A client from East Stroudsburg dropped by Mobile Edge to ask about upgrading the stereo system in his 2016 Ford Mustang. The owner had already installed a new radio but wanted the system to play louder, sound better and provide more bass. We looked at the Android tablet radio he’d chosen for the car to see whether it had the features we needed to design the level of system he wanted. Then, with a plan in place, we scheduled an appointment for the client to leave the car with us.
Sony Mobile ES Radio Upgrade
A few days later, the client let us know that the car’s fancy-looking radio had stopped working properly. He tried contacting the manufacturer for help, but they told them to go to a dealer. Sadly, there aren’t any dealers. The client was tired of fighting with that radio and asked about a replacement that offered navigation. After talking about some options and potential screen sizes, he chose one of the impressive Sony XAV-9500ES multimedia receivers. This radio includes wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto with a massive 10.1-inch touchscreen.
Knowing that the Sony radio was compatible with the Maestro RR interface, we checked to see if this particular Mustang was supported, but it wasn’t on the list. A call to the Maestro support team provided a solution that would allow the radio to display both the dashboard screen with the speedometer and tachometer, along with the Street and Track performance screen. We used a Metra 99-5838 kit to integrate the radio with the steering wheel controls in the vehicle. This kit also includes a new climate control interface with a color display.
Ford Mustang Stereo System Integration
With a solid and reliable radio integrated into the dash, our installation team could move forward with the rest of the project. We removed the trim panels from the doors and the trunk to put down a foundation of SoundShield sound deadening material. To help cut down on noise from the exhaust system and the road, we covered the inner and outer door skins and most of the trunk floor.
We created a set of mounting adapters for the doors to secure the 6.5-inch woofers from a set of Hertz MLK-2TW component speakers. We also added rubber sealing gaskets to the woofers to seal against the plastic door panels and ensure that all the sound enters the vehicle and doesn’t echo around behind the door panel. We mounted the tweeters from the set behind the factory tweeter grilles in the A-pillars. Once everything was back together, these fantastic speakers were completely hidden from sight.
Subwoofer and Amplifier Installation
Next, we ran Wirez Signature Series four-AWG copper power cable to the battery to provide power to the Audison Voce-Series AV 5.1k five-channel amplifier to power the front component speakers and the system’s subwoofer. Finally, we added a 2.5 Farad stiffening capacitor to the system to ensure that the amp would have the instantaneous current it needed to deliver up to 1000 watts of power to the subwoofers and 75 watts of power to each of the front speakers. The four channels of amplification are split between the woofer and the tweeter so that we can configure everything with an Audison bit Nove digital signal processor.
For bass, the client chose an Audio Enhancers TANG190C12 enclosure designed specifically for this generation of Mustang. We installed a pair of Hertz Cento-Series CS 300 S2 12-inch subwoofers in the enclosure with their optional protective grilles.
As with all of our subwoofer system installations, our team constructed one of our trademark steel amplifier mounting solutions. The cut-and-welded-to-fit amp rack has a spot for the DSP, the cap and the amplifier, and it secures the enclosure in place in the trunk. After all, this is a Mustang, and it’s meant to be driven, not babied.
We finished the project by configuring the crossover, signal delay, output level and equalizer settings to create a very realistic listening stage that spans the width of the dash. Each musical instrument is reproduced with impressive tonal accuracy and placement across the soundstage.
The client returned to Mobile Edge in Lehighton to pick up the vehicle at the end of the week. He hopped in for a listen and was thrilled with the performance! The system played as loudly as he wanted, and every word and note was crystal clear! So if you’re looking for superb sound from your car stereo system, we invite you to drop by our store. If you can’t get here during regular business hours, give us a call or click on the red icon below and send us an e-mail.
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