Polk audio 4" dash and 6" pod, and stock kick panel), and a fusion amp and kicker 4ohm 6.75 sub in the rear. I'm asking if the sub factory wiring "talks" to the system or does the 200.4 amp create its own independent sound stage? I'm looking to understand if adding the 500.1 amp using the factory wiring currently going to the Fusion amp is possible.

 

[mpeugeot]

PNP bought up a bunch of 200.4's. Are the 500.1's also hard to come by?
But, my question still stands regarding how the sub wiring in the MY23 relates to the system when the 200.4 is introduced into the mix. Do the sound controls in the radio have any affect on the sub? AND...what happens if the fusion is swapped out for the 500.1 using the factory wiring.

My MY23 has the same. I've got a 200.4 driving the 6 speakers (Polk audio 4" dash and 6" pod, and stock kick panel), and a fusion amp and kicker 4ohm 6.75 sub in the rear. I'm asking if the sub factory wiring "talks" to the system or does the 200.4 amp create its own independent sound stage? I'm looking to understand if adding the 500.1 amp using the factory wiring currently going to the Fusion amp is possible.

In my case, yes, the factory audio control still impacts the sub-woofer and the 200.4 sound stage.

The 200.4 creates it's own sound stage, the sub does it's own thing but really enhances the whole thing.

 

[jrbreeland]

Those look like the dimensions of the enclosure, I'm looking for the measurements of the B&O DSP to get an idea of how large of an aftermarket amp will fit in the same space with the JL Stealthbox.

sorry. Amp is 1.8”h x 5”L(not incl wiring connectors) x 4”w

 

[WCP-82]

I think I need some one to hold my hand through this.

I was 18 years old when I resurrected a non running 66' T Bird. Fuel air and spark right? No need for the internet although it would have been nice if it existed then. I took almost the whole top end off of a 1986 Jag XJS V12 and reworked everything even adding all modern fuse blocks while dealing with Lucas (Prince of Darkness) electronics.

I can completely remodel a home. My tile work is top notch. You need a pole building or deck? I got you.

So not a big deal to replace speakers. The kick panels are in (6.75 Kickers). The Fusion + Kicker sub has been installed. I didn't have expanding foam so the port has been stuffed with remnants of an old t shirt. I decided to keep it simple so I'm not adding any additional amplification. The SSV rear pods are coming tomorrow. I went with their speakers. The dash speakers are awaiting the adapters to arrive. Hopefully in a couple of days.

I bought a cheap Windows laptop. I bought the ODBLinkEX. Forscan is loaded. The drivers for OBD recognized. I am good to go right...........?

Not even close!
I have spent hours on videos and this forum. Every time I think I understand I get more confused. I'm afraid to even hook up the computer at this point to the Bronco.

My eyes are glassing over and anxiety is increasing so I am asking if anyone can make this as simple as possible for my simple mind?

I believe I need to turn off the Eq for rear power. I took these notes but forgot what they mean or are at this point.
727-01-01
xx2802xx xx--
727-01-02
xx00 xxxx xx--

So am I doing both changes or is one of these an original?

I have these notes: Forscan sub codes

Change to xx2B16xx xx--

Is this what activates the sub?

Lastly I have been trying to figure out if there is anything else that needs changing? Speaker or speaker/tweeter, etc. I am shooting for a basic upgrade. I am a bit confused on whether the dash speakers should now be designated tweeter instead of tweeter/speaker. I do not know what the SSV speakers are so if anyone has installed should I designate them speaker or speaker/twitter?

This whole hook up a computer and start switching codes has me a bit nervous. I took a computer engineering or science course in college back in 1989. They wanted me to type 0 and 1 into a computer, with no operating system that I can remember, and get things to work. I loved that course so much I took it twice.

I will dive into the Forscan thing as soon as installation of everything is complete. I want to keep it simple at first and will only be doing audio until my comfort zone increases. Any help is greatly appreciated including hints and help with Forscan.

 

[RagnarKon]

I think I need some one to hold my hand through this.

I was 18 years old when I resurrected a non running 66' T Bird. Fuel air and spark right? No need for the internet although it would have been nice if it existed then. I took almost the whole top end off of a 1986 Jag XJS V12 and reworked everything even adding all modern fuse blocks while dealing with Lucas (Prince of Darkness) electronics.

I can completely remodel a home. My tile work is top notch. You need a pole building or deck? I got you.

So not a big deal to replace speakers. The kick panels are in (6.75 Kickers). The Fusion + Kicker sub has been installed. I didn't have expanding foam so the port has been stuffed with remnants of an old t shirt. I decided to keep it simple so I'm not adding any additional amplification. The SSV rear pods are coming tomorrow. I went with their speakers. The dash speakers are awaiting the adapters to arrive. Hopefully in a couple of days.

I bought a cheap Windows laptop. I bought the ODBLinkEX. Forscan is loaded. The drivers for OBD recognized. I am good to go right...........?

Not even close!
I have spent hours on videos and this forum. Every time I think I understand I get more confused. I'm afraid to even hook up the computer at this point to the Bronco.

My eyes are glassing over and anxiety is increasing so I am asking if anyone can make this as simple as possible for my simple mind?

I believe I need to turn off the Eq for rear power. I took these notes but forgot what they mean or are at this point.
727-01-01
xx2802xx xx--
727-01-02
xx00 xxxx xx--

So am I doing both changes or is one of these an original?

I have these notes: Forscan sub codes

Change to xx2B16xx xx--

Is this what activates the sub?

Lastly I have been trying to figure out if there is anything else that needs changing? Speaker or speaker/tweeter, etc. I am shooting for a basic upgrade. I am a bit confused on whether the dash speakers should now be designated tweeter instead of tweeter/speaker. I do not know what the SSV speakers are so if anyone has installed should I designate them speaker or speaker/twitter?

This whole hook up a computer and start switching codes has me a bit nervous. I took a computer engineering or science course in college back in 1989. They wanted me to type 0 and 1 into a computer, with no operating system that I can remember, and get things to work. I loved that course so much I took it twice.

I will dive into the Forscan thing as soon as installation of everything is complete. I want to keep it simple at first and will only be doing audio until my comfort zone increases. Any help is greatly appreciated including hints and help with Forscan.

I got a video there that should hopefully help:

https://www.bronco6g.com/forum/threads/how-to-forscan-audio-speaker-mods.71145/

You'll definitely want to disable the EQ setting. Whether you change the speaker setting or not is less important, but you are welcome to mess around with the available options.

 

[jrbreeland]

If you watched my last video you will know that I installed the B&O subwoofer. This time I have upgraded that B&O subwoofer with a Kicker 8" sub!

Check below the video for a TON more information that I've collected.

Other videos/guides I've created on the topic of audio upgrades:

• [How-To] Factory Bronco Speaker Replacement
• [How-To] Amp Install - Kicker Key 200.4
• [How-To] FORScan Audio/Speaker Mods
• [How-To] Subwoofer Upgrade - Trim panel removal & Kicker install

AUDIO SYSTEM VARIANTS

As of now (mid-2023) there are four variants of audio systems in the Bronco. How you add/upgrade your subwoofer will depend on which setup you have.

2021 - 2022MY Six-Speaker
This was the audio system that was included in all non-Lux packaged Broncos. There is NO factory subwoofer, nor is any wiring available to support a subwoofer.

2023MY Seven-Speaker
Included in early 2023MY Broncos. This is identical to the 2021 - 2022MY setup, with the addition of an amplifier and a subwoofer.

2023MY Seven-Speaker with Sub Delete
Ford messed up and ran out of subwoofer components. Functionally the same as the 2021 - 2022MY setup. HOWEVER, it contains the wiring and enclosure necessary to hook up a subwoofer & amplifier.

2021 - 2023 B&O
This is the premium audio system included with the Lux package. There are 7 speakers with a single subwoofer measuring roughly 8" in size (a little less than 8" to be exact).

PICKING YOUR SUBWOOFER

At a high level... there are three decisions you need to make when picking a subwoofer:

• Voice Coil Impedance
• Speaker diameter & depth
• RMS power requirements

In addition those three items, there are other specifications such as frequency response, sensitivity, etc. etc. Most people will not have to worry about these items unless they are really trying to optimize their setups. Given I am gearing this post more towards the novice DIY type... I am going to ignore these items. However, you are free to ask questions about these topics or look online. In addition, if any of you car audio pros feel like there is an important aspect I am ignoring... post in in the comments.

Voice Coil Impedance

You will find that subwoofers intended for car audio generally come in two impedance ratings: 2Ω and 4Ω. There is a lot of electrical and power engineering I could dig into, but just to generalize it:

2Ω voice coils will be much louder and more more "boomy", as they can handle more power flowing through the voice coils. Those who dislike 2Ω voice coils often describe it as sounding very "sloppy", while those that like it often describe the bass as very "full" sounding. If you are driving those 2Ω voice coils with an underpowered amplifier, you run the risk of overheating your amplifier and/or creating very "muddy" sounding bass.

4Ω voice coils will have a more tight and clean sound. Uses less power than 2Ω voice coils, and generally more "safer" for underpowered amplifiers. For this reason... if you are running a factory amplifier rather than aftermarket, I generally recommend sticking with 4Ω voice coils. Those who like the sound of a 4Ω subwoofer would describe it as "accurate" sounding, while someone who dislikes 4Ω voice coils will often say it sounds "constrained".

Speaker Diameter

Generally speaking, the bigger the subwoofer the better. BUT, the bigger the subwoofer the more power and space it will require. Unless you are willing to devote your entire cargo space to a subwoofer, most of us will have to come up with some sort of compromise when it comes to the size of the subwoofer.

If you are mounting your subwoofer in the factory location—in the cargo area passenger side panel—you have two sizes available: 6.75" and 8" subwoofer speakers. BUT, there is aftermarket enclosures available—more on this in the enclosure section.

Obviously your subwoofer will need to be able to physically mount inside of whatever enclosure you select. This will be highly dependent on which enclosure and subwoofer you select, and there is a near-infinite amount of combinations available. The only real advice I can give here is "RTFM and measure before buying".

RMS Power Requirements

Obviously you need to pick an amplifier that is capable of powering your subwoofer. More on that in the next section...

PICKING YOUR AMPLIFIER

There is a TON of amplifiers out there in the marketplace. I definitely encourage you to shop around, and gather suggestions from the forum.

One of the more popular amplifiers is the Kicker Key 500.1, which is the amplifier I personally selected—largely because it was compatible with the Plug-n-Play Kit I bought. My brother—who generally knows more than me about car audio—also suggested the Kicker CX series of amplifiers. In my past I would have highly suggested AudioControl amplifiers, but admittedly I have zero experience with their current product offerings.

Arguably the most important part of any subwoofer amplifier is the amount of power it can deliver at a given impedance rating. It's probably easiest to explain this using an example...

Pretend I have selected the following components:

• Amp: Kicker Key 500.1
• Sub: Kicker Comp RT 48CWRT84

The amplifier I have selected has the following specifications. Notice that the maximum power output of the amplifier depends on the impedance rating of the subwoofer.

The subwoofer has the following specifications. Notice the recommended amplifier power is 300 watts. This is the recommended power output when the subwoofer's voice coils is wired in parallel.

What does this parallel business mean?? Well... there is two ways to wire a dual voice coil subwoofer. If you wire subwoofer in parallel, the impedance rating seen by the amplifier is HALF of the value of the voice coil rating. If you wire the amplifier in series, the impedance is DOUBLE the value of the voice coil rating. A 2Ω subwoofer in parallel will cause the amplifier to see 1Ω of impedance. If that same subwoofer is wired in series, the amplifier will see 4Ω of impedance. Wiring diagrams below:

In this case, our subwoofer has 4Ω voice coils, and when wired in parallel, the impedance seen by the amplifier is 2Ω. The Kicker Key 500.1 is rated for 300 watts and 2Ω impedance, which matches the subwoofer's requirements. So we're good to go.

Modern amplifiers are also typically packed with a ton of added features that you may or may not find helpful. Definitely read user manuals, check out reviews online, etc. etc.

SUBWOOFER ENCLOSURE

General speaking there are three choices for subwoofer enclosures:

• Using a powered subwoofer. This has the amplifier, the subwoofer speaker, and the enclosure in a single unit. The Kicker Hideaway series is a popular example of a powered subwoofer.
• Using an external enclosure. This can be as simple as an standard subwoofer box you stick in your cargo area, an enclosure that mounts to your tailgate—such as the Stinger TXFBB12, or even a DIY box you built yourself.
• Mounting it to the factory location. Three options for this:
  • 2023MY base audio enclosure - 6.75" enclosure
  • B&O enclosure - 8" enclosure
  • Aftermarket enclosure, such as the JL Audio Stealthbox.

Personally, I like the factory location as I value my cargo space, but obviously the choice is yours.

Whichever you decide... check your measurements.

HOW TO WIRE YOUR SUBWOOFER AMPLIFIER

Obviously this will vary widely depending on exactly what gear you purchase. So I am going to speak in extreme generalities. If you need help filling in the gaps, let me know.

POWER

Most people will have to pull their amplifier power from the battery, but the 2023 have the option to pull their power from the factory wiring, assuming they have a relatively low-powered amplifier.

Variant	Power from Battery	Power from Factory Wiring
'21-'22 Six Speaker	Yes	No
'23 Seven Speaker	Yes	Yes, but careful (12 ga. wire)
'23 Seven Speaker (Sub Delete)	Yes	Yes, but careful (12 ga. wire)
'21-'23 B&O	Yes	No

GROUND

Just about everyone will be able to use the ground near the passenger rear cargo area behind the panel. Those with the 2023MY may also use the factory wiring provided, but keep in mind the ground wire should be the same gauge as the power wire or larger (thicker cable).

AUDIO SIGNAL

This is where it gets interesting...

'21-'22 Six Speaker

Those of you in the unlucky 2021-2022 6-speak camp will have to steal their subwoofer amplifier signal from the left and right kick panel speakers. There really is no other way around it. Of course, certain amplifiers and kits made by companies such as @plugnplaykits can make this task substantially easier for you, but fundamentally it all has to come from the kick panels.

Factory Setup

With Subwoofer Upgrade (Proposed)

'23 Seven Speaker / '23 Seven Sub Delete

2023MY Broncos have all of the wiring in place for an amplifier, regardless of whether you have the sub delete option or not. Upgrades are as easy as taking the old amplifier/subwoofer out (or their fake equivalents), and installing the new amplifier and subwoofer.

Note the 2023MY Broncos with the sub delete option will need to use Forscan to turn on the subwoofer output from the ACM. This output will be a low level (aka: line level) output, not a high level (speaker level) output.

Factory Setup

Factory Setup - Sub Delete

With Subwoofer Upgrade (Proposed)

'21-'23 B&O Package

The B&O package makes it tricky. The amplifier in the rear of your Bronco near the subwoofer is not just a simple amplifier. It is an entire digital signal processor (DSP) that also powers more than half of the speakers in your Bronco. That DSP talks to the factory Audio Control Module (ACM) over a digital connection using a protocol called A2B. Therefore you cannot simply replace the DSP with an amplifier.

There are several companies out there that have aftermarket equipment capable talking on the A2B protocol. BUT, if you are simply going for a factory subwoofer upgrade, your amplifier will have to daisy-chain off of the B&O DSP output.

Factory Setup

With Subwoofer Upgrade (Proposed)

MY PERSONAL SETUP

I have a 2022 Bronco with the standard 6-speaker setup. To feed the subwoofer amplifier I am using a Plug-N-Play kit from @plugnplaykits. That kit steals the signal from the front kick panels, passes it through a load resistor to clean up the signal a bit and give the factory ACM something to look at, and passes it back over the wiring hardness to a Kicker Key 500.1.

OTHER THREADS/VIDEOS...

These are thread I've come across that I felt were extremely helpful. If you got one I missed, link it and I'll add it to this list.

Threads

• 2023MY Speaker Upgrade Megathread
• @jshapz - 2023 7 speaker subwoofer upgrade
• @cmcbronco - B&O sub installed on Base Bronco ….sorta….
• @John P. - John’s 2 Door Badlands Build (B&O Replaced with Active DSP)
• @Ksjrb03 - B&O sound system complete upgrade - Done

Videos

• Kicker Hideaway Powered Sub Install
• @1Five1 Garage - Interior Trim Removal and Soundproofing

FACTORY WIRING DIAGRAMS

Hope that was helpful!!!

For a Sub-Delete, do you happen to know if the wires 5 and 6 are the audio signals I need to tap into for the audio input into a new amp? Since I'd be splicing into the Kicker RCAs, I would put both positives together and both negatives together?

 

[RagnarKon]

For a Sub-Delete, do you happen to know if the wires 5 and 6 are the audio signals I need to tap into for the audio input into a new amp? Since I'd be splicing into the Kicker RCAs, I would put both positives together and both negatives together?

Yup! Keep in mind it is a line-level input, not speaker-level. Pretty sure all of Kicker's amps support line-level, but not sure about that.

The remote turn-on like should also work, although admittedly I haven't tried it specifically on the Bronco.

The power wire you'll have to wire from the battery unless you are doing a ~200 watt amplifier or less.

 

[jrbreeland]

Interesting. The "Amp en/clip" is only a 6V remote turn on. So that won't work for a remote turn on power source. Still need to run a remote turn on wire up front.

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