Upgrading a 2000 Ford F-150

[dougberg]

I have a 2000 Ford F-150 that is an old work truck that just have a standard factory radio w/ a tape deck in it. I am looking to upgrade it and get something better but have some questions first.

Why I am not looking for something that can be heard miles away but I just need to know what all I need to purchase for a good set-up

1. I want to get a decent radio with a USB port for my iPod or iPhone. I have been looking at some Pioneer systems but didn't know which brand is the best at this time. What is the Top 3-5 brands right now and which should I look at and compare for my needs.

2. Extra speakers. I want to put a couple of speakers, nothing big but just to have some music behind me also. Do I need/should go with the same brand as my audio system or should I go with a certain brand. I have a solid bench seat and they will have room behind the seat without being noticed.

3. Subwoofers or other things I don't know anything about. Are they needed or is it just more of a personal choice? Like I said earlier, I am not looking to have the truck rocking but just be able to listen to my music at a decent level.

4. Anything I did not cover that needs to be covered and I should be advised on. I know better than to go to most stores and ask for help being I will be sold extra stuff that isn't needed by me.

Thank you for all your help

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[jrdnhsnbrg 10+ year member]

1. Alpine makes some great head units, they are all over the place in the head unit classifieds on here. Look around on there.

2. Most of the time true audiophile systems actually completely remove the rear fill speakers. They really do not add much at all to your sound, especially if you're putting them behind a bench seat. I'd leave them out all together.

3. Once you hear a system with a subwoofer, you will never not have a subwoofer in your sound system. Without one it feels like you're missing roughly 20% of the song unless you have some amazing midbass drivers, sound-deadened doors, and a strong amplifier for them. Depending on how much space you have to work with under your back seat I'd definitely get a lowerish powered subwoofer, somewhere around 200-300W RMS and 8"-12" in size in a sealed box. Installing a subwoofer is a little bit of a task but if you're up for it, go for it!

4. Don't buy from Best Buy. Crutchfield.com and sonicelectronix.com are good websites to look for your basic setup materials, but most vendors on the forums have better equipment for competitive prices.

If I'm missing anything, hopefully someone else chimes in and lets us know. If you need help with basic installation I will answer questions, but more advanced stuff is still beyond me. I'm still a little wet behind the ears with car audio myself //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif

 

[dougberg]

Sweet info, I appreciate it.

Anyone else have an information?

 

[jrdnhsnbrg 10+ year member]

Sweet info, I appreciate it.

Anyone else have an information?

Sorry about my inbox being full, try sending it again

 

[boxpunch]

I wouldn't recommend sonic just based from experience their website and eBay store sell you items and then days later instead of getting a tracking number they issue you a refund stating that they no longer have the product in stock. Not to mention now that I've talked with many manufacturer's that Sonic says they're an authorized dealer for, they're getting certain brands illegally and manufacturers will not warranty those items. Massive has recently been on their site and now they've got almost every item as only 1 left or discontinued due to their supply chain being cut off.

 

[trumpet 5,000+ posts]

You will get plenty of output by replacing the factory speakers and putting a small amplifier on them. A 10" underseat sub box or a slim box behind the rear seat will fill in the bass. A 5 channel amplifier could be mounted back there as well. You could have a pretty decent, well-rounded system covering the basics for less than $1,000 in equipment for sure. Extra money would be needed for professional installation, top quality wiring, and sound deadening. You could get by with mid-level wiring products and self-installation if you're not an oaf with hand tools.

 

[ShayneF 10+ year member]

My advice is to listen to other peoples car audio to get a feel for what equipment will provide the level of sound you want. If a basic system sounds good to you and is what you want, then no point spending more than you need to. It is also easy to spend good money and end up with poor sound due to mismatched components or poor installation.

Have a listen to a few cars and see what gear they run. That will give you an idea of what you need, and then you can start looking for equipment.

 

[UsAmpsFreak]

Most average consumers will notice a HUGE difference if there isn't rear speakers in the system. I would recommend that you have rear speakers installed.

 

[Side Show 10+ year member]

^^ I wouldn't recommend rears at all.