I love my new 2005 Ford
Mustang coupe, but stock radio's flat, bass-less sound and distortion at
high volumes left the audio enthusiast in me wanting more. Sure, I
could have opted for the dealer upgrade when I bought the vehicle, but I
wanted to choose my own components instead of leaving the decision up
to Ford.
I wanted my dashboard to look like a console from the Starship Enterprise.
I wanted to be enveloped in crystal clear sound with crisp highs and full mid-tones.
I wanted a rich, ground-trembling bass that shook the sidewalk as I cruised with the volume cranked.
What
I didn't want was a $500 invoice from the
car audio professional who'd
install my sophisticated new system (and then another $500 invoice to
extract my components if I sell the car). So, against the better
judgment of the audio experts I consulted, I took up the challenge to
install a sophisticated car audio system--complete with GPS navigation, a
DVD player, an iPod connection and a Blue Tooth hands-free mobile phone
kit, all controlled by a 7-inch touch screen--on my own.
It
looked like a daunting job, but I learned that upgrading your car
stereo is not as complicated as it seems. If you follow my advice--which
is based on my mistakes--you can avoid ending up like I did,
frustrated, sweaty, out of speaker wire and almost out of patience.
MAKE A PLAN
Before
you start turning the screwdriver and ripping into your dashboard, set
aside time to plan out the entire installation process. It wasn't until I
was looking at a colorful fistful of stock radio wires--with no wiring
diagram for reference--that I realized my confidence--er, haste--wasn't
going to get me anywhere (it turns out that the 50 feet of speaker wire I
assumed would be more than enough for a tiny Mustang, is about three
feet short when you finish all the splicing, meaning I had to rerun all
the wiring.
I'm not
kidding about this. If there's one piece of advice you have to follow it
is this: Read through each component's instructions to create a master
installation plan. Know what you have, where each piece is going to go,
and what extra tools it will take to connect everything. Make sure that
you're confident that once you pull apart your dashboard you'll be able
to fit it back together. Check literature about your car to make sure
you don't need extra adapters such as a custom radio faceplate, or,
especially with older or imported vehicles, to make sure there are no
non-standard components behind the radio (such as a separate amplifier
buried deep within the console) that might greatly complicate the
process. Finally, get a big piece of paper and draw a diagram that
details where every wire will run. This will organize your thoughts and
uncover any potential problems.
In
addition to all your new equipment you're going to need wire cutters,
black tape, crimpers, pliers, screwdrivers, a rubber mallet, a drill, a
Dremel, a ratchet set, flashlight, wire tubing, double sided tape and
wire tires to get the job done.
STEP 1: Replacing the Head Unit
When
purchasing a head unit (the in-dash radio that controls your system),
make sure you chose the appropriate size for your car. Head units are
sized as single-din (a 180 x 50 mm panel) or double-din (180 x 100 mm
panel) and you can often purchase an adaptor plate to fit a single-din
unit in your double-din vehicle. The opposite was true for my car: I
installed a double-din 7inch touch screen head unit, the Kenwood
DDX-6019 available at www.Kenwood.com. Keep in mind that depths,
although largely standard, could vary, so pay attention to how much
space you have.
To make
the installation much easier, you should also purchase a wire harness
designed specifically for your vehicle's make and model. This will save
you from having to cut any wires inside your dash, and, trust me, that's
well worth the $20 you should expect to pay for a harness. Before you
begin to disassemble your dash, you can splice the new wiring harness to
your new radio by matching wire colors and descriptions. Also attach
Kenwood's add-on Ipod control interface (KCA-iP500) and navigation
system (KNA-G510) following the product's simple instructions. Once the
harness is connected, the rest of the job is plug-and-play. You can find
the correct harness and instructions at www.Crutchfield.com.
Armed with your master
plan, carefully remove the dashboard components surrounding your
radio
by removing any set screws or hex bolts securing the fairing and
carefully pulling the component away from the vehicle. You should see a
couple of set screws holding in the stock radio. Remove these, and slide
out the old head unit.
A
confusing collection of colorful wires should follow the stock radio.
Disconnect these by carefully prying apart the wiring harness connection
that connects the stock radio to the vehicle. The harnesses can be
tough to pull apart, but with some wiggling it will eventually separate.
Disconnect the radio's antenna connection and set the old head unit
aside (don't throw it out--if you want to keep your new system when you
sell your car, you'll eventually need to re-install the old radio).
I decided to install a Parrot 3200 LS-COLOR hands free kit, which is best done when you're reinstalling the radio head unit. This
connects my bluetooth cell phone to the sound system. I can hear calls
through the speakers and talk using the supplied microphone. It
auto-mutes the music when a call comes in, and it interfaces with the
head unit via another wiring harness, making installation very easy.
Next,
connect the antenna cable, and slide in your new head unit. But before
you start screwing the radio into place, turn on the car and test your
connections. If you don't get any sound, or the radio refuses to turn
on, or the sound is reversed (right speakers play the left track, or the
front speakers play the rear track, etc.) the culprit is likely a
faulty splice in the wiring harness. Pull out the radio and recheck your
connections.
If all
you're doing is swapping out you radio, follow your system's
instructions to fully secure the head unit and put your dashboard back
together. You're done. Enjoy your new system.
Don't let the mess of wires scare you.
If you plan out your installation you wont have to cut a single wire in the car! It's simple--just Plug-and-Play.
When installing a new radio, use a wiring harness.
Here is a close up of the after market harness(left) and the radios harness(right).
To connect the aftermarket wiring harness to the new radio, match the
clearly marked wires to the ones on the harness, then twist and crimp.
On the right is what your connections should look like when all the wires are properly crimped.
STEP 2: Powering Your System
The easy part is over--things are about to get tougher. This is where
your install diagram is crucial. Your entire audio system is going to be
powered through your amp, so make sure to choose one that has enough
juice and supports as many channels as your system needs. The Mean-Machine MM 8000.5 amp
is where I will be making all manual connections--no harness or plug
and play quick-fixes here. Pick a spot to install the amp that you can
reach with both hands easily. The amp needs to breathe, so while it can
be mounted almost anywhere, the best location is the trunk--and never
mount an amp upside down. To make things a little easier, purchase an
amp-install kit--it's an all inclusive package to get your amp powered
up.
Let's get started.
The amp's main power lead needs to be connected directly to the battery.
For safety reasons disconnect the battery's negative wire from its
post. Then using the supplied ring terminal, connect the power wire
(usually blue if using an aftermarket kit) with the fuse holder directly
to the battery positive post. Leave out the fuse until the install is
complete and ready for testing. Run the power wire through the fire wall
(look for pre-existing holes or routed wires that you can run it
along). The power must be run on the opposite side of the signal (RCA)
cables to prevent signal noise, which would sound like a dentist-drill
in the background of the music. If there is no hole in your fire wall
and you have to drill, make sure to avoid any of your car's vital
components.
Next
connect the amp to the head unit's preouts (RCA inputs) located on the
back. On the Kenwood's deck there were three preouts: front, rear and
sub. Connect, following standard color codes (red for left and white for
right). While you're connecting the preouts, also connect the amps
turn-on lead. The turn on lead does exactly what the name implies--it's
the amps on/off switch, turning the amp on every time the receiver in
use.
To get the wires
to the amp, bundle and tuck them under the doors sill and back seats,
all the way to the trunk. Use wire ties and electrical tape to fasten
your bundle to any preexisting wires along the way.
On
to connecting the amp's ground. The ground wire is short and the same
gauge as the power. It must be connected to the bare metal of the
chassis or frame. Find a near by bolt and sand or scrape away any paint.
Secure the ground wire using the ring terminal supplied in your amp
kit. If you have to use a screw, watch where you're going and use a
short screw--you don't want to hit your gas tank.
For safety, disconnect the negative battery terminal before connecting the amp's power lead.
Look for pre-existing holes through which you can route the amps power wire through the firewall.
Clearly marked preouts on the back of the radio connect to the amp (in the trunk).
Tucking your wires under the door trim hides the wires nicley.
The rca cables from the radio connect to the left side of the amp.
The ground wire connects
to a bolt in the trunk via a nut a lock washer. Remember to sand around
the hole--the ground needs to touch bare metal.
STEP 3: Install Your Speakers And Sub
The
speakers (and subwoofer) make the system. A great set can make even a
stock radio sound great yet selecting a good set requires more than just
comparing specs. Get out into show rooms and find a set that matches
your acoustic preferences--this is not the time to settle.
After many hours of in-store testing, I selected the MB Quart line by Maxxonics.
MB Quart has been developing and manufacturing speaker systems for more
than 30 years and they've learned a thing or two about audio production
in that time--they turned my car into a sound experience. Here are the
specs:
SPECS
* Front/Back speakers model #QSD 213
* Woofers with die-cast aluminum chassis
* and WPC-coated polypropylene cone with neodymium magnet
* 1" tweeters with two-piece titanium dome in metal housing with neodymium magnet
* Q crossover with selected high-quality
* components and variable four-level tweeter output
* Bi-wiring and bi-amping enabled
When
selecting speakers consider this: are you just replacing the stock
system or do you want to do a custom job? I went with a 4x1 custom
system because I didn't want to rip apart my doors to replace the
factory speakers. To solve this, I used Q-Logic's Q-Forms Kick Panel
speaker enclosures that discreetly and unobtrusively hold the MB
Quart's QSD 213 front 5-1/4 inch speakers at the drivers and passenger's
feet while directing their sound in the right direction.Q-Forms are available for over 500 different model cars, come in multiple
colors to match your interior and are indistinguishable from the factory
finish. Q-Logic also made a custom subwoofer enclosure that fits the 12
inch MB Quart's DWG 304 perfectly. It tucks the bass-box neatly into
the passenger's side rear-well, saving cargo space, which, in a sports
car, is particularly valuable.
When the speakers and
subwoofer are in place, route the wires back to the amp. For the front
speakers, run the wires on the same side as the signal cables and
turn-on lead that you ran earlier. Make sure to hide the wires for the
rear speakers somewhere in the trunk as they're the only components that
are wired by themselves.
For
better sound, the MB Quart speakers came with crossovers. A crossover
is a device that restricts and separates the range of frequencies sent
to the speaker. I mounted four crossovers (one per speaker), in the
trunk near the amp for easier connection. Connect each speaker's woofer
and tweeter (+/-) terminals to the corresponding OUTPUT terminals on the
crossover. Now connect the amp's output terminals to the INPUT on each
of the crossovers. It might sound complicated, but if you follow the
manufactures' instructions carefully, the improvement in sound is well
worth the time, labor and extra speaker wire. After the wires are
routed, speakers are mounted and the subwoofer is in place, follow the
diagram provided with the amp for the correct hook up.
Lastly,
hide all wiring as best as possible. Use electrical tape, wire ties and
tubing to conceal your work. And don't get rid of that diagram just
yet--put it somewhere safe in the car. In case you have a problem later
on it will be easier to pull that out than trying to remember! Now
install the fuse, turn on the car and see how she sounds.
STEP 4, FINAL STEP: Hit the Road, Tune in Your Favoirite Station and Crank Up the Volume
After
a few days of sweat, some minor cuts and a little aggravation, I'm
finally done. Every time I ride in my Mustang, I'm reminded that the
endeavor was worth it, even though I took much longer than I thought it
would--if you plan your project properly, it should take about eight to
ten hours to complete.
The orignal panel was held on by clips. One tug and it was off.
The speaker wires are routed under the door sill and through Q-logic
kick panel. Note: there are 2 sets--one for the woofer, and the other
for the tweeter.
The MB QUART sitting pretty. Both sides were done in 20 minutes.
Q-logics custom sub box fits in the right side of the rear wheel well of the trunk.
The combination of MB Quart's subwoofer and Q-logics sub box not only looks good, it preserves trunk space.
The crossovers have 3 sets of wires: One connects to the woofer, one to the tweeter and the last connects to the amp.
Clean up your wiring using electrial tape, wire tubing and zip ties.
Don't install the fuse until you're ready to test the system.
Here is the right side of the amp with the wires connected.
The amp, fully connected, is installed on top of the removable floorboard/spare tire cover.
