Mobile Edge in Lehighton has been known for building some of the finest audio systems for over 20 years now, so when we chose our new F150 demo vehicle, we knew it was going to need our special treatment when it came to the electronics upgrade. We chose a 2015 Ford F150 for several reasons, including that fact that we now sell and install truck accessories. You can read about all of those upgrades in another build we published by clicking HERE
First F150 Electronics Upgrade, Remote Starter
Right out of the gate, we knew this vehicle needed a great-quality remote car starter, so our team set out to install our best Compustar system. It uses the T11 remote control, which gives the driver confirmation back to the remote of any command requested of the truck, plus it has three times the range of any other system on the market. We added a DroneMobile smartphone interface to allow the driver to control the remote starter from the convenience of a smartphone while providing almost unlimited range. As long as the phone and the module we install can access the Internet, you can literally be anywhere in the world and remote start your vehicle.
To make the vehicle more secure, you can activate the optional GPS tracking on the Drone and instantly know where your vehicle is located. For a finishing touch, we installed an EZGO RFID fob that will lock and unlock the truck when you get close to it or walk away. How’s that for not having to remember whether you locked your doors?
Brandmotion Rear View Mirror And Backup Camera Up Next
The Brandmotion rearview mirror contains an LCD monitor that lets us see the output of the backup camera.
Since this is a full-size truck, we wanted to have a backup camera system, so we installed a Brandmotion replacement rear view mirror that has an integrated LCD monitor. It displays the image from the Brandmotion tailgate-handle camera whenever the vehicle is put into reverse, making it much easier to back up safely.
Now The Fun Starts, The Audio Upgrade
This pile of goodies is going to drastically change our F150.
Once we installed the remote starter and the backup camera, it was time to turn our attention to the sound system. While we are never satisfied with a stock sound system, the one in this F150 was especially weak and anemic-sounding. We chose to keep the stock stereo system in the dash, since it looked great and gave us all the functionality we needed, and upgrade from there.
Front Speaker Upgrade And Sound Proofing
We began the upgrade by installing a set of Audison APK 165 6.5” component speakers in the stock locations in the front of the vehicle. To mount them properly, we machined composite speaker mounting plates in-house. We applied HushMat sound-damping material to the doors to lower road noise as well as eliminate any vibration or rattling that may happen when you install high-performance speakers. We installed a set of FAST rings on the front of the 6.5” woofers to couple them to the door panels and increase midbass output. We also installed the Audison tweeters from the component set in the stock front locations, using adapters we made in-house.
Next We Were All About That Bass
The ultra-thin design of the Hertz subwoofers allowed us to fit 2 10″ subwoofers behind the seat.
At this point, we turned our attention to the low end. Any good audio system needs a subwoofer to sound great, but this vehicle presented us with some unique challenges. We decided that we wanted to keep all of the storage underneath the front seat available, so we custom-made a subwoofer enclosure that fit in the limited space behind the rear seat. It holds a pair of Hertz ESF25 10” subwoofers and is carpeted in a color that matches the factory carpet.
Audio Electronics Upgrades By Audison
For the final piece of the puzzle, we needed an amplifier and a processor, and fortunately, Audison had the solution. We used an AP5.9Bit amplifier for its combination of internal signal processing, small size and great sound quality. This amp gives us five channels of power, driving the front speakers and the subwoofers off their own discrete channels, for more opportunities to fine-tune the sound. The included Bit processor in this amp allows us to strip the music of any equalization that Ford adds to it, making a major improvement in sound quality. Since we have dedicated channels for every new speaker, we can adjust crossover points, digital delay, output levels and nine bands of parametric equalization for what suits each speaker best.
In typical Mobile Edge fashion, we fabricated a metal amp rack to securely mount the Audison amplifier without drilling any holes in the vehicle – we used the seat bolts to hold everything in place properly. Since the amplifier is so compact, it fit perfectly underneath one of the front seats.
We installed a DRC controller in a convenient location in a pocket, allowing us to demonstrate the difference between a tuned and untuned system.
Expert Tuning By The Mobile Edge Pros
Our tuning session starts with the use of our Bit Tune device.
Once the install was completed, the installers hooked up a laptop to the AP5.9bit and began the magical part of the install known as tuning the processor. In the hands of a well-trained technician, the sound improvement is simply amazing. In this F150, the sound now stages across the dash instead of being heavily biased to the driver’s door. You can now hear subtleties in the music that weren’t present before, and the sound now has authority, as if you were sitting at your favorite concert. You really should stop by and hear this truck. It sounds amazing!
Ready For Your F150 Electronics Upgrade?
When you are ready to upgrade the audio system in your vehicle or get a remote starter installed, we invite you to stop by Mobile Edge in Lehighton. One of our team will work with you to find the best solution to your unique needs. You can also contact us about any of our products and services by clicking here.
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