I've got the mid tier stereo in my Lariat - B&o but the 8 speaker model. I'm considering a minor upgrade by simply putting better speakers in but read somewhere this was not advised due to the sound being tuned to the sound qualities of the supplied speakers. That said still considering it. I'm curious if anyone has done just this mod to this stereo level and how it has worked out. Was there a marked improvement or sort of the same sound generally. I don't want to break the bank but if some better speakers alone can provide overall better sound without other mods like new sub(s) etc I will likely go for it. Tks

 

I have the 302A without the B&O. My plan is to get the Ford branded Kicker sub/box/amp combo and then replace the stock speakers. I am not sure how useful that will be for you, but if it helps and I remember, I'll post here.

 

I’m not happy with the kicker upgrade. It plays too much mid-range frequencies, and you have very little control over it.
I would def go with a powered Kicker sub before I’d do this again.
I’m thinking about this
Kicker powered sub
or this
Rockford Fosgate powered sub
if they’ll fit.

 

The Ford sub is also extremely expensive for what it is. I had a Kenwood sub in a box in an old Escape, and was actually very pleased with it. If I can find more folks having success with plugging into the stock plug and using Forscan to turn on the factory DSP, I'd prefer to get better sound and save money with a sub in a box.

 

we’ll I have the DSP activated and the signal wires ran from the ACM already. I just have to figure out how to use that signal for an aftermarket option, then run a thicker power wire from the battery.

 

I would recommend visiting a local car audio shop and inquire more about the speaker replacement. It should be an easy task with correct items supplied. I am in same scenario and have a friend with a 2020 who has the base B&O and he changed the 4 door speakers with Alpine R series replacements and an amp to run them. The sub is still OEM and works somewhat ok with the other upgrades but it shows its limitations now. With the Alpine R speakers, it is a significant improvement over the junk B&O. The downsides are the prices of wiring, the DSP and another interface part which is also pricey bt needed. Outstanding sound improvements so far... You get what you pay for in that dept.

 

FYI, I wound up stacking discounts and got the installed price for the Ford/Kicker combo down to about $1100 total. I was afraid that it would be too quiet, but it turns out that the sub is if anything too loud. Too much available power isn't really a problem per se, but as yet I don't know if we have the tools to modify the DSP and cutoffs more than the three tone and balance/fade slider bars. My goal is to keep at this and eventually aim for basic frequency cutoff behavior for the sub and other speakers (i.e. what a garden variety aftermarket head unit could do in 2003). That would hopefully allow me to just replace the stock speakers, avoid an amp, AND use the juice that is no longer trying to push bass from the woofers to improve response in the mids. Crutchfield sells in-line high pass filters, and that's my fall back solution, but if I can set it up in the factory head unit DSP then I can avoid turning the low frequency wattage headed for the woofers into heat.

Bass takes a LOT of wattage to push, and if you can offload it from your woofers using an independent powered sub, then the wattage that your head unit can push to the woofers goes a lot farther. I realize that my goal of keeping stuff mostly stock isn't what everyone is shooting for, but I imagine that there are at least some folks, particularly with hybrids, who are nervous about messing with the electrical system.

 

i liked the sound of morels off my older B&O system. They will not be louder, but better. If you want a little increase in volume with the stock amp, look into something with a high sensitivity rating (92+ db).

You have separates up front, coax in the rear doors, and a center. That’s a lot of speakers. You could just try the front first and disconnect the center and see if it sounds better or worse with it, just as a starting point.