FadeOut

I'm planning on adding a mono amp and sub to my 2018 screw standard sync 3. I read through Southpaw's thread beginning to end and gathered alot of excellent info there. Thanks Southpaw! I see some guys using the LC2i and some not. Is it worth it or is the bass roll off not that bad? I'll likely be going with a Rockford R500X amp and a Pioneer TS-SWX2502 sub/enclosure. Thanks for any opinions.

supercanadian

Return it and use forscan!

FadeOut

I understand that you can use forscan to change the outputs of all the speakers to low level but I don't plan on amping all of my speakers. Is there something I'm missing?

planetix

Here's how it's going to go: You are going to do this for the sub, then you are going to want to amp/replace your speakers, and then another LC2i will end up on Craigslist.

Since you have the base system and not the 2018 B&O Play you actually have an easier and cheaper path to doing this. Forscan it, replace the doors/tweeters along with adding a sub, amp them, and be happy. I know you are thinking "but I don't want to spend much, I just want a little extra bass" but trust me, if your head is already in that state you might as well go to where you are gonna end up eventually You are going to do probably the hardest self-install part just with the sub amp anyway, so go all the way. The doors and pillars aren't that hard.

Kanadian-kaos

No, you are not missing anything. If you only want to add a sub+amp combo, and not replace anything else, you are doing it the correct way. The best bang for the buck is adding a subwoofer to the stock system. I am not familiar with the LC2i, but since your amplifier has high level and RCA inputs, I am guessing you are using the LC2i for the accubass subwoofer control. You could try it without the LC2i at first, and add it later if needed.

In the future, you could easily change it around and add a 4 channel amp and replace the stock speakers.

FadeOut

Kanadian that's correct. The only reason I was considering the LC2i was to compensate for having to use high level inputs on the amp. I've installed quite a few car stereo systems but I have always used aftermarket head units. Having to use the stock radio is a bit of a pain.

Planetix, I like the idea of redoing the entire system but I will need to do a little more research on that. I think I read something in another thread that there is a harness that can be used so that no factory wires need to be cut. Correct? I'm guessing I would still need to run new wire to all of the speakers from the amp though.

I suppose a third option would be a modest upgrade to the door speakers that the factory headunit could drive and continue with the current sub/amp plan.

Thanks again for the help fellas.

planetix

Unless you are installing super-wattage speakers (over 150w each, say) there's no real reason to run new cable to the speakers. It's also a pain in the *** on newer F-150s (gen 5+ I believe) due to the change in the door plugs.

Just get Metra speaker cable adapters for your model/year truck - you can usually buy them with the adapter plates you'll want/need for aftermarket speakers anyway, for cheap - to clip on to the existing wiring in the doors.

The only ones you'll need to run wire for are for the tweeters in the pillars - you can tap those under/in the dash, or just run new cable for them back to the amp. On one side you'll be removing trim to run an amp power cable anyway and overall it's not hard.

If it is a 2015-2017 or a 2018 non-B&O harnesses are easily and readily available so you don't have to tap anything. The 2018 B&O requires a little more work, see my build thread.

If you are taking the inner doors off anyway to install new speakers also consider putting some sound damping on them - you don't need to cover the entire surface of the door, 30%+ is usually recommended. You can get sheets of that stuff pretty cheaply as well and by dampning the sheet metal you'll get better midrange frequencies out of the door speakers. Dynamat is the most well known but stuff from Hushmat and others is cheaper and pretty much works the same.

FadeOut

Thanks for all of the info!

It's a 2018 non B&O. I'll need to find a wiring diagram of that harness to see how it runs into and out of the amp. I was picturing it going to the amp but not out of it as well.

In this scenario what becomes the "sub pre-out"? Do you tie into the rears at the harness before the amp and and run rca's to the back for the sub or use the amped wires in the B pillars?

Edit: I'm thinking FOR-11CK is the harness you were talking about. Found a picture on Amazon and it makes more sense now as to how the wiring works.

Shane803

I'm with planetix, just replaced my stock mids/highs with JL Audio C3's and a JL Audio 400 amp. Running the LC7i for the subs/mids/highs. If you want quality the mids and highs are a must. Honestly you don't even realize just how terrible the stock system is till you hear how amazing it can be.

planetix

I believe the FOR-11CK works the same for the stock/non B&O on the 2018 as it does for the 2015-2017. In fact I think it is the exact same system. The B&O is quite different and uses a digital interface but you don't have to worry about that.

You should really Forscan it - read the stickied thread in the 2015+ subforum, lots of people do this - to flatten the signal (remove the factory EQ and amplification, i.e. it converts the outputs from the HU - which the harness will clip in to without you needing to splice anything - to low-level full range signals). It is really easy to do this and way better than having an amp or DSP deal with the high level speaker signals which it will need to de-process and won't sound nearly as good.

If you do this you can even solder on RCA leads/cables to the outputs on the harness (and you can do this out of the truck) and run those straight back in to your amp or DSP. Several threads here about it from folks who have done it. Depending on your amp/DSP you probably only need to do front R/L and rear R/L because you should be getting a full signal and the DSP can divide it up and filter for the correct speaker outputs for you. (you could get away with just two, but front and rear will still allow the factory fader to work).

You'll get a system that still has the full OEM functionality of the Sync 3 HU but sounds much better. Frankly I wish my Platinum came with the base system because the B&O doesn't sound much better and it is a serious pain (and expensive) to work around. Your system is pretty easy to upgrade.