Upgrading B&O system. Has anyone done this?

[LungDocTX]

Howdy

Lurker and first post. I have a 2023 Outer Banks with B&O and will be upgrading the audio system. There are so many posts about this it can be overwhelming so I'm looking for some folks who have upgraded to give me an amen on the following as well as any feedback:

1. Replace the 3 dash speakers with Kicker KS 4"
2. Replace kick plate speakers with Kicker KS 6.5"
3. Either get new pods and upgrade to Kicker 6.75" for rear corners or keep current pods and just put 4" in there. Not sure if buying the larger pods and speakers is worth it??
4. Add Stinger box with 12" sub to tailgate
5. Add Mobridge K2 8.1.1. Amp with B&O Plug-N-Play kit for all speakers listed above
6. Maybe a bass knob

Questions:

I was super impressed with @Ksjrb03's comprehensive thread on upgrading the B&O system. For that he just added an amp for the subwoofer only and replaced the existing speakers. I do wonder about the quality of sound obtained by just replacing the existing dash, kick plate, and pod speakers using the existing B&O amp versus having these new speakers powered by the Mobridge (which would also power the subwoofer). Anyone start off by using factory B&O amp with new speakers and then wound up doing A2B DSP amp to improve sound?

I think @Lowellbarton has done something very similar to what I have listed above? If so can you let us know how it is sounding?

I plan on paying someone to install this including sound proofing/deadening.

Lastly, @mObridge - for the above system, how would I go about tuning? Is there existing software to fine tune kicker brand with teh Mobridge? Would most audio installers know how to do this? With the mobridge, would you still recommend a bass knob for the subwoofer? Would welcome any wisdom/insight/feedback.

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[DrunkevAviator]

I did all of this, albeit with different speakers. Absolutely worth it. The mobridge amp is an easy install, if you don't want to pay the big $$ to have someone to do it for you.

The tuning is..... complex... To say the least. I'm looking into that part now, and the "beginners guide" I found via google is like, 63 pages. I would assume any decent installer would know how to tune the system, though.

 

[LungDocTX]

I did all of this, albeit with different speakers. Absolutely worth it. The mobridge amp is an easy install, if you don't want to pay the big $$ to have someone to do it for you.

The tuning is..... complex... To say the least. I'm looking into that part now, and the "beginners guide" I found via google is like, 63 pages. I would assume any decent installer would know how to tune the system, though.

What speakers did you go with? Did you go with 6.75 on the pods or keep the 4s?

yeah, I figure the tuning plus labor to install and dampen may be worth it if the tuning is super time consuming for a novice.

 

[DrunkevAviator]

I went with Hertz cx100s in the dash, Hertz MP Pro 163.5s in the kick panels, and the SSV pods in the rears with the kicker upgrade. (Along with the stinger tailgate sub).

Installing the sound dampener was pretty easy once I had the panels off to run the power wire. It was a couple hour job from start to finish. But I also have done a lot of my own car audio stuff over the years.

Sounds amazing even with the stock tune. (Had a couple guys in the bronco yesterday with the top off and the music cranked and they were amazed how clean the sound was at high volume at speed).

 

[HeliPilot]

I went with Hertz cx100s in the dash, Hertz MP Pro 163.5s in the kick panels, and the SSV pods in the rears with the kicker upgrade. (Along with the stinger tailgate sub).

Installing the sound dampener was pretty easy once I had the panels off to run the power wire. It was a couple hour job from start to finish. But I also have done a lot of my own car audio stuff over the years.

Sounds amazing even with the stock tune. (Had a couple guys in the bronco yesterday with the top off and the music cranked and they were amazed how clean the sound was at high volume at speed).

I upgraded my base system with Alpines, including the SSV rear pods and a Stinger. Powered by a Sony amp for the small speakers and an Audison for the sub. It’s amazing how well it all can be heard at speed. I think the one that blows my mind the most is how much bass that Stinger delivers with the top off.

 

[LungDocTX]

I went with Hertz cx100s in the dash, Hertz MP Pro 163.5s in the kick panels, and the SSV pods in the rears with the kicker upgrade. (Along with the stinger tailgate sub).

Installing the sound dampener was pretty easy once I had the panels off to run the power wire. It was a couple hour job from start to finish. But I also have done a lot of my own car audio stuff over the years.

Sounds amazing even with the stock tune. (Had a couple guys in the bronco yesterday with the top off and the music cranked and they were amazed how clean the sound was at high volume at speed).

Awesome. Looking forward to moving forward. Did you opt for a bass knob or not necessary from your standpoint?

 

[jabrax]

With Mobridge you dont need a base knob for the sub... The volume for the sub will be controlled by the sub setting (tone settings) in the head unit which is a cool feature.

 

[DrunkevAviator]

I upgraded my base system with Alpines, including the SSV rear pods and a Stinger. Powered by a Sony amp for the small speakers and an Audison for the sub. It’s amazing how well it all can be heard at speed. I think the one that blows my mind the most is how much bass that Stinger delivers with the top off.

The stinger gets nice and low, too. It'll give you a good shake when you turn it up. I'm very happy with it.

 

[Migo]

I also went the @mObridge route. If you are willing to invest the cash and want a sleek all in one kit, MoBridge is THE kit. Straightforward install that is all hidden for an OEM look. Fraser at Mobridge can set you up with a custom DSP file for the speakers you use. You can then fine tune the file in the MoBridge software to meet your tastes.

For speakers, I used:

Hertz cx100s in the dash (Corners and Center)
Hertz MP Pro 163.5s in the kick panels
Hertz cx165 in rear mabett pods
Kicker Comp R 8" Sub in factory location

A really key thing to do, in my opinion, is sound deadening. Not only does it improve the sound quality, it significantly cuts down on road noise. I did the following:

1. Lined the entire floor, rear cargo area/fender wells and factory jack storage with Kilmat 80 mil, topped with Siless 4mil liner. For this I removed all the seats and pulled up the carpet liner.
2. Covered the entire factory sub enclosure (inside and out) with Kilmat and stuffed it with polyfill. I did have to modify the box very slightly to install the Kicker sub.
3. Filled the plastic storage compartment in the cargo area (I never use it) with closed cell foam, as well as any empty space in the jack storage area.
4. Lined the inside of the rear Mabett pods, and factory dash speaker mounting locations with Kilmat and Siless and stuffed them with polyfil.
5. Lined the factory kick panel mounting locations with Kilmat, Siless liner and stuffed with Polyfill.
6. Lined the doors with the Soundskinz bronco door kit. I also used some of the extra soundskinz trimmings to line the inside of the actual door panels. You can access this area when you remove the vapor barrier when installing the door kit.

I have also found that the source of your music will drastically improve audio quality, regardless of your system setup. Streaming from Apple Music/Spotify is light years better than Sirius or FM radio.

With all of this, I have the best car stereo system I have ever had. The bass isn't going to shake any windows, but you can certainly feel it from the kick panel mid-bass speakers and the sub. I also have no bass rattles to speak of.

I have not given up any rear storage space with a sub-box, and my tailgate is space is free for my table and fire extinguisher. I could add a second sub in the future, the MoBridge has a separate analog out channel for this, but it is not a necessity. If I did, I would likely use a powered under the seat sub to keep things hidden and space free.

Overall, very happy with the investment.

 

[LungDocTX]

I also went the @mObridge route. If you are willing to invest the cash and want a sleek all in one kit, MoBridge is THE kit. Straightforward install that is all hidden for an OEM look. Fraser at Mobridge can set you up with a custom DSP file for the speakers you use. You can then fine tune the file in the MoBridge software to meet your tastes.

For speakers, I used:

Hertz cx100s in the dash (Corners and Center)
Hertz MP Pro 163.5s in the kick panels
Hertz cx165 in rear mabett pods
Kicker Comp R 8" Sub in factory location

A really key thing to do, in my opinion, is sound deadening. Not only does it improve the sound quality, it significantly cuts down on road noise. I did the following:

1. Lined the entire floor, rear cargo area/fender wells and factory jack storage with Kilmat 80 mil, topped with Siless 4mil liner. For this I removed all the seats and pulled up the carpet liner.
2. Covered the entire factory sub enclosure (inside and out) with Kilmat and stuffed it with polyfill. I did have to modify the box very slightly to install the Kicker sub.
3. Filled the plastic storage compartment in the cargo area (I never use it) with closed cell foam, as well as any empty space in the jack storage area.
4. Lined the inside of the rear Mabett pods, and factory dash speaker mounting locations with Kilmat and Siless and stuffed them with polyfil.
5. Lined the factory kick panel mounting locations with Kilmat, Siless liner and stuffed with Polyfill.
6. Lined the doors with the Soundskinz bronco door kit. I also used some of the extra soundskinz trimmings to line the inside of the actual door panels. You can access this area when you remove the vapor barrier when installing the door kit.

I have also found that the source of your music will drastically improve audio quality, regardless of your system setup. Streaming from Apple Music/Spotify is light years better than Sirius or FM radio.

With all of this, I have the best car stereo system I have ever had. The bass isn't going to shake any windows, but you can certainly feel it from the kick panel mid-bass speakers and the sub. I also have no bass rattles to speak of.

I have not given up any rear storage space with a sub-box, and my tailgate is space is free for my table and fire extinguisher. I could add a second sub in the future, the MoBridge has a separate analog out channel for this, but it is not a necessity. If I did, I would likely use a powered under the seat sub to keep things hidden and space free.

Overall, very happy with the investment.

This is excellent. Thank you for the advice on soundproofing/deadening. Will definitely be taking the added steps to do this. Thanks, neighbor!

 

[Draughon]

Did all that a few months ago (I have a 2Door) - here's my system:

DSP: Mobridge DSP Plug n Play kit - 2300watts/8.1 channels
JL 500.1 Monoblock Amp: 500 watts @ 2 Ohms for JL 12'' Sub.

FRONT:

2 x 4’’ Morel Tempo Ultra Integra 402 MKII - (60 watt rms 140peak)
2 x 6.5’’ Morel Tempo Ultra Integra 602 MKII - (120watt RMS, 220W peak)

Rear:
2 x SSV 2BR-65A pods (60 watts rms, 120watts peak)
2 x Wet Sounds Rev8 (200 watt RMS / 400 watt peak)

Subwoofer:
Kicker 8'' CompR (300watt RMS / 600 watt peak)
JL Audio 12'' run by JL 500.1 Monoblock Amp - 500 watts @ 2ohms

Howdy

Lurker and first post. I have a 2023 Outer Banks with B&O and will be upgrading the audio system. There are so many posts about this it can be overwhelming so I'm looking for some folks who have upgraded to give me an amen on the following as well as any feedback:

1. Replace the 3 dash speakers with Kicker KS 4"
2. Replace kick plate speakers with Kicker KS 6.5"
3. Either get new pods and upgrade to Kicker 6.75" for rear corners or keep current pods and just put 4" in there. Not sure if buying the larger pods and speakers is worth it??
4. Add Stinger box with 12" sub to tailgate
5. Add Mobridge K2 8.1.1. Amp with B&O Plug-N-Play kit for all speakers listed above
6. Maybe a bass knob

Questions:

I was super impressed with @Ksjrb03's comprehensive thread on upgrading the B&O system. For that he just added an amp for the subwoofer only and replaced the existing speakers. I do wonder about the quality of sound obtained by just replacing the existing dash, kick plate, and pod speakers using the existing B&O amp versus having these new speakers powered by the Mobridge (which would also power the subwoofer). Anyone start off by using factory B&O amp with new speakers and then wound up doing A2B DSP amp to improve sound?

I think @Lowellbarton has done something very similar to what I have listed above? If so can you let us know how it is sounding?

I plan on paying someone to install this including sound proofing/deadening.

Lastly, @mObridge - for the above system, how would I go about tuning? Is there existing software to fine tune kicker brand with teh Mobridge? Would most audio installers know how to do this? With the mobridge, would you still recommend a bass knob for the subwoofer? Would welcome any wisdom/insight/feedback.

 

[GRONKO]

A couple months ago I installed a very similar setup. I used KS 4 inch in the dash and pods, and 6.75 in the kick panels. I did the install myself, but local shops were steering me away from the larger pod speakers since they are mostly fill. The 2 shops I spoke with recommended the stinger sub and 1 said to go with the mobridge amp.
In the end, I did not want to lose the cargo space, nor did I think I needed a 12" sub, so I ended up going with a JL 8 inch in existing location. Very happy with the results and plenty of bass. I am also pleasantly surprised by the bass from the kick panels.
The KS speakers handle plenty of power and the dsp amp can tune them to sound how you like. There are much better speakers, but the KS are pretty good value and can be tuned to sound good.

 

[Hemisfear]

I just installed Hertz CX100's in the front corners and rear pods, Hertz C165L's in the kick panels and a JL8w1v2 sub in the factory B&O box. It running on the stock amp right now and the sound has improved a bit, but I have the MoBridge Amp&DSP installed as well, just need to hook it up this weekend.

 

[hilmerdm]

I went with Hertz cx100s in the dash, Hertz MP Pro 163.5s in the kick panels, and the SSV pods in the rears with the kicker upgrade. (Along with the stinger tailgate sub).

Installing the sound dampener was pretty easy once I had the panels off to run the power wire. It was a couple hour job from start to finish. But I also have done a lot of my own car audio stuff over the years.

Sounds amazing even with the stock tune. (Had a couple guys in the bronco yesterday with the top off and the music cranked and they were amazed how clean the sound was at high volume at speed).

Hi folks- I’m about to go down this same route w/ the mObridge and Stinger tailgate sub (bypassing the stock sub)…just wondering how to best connect the mObridge to the sub. I’ve been told that you can splice into the stock B&O wires to the stock sub and run 14 gauge speaker wire to the Stinger sub, Just checking to see if that’s what others have done. Thanks!

 

[thenewjs]

Hi folks- I’m about to go down this same route w/ the mObridge and Stinger tailgate sub (bypassing the stock sub)…just wondering how to best connect the mObridge to the sub. I’ve been told that you can splice into the stock B&O wires to the stock sub and run 14 gauge speaker wire to the Stinger sub, Just checking to see if that’s what others have done. Thanks!

Do you plan to use the Mobridge to power the SUB. If so, you can buy one of these and plug it directly into the sub connection.

https://ford.oempartsonline.com/oem-parts/ford-wire-assembly-wpt1456

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