Hi, I'm new to this forum and new to purchasing a 2021 Ford EcoSport Titanium 2.0. It has the B & O Sound System. How many of you have wished the volume would go to 11 and beyond? This upgrade is on the cheap using 1 old 4 channel Sony amp with built in equalizers, and 1 separate Sony amp to power the 10" Subwoofer. I am no audio purist but i do like clean sound. I found the EcoSport the easiest car to upgrade the amp. Now I turn the volume to the 10 o'clock position and it's LOUD, and cleaner sounding, with Bass to upset the neighbors. I can actually hear instruments in the music i never knew were there. There are some negatives to this system that I'm still working out. I did not amplify the center speaker and now the front tweeters seem like they're either not working or are too quiet to hear.. I think the latter. I will be solving that problem soon by installing SONY XS-GS1621C GS Series 6-1/2" Component Speakers in the front. I have used them in my 2020 Escape and sound great. The rear speakers are surprisingly very good sounding when amplified.
This install is very simple, very few steps.
1. Run a positive wire from the battery to the back. There is a rubber large plug behind the battery that you can poke a hole through, then run it down the drivers side.
2.. Get a PAC APH-FD02 Speaker connection harness.
3.. Buy a trailer wiring kit. It has all the wires that you need to extend the wires on the PAC and the one i had, had all the same colors, so extending was easy. You need to extend the PAC to reach your amps. I suggest soldering and using heat shrinkable tubing.
4.. Buy a Scosche LOC2SL, It has a blue wire which will power on the AMPs, No need to dig into the fuse box for a switched connection.
You are going to extend the amplifier output PAC connector to connect to your HI LEVEL amp inputs.
You are going to extend the PAC speaker amp connector to run to your aftermarket 4 channel amp, No cutting so far.
To make this cable took me a few hours with a soldering gun and heat shrinkable tubing. Keep it neat.
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5. Pull up the seat, using a knife or scissors, cut the carpeting around the amp. Mine was semi cut from ford, like a template. i used a box knife.
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You can see where i cut it with a box knife, then flip it open...
6. Here's what's under the carpet, the factory B&O Amp. You can connect your negative wire (-) to one of the mounting bolts here.
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You'll be unplugging the amp input on the right, and the speaker OUT in the middle. Don't touch the blue wire.
7. Plug in the harness you spent time on. I ran it to the right of the amp, behind it, and wedged it to the hatch area under the seats... My cables were too long, i cut everything to fit the length to the amp connections. Better to have long wires than to add more wire.
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8. As i stated, run the wires to where your amp is located. I put mine under the trunk pull out board. I know they may heat up there, but for now that's where they are.
Keep it neat, though no one will ever see it.
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9. Connect everything and make sure you have your inputs and outputs correct, you don't want to blow your B & O Factory amp.
I had this old reliable amp on the left and love it because it has separate Front and Rear eq settings. You can use another type of equalizer. The amp on the right is bridged for the 10" Sony sub that's not in the photo. When i build a cabinet for it that fits the EcoSport, i will add the photo here.
10. Set your EQ's. The rear speakers surprised me in their highs and clean full bodied sound. The front mids and tweeters sound like crap. I will be replacing shortly.
I am 98% satisfied with this setup. It was cheap with amps i had on hand from previous setups in cars I've sold. Ebay!!!
After i installed and tuned it, i didn't want to get out of the car. The system sounds amazing. I listen to Techno dance that has a bass beat. . I like the LOC2L has a wired bass volume control. Sometimes you have a headache and need to turn down the bass.
This posting is meant as an idea starter. It's not a purists audio dream but i didnt spend a 1000.00 dollars either..... What surprised me is that there are little to no postings about this type of upgrade on the internet. By the way the front door panels are super simple to remove. When i get the new door speakers I'll document that. Enjoy.
