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2017 Ford Edge Sport with Sony 12 Speaker / Sub system upgrade


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Here's a list of the parts that I'll be installing in my 2017 Ford Edge Sport with Sony 12 Speaker / Sub system.
Started off with the Sub & amp and of course not happy with the sound, just upgrading the sub & amp in the factory locations wasn't enough.
I'll be upgrading the amps, wiring, and sound deadning to have control over the sound / DSP.
I should start this weekend with Stage 2 and I'll take pictures detialing out as much as I can. I wanted to utilize all the fatory speaker location, I know it's over kill and not necessary but I did it anyway.
Stage 1
Kicker 43CXA300.1 - Sub amp
Kicker CompRT 43CWRT81 - Lazy and didn't use polyfil or sound deadner the area.
Stage 2
iDatalink Maestro AR
iDatalink HRN-AR-FO2
Kenwood Excelon XR600-6DSP - Main Amp
Kenwood KAC-5207 - Front Center & Rear Pillar Amp, over kill I know
Kicker 44KSC3504 - Front Center Speaker, other will be for sale.
Stinger RKX36B Roadkill Expert Series Sound Damping Material Bulk Pack
T-Spec V12 0ga install kit & Misc items - Future proof
Polyfil Sub Box
Stage 3
Rainbow CS 265 Profi Kick - Front Door
Here are some links and stuff from the research I did. Hope to help others looking to do the same.
YouTube videos on installs.
How To: Ford Escape Speaker upgrade (all current fords) - Good refrence video speaker replacement, route I will go
Another one from Jason
2017 iDatalink Maestro AR & KENWOOD eXcelon XR600-6DSP Detailed Explanation
Kenwood XR600-6DSP & Maestro AR - Ford Edge Gen1 Installation
2017 KENWOOD eXcelon XR600-6DSP & iDatalink Maestro AR On-Site Installation Ford Edge Gen2
2017 KENWOOD DSP Control APP Complete Setup for eXcelon XR600-6DSP OEM Integration Amplifier
2018 KENWOOD eXcelon XR600-6DSP New Universal iDataLink Maestro AR Solution!
idatalink Maestro Page
Ford Edge Forum usefull links
Started here - Thanks to vipervenom550 got me hooked
Another one full of info - Thanks HappyHourSport
Great right up for changing rear door speakers - Thanks Lifeisabeach
Front dash speaker replacement - Thanks Lifeisabeach
2017 Edge - replacing rear (cargo area) speakers in 12-speaker system - Thanks Lifeisabeach
Improve The Quality Of Your OEM Sub For $5 - Thanks to gjb89
Door Speaker Size and Replacements - Thanks bill valley
To be continued.....

 

Edited by JScaro
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OMG .. finally someone has done it! This is exactly what I've been waiting/looking for. I've never liked the output matching DSPs. It always felt like a kludgy, "sort of", solution. AND, a separate subwoofer .. that was my real desire. The XR600-6DSP is just the icing on the cake.

Edited by Tacyon
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Well, what a long weekend.

Did the sound deadening, stuffed the sub box, and wired the amps. Ran out of time to get everything set up but got it close and here's my first impressions.

Sound quality is better, even with the stock speakers. Need more time to tune.


Issues to work out.

Beep is gone on touch screen :(

Navigation voice prompts gone? Need to figure out.

**Edit 3/13/2018**

All prompts must be adjusted individually. The sound/tone/prompt must be active and you adjust with the volume knob. Hopefully that makes sense.


Here's a few pics, my Edge is dirty -sorry

Sound deadening

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Ran the power cable through the fire wall - grommet located next to steering column under dash. Coat hanger will be you friend to fish the wire.

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To get the kick panel off, use a socket to release tabs.

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0ga power wire barely fits :)

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More to come


Edited by JScaro
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Snapped some pics of the sub box and measurements. This is for reference only.

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Measured to that raised section.

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Messured to the back of the box - if you removed the raised portion.

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Pics of the little rear pillar speakers

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Amps mounted - temporary, didn't like how it came out and going to make a better mounting platform.

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Nice progress! Did you consider going with the PAC Amp Pro to get clean signal from the HU. https://www.crutchfield.com/p_541AP4FD21/PAC-AmpPRO-AP4-FD21-Amplifier-Replacement-Interface.html?tp=6348&awkw=311736183073&awat=pla&awnw=g&awcr=194929759579&awdv=c&awug=9019611

Keep the pics and details coming!

 

No, I wanted to try and keep it simple but this project has snowballed!! I liked the features of the iDatalink Maestro AR with the Kenwood Excelon XR600-6DSP

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  • 3 years later...

I know this is a super old thread, but quick question. @JScaro, how did you tap into the signal? It looks like going to the Sony DSP there are four distinct signals, LF, RF, LR, and RR, but after the DSP it's split out into a whole bunch of other signals for independent speakers. Did you tap the wires upstream of the DSP, or down stream of the DSP?

And then, the DSP is downstream of the amp, right? So reguardless of where you tap the wires, they are all speaker level inputs, right?

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@SidneyAks
I used the iDatalink / Kenwood DSP amp for the connections which made it plug and play.  I really didn't care for how it turned out and put all the factory stuff back.  Only changes I currently have is,  replaced the center speaker, sub and sub amp.  I personal think this is the best setup for the majority out there.  

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  • 1 month later...
On 3/7/2018 at 4:25 PM, JScaro said:
Here's a list of the parts that I'll be installing in my 2017 Ford Edge Sport with Sony 12 Speaker / Sub system.
Started off with the Sub & amp and of course not happy with the sound, just upgrading the sub & amp in the factory locations wasn't enough.
I'll be upgrading the amps, wiring, and sound deadning to have control over the sound / DSP.
I should start this weekend with Stage 2 and I'll take pictures detialing out as much as I can. I wanted to utilize all the fatory speaker location, I know it's over kill and not necessary but I did it anyway.
 
Stage 1
Kicker 43CXA300.1 - Sub amp
Kicker CompRT 43CWRT81 - Lazy and didn't use polyfil or sound deadner the area.
 
Stage 2
iDatalink Maestro AR
iDatalink HRN-AR-FO2
Kenwood Excelon XR600-6DSP - Main Amp
Kenwood KAC-5207 - Front Center & Rear Pillar Amp, over kill I know
Kicker 44KSC3504 - Front Center Speaker, other will be for sale.
Stinger RKX36B Roadkill Expert Series Sound Damping Material Bulk Pack
T-Spec V12 0ga install kit & Misc items - Future proof
Polyfil Sub Box
 
Stage 3
Rainbow CS 265 Profi Kick - Front Door
 
Here are some links and stuff from the research I did. Hope to help others looking to do the same.
 
YouTube videos on installs.
How To: Ford Escape Speaker upgrade (all current fords) - Good refrence video speaker replacement, route I will go
Another one from Jason
2017 iDatalink Maestro AR & KENWOOD eXcelon XR600-6DSP Detailed Explanation
Kenwood XR600-6DSP & Maestro AR - Ford Edge Gen1 Installation
2017 KENWOOD eXcelon XR600-6DSP & iDatalink Maestro AR On-Site Installation Ford Edge Gen2
2017 KENWOOD DSP Control APP Complete Setup for eXcelon XR600-6DSP OEM Integration Amplifier
2018 KENWOOD eXcelon XR600-6DSP New Universal iDataLink Maestro AR Solution!
 
idatalink Maestro Page
 
Ford Edge Forum usefull links
Started here - Thanks to vipervenom550 got me hooked
Another one full of info - Thanks HappyHourSport
Great right up for changing rear door speakers - Thanks Lifeisabeach
Front dash speaker replacement - Thanks Lifeisabeach
2017 Edge - replacing rear (cargo area) speakers in 12-speaker system - Thanks Lifeisabeach
Improve The Quality Of Your OEM Sub For $5 - Thanks to gjb89
Door Speaker Size and Replacements - Thanks bill valley
 
To be continued.....

 

Would simply replacing stock speakers improve audio or do I need to replace amp as well??

 

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  • 1 month later...

@j4vier129
The Sub and amp with some polyfill probably the best thing for most people.  If you have money to burn,  I'd go the JL stealth box.  They didn't have it available at the time of my install or I would have went with JL. 

The sound deadening also made a big difference,  a little overkill for the average person but my original intent was to do a full out audio install.

Changing the front center speaker helped some too.

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On 9/8/2021 at 7:31 PM, j4vier129 said:

Did the kicker sub and amp make any difference in the factory box? Or should I invest in the JL stealthbox?

I plan to eventually do a full out sound system upgrade but the first stage would be sub and amp swap, I'm keeping an eye on that JL box but I may go the less expensive route. Thank you for your input 

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