A client from Frederick, Maryland called WSS Westminster Speed & Sound inquiring about doing an audio upgrade in his 2011 Ford Super Duty Crew Cab truck. We spent some time on the phone with him and we quickly realized that he wanted to do a really good sounding system. We arranged for an in person audio consultation so that we could better determine the best system for his tastes.
Audio Consultation Sets The Stage
A few days later he came in with this truck. We went out to the vehicle together, sat in it and listened to the stock stereo together. We went over his goals for the sound system, his musical tastes, and any previous sound systems he had owned. We know his truck very well so we did not have to scope it out very much. We went inside the store and did some listening in the sound room. We keyed in on some speakers that he really liked and made them the foundation for his upgrade. We presented him with three different solutions, one was chosen, and the equipment was ordered. Once we received the equipment we contacted the customer and set up an installation appointment.
This Super Duty Audio Upgrade Starts With Sony Deck
In this build we were very focused on maximizing the sound quality for the overall dollar, so we did not do anything flashy. It was solely based on sound quality. A Sony MEXGS610BT CD player was chosen for a multitude of reasons, with the main one being a very reasonable coast and a very good sound quality. It also gave him Bluetooth for hands free calling, music streaming, and the ability to easily play the music on his iPhone.
Hertz HDP5 Amplifier Powers Front Speakers and Subs
From there the musical signal flows to a Hertz HDP5 amplifier which powers his subwoofers and his front components in an active configuration. What this means is simply every speaker has its own dedicated amp channel, eliminating the need for passive crossovers, and allowing much more fine tuning of the sound system. In the front doors we installed Hertz HSK165.4 speakers which consist of a 6.5” woofer and a 1” tweeter. The woofers were mounted in the stock locations in the door on custom mounting plates. We installed Hushmat in the doors to eliminate any buzzing or rattling which would have colored the sound in a bad way. As you can see from the pictures we installed closed cell rings around the woofers. They acoustically couple the woofer to the door panel, forcing all of the sound out of the speaker opening. This results in much better midbass reinforcement, making the bass quicker and more accurate. On top of the doors we installed the tweeters in the supplied angled mounts that come in the speaker kit. This improved the imaging of the system tremendously all the while keeping the cost done as we did not have to fabricate them in-house. In the rear of the vehicle we installed a Fox Acoustics enclosure behind the rear seat with 2 JL Audio 10W1 woofers installed into it. Again, this kept the install labor down, but still gave us a great sounding low-end.
Quality Trumps Quantity In This SuperDuty Audio Install
It never ceases to amaze us how many speakers some car manufacturers will install into their “premium” sound systems all in the name of marketing. We have found that from a sound quality perspective that less is better. Install one good set of speakers, add a good subwoofer, properly install and tune the system, add a processor if the budget allows, and your final product will be much better sounding than systems with two or three times as many speakers.
Another Happy Client For WSS Westminster Speed and Sound
When the customer came to pick up the truck and we played it for the first time, he was grinning from ear to ear. And that made our day. We live to see our customer smile with the finished product. As a finishing touch we installed our Dark Matter window film on all of the truck, using a 20% film on the front windows and a 50% film on all the rest so it would cosmetically match, but give him significant reduction in heat and glare, and eliminating the occupant’s exposure to the sun’s harmful UV rays.
If you like what you are reading, call us, or contact us here. We would love the opportunity to help you build an audio system that will bring a smile to your face.
To learn more about how we can upgrade the technology in your vehicle, we invite you to stop, call or Contact Us today!
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