I've done installs on loads of cars over the years but the game has moved on a fair bit and I have to say my latest audio upgrade project on my new mk3.5 focus ST has bit me in the ass big time. So I wanted to post this to forewarn other peeps who are blissfully unaware of the potential nightmare that is altering fords audio system.
Currently my system is very modest;
First the good stuff.
The vibe mini amp is a lovely bit of kit. Around ÂŁ120, it's a low-power class D amp small enough to fit behind the aircon controls, below the radio on the mk3 focus, and it's designed to power off the stock radio loom. So no need to run big power wires to the battery which is a pita to do. Still, it manages 60w RMS x4 channels. Which works well with the stock speakers or lower/mid-range aftermarket speakers. The other good point is this amp doesn't need an ignition live or an RCA adaptor. It takes the speaker level inputs and auto switches on/off based on signal detection.
This is important as it solves 2 problems;
Headache #1 the focus doesn't have a switched live/ignition feed behind the radio! The wiring diagram shows one but on the m3.5 it's dead.
Headache #2 the ford head unit can stay on and work with the ignition off so even if you tap the ignition live from the footwell fuse box, it's still not ideal.
The whole unit can be plug and play, all you need is a parrot ISO T-adaptor lead to connect the ford OEM radio plugs to the ISO end of the vibe amp loom.
Next a necessary evil.
Sound deadens your doors. It's cheap, ÂŁ20 flash tape from Screwfix does the whole car and it makes everything sound better. Much more mid-bass, and less road noise. Okay, it's a pita, its messy stuff, you have to strip the doors down, ya de ya but seriously just get it done ok.
Where it all went south, The bad stuff, the Ford OEM head unit (mines Sync3)
So wanna amp up your audio output from the stock head unit? Or worse you wanna fit a sub and tap the rear speakers to feed an audio input? Guess what, not happening easily.
The OEM head units have a volume-based EQ. I've spent ÂŁÂŁÂŁ on a JL Cleansweep DSP to try and get around it and have had to reluctantly give up, take it back out, and will need to sell it on eBay
On the front, this EQ increases bass at a lower volume and rolls it off as you turn up the volume. It's designed to stop the not so powerful stock speakers and amp clipping. I was able to test this extensively using the JL Cleansweep.
The rear channel is worse, it's not a good full-range signal as best as I can figure, mid-bass and sub-bass are heavily eq'd out. The JL clean sweep was able to sort it out but the difference between the stock output and cleaned signal is dramatic. So if you wanna wire in an amp and boot sub, tap the front speakers, not the rear!!! The stock rear speakers are really **** paper 25w things. I guess ford took out all the bass as the speakers were useless.
So why did I ditch the clean sweep?
1. It needs you to use an aftermarket volume control rather than the stock volume knob. I really hate that idea, I wanted an OEM look.
2. The ford volume-based EQ on the front channel is actually your friend at a lower volume, as it picks up the low end, it only becomes an issue as the volume passes about 10, the bass roll-off makes it all go harsh after this. The clean sweep flattens the signal so at low/normal listening volume you actually lose some bass.
3. It needs an ignition live, as said above it's not a nice fit with the OEM head unit as the audio is off when the ignition is off but the head unit can stay on.
Getting it to sound right, it's a hack but it works.
1. Fixing the signal - In the end I altered the wiring to the vibe amp. I fed the front and rear vibe amp inputs from only the front channel out on the head unit. That way the front and rear speakers now get a full-range signal. As the rears are aftermarket and the doors are sound-deadened, they can play mid-bass! The downside, you lose the fader control.
2. Fixing the eq - Normally you set the gain on an aftermarket amp with the head unit volume 3/4 up or at 75%. Now on our ford unit, we know at that volume the volume-based EQ is screwing things up. We want to avoid turning the volume past halfway. So it works better if you set the gain on the amp with the head unit volume lower at around half or just less (about 12 on the display). This will stop the bass EQ cut but keep the bass lift at a low volume. A word of caution though, the mk3.5 pipes the symposer engine sound through the audio system. On my first attempt, I set the amp up with the head unit volume low at around 5. It sounded great on the driveway but when I drove the car all of a sudden I had a thundering V8 engine drowning out all the music when I opened up the throttle lol! So yeah the sweet spot seems to be about 10 to 12 on the head unit volume dial, then set the amp gain to loud at that volume. On my vibe amp that's slightly over half gain on the front channel and slightly below half gain on the rear as I like a slight front fade.
Finally - Ditching the JL C1 front components.
Really surprised and disappointed with these. I've run JL C2-650s in my old fiesta and they were lovely. The C1s are the model down so ÂŁ100 cheaper but they just lack bass and are a bit harsh sounding. Once I got everything set up I swapped them back to the stock speakers and the ford 50w stock front component speakers just sound nicer, and more natural. So another eBay bargain for someone.
Sorry for the log post, hopefully, it'll save someone time and money.
Currently my system is very modest;
- Vibe power box 65.4 ISO power micro amp
- JL C1-650x co-ax rear speakers
- Ford Stock components front <- will come back to this one
- Fully sound deadened front and rear doors
- Some unorthodox wiring and setup of the amp to get it to sound good
- I also ended up buying, trying, taking back out and now will need to sell;
- JL Audio Cleansweep DSP - lovely bit of kit but not useful on our cars
- JL C1-650 front component speakers
First the good stuff.
The vibe mini amp is a lovely bit of kit. Around ÂŁ120, it's a low-power class D amp small enough to fit behind the aircon controls, below the radio on the mk3 focus, and it's designed to power off the stock radio loom. So no need to run big power wires to the battery which is a pita to do. Still, it manages 60w RMS x4 channels. Which works well with the stock speakers or lower/mid-range aftermarket speakers. The other good point is this amp doesn't need an ignition live or an RCA adaptor. It takes the speaker level inputs and auto switches on/off based on signal detection.
This is important as it solves 2 problems;
Headache #1 the focus doesn't have a switched live/ignition feed behind the radio! The wiring diagram shows one but on the m3.5 it's dead.
Headache #2 the ford head unit can stay on and work with the ignition off so even if you tap the ignition live from the footwell fuse box, it's still not ideal.
The whole unit can be plug and play, all you need is a parrot ISO T-adaptor lead to connect the ford OEM radio plugs to the ISO end of the vibe amp loom.
Next a necessary evil.
Sound deadens your doors. It's cheap, ÂŁ20 flash tape from Screwfix does the whole car and it makes everything sound better. Much more mid-bass, and less road noise. Okay, it's a pita, its messy stuff, you have to strip the doors down, ya de ya but seriously just get it done ok.
Where it all went south, The bad stuff, the Ford OEM head unit (mines Sync3)
So wanna amp up your audio output from the stock head unit? Or worse you wanna fit a sub and tap the rear speakers to feed an audio input? Guess what, not happening easily.
The OEM head units have a volume-based EQ. I've spent ÂŁÂŁÂŁ on a JL Cleansweep DSP to try and get around it and have had to reluctantly give up, take it back out, and will need to sell it on eBay
On the front, this EQ increases bass at a lower volume and rolls it off as you turn up the volume. It's designed to stop the not so powerful stock speakers and amp clipping. I was able to test this extensively using the JL Cleansweep.
The rear channel is worse, it's not a good full-range signal as best as I can figure, mid-bass and sub-bass are heavily eq'd out. The JL clean sweep was able to sort it out but the difference between the stock output and cleaned signal is dramatic. So if you wanna wire in an amp and boot sub, tap the front speakers, not the rear!!! The stock rear speakers are really **** paper 25w things. I guess ford took out all the bass as the speakers were useless.
So why did I ditch the clean sweep?
1. It needs you to use an aftermarket volume control rather than the stock volume knob. I really hate that idea, I wanted an OEM look.
2. The ford volume-based EQ on the front channel is actually your friend at a lower volume, as it picks up the low end, it only becomes an issue as the volume passes about 10, the bass roll-off makes it all go harsh after this. The clean sweep flattens the signal so at low/normal listening volume you actually lose some bass.
3. It needs an ignition live, as said above it's not a nice fit with the OEM head unit as the audio is off when the ignition is off but the head unit can stay on.
Getting it to sound right, it's a hack but it works.
1. Fixing the signal - In the end I altered the wiring to the vibe amp. I fed the front and rear vibe amp inputs from only the front channel out on the head unit. That way the front and rear speakers now get a full-range signal. As the rears are aftermarket and the doors are sound-deadened, they can play mid-bass! The downside, you lose the fader control.
2. Fixing the eq - Normally you set the gain on an aftermarket amp with the head unit volume 3/4 up or at 75%. Now on our ford unit, we know at that volume the volume-based EQ is screwing things up. We want to avoid turning the volume past halfway. So it works better if you set the gain on the amp with the head unit volume lower at around half or just less (about 12 on the display). This will stop the bass EQ cut but keep the bass lift at a low volume. A word of caution though, the mk3.5 pipes the symposer engine sound through the audio system. On my first attempt, I set the amp up with the head unit volume low at around 5. It sounded great on the driveway but when I drove the car all of a sudden I had a thundering V8 engine drowning out all the music when I opened up the throttle lol! So yeah the sweet spot seems to be about 10 to 12 on the head unit volume dial, then set the amp gain to loud at that volume. On my vibe amp that's slightly over half gain on the front channel and slightly below half gain on the rear as I like a slight front fade.
Finally - Ditching the JL C1 front components.
Really surprised and disappointed with these. I've run JL C2-650s in my old fiesta and they were lovely. The C1s are the model down so ÂŁ100 cheaper but they just lack bass and are a bit harsh sounding. Once I got everything set up I swapped them back to the stock speakers and the ford 50w stock front component speakers just sound nicer, and more natural. So another eBay bargain for someone.
Sorry for the log post, hopefully, it'll save someone time and money.