Ford Taurus Audio Upgrade Steals the SHO!

This New Tripoli client is no stranger to high-end car audio or Mobile Edge.  Nor is he unfamiliar with performance.  The motor in his show stopping SHO has been worked over and now produces just over 500 horsepower. This is not your grandma’s Taurus. Last winter, we began this Ford Taurus audio upgrade when we added a sub and amp to his stock system. So, when it was time to bring the rest of the audio system up to speed, the choice of where to go was pretty simple. After the initial appetizer of the sub and amp add-on, we where all ready to get started on the main course.  We spent some time going over the goals for upgrade, and deciding on the perfect recipe.

The Wiring In This SHO Car Is A Thing Of Beauty

Power wiring and stiffening capacitor in trunk.

Power and ground wiring loomed neatly and securely.

The system overhaul begins with routing power from the vehicle’s battery to the trunk. The systems power distribution is routed into the spare tire well along with a stiffening capacitor to provide stable voltage to the upgraded audio system. This aspect of the installation will change as part of next Spring’s planned upgrade. For now,  we wanted to take special care to minimize the footprint of the current configuration as well as give the installation a finished appearance. From here the power splits off for the processors and amplifiers.

Audison BitOne Processor Mounted Securely Out Of Sight!

Processors are mounted to a steel bracket that we fabricated in-house.

Audison BitOne and Audiocontrol LC2i mounted in driver’s side of trunk.

By removing the trunk trim panels we accessed the factory audio system amplifier. Here, we fabricated a steel bracket to secure an Audison BitOne processor along with a second interface that will be used as part of the next phase. It is not uncommon to find metal work in a Mobile Edge installation. Our reason for this is pretty straight forward:  If wood was the better choice, wouldn’t the car manufacturers have used it all these years?  The simple fact is, they don’t use it and we are inclined to agree.  Today, many of our installations include metal fabrication to securely mount audio system components.

Nice stealth install of the DRC (remote) for the BitOne.

No sign of the remote control when door is closed.

Tuning the BitOne

BitOne remote control mounted in center console.

The OEM amplifier’s output signals are re-routed into the BitOne. This processor is instrumental later during the tuning process to set the equalization for system and provide time correction. The display and control for the BitOne is mounted in a custom panel in the center console. This location allows the driver easy access to the controls for adjusting the audio signal and can be hidden from view by simply closing the factory pocket lid.

Audison Amplifiers “Float” In This Ford Taurus Audio System

The area behind the back seat of the Ford Taurus SHO. This is where the amps will live.

tapping all the mounting holes and prepping the amp rack for mounting in the vehicle.

Steel amplifier rack bolted behind the back seat.

Audison amps and all wiring mounted securely to steel amp rack.

LED lighting makes the amps appear to “float” behind the seat.

Another shot of the amplifiers in place and lit up!

The audio signal runs from the BitOne to three Audison amplifiers that are hidden behind the rear seat.  Once again, the amplifiers are mounted on a custom welded steel rack. They are accessible by folding down the rear seat. The goal of the rack in this case was to provide a structural mount to the car while giving the amplifiers the appearance of floating. In order to achieve this look, it was important for the rack to hide all the wiring. To add to this effect, we used mini LED strips to provide a glow from beneath the amplifiers, illuminating the floor beneath them. These LEDs are triggered by the audio system and are only lit when there is audio playing.

Hertz  Speakers Round Out Ford Taurus Audio Upgrade

Factory center channel

We replaced the center channel with a Hertz Dieci 3.5″ speaker.

Factory door speakers in Taurus

Rear door panel after reassembly

Hertz High Energy component speakers installed in front door.

Front door panel after speakers were installed.

All of the speakers are upgraded to take full advantage of the power and clarity of the new signal processors and amplifiers. The center channel speaker was replaced with a Hertz Audio Dieci 3.5” coaxial speaker and the rear door speakers were upgraded to a High Energy 6.5” coaxial speaker. The front doors were fitted with a pair of Audison Voce 6.5” components. We kept all the speakers in the stock locations to keep a completely factory appearance. Other than the slight difference in the tweeter grille, even the most discerning eye wouldn’t know that anything had been changed. Their ears however, will tell the full story.

Hertz Energy Series 12″ Subs Make The Bass

Hertz Energy subwoofers installed in custom sealed enclosure.

Very little room was used for the enclosure and subwoofers.

The sub frequencies are handled by a pair of 12” Hertz Audio Energy series woofers in a sealed enclosure. We maximize the trunk space by going as high and wide with the box as we can. In Fact, with the trunk panels re-installed along with a beauty panel that trims out the box, it’s hard to see any space lost in the trunk. The spare tire and under floor storage are still completely accessible.

With the vehicle reassembled, we connected the laptop and Audison’s BitTune to dial the system in. This process begins with setting the individual output levels for each of the channels and verifying proper phase. From there, the BitTune does its magic and sets the time correction for different listening positions as well as a starting point equalization. From there we fine tune the EQ curve, store our settings and prep the SHO for delivery.

Both we and the client were thrilled with the results. The system sounds incredible and blends into the vehicle seamlessly. We are excited to see what next show season has in store for this amazing ride. So, the only question left is, “ What’s for dessert….” Be sure to check back in Spring to find out.

At Mobile Edge, we offer the very best products for your vehicle and we install them to a very high standard.  If you are looking to upgrade your vehicle’s audio system, I would propose that you have found the right place!  Give us a call to set up a free in-store consultation with one of our system designers. We look forward to meeting you!