Upgrading speakers… Not that simple

[Jawaburger]

To me it just sounds like a tinny, cheap factory system.

Very true. My '97 Ford Ranger had better audio than my '22 Bronco.

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[Lej512]

10-12

With the windows down 14-18

 

[HalfmuleFarmer]

With the windows down 14-18

Interesting. I like my music on the louder side, like just a bit too loud to have a comfortable conversation with a passenger. I want to hear all the details, and that goes for everything from Jazz to Americana to Blues to Rock. I’d say for me that’s 16-17-18 on the dial, which is plenty loud for windows up, but not quite enough for windows down. Then I go to low 20s, but really this vehicle with the windows down is like being in a tornado, so it gets pointless.

Have you played with all the EQ settings and surround vs not?

“Tinny” might really be a problem with your source. Are you streaming wirelessly? The compression involved there I find noticeable and awful. Maybe your problem is solved by a $15 cable?

 

[RagnarKon]

Still technically 4" I guess. The pods "look" identical but an Alpine S2-S40 4" speaker will not sit flush in the opening of the new Bronco pods. If I had to guess I would say shaving maybe a 1/16" all the way around the opening would let it drop in. However, in the old Bronco (2023) pods, the Alpine drops in perfectly. It is possible it is the design of the speaker and not the pod.

Ah okay, so it sounds like maybe the plastic molding changed a little bit, and the "fix" is just to widen opening for the speaker a bit more than it is today??

I'm guessing it'll be speaker specific. Some 4" aftermarket speakers probably will need the hole widened, some won't.

 

[Lej512]

Interesting. I like my music on the louder side, like just a bit too loud to have a comfortable conversation with a passenger. I want to hear all the details, and that goes for everything from Jazz to Americana to Blues to Rock. I’d say for me that’s 16-17-18 on the dial, which is plenty loud for windows up, but not quite enough for windows down. Then I go to low 20s, but really this vehicle with the windows down is like being in a tornado, so it gets pointless.

Have you played with all the EQ settings and surround vs not?

“Tinny” might really be a problem with your source. Are you streaming wirelessly? The compression involved there I find noticeable and awful. Maybe your problem is solved by a $15 cable?

I'm not aware of any EQ settings. I have adjusted tone settings but still can't quite get what I'm looking for. Some times I'll tune into SiriusXM, some times BT from my iphone, some times I use a thumb drive. Never bothered using a cable with my phone.

 

[Lej512]

Ah okay, so it sounds like maybe the plastic molding changed a little bit, and the "fix" is just to widen opening for the speaker a bit more than it is today??

I'm guessing it'll be speaker specific. Some 4" aftermarket speakers probably will need the hole widened, some won't.

Not plug and play in my mind.

 

[HalfmuleFarmer]

I'm not aware of any EQ settings. I have adjusted tone settings but still can't quite get what I'm looking for. Some times I'll tune into SiriusXM, some times BT from my iphone, some times I use a thumb drive. Never bothered using a cable with my phone.

If you’re listening to highly compressed sources (like streaming, satellite or MP3s) wirelessly, the system is likely revealing some lossy quality in your input sources. It’s very studio monitor “flat” as I mentioned in my long post. I find compressed audio very “mid” and dialed back at both the high and low ends.

EQ = tone settings, and the surround toggle. I found adjusting these made a lot of difference, as did folding the seats down, which lets the sub activate the whole compartment much more fully. Good luck!

 

[Bigtopher]

Question (just curious): The B&O systems are different in the 20 vs 25 years. I too have a MY25 BL, and as a former music industry guy, I found the 12-speaker B&O system fine. Not great, but fine — and I wasn’t expecting great from a factory system. Do you run top off and windows down? Are people hoping for great sound in that situation? Is that the complaint? Sincerely wondering.

(PS: I have a 2DR and usually have the rear seats folded down, which I find does effect the sound space. I haven’t experienced the 12-speaker B&O system in a 4DR, but maybe that’s part of the issue )

I haven't taken the rear cap or doors off, but I do get the panels off when the weather looks good for the week/weekend. The B&O "upgrade" is probably a decent chunk of the $4500 Lux package, but it just doesn't feel like a $1000-2000 system to me. Even with the factory sound deadening headliner the speakers don't really pack any sort of punch in the closed cab.
I also have a decent bit of hearing loss, so it could certainly be a me issue, but the market only exists if enough other people feel the same way.

 

[5GENIDN]

I have a basic understanding of audio systems. I set out to simply upgrade the speakers in my 2026 Outer Banks 60th Anniversary Bronco. No amps, just speakers. Anything has to be an improvement over the factory speakers. I always had good luck with Crutchfield. Following suggestions from other forums, I picked out the speakers that I want. 4”, two in the dash, two in the rear pods. My order shows up yesterday. I’m short one adapter harness, and the 4” speakers won’t fit in the factory pods. Why, why, why would Ford change the rear pod specs from one model year to another? I changed the pods in my old Bronco to accommodate a 6.25” speaker so I still have my old factory pods. The new 4” speakers fit fine in the old pod. Is it possible Ford goes through that much research to make sure the end user CAN’T do their own upgrades? I considered going full in and having the local car audio shop upgrade everything until they quoted me $3,800.

Okay this is the way I understand what happened....

the B&O system in the Bronco changed for 26 because of all the complaints about the previous B&O system.

The PREVIOUS system used Coaxial speakers in the left and right dash board. Woofers in the kick panels and full range speakers in the center dash and two rear pods and then the sub woofer. I know... that is only 8 locations and yet they called it a "10 speaker system" because they counted each one of the coaxial speakers as 2 speakers....

The B&O amplifier only sent amplified signal to a left channel and a right channel as well as the Sub. The left Channel and right channel were split using passive cross overs to power the woofer at the kick, then the mid and the tweeter in the dashboard coaxial. The center dashboard and two rear pod speakers were simply full range speakers powered only by the head unit not the amplifier.

After lots of complaints (as best I understand) the new B&O system replaced the rear pod speakers with coaxials identical to the ones used in the front dash board and added two channels to the amplifier and they are powered by the B&O amp now.

That makes the new system a "12 speaker system" as Ford is counting speakers but there are still only the same 8 locations...

 

[T800]

You don't mention in the OP what speakers you bought that don't fit?

I did Audison 4" coax front and rear and they fit fine. I did those 4 myself and had a car audio place do the rest last Friday.

Amp: Audison SR6.6600
Audio Control LC7i-pro
Audison Prima 4" Coaxial - front and rear pods
Hertz 6.75” DCX 170.3 in the kick panels
Single JL 12” 12TW1 (sealed, downfiring box from my previous DD)

Total cost was $1850, though I already had the sub from my previous truck.

 

[Lej512]

You don't mention in the OP what speakers you bought that don't fit?

I did Audison 4" coax front and rear and they fit fine. I did those 4 myself and had a car audio place do the rest last Friday.

Amp: Audison SR6.6600
Audio Control LC7i-pro
Audison Prima 4" Coaxial - front and rear pods
Hertz 6.75” DCX 170.3 in the kick panels
Single JL 12” 12TW1 (sealed, downfiring box from my previous DD)

Total cost was $1850, though I already had the sub from my previous truck.

Alpine S2-S40’s

 

[T800]

Alpine S2-S40’s

For that price range, I would do the Hertz DCX 100.3. Many here have put them in and they fit.

In the front, you have to remove a little plastic tab. It takes 5 seconds with snips.

 

[HalfmuleFarmer]

Okay this is the way I understand what happened....

the B&O system in the Bronco changed for 26 because of all the complaints about the previous B&O system.

The PREVIOUS system used Coaxial speakers in the left and right dash board. Woofers in the kick panels and full range speakers in the center dash and two rear pods and then the sub woofer. I know... that is only 8 locations and yet they called it a "10 speaker system" because they counted each one of the coaxial speakers as 2 speakers....

The B&O amplifier only sent amplified signal to a left channel and a right channel as well as the Sub. The left Channel and right channel were split using passive cross overs to power the woofer at the kick, then the mid and the tweeter in the dashboard coaxial. The center dashboard and two rear pod speakers were simply full range speakers powered only by the head unit not the amplifier.

After lots of complaints (as best I understand) the new B&O system replaced the rear pod speakers with coaxials identical to the ones used in the front dash board and added two channels to the amplifier and they are powered by the B&O amp now.

That makes the new system a "12 speaker system" as Ford is counting speakers but there are still only the same 8 locations...

Changed in MY 25.

 

[Lej512]

For that price range, I would do the Hertz DCX 100.3. Many here have put them in and they fit.

In the front, you have to remove a little plastic tab. It takes 5 seconds with snips.

Would that require an additional AMp? I'm looking to do speakers only.

 

[T800]

I'm not aware of any EQ settings. I have adjusted tone settings but still can't quite get what I'm looking for. Some times I'll tune into SiriusXM, some times BT from my iphone, some times I use a thumb drive. Never bothered using a cable with my phone.

Best sound from a thumb drive with flac files. Not MP3 or any other format (unless it's lossless). It doesn't sound like that's your problem though. There's really no way to make the OEM system sound good without replacing everything.

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