Premium sound without subwolfer? (2007 4 door FX4)

[MaicoDoug]

I was looking into what I have for a factory audio system after enjoying streaming into the AUX input, and of course wanting more. (it has 2 plugs in the rear of the dual din radio) Badly needing an EQ I may mention. I discovered that there is no sub. Just the 4 door speakers, with plenty of bass coming out of each of the 4. Is this possible? I have had the center console out and saw nothing. Thx in advance for your expert opinion. - Doug

 

[Ranger850]

Yes it is possible to have a quality sounding system without a "sub woofer". 2 of those speakers are for mid range and the other two are for the higher frequencies. Giving the cab an
overall decent sound. Someone with more knowledge will surely chime in, but that's my 2 cents

 

[MaicoDoug]

Thanks 850. My question is if it was possible to have the Ford option named "Premium" or "Audiophile" sound system (identified with the 2 each connectors in the rear of the double DIN radio) w/o the normal included subwolfer. These two names are the nomenclature that Ford uses to identify these optional audio systems. I would believe that these did actually include the sub, but the experts here may indeed posses the correct answer.

This streaming needs an EQ....https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DCtnnWZKrJQ&t=2240s

I was 6 y/o then and digging this sound.

I was putting subs in autos back in the 70s! And yes when the line in (1mV @ 600 Ohms) became popular sounds great with little or no distortion. - Doug

 

[RonD]

The "Sub" in subwoofer is for sub "sonic" vibrations
Sonic means "of sound" or "relating to sound"
So subsonic are "vibrations" BELOW what your ears can hear, you FEEL subsonic waves

Most subwoofers can also fill in the sonic lower frequencies you CAN hear if your speakers are smaller diameter, but you need to be careful at the crossover frequency, or you will get "muddy" sound at that crossover
"Like sound waves cancel each other out"
If in a room full of people talking it sounds like a "din" not individual voices
So if you have two sounds of the same frequency, where they meet that frequency will sound "muddy", not "crisp"

Humans can hear 20 Hz to 20 kHz, adults lose a bit at the top end so 16kHz, that's why kids can set cellphone ring at a high frequency and mom and dad don't hear the phone ring, lol
But also why stores put in high frequency tone generator around the outside of the store so kids wouldn't hang out there

Anyway your 6" Ranger speakers can go down to 20Hz, so you do have bass but don't have subsonic
A subwoofer will give you subsonic and maybe a bit more bass


You equalize a room, so its a set and forget electronic device

 

[09fx4guy]

I THINK that the only difference between the regular factory radio and the factory pioneer setup that was optional was the addition of the larger center console with the small amp and the 6.5" subwoofer enclosed within. My truck came with the pioneer option. From what I have seen, I believe the radio itself is a regular ford unit, with the pioneer decal added on to denote the option package. You may be able to add a subwoofer to the truck using that factory radio if you can determine which plug on the back of the radio matches up.

If I may recommend, before you dive into the subwoofer, I would change the factory speakers in the doors. They are not a bad speaker, but by now they have almost 15 years of use on them.
When I upgraded I went with the Pioneer 6x8 G series, and was quite happy. I think the newest model is the TS-G6820S. If you are going to just keep the stock head unit, or maybe a small amplifier, that would be the best choice. If you are going to put in a larger amp, you may want to look at the A series, they can the power of the larger amp better.

If I recall, I was able to get 4 speakers with the proper wiring adapters from Metra, for about $100. It was well worth it, and a necessary upgrade before you dive into adding a subwoofer.


Vehicle sound systems are like going down a rabbit hole. Before you know it, you are $1000 deep in equipment.

 

[rubydist]

I have the audiophile sound system in my 09 FX4. The head unit is different from the standard by more than the Pioneer label, it has higher power rating, etc. I figured out the wiring for the sub when I put in an aftermarket head unit a few months ago - I need bluetooth in my vehicles as clients may call at any time and while I was at it, I wanted Android Auto and nav capability. I think I still have the wiring diagram I made up - I will try to find it.

 

[09fx4guy]

Ruby- I didn't know if that power rating was just what was given to the sub through the amp. I know that the speakers I pulled out of the rear doors were standard 25 watt Ford speakers, so I kind of just assumed. I have been thinking about adding a newer head unit to my truck, but it always falls to the bottom of the list when other ideas / projects come up.

 

[MaicoDoug]

Well.....

09fx4guy, glad to hear from you. You are correct, phase timing is everything. Some music like from Edgar Winter & Heart both contain well presented and very low sonic waves. Having any amount of inversion or phase cancellation at the soundstage will only kill the intended effect and the muddy vibrations ensue. That is why I believe in only one single source of frequencies from one source.

I want to keep things as stock as possible, well perhaps a little stealthy. Having a stock sub wolfer would be fine.

My old '83 had some serious sound system components. It was a 6 channel. 25x25x100w. 2 amps, one 4 ch & one for bass running 2 x 10" wolfers. I loved the 40 watt ribbon mid/tweeters running all the way open down to 300hz, but they never saw more than a few watts with an op amp active type 12db/octive crossover. Rabbit hole coming, however if I could replace the 4 speakers, the front with that ribbon.....

Link- https://www.parts-express.com/GRS-PT6825-8-8-Planar-Mid-Tweeter-8-Ohm-272-126?quantity=1

Then a decent wolfer (does Bose make something for a small truck?) then perhaps I could get away with a bi-amp setup using the rear door speakers in mid/upper bass to lower mid range duty and the ribbon planars up front. Alpine 8" series R with a class D amp, 200w would be fine. $$$

The head unit? Well, still dwelling on using my old Yamaha stuff from the middle 80s! But I believe my navigator (wifey) would like something with a touchscreen which opens a whole other $$ account. Crutchfield & Bestbuy see me coming...

I never saw a Pioneer logo.

Glad to have you all commenting. - Doug

 

[RonD]

Watts is also a misunderstood rating

2 watts is not twice as loud as 1 watt, its 1/10th as loud
10watts is twice as loud as 1 watt

Truck cab will have loud sound with a 20-40watt amplifier, a 100watt amplifier with 25watts per channel is 25watts of loudness, not 100watts

To make it twice as loud you would need 250watts per channel, so 1,000watt amplifier

Spend money on clarity not watts as far as speaker amplifier
Subs do need some power/watts to drive the larger speaker cone, but 200-250watts is plenty for a vehicle using a powered subwoofer

The larger the diameter of the cone the lower frequencies it can generate
But..............there are tricks in construction of the subwoofer box, to, in effect, almost double the diameter of the speaker used, so a 6" speaker can generate almost the same lower frequencies as a 12" speaker, almost
Bose used that, stolen from TOA, in their "wave guide" smaller speakers with "big base"

 

[Blmpkn]

Well.....

09fx4guy, glad to hear from you. You are correct, phase timing is everything. Some music like from Edgar Winter & Heart both contain well presented and very low sonic waves. Having any amount of inversion or phase cancellation at the soundstage will only kill the intended effect and the muddy vibrations ensue. That is why I believe in only one single source of frequencies from one source.

I want to keep things as stock as possible, well perhaps a little stealthy. Having a stock sub wolfer would be fine.

My old '83 had some serious sound system components. It was a 6 channel. 25x25x100w. 2 amps, one 4 ch & one for bass running 2 x 10" wolfers. I loved the 40 watt ribbon mid/tweeters running all the way open down to 300hz, but they never saw more than a few watts with an op amp active type 12db/octive crossover. Rabbit hole coming, however if I could replace the 4 speakers, the front with that ribbon.....

Link- https://www.parts-express.com/GRS-PT6825-8-8-Planar-Mid-Tweeter-8-Ohm-272-126?quantity=1

Then a decent wolfer (does Bose make something for a small truck?) then perhaps I could get away with a bi-amp setup using the rear door speakers in mid/upper bass to lower mid range duty and the ribbon planars up front. Alpine 8" series R with a class D amp, 200w would be fine. $$$

The head unit? Well, still dwelling on using my old Yamaha stuff from the middle 80s! But I believe my navigator (wifey) would like something with a touchscreen which opens a whole other $$ account. Crutchfield & Bestbuy see me coming...

I never saw a Pioneer logo.

Glad to have you all commenting. - Doug

One of my old subarus had a factory bose 8" sub. 05 legacy limited

 

[Blmpkn]

I'm just sitting here wondering what a wolfer is...

Urban Dictionary: wolfer

A wolfer is when you have a small wolf instead of a penis.

www.urbandictionary.com

 

[rubydist]

If you have the Audiophile head unit, it will have 3 connectors on the back, not just 2. Connector C290B is the 8 pin connector. You need pin 2 for SW+, pin 1 for SW-, pin 3 for the shield, and pin 4 for the SW amp turn on signal. The other pins are not used.

All the stuff Crutchfield has for wiring the Rangers of this generation assume you only have a 16 pin and a 20 pin connector, as they say they have never seen the audiophile unit and therefore don't know about the 8 pin connector. I do not believe the standard head unit has a spot for the 8 pin connector, but I could be wrong on that since its been a while since I've seen one of those.

btw, I have a good working Audiophile head unit sitting in my garage that someone can have for the cost of shipping it, since I replaced it with an Android head unit so I can have bluetooth etc.

 

[09fx4guy]

So I got curious, and went out to the truck this morning with my U-tools. Here are some pics. The first one is the front of the radio, the second is the plugs on the back of the radio, and the third is the serial number / tag on the bottom.

 

[MaicoDoug]

fastpaker.....?

fx4guy, yep, I have the same exact front panel but have not that 3rd smaller connector. So it makes sense now. No sub "wolfer". Woof woof. Thanks for looking. I owe you one for the picture and the hassle.

Bose had a better idea, and I believe Chevrolet & Nissan had some sort of collaboration also. Need to do a search for some junkyard Bose stuff & see what is available.

Filled with wieners? No you guys are not invited.

rubydist, thanks for the print.

Watts. I love to read the box on some of this audio "stuff". 1800 watts really? With a 3 amp fuse? Rated going into 4 ohms doubles the output and compresses the signal by x2. So much for dynamic range, though bass needs compressing. So 1800 watts into 8 ohms is 900 watts, rated in PEAK watts. 2.5x typically. RMS equivalent is x 0.707. So now the 900 watts is reduced to 360watts "average", then the RMS equivalent is 254 watts. It was 1800w to start. so it has 5 speaker outputs, / 5= 56w each channel. Most likely at 2% THD. Turn it down to 20w and hope for the best.

With 75% efficiency, (125Vac x 3 amps = 375 watts in, x .75 = 280 w)

I don't know if I'd do the touch screen thing. Here is something that is cheap as heck.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B086N2CS6J/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?smid=A36WMQN4HNWX4X&psc=1

Have a great day all, -Doug

 

[Roert42]

btw, I have a good working Audiophile head unit sitting in my garage that someone can have for the cost of shipping it, since I replaced it with an Android head unit so I can have bluetooth etc.

Does it have a CD player? My CD player doesn't like to eject CDs, I would be happy to buy the head unit from you.