Over the years we have had the pleasure of working on several different vehicles for professional athletes here at WSS Westminster Speed & Sound. Baltimore has multiple pro sport teams and we have developed a reputation of treating high-profile clients with the utmost in respect and privacy. So no name dropping here folks. This guy had just bought a 2013 Ram 2500 Crew Cab Diesel. This truck is cool! But, like any truck, if you like your music to be crystal clear, sound incredible, and be able to reproduce concert sound levels, you will never be satisfied with the original stereo system. This vehicle did have the 8.4” touchscreen radio with navigation, Bluetooth, and more so there was no need to replace what was in the dash. Unfortunately, the rest of this Dodge Ram sound system needed help. We had a phone consultation with the client and asked them what they liked, didn’t like, and what they wanted the system to do better. And what came back to us was resoundingly clear was this:
- Make it sound incredible
- Make it really jam
- Maintain the full use of the truck.
Got it. We like a challenge.
Sound Damping, De-Equalization and Signal Combining….
So the 1st thing we did after disassembling the vehicle was apply Hushmat sound damping material in the doors and around the subwoofer enclosure location. This product eliminates rattling and reduces the possibility of the truck creating any type of resonation that could negatively color the sound. Next we moved on to getting a high quality, musical signal that would work well with our amplifiers and speakers. The new Ram trucks are designed in such a way that you can’t eliminate the factory amplifier. But the factory amplifier has a built-in equalization curve that sounds lousy and the musical signal is divided into 3 parts. In simple terms this stereo system needs some help from a processor to sound good. JBL MS-8 to the rescue. In this vehicle we used the MS-8 to remove all the bad equalization that Ram puts into the sound system. It also allows us to get the music back to one cohesive signal instead of being divided up into three parts. This is good. Now we could change the musical signal to get it to sound extraordinary. More on this later. Stay tuned.
Speaker Upgrades Key to This Dodge Ram Sound System
For speakers we installed German Maestro EV6908 speakers in the factory locations in the front doors and dash and we used German Maestro CC6908 speakers in the rear doors in their original spot. We designed the front speakers in an active design. This means each of the four front speakers get their own amplifier channel, allowing us to individually tune the sound of each speaker with the MS-8 processor. This gave the Ram truck an incredible front soundstage, just like being front and center for an acoustic concert. You can pick out the placement of the instruments and vocalists in a way that truly has to be heard. As a side note we have a Silverado truck here at the store for demo that has been designed the same way and we would be glad to demo it to you. It is worth the trip to hear this thing.
Custom Fiberglass Enclosure Holds 2 JL Audio Subs
When it came to bass the client wanted it to be louder than his last Ram truck. In that vehicle we had installed one 10” JL sub under the passenger side rear seat. So for this installation we made a custom fiberglass enclosure that fit under the back seat. We were able to get the proper airspace to allow us to use two JL Audio 10TW3-D4 subwoofers. These are a brand new sub from JL Audio and all we can say is they sound great! And in an extremely small box at that. We covered the enclosure in a black carpet that matched the factory carpet.
3 Amps Mean Lots of Power and Flexibility
For power we used three different amplifiers. A JL Audio HD750/1 amp was used to power the subwoofers. A JL Audio HD600/4 amp was used to power the front four speakers, and an Arc Audio KS125.2mini was used to power the rear speakers. These three amps along with the JBL MS-8 processor we mounted behind the rear seat on a custom mounting plate. An adjustable bass level control knob was installed in a convenient location up front for the driver to allow him to vary the output of the subwoofers depending upon his mood.
Amp Research Power Steps Round Out Project
When the client came in to see us with his new truck we had him sit in our Silverado to get an idea of how his truck would sound. He noticed the Amp Research Power Steps and fell in love instantly and had to have them. These steps motorize down in about one second after any door is opened. They also have recessed led lighting to illuminate the steps and the surrounding area when the doors are opened at night. They make a great addition to any truck. We also showed him the Amp Research Bed Step which makes it easier to climb in and out of the bed. We installed one of those as well.
Dodge Ram Sound System = Another Happy Client!
Well the proof is in the pudding as they say. When the client came to pick up the truck he was blown away with the sound quality, the overall volume capability, and the fit and finish of all the work. He marveled that he lost none of the functionality of the truck that he liked so much yet he now had the sound system of his dreams. Needless to say we were thrilled with his response to our work. Another Ram truck, another WSS Westminster Speed & Sound stereo system upgrade, another happy client.
Stop in anytime and audition our Silverado. We can customize a solution for your vehicle that will meet your needs and your budget!