- First Name
- Ken
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- Nov 15, 2020
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- Richmond, VA
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- '06 Jeep Commander
- Your Bronco Model
- Wildtrak
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- #1
Note, If I had to do it over, I would have left the kick panels stock and replaced just the dash speakers with Polk db402s ($50) and the center channel with the PRV audio 4" midrange ($19). I spent far more money on the front and frankly it was a waste. So, all of this can be done for less than $1000.
So, the front channel is what I recommend, not what I did. Also, add your applicable sales tax. These are today's prices. I paid a little less for some of them (inflation).
Here's what I did and why:
Neither the base audio, nor the B&O is loud enough to overcome road noise with the roof panels off. Bronco picks up a ton of road noise at highway speeds as well. If you really want to hear your tunes, adding an amp is the way to go.
Also, the bass from the 'subwoofer' is better than nothing, but it's crap. Harmon's amp is very low powered. In order to get any sound out of it, they use a highly efficient neodymium driver that has no low end. They use 'bass roll-off' in the DSP to prevent you blowing the speaker at higher volumes. For that reason, feeding an aftermarket sub amp isn't the best solution. The Kicker Key 500.1 is supposed to address this, but I've never used one.
So, here's the deal with the amp sub combo:
So, the front channel is what I recommend, not what I did. Also, add your applicable sales tax. These are today's prices. I paid a little less for some of them (inflation).
Here's what I did and why:
Neither the base audio, nor the B&O is loud enough to overcome road noise with the roof panels off. Bronco picks up a ton of road noise at highway speeds as well. If you really want to hear your tunes, adding an amp is the way to go.
Also, the bass from the 'subwoofer' is better than nothing, but it's crap. Harmon's amp is very low powered. In order to get any sound out of it, they use a highly efficient neodymium driver that has no low end. They use 'bass roll-off' in the DSP to prevent you blowing the speaker at higher volumes. For that reason, feeding an aftermarket sub amp isn't the best solution. The Kicker Key 500.1 is supposed to address this, but I've never used one.
- The most elegant solution aftermarket amp solution is Mobridge: K2 8.1.1 Channel DSP Amplifier – B&O A2B Plug-N-Play Kit Ford Bronco - mObridge. You can find several threads on Bronco6G about this kit. It's pricy, but it does everything (A2B interface, amplification, DPS, wiring harnesses) and maintains everything --- fader controls, all of your chimes, warnings etc.).
- I went a cheaper route. Everybody has different priorities. I spliced into speaker wires. Notes:
- The kick panel speakers receive a full range on both the B&O and the base audio. If you want to add amps to your system, that's the best place to get your signal. I used a Kick Keyloc to flatten the signal for my sub amp.
- Note, the right rear pod wire runs along the left side of the car and crosses over to the right in the roll bar. That's different than the other speakers.
- I mounted my amp and Keyloc under the driver seat with the Stinger bracket. For my setup, it was a little too tight. I would mount the Keyloc somewhere else, like inside the dash and just use the bracket for the amp.
- I replace the stock pods with aftermarket 6.5" pods. If you go through the trouble of re-amplifying your system, your need to do this. I used the SSV pods because I liked the looks and felt like the cheaper Mabett pods restricted too much airflow. Amazon.com: SSV Works BR-B65U 2021-2023 4-Door Ford Bronco Rear Speaker Pod Add-Ons (Unloaded) : Electronics
- I used a Rockville motorcycle amp to power the new rear pods and the sub: Rockville ATV420 V2 4 Channel UTV/Motorcycle Bluetooth Amplifier IP65 Micro Amp - Rockville Audio. This class D amp (very efficient, low heat) puts out 90W X 4 channels at 4 ohms or 125W at 2 ohms. More than enough power to drive a pair of speakers and a fairly efficient channel sub. $150, high and low pass filters, can run down to 2 ohms. It's even IP65 rated. The low pass filter goes up to 320Hz --- I'll get to this below.
- Pods: Is there any deal out there better than Polk db652 @ $60/pair from Amazon? Amazon.com: Polk Audio DB652 DB+ Series 6.5" Coaxial Speaker for Car & Marine, 2-Way Boat & Car Audio Speaker, 40-22kHz Frequency Response, Polypropylene Woofer Cone & 3/4" Silk Dome Tweeter, Black : Electronics
- Sub --- I really researched this. Amazon.com: Pioneer 8" Slim 700W 2 OHM SUBWOOFER : Electronics This sub is inexpensive, can run in a compact sub box (.15CF), and has a frequency response up the 1500Hz.
So, here's the deal with the amp sub combo:
- Even if you replace your kick panels with the most efficient 6.5s on the market (I did---Hertz SPL line mid-range) they are so awkwardly placed, you really can't hear them with the crappy Harmon amplifier in the B&O system.
- If you feed the rear pods from the kick panels, you lose fader controls. You will want fader controls with an amplified system. It takes a lot of power to the rear speakers to overcome wind noise with the top panels off. With the top panels on, you don't want that much power---it makes your system very rear-focused. Heck, I grew up on 6x9s in the rear deck of my car. I don't mind so much. Most people would be really bothered by it, Anyone riding in the rear seats would hate be blasted out with the roof panels on.
- The rear pods have a high-pass filter built into the factory DSP. I think it kicks in at 300Hz. Unlike the base audio (correct me if I'm wrong @RagnarKon ) there is no dealer flash or Forscan setting to turn the filter off.
- Using a full range amp with a high (320Hz) low-pass filter allows the sub to "fill in" the mid-bass frequencies that the Bronco is missing. Unlike many aftermarket subs, the Pioneer can hit these mid-bass frequencies with ease.
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