Design my 07 F150 audio.

[GSS45]

Hello all, just joined and will be attempting to educate myself using the vast resources in this forum.

I'm old, way out of touch. Been 30 years since I have put my hands on a sub. My son just turned 16, bought him a nice 07 F150 crew cab lariat. It has a fair system but is in major need of quality updates.

Currently has aftermarket pioneer touch screen, blue tooth head unit. Has a shallow box under rear seats that we want to keep, has (2) cheap shallow12s. It has an amp for the 12's and I think maybe for the (4) door speakers. It has a knob to manually adjust the bass.

The front door speakers are not working. I have not pulled it apart to figure out if we have a head unit, amp or connection failure.

Now for the questions. After looking at some options with my son, we are thinking (4) 6x8 ( I think this is stock size door speakers) Rockford door speakers, (2) jbl shallow 12's and maybe (2) 10's in a small box to set in the floor just behind the center console that would not interfere with (2) rear passengers..

If anyone here that loves designing / building systems that would like to help my son and I put together a list of what we need to complete his first audio build, we would greatly appreciate the assistance.

I am looking for good quality sound at a fair price. Don't need the best but want good components that will last him.

I sure could use advice on current amp models adequate to drive these speakers & subs. Is a box for 10's in the back to go with the 12's advisable? If yes, box recommendations and amp needed for the 10's.

Are the amps now plug and play? Do I need crossovers and such? If yes, what do I need to get the correct hz going to all the speakers? My son seems to like the bass knob, is this a normal thing now? Will the needed amps fit behind the rear seats?

My son has an apple phone & watch, so if there are any must have, user friendly devices that would make his system easier to control, give me some advice.

I know this is a lot to ask and not a quicky.

I have my passions, I can spout stuff off my head without hesitation, things only an enthusiasts knows by heart. I'm hoping someone here has the time and passion in audio that can guide me and save me a lot of research time attempting to put this system together.

Thanks for your time and any advice.

Ya'll have a great evening!

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[Buck 5,000+ posts]

Let me know, I design boxes. If you want a design, I can help you with the rest of the setup as well, however much you need. We'd just have to talk.

https://buckboxdesigns.com/click-here-to-see-designs

 

[Popwarhomie 5,000+ posts]

I would first find out why the door speakers aren't working. These trucks have a common problem of the wiring at the door seams pinching and breaking over time.

Not really sure how old the current Pionner headunit is but Apple Car Play on the newer headunits is pretty nice to have.

Wouldn't recommend mixing two 12s and two 10s.

If you are going with coaxial or component speakers in the doors they have their own crossovers. No need for an external crossover.

Yes bass knobs are common these days.

 

[Clifff150 10+ year member]

I would not mix 12s and 10s. Choose to have one or the other. Shallows will not have the low end regular subs do so keep that in mind. I would go components up front if you can (separate mid and tweeter). Infinity makes a nice component set as well that fits stock nicely.

 

[hispls 5,000+ posts]

Don't mix and match subs. Also don't bother with the speakers in the rear doors. Just put something nicer up front. JBL Stadium series is a little spendy but they make an excellent 6x8. I have an F250 for plowing/hauling and I used some Kicker components up front. They're good for the 130$ price point but not amazing. Q-forms also makes custom kickpanels for most Ford trucks. Kickpanels are a fine location for getting good sound and those would allow you to get into more common 6.5" round components and have a lot more options. Those kicks aren't cheap either but they're worth it. If I ever go with a bigger build in the Ford that's one of the first things I'll buy to get more sound up front.

Check out shallow mount sub options over at Partsexpress. Dayton should have one and there are a few others. With shallow mount subs in (typically) too small boxes under a seat you should have reasonable expectations. Space makes bass and if you're not going to give up some room don't expect for this to take your breath away.

Head units have come a LONG way. Even at the <200$ price point you can probably get something that'll sound good, have some basic built in crossovers, and android/apple hand shaking ability. I've been really digging the price to performance ratio from the Sony decks for the past several years but Alpine, Pioneer, Kenwood/JVC are all still reliable. If you order from Crutchfield (they're still really good customer service/support) they'll throw in wiring kits and can help you compare and contrast options while you shop.

Some of the brands you may remember being good from the early 90s have turned to garbage and even some of the ones that still make good stuff will all have entry level lines that aren't so hot. Pick your speakers and head unit then plan an amp around that.

Lastly, do try to pop those doors and see if the speakers are broken or if you have a wiring issue, it'll let you know what all else you'll need to plan to replace when you really get in there.

 

[GSS45]

Greatly appreciate the replies.I will get into it to see what is actually in the doors, what is wrong with the front speakers and what amp is currently there and if the door speakers are amp or head unit driven.

Assuming we will go with premium Fosgate or infinity door speakers and jbl 12" subs, how do I need to drive them? Do I need 1 amp or 2. What built in options do I need the amp to have. I'm guessing a 4 Channel for the doors and a 1 Channel for the 2 12's?

As for the 12 box, there is 1 really nice long box under the rear seat for both subs. It is very rigid and has a black textured finish. It is a Rhino box.

For now, we will likely just use factory size replacement door speakers to keep the interior stock looking. I will check to see if the dash will accept tweets for a component install for the front.

Thanks guys, stay tuned.

Thank you for helping me with this.

 

[GSS45]

Also, if using JL Audio shallow subs, says 400rms 800 peak with dual 4 ohm voice coil.

Do these subs need a mono 1 Channel amp? Do I need to be concerned with ohm load? Just trying to figure out what amps are available for our project.

 

[Popwarhomie 5,000+ posts]

Two dual 4 ohm subwoofers would wire to a 1 ohm load. Yes you would need a monoblock amp that is 1 ohm stable.

Yes the F150 does have a tweeter spot above the door speaker. The little cover is easy to pop off the door panels to get to the speakers.

Pretty helpful site.

Subwoofer Wiring Diagrams for Two 4 Ohm Dual Voice Coil Speakers

www.the12volt.com

 

[GSS45]

Thanks guys, another question. If the subs are rated 400 watt rms each, does that mean that I need a 800watt x 1 amp? Same for the door speakers. If they are 110 rms each, 3 ohm. Does that mean that I need a 500 watt, 4 channel amp.

 

[LsGuy]

Thanks guys, another question. If the subs are rated 400 watt rms each, does that mean that I need a 800watt x 1 amp? Same for the door speakers. If they are 110 rms each, 3 ohm. Does that mean that I need a 500 watt, 4 channel amp.

Tw3 subs? I run 2 of those, insanely impressive for shallow subs. I grabbed a kicker cxa 800.1 amp from best buy for $210, very hard to beat. Amp does 800 watts at 1 ohm stable, have had no issues with it and it's perfect for those subs. Kickers budget amps have actually all been very good to me, current have 5 of them. Price to performance for an amp from a decent company (IE, good warranty, birth certificate etc), is very hard to beat.

 

[Bobbytwonames 5,000+ posts]

Thanks guys, another question. If the subs are rated 400 watt rms each, does that mean that I need a 800watt x 1 amp? Same for the door speakers. If they are 110 rms each, 3 ohm. Does that mean that I need a 500 watt, 4 channel amp.

You could use an amp up to about 1,500 watts @ 1 ohm. An 800 watt amp would be fine, but a 1,500 watt amp won't have to work so hard. A 500 watt amp on your mids/highs should be more than enough.

 

[nauc 10+ year member]

OEM integration, ID comps up front, Fi Xv3 sub in the back, couple amps