Which Route For Speaker Upgrade?

NX01ARCHER

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Hello all,

We have a Ford Bronco Sport Big Bend with the base 6 speaker system. I've seen people suggest both the Pioneer TS-D65F and the PowerBass OE652-FD for upgrading the door speakers for some more bass and clarity.

My question is if you've done either (or both) which did you prefer and did you feel it was a worthwhile upgrade?

If you went with the Powerbass setup I've seen some people say get Coxial for front and back, some say coxial for one set and component for the other, or even component for both so what did you do and why?

If you went with the Pioneer setup do you think its worth about $80-$120 more then the Powerbass setup plus the extra time to put together the adapter, foam and such.

Thanks for any/all help!
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Mark S.

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I replaced the front door speakers with the powerbase coax. Works for now. This isn't really a luxury vehicle; the volume requires to get true hi fidelity at a reasonable sound-to-road noise ratio is too high for my old ears anyway.
 
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NX01ARCHER

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I replaced the front door speakers with the powerbase coax. Works for now. This isn't really a luxury vehicle; the volume requires to get true hi fidelity at a reasonable sound-to-road noise ratio is too high for my old ears anyway.
I understand that either speaker isn't going to be mind-blowing or anything but I've heard both are much better then stock. Just curious which model people went with and if people think the Pioneer is worth the extra work/cost without upgrading head unit or sub.
 

WinTech

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Hello all,

We have a Ford Bronco Sport Big Bend with the base 6 speaker system. I've seen people suggest both the Pioneer TS-D65F and the PowerBass OE652-FD for upgrading the door speakers for some more bass and clarity.

My question is if you've done either (or both) which did you prefer and did you feel it was a worthwhile upgrade?

If you went with the Powerbass setup I've seen some people say get Coxial for front and back, some say coxial for one set and component for the other, or even component for both so what did you do and why?

If you went with the Pioneer setup do you think its worth about $80-$120 more then the Powerbass setup plus the extra time to put together the adapter, foam and such.

Thanks for any/all help!
I went with the pioneer speakers you listed. Pioneer has never let me down and these sound amazing. It's really not that much more work to use the brackets and wire adapters. I've used Kenwood and Focals over the years in other vehicles and the Pioneers have always been the best. I listen to rock and metal so don't need a ton of bass, but as an example the latest album from Ghost has a great low end mix and these speakers really pump it out. The main issue with this system is that even with upgraded speakers it just doesn't put out much power. The factory speakers are stamped as 25w, have tiny magnets and feel like they weigh about as much as my iphone. With the pioneers I can turn it all the way up to 30 and everything sounds very clear. I'd really like to add an amp but it seems like it would be a big job to get behind the dash to access the speaker outputs.
 
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NX01ARCHER

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I went with the pioneer speakers you listed. Pioneer has never let me down and these sound amazing. It's really not that much more work to use the brackets and wire adapters. I've used Kenwood and Focals over the years in other vehicles and the Pioneers have always been the best. I listen to rock and metal so don't need a ton of bass, but as an example the latest album from Ghost has a great low end mix and these speakers really pump it out. The main issue with this system is that even with upgraded speakers it just doesn't put out much power. The factory speakers are stamped as 25w, have tiny magnets and feel like they weigh about as much as my iphone. With the pioneers I can turn it all the way up to 30 and everything sounds very clear. I'd really like to add an amp but it seems like it would be a big job to get behind the dash to access the speaker outputs.

Yea but if were never planning on adding an amp the added cost and time doesn't seem worth it for the Pioneers. If we were gonna potentially upgrade in the future it probably would be. I think were set on the powerbass ones but haven't ordered them.
 


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Yea but if were never planning on adding an amp the added cost and time doesn't seem worth it for the Pioneers. If we were gonna potentially upgrade in the future it probably would be. I think were set on the powerbass ones but haven't ordered them.
I’m pretty happy with the PowerBass speakers after listening to them for a few days. They seemed a little bright at first but maybe they have broken in a bit and just sound more balanced.
 

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I have the PB. I’ve run the pioneer and a bunch of others and ended up with PB. But I’m also running off the oem amp. The non B&O use the same speakers just no amplification. The PB I’d just run the 2 ways front and rear and be done. I have no idea how it would sound without an amp. The base speaker setup and the B&O basically sound the same except for a smidge more bass with the B&O. I found focal, pioneer, infinity, RF, and others to be ok but distort and are not able to handle the sound frequency ranges like the PBs do. I can listen at one volume and not have to constantly adjust to get it to sound right. You could always just add an amp afterwards. Takes like maybe an hour to swap all 4 door speakers. Is quick and easy. If you’re in the northeast, I’d do it with you. Or walk you through it. Either way
 

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I have the PB. I’ve run the pioneer and a bunch of others and ended up with PB. But I’m also running off the oem amp. The non B&O use the same speakers just no amplification. The PB I’d just run the 2 ways front and rear and be done. I have no idea how it would sound without an amp. The base speaker setup and the B&O basically sound the same except for a smidge more bass with the B&O. I found focal, pioneer, infinity, RF, and others to be ok but distort and are not able to handle the sound frequency ranges like the PBs do. I can listen at one volume and not have to constantly adjust to get it to sound right. You could always just add an amp afterwards. Takes like maybe an hour to swap all 4 door speakers. Is quick and easy. If you’re in the northeast, I’d do it with you. Or walk you through it. Either way
Do you have to disconnect the factory tweeters when installing the 2 ways in the front? I might take this project on in the summer. I actually don’t mind the factory speakers which is weird but I usually upgrade the speakers in all of my cars.
 

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You can but you don’t have to. I didn’t. Changed the rears but left the dash tweeters
 

WinTech

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Yea but if were never planning on adding an amp the added cost and time doesn't seem worth it for the Pioneers. If we were gonna potentially upgrade in the future it probably would be. I think were set on the powerbass ones but haven't ordered them.
It's about $100 more including the adapters so not too bad. I don't have any experience with powerbass so I cannot say whether they are as good as the pioneers I was just pointing out that they do sound pretty amazing. As for time, I spent maybe 10 minutes for each speaker sealing them to the adapters and putting the foam gasket around each one. Like I said I've always been happy with Pioneer and didn't want to take a chance that I wouldn't like another brand.
 


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From my home stereo experience, speakers can be rather personal. I'm not sure I would like either the Pioneer or the PB. Personally I like a warm balance sound overall. and I really have no way of listening to them prior to purchasing unless someone near by has these already installed in a same car. but "sounds" like both are a noticeable improvements from the factory. I saw the magnets...that is pretty small. unless they are some special super magnet, it is not going to be more powerful than the Pioneer or PB.

anyway, I was really curious if anybody has seen the actual "head unit" of the stereo. These days, car stereo no longer has a "head unit" like the good o' days. the auto engineer could easily package that anywhere. what matter is to have compatible interface software so everything still on the main touch screen. does the B&O has a separate amp or it is integrated into a box?? if it is separate it'd may be easier to replace the factory amp. Or I guess there is always a Line Output Converter. of course, I also know BS is not exactly a quiet luxury car but since we are on the subject of upgrading sound.
 

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The B&O has its own amp. It’s in the rear driver side panel. Opposite the “sub”. The head unit is your typical non changeable center stack.
Easiest way would be to run an LOC out off of the oem “sub” to an aftermarket amp and sub and just change out the speakers and run them off the oem amp. I’d say amplify most aftermarket speakers. They don’t sound too good with the oem amp because you get no real eq adjustments and the levels sound off throughout the volume range. The PBs were a last chance pick for me after using a bunch of others. They are designed to work within Fords sound profile I’d guess you would say. I get more bass, crisp highs, not that ear piercing horn like highs and mids that don’t distort. All the others were too bright with no low end and buzzy mids off of the oem amp.
I had already sent back 5/6 pairs of speakers before I ordered the PBs. Figured I’d try one more set before I stuck the oem speakers back in. They give a warm sound, like Polk speakers or JBL monitors. Little brighter in some songs. But is clean, balanced. All I wanted when I purchased the B&O initially. So I’m good now and don’t have to completely gut the system. Again people are welcome to listen and go wheel with me if you’re localish.
 

derickveliz

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The B&O has its own amp. It’s in the rear driver side panel. Opposite the “sub”. The head unit is your typical non changeable center stack.
Easiest way would be to run an LOC out off of the oem “sub” to an aftermarket amp and sub and just change out the speakers and run them off the oem amp. I’d say amplify most aftermarket speakers. They don’t sound too good with the oem amp because you get no real eq adjustments and the levels sound off throughout the volume range. The PBs were a last chance pick for me after using a bunch of others. They are designed to work within Fords sound profile I’d guess you would say. I get more bass, crisp highs, not that ear piercing horn like highs and mids that don’t distort. All the others were too bright with no low end and buzzy mids off of the oem amp.
I had already sent back 5/6 pairs of speakers before I ordered the PBs. Figured I’d try one more set before I stuck the oem speakers back in. They give a warm sound, like Polk speakers or JBL monitors. Little brighter in some songs. But is clean, balanced. All I wanted when I purchased the B&O initially. So I’m good now and don’t have to completely gut the system. Again people are welcome to listen and go wheel with me if you’re localish.
Where in Mass are you?

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