I need some ideas on upgrading the factory sound system in my 2006 F350 crew cab. I'm hoping for a basic speaker change out to get some better sound and bass. It currently has the stock premium electronic am/fm stereo/in-dash 6cd sound system. I previously had an f150 with an audiophile system which I was happy with. A set up comparable to that would be good. I still have the bass box and amp from the f150 audiophile if I can utilize that in any way too.
Thanks for any ideas and help,
Jeremy.

 

I'm in the same boat, coming out of an 04' Explorer that had the audiophlie system with factory sub. While it was by no means mind blowing, it was better than what I have now. Going to the Super Duty with its "deck and four" just plain sucks! While the sound quality is so so with CD's, the lack of any bass just leaves you asking for a little more. Adding an amp/sub to the the factory head unit and upgrading the front speakers would probably get you the most bang for the buck. The rears are fine left alone since they are not the main sound stage. Focus on the front sound stage and bass enhancment.

I recommend a good quality coaxial or component set for the doors. $70-$100 for a decent set of drop-ins, and $150-$200 for seperates. Check out Infinity's Reference series speakers. Good quality stuff at a decent price.

Amp and sub choices are endless. There are a lot of decent powered subs available that can be added to the factory HU, or you can put together a seperate amp/sub/box combo of your choice. Keep in mind the factory head unit doesn't give you any low pass outputs or seperate bass eq/control. Look for a powered unit or amp that gives you a low pass crossover and if at all possible remote bass volume/gain control. While the audiophile amp/sub would probably work okay, you may have trouble connecting it to the Super Duty head unit. The audiophile radios have a seperate sub output that the Suuper Duty HU's don't have. You may be able to adapt the wiring with a line level converter and some RCA jack splicing on the amp end. Not sure what you have from the F-150 as far as wiring is concerned, but if you have the factory harness it will not just plug into the back of the Super Duty radio. One thing I did not like about the audiophile setup was the lack of bass control. In the Explorer, more volume ment less sub output. I'm not sure if this was a product of the other speakers overpowering the sub, or just Fords way of keeping you from blowing the thing. At lower volume levels it was okay, but when you wanted to crank it up the sub output just seemed to disappear.

Ultimately an aftermarket head unit will give you the most options for system control and expansion, even if you don't intend to build an elaborate audio/video setup. High theft areas, or budget might steer you away from this, but it is something to consider.

Go to Crutchfield.com and look around. You can search items by "what fits" and get ideas of choices and prices for anything you could want to add.

 

yeah i agree with 98x50. he's a smart man!

 

I stopped by best buy today to listen to some speakers. They had the Infinity reference on display which sounded good. They also had the Pioneer 3 way's which sounded much fuller at first. The sales rep. was very informative. He suggested I turn the volumes up and listen to the two again. The Pioneers tended to distort at higher volumes. They had a set of the Infinity's on the bargain table for $58 because the box was opened. The speakers inside were still in the original factory sealed plastic so I went ahead and got 4 of the Infinity's. I also got the wiring adapters so I wouldn't have to splice wires.
As for installation; I would recomend to read this link to see how to remove the door panel. http://www.eurekaboy.com/f250/doorremove.htm I tried to remove mine the old fashioned way first, thinking that it was hung with the push in plastic body fastners, I was wrong and broke one of the tabs off. Once I read the link above I had all the speakers fronts and backs swapped out in about 30 minutes. It was very easy. Don't be afraid to do it yourself.
As for sound quality; There is a big difference right away. I can't believe how junky the factory speakers are. You'd think for the money you pay for these trucks that the sound system would be a little better. Any way, I'll post back in a week or so to give a better update on the sound from the Infinity's. Thanks to 98x50 & 78'fordtruckguy for their input,
Jeremy.

 

I forgot to mention to be careful if you use the factory screws with the new speakers. They have a large head which if you're not careful will very easily rip into the rubber edge of the speaker. Some aftermarket screws with a normal sized head would probably work better if you can get some.
Jeremy.

 

Your best bet is to use a 1" self drilling metal screw for your new speakers. The factory holes did not align with my new speakers. The self drilling screws made it easy and secure.