A Westminster-based client heard good things about the audio system upgrades we offer and visited the store for help with the system in his 2023 Ford Lightning. He wasn’t impressed with the clarity, output capability, or bass performance of the factory-installed B&O sound system. After discussing the client’s listening preferences, we put together a proposal that would address his wishes. Let’s look at this Ford Lightning audio system upgrade project.
Speaker and Subwoofer Upgrade
We started the project by removing the door panels and taking out the factory speakers. As you can see from the images, they are pretty meek. For the doors, we installed a set of Helix i3-Series woofers on custom 3D-printed adapter plates. We added SoundShield Contour foam rings around the periphery of the speakers to seal them tight against the door panels. We also treated the inner and outer door skins with Hushmat sound deadening to reduce noise transfer into the vehicle. Back to the speaker upgrade, we installed a set of i3-Series 3/4-inch tweeters in the stock A-pillar locations. We finished the speaker upgrade with a set of 6.5-inch coaxial Helix i3 speakers in the rear doors. The rear doors received the same foam rings as the front doors to prevent buzzes and rattles and to ensure all sound from the speakers is fed into the vehicle’s cabin.
Next, our team constructed a custom subwoofer enclosure that houses a pair of 10-inch Helix IK S10 single-voice-coil subwoofers. The subs are in a sealed enclosure on the passenger side of the truck. There’s a cargo storage area on the passenger side. Everything is finished in a gray carpet that matches the truck interior, so the subwoofer enclosure looks like it came from the factory.
Ford Lightning Audio System Electronics
The key to getting great sound out of the new speakers and subwoofers is proper system configuration and calibration. The Lightning’s audio system features a pair of Match amplifiers. There’s a UP 6DSP six-channel amp powering the front and rear speakers, and an UP 1FX to power the subwoofers. The amps are mounted on a custom panel behind the rear seat. We also added a remote level control for the subwoofers so the client can fine-tune the amount of bass the system produces. The amps are connected to a PAC interface module via a fiber-optic TOSLINK cable.
The six-channel amp has an eight-channel digital signal processor built in. We used it to set crossovers for all the speakers, then configure signal delays so the sound from each driver arrives at the listening position at the same time. Finally, we used our RTA microphone to apply equalization to each amp channel, smoothing out any acoustic peaks or dips caused by the vehicle interior.
The result is a very lifelike listening experience. The soundstage spans the width of the truck and is very detailed. It’s like sitting in the perfect listening position in a high-end home audio system.
Maryland’s Best Car Audio Systems
The client returned to Westminster Speed and Sound after a couple of days, excited to hear the new audio system. He hopped in and was immediately thrilled with what he heard. The music was warm and enveloping, and played loudly. If the sound system in your truck doesn’t put a smile on your face, drop by our store and talk to a member of our award-winning team. If you can’t get to the store during regular business hours, fill out our quote request form or give us a call. We’ll get back to you quickly.
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