Speaker Upgrade Advice for Non-B&O System

[scoobybri]

I've doing much searching but can't get a definitive answer about upgrading the speakers in an XLT Lighting with the standard 6 speaker radio. Coming from a Tesla with the premium sound system, I was missing the low end thump of a dedicated sub so I added 10" Rockford Fosgate shallow sub in a custom underseat cabinet with a decent 350 watt RMS Alpine amp. That did the trick on the low end but I want better clarity from door speakers. I don't need more volume than the stock system has as my days ruining my hearing are long past so I don't need or want to add another amp. I was thinking that better door speakers might make the stock system sound better without breaking the bank.

Has anyone done a speaker swap in an XLT? Did it improve the clarity? Are there pillar tweeters that fit in the OEM mounts? What size speakers are currently in my doors and does anyone have suggestions on replacements that are $200 a pair or less? TIA....

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[watts/up]

I've doing much searching but can't get a definitive answer about upgrading the speakers in an XLT Lighting with the standard 6 speaker radio. Coming from a Tesla with the premium sound system, I was missing the low end thump of a dedicated sub so I added 10" Rockford Fosgate shallow sub in a custom underseat cabinet with a decent 350 watt RMS Alpine amp. That did the trick on the low end but I want better clarity from door speakers. I don't need more volume than the stock system has as my days ruining my hearing are long past so I don't need or want to add another amp. I was thinking that better door speakers might make the stock system sound better without breaking the bank.

Has anyone done a speaker swap in an XLT? Did it improve the clarity? Are there pillar tweeters that fit in the OEM mounts? What size speakers are currently in my doors and does anyone have suggestions on replacements that are $200 a pair or less? TIA....

I have a Pro with the same 6 speaker setup and I too am planning on upgrading my system at some point. I can't provide any speaker recommendations but here are some links that may be helpful going forward:

Tweeter Speaker Harness
Tweeter Adapter Brackets
Speaker Install Video (Front)
Speaker Install Video (Rear)

As for size, IIRC fronts are 6x9 components (but seem to be able to be converted to 6.5"). Rear are 6.5" composites. My plan is to use the existing wiring. Typically components will include a passive crossover which may complicate things depending on the way it is hooked up. In the videos above using Alpine speakers it only needs to be connected to the tweeters. Based on my research most sets have one input to each crossover and two outputs (for the tweeter and mid/woofer) but it's not always clear if you can simply just install the crossover with the tweeter using only its output and use the current door wire for the woofer. This user seems to have heard from Kicker saying that that is fine. Here's a link to a post on this forum showing how the speakers are wired. The other option would be to abandon the current tweeters and install them in the door sails to make wiring them along with the woofer easier.

 

[Madasahatter1138]

https://www.f150lightningforum.com/forum/threads/upgraded-audio-project-non-b-o.19889/

this thread has all the info you need

 

[scoobybri]

That thread helped a lot. Thanks. I ended up going with JL Audio C1-690 6x9 components with separate tweeter for the front and JL Audio C1-650x 6.5" coaxs for the rear. Decent quality without breaking the bank. 39Hz at the bottom end with 94 db sensitivity for the 6x9s and 45 Hz bottom with 93 db sensitvity for the 6.5". I'm assuming that they will likely be significantly better than stock. With my sub, I'm not too worried about the bottom end with the door speakers but they should be great for 70hz and above. If they don't cut it with the stock stereo power, I will have to put in a 4 channel amp which means running a lot more wires. Fingers crossed I'm happy with these JLs with the stock system. They have tons of great reviews by people who are using them with stock radios which is the main purpose of this line of speakers (although they work great with an amp as well.)

I will update this post when I get them installed and can offer my opinion vs stock speakers.

 

[Redbaron]

How did it go? I’m in the same boat as you, ideally would like less work and just install speakers and a sub. If the clarity is still meh, Ill do the amp with it.
I am going to get the same front speakers c1-690 but get c2-650x for the back.
Did the front tweeters fit in the same stock bracket?

 

[scoobybri]

Speaker install was easy. The speakers sound great with one caveat. Lows are about the same as stock but the mid bass and mids are so much better than stock. Guitars and vox are much cleaner. And loud too Easily enough to cause hearing damage and still not distort. I changed out the passenger speakers first so I could compare and it is definitely worth the time and money.

Now for the caveat. The tweeters do not fit in with the existing A pillar tweeters brackets so I had to McGuyver a way to hold them in. But I did not keep them there. Because they are seriously brighter sounding than the stock tweeters, they were very "beamy." From the drivers seat, the right tweeter was blasting and it sounds like all of the treble was coming from the passenger side but barely anything from the driver's side. If I leaned to the middle, the sound was even so the angle of the stock tweeter location is not optimal for these tweeters. So I moved the tweeters to the sail covers on each door. This helped improve the balancing of the treble but holy hell are these things bright. I cranked the treble to zero on the EQ and it is still on the bright side of acceptable. I wish I could squash a couple of dbs from the 10k+Hz frequencies. There seem to be conflicting information as to whether the 6 speaker unit has a truly flat frequency response or if there is a way to flatten the EQ via Forscan. I can't believe that the head unit could be pushing a flat frequency when the treble is sooooo bright with aftermarket tweeters. I think that the stock tweeters must be pretty dead if the head unit is pushing the high frequencies so hard.

If there is no way to flatten the EQ via Forscan, I'm thinking that I may move the tweeters to right above the door speakers so that the tweeters are not at ear height, which may calm the treble down. This is where JL recommends they be installed anyway. If I do I will have to order new sail covers since they now have holes in them.

I know that this might sound negative, but the JLs do sound great, just a touch too bright. I won't be returning them. Either a Forscan setting to flatten the EQ or moving the tweeters to the door should be able to shave off that few dbs of treble that will take the speakers from very good to excellent.

 

[Redbaron]

Can you measure the diameter of the stock tweeters? I saw in the other thread that’s linked the PB tweeters fit into the stock bracket.
I also saw that you linked some aftermarket tweeter brackets and harnesses. Did you use any of that?

I wonder if I should use the stock tweeters then or buy a different tweeter altogether. Maybe one with the silk dome will help or a lower sensitivity will help?

also did you install a sub?

 

[Dave70]

I upgraded the 4 door speakers, and it was really easy. Bought from crutchfield, and got the foam covers from Amazon that surround the speakers, claim to give more bass, and give them extra protection from any moisture. I didn't do the pillar tweeters, because after doing the main 4, the sound was fantastic. Crutchfield threw in the wiring adapters and plastic speaker adapters to match up with the factory stuff, so that was cool.

 

[scoobybri]

The stock tweeters are back in the A pillars (unplugged) so I can't measure them for you. From what I have seen, the Powerbass speakers made for our trucks are 100% plug and play, harnesses and brackets fit like stock. I made my own tweeter brackets for the A pillars from stuff in my garage rather than buying aftermarket brackets. I had considered the PB speakers but like the frequency response and sensitivity of the JLs better.

I do have a 10" Rockford Fosgate sub in a custom closed box that I built with a 350w RMS Alpine monoblock amp. It sounds awesome. I'm going to a big post outlining my setup to help others who might want to do something similar.

 

[Pod]

I upgraded the 4 door speakers, and it was really easy. Bought from crutchfield, and got the foam covers from Amazon that surround the speakers, claim to give more bass, and give them extra protection from any moisture. I didn't do the pillar tweeters, because after doing the main 4, the sound was fantastic. Crutchfield threw in the wiring adapters and plastic speaker adapters to match up with the factory stuff, so that was cool.

What Speaker did u go with from Crutchfield?

 

[Dave70]

What Speaker did u go with from Crutchfield?

I got the Infinity Reference REF-6532ex for all 4 speakers. Sound is really great. Then they throw in the Metra 72-5602 Speaker Wiring Harness sets which
let the speakers plug right into the Ford wiring harness, the Metra 82-5605 Speaker Mounting Brackets, and the Metra 82-5607 Speaker Mounting Brackets to fit the Ford factory mounts. The instructions they sent me were crap, and didn't apply to the F150 Lightning. So I watched a YouTube video where a guy installed speakers in his Lightning.

 

[scoobybri]

Update...I was able to lower the volume of the tweeters with an L-pad resistor circuit that cost me about $8. Lowers the volume of the tweeters by about 5db without changing the frequency response of the tweeters. Sounds awesome now. Rivals the sound system in my Teslas now. I will be posting an install tutorial to show everything I have done... probably over the long weekend.

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