The owner of this Area 51 blue 2022 Ford Bronco wanted to upgrade the vehicle’s sound system. He wanted the system to play louder, sound clearer and deliver better bass. In his online research, he found a post on our website featuring a nearly identical Bronco. He loved that we had hidden all the equipment and were able to connect a new amp to the factory stereo. After a few emails back and forth to fine-tune the system design to his expectations, we scheduled an appointment to upgrade this Washington, D.C.-based client’s off-roader.
Bronco Radio Integration and Amp Upgrade
Once the SUV was in the installation bay in our Midlothian store, our team started the upgrade process by removing the stock speakers in the dash, front kick panels and rear locations. We also removed the trim from the cargo area’s passenger side and the floor covering. Our team installed several sheets of SoundShield sound deadening on the floor and the passenger side body panels. We also applied this premium three-layer sound deadening to the plastic trim panel to ensure that it wouldn’t buzz or rattle.
Though this Bronco came with the B&O stereo and the massive 12-inch touchscreen, it still didn’t sound good enough for the client. That said, the days of upgrading radios in modern vehicles like this are ending quickly. The radio in this vehicle communicates with the factory amplifier using a digital protocol called A2B. Unlike audio systems with balanced audio signals, we can’t tap into this wiring to extract an audio signal for aftermarket equipment. We used a PAC AmpPRO AP4-FD31 interface to convert that digital signal back to analog so we could feed it to a JL Audio VX1000/5i amplifier. As we did in the previous 2022 Bronco, the amplifier is mounted under the rear passenger seat to keep it cool. We loomed all the speaker, signal and power wiring with braided nylon sleeve to protect it and keep it tidy.
The VX1000/5i is a five-channel amplifier that can deliver up to 75 watts of power from the four main channels and 600 watts to the subwoofer. The amp also includes a state-of-the-art digital signal processor with crossovers, equalization and delay settings for each output.
Audiofrog Speaker Upgrade Delivers Amazing Clarity
The client agreed to our suggestion of using Audiofrog GS-Series drivers in the front and back. We installed a set of GS42 4-inch coaxial speakers in the dash and GS60 6.5-inch woofers in the stock kick-panel locations. We mounted a second set of GS42 speakers in the rear locations on either side of the hatch.
JL Audio Stealthbox Delivers Amazing Bass That’s Invisible
When it comes to vehicle-specific subwoofer solutions, no brand can match the performance of the JL Audio Stealthboxes. We installed one of the new SB-F-BRONCG6/10TW1 fiberglass enclosures in place of the stock subwoofer system on the right-hand side of the cargo area. This enclosure includes a 10-inch 10TW1 subwoofer. The kit includes an upgraded grille that we installed on the plastic trim panel.
Richmond’s Ford Bronco Stereo Experts
With all the equipment installed, we finished this Bronco stereo upgrade by configuring and calibrating the digital signal processor built into the JL Audio amplifier. Accurate audio system calibration is another crucial part of upgrading a car’s audio system. Compensating for frequency response anomalies caused by reflections and resonances is the only way to make a car stereo system sound realistic and life-like. Once that was completed, the system reproduced music evenly across the dash, sounding like a high-end home audio system. It’s crystal clear and plays loudly, thanks to the 1,000-watt amplifier and new Audiofrog speakers.
If you aren’t happy with the stereo system in your new car or truck, drop by Extreme Audio in Mechanicsville or Midlothian. We would be happy to design an upgrade that will perform how you want. Our expert technicians will ensure that it looks incredible and performs reliably. If you can’t get to one of our stores during regular business hours, give us a call or use our contact form to send us an email.
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