LS Stereo upgrade

[jstoops]

I'm thinking about upgrading my stereo to this Pioneer;

https://www.amazon.com/Pioneer-AVH-..._30?ie=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=GC0ESQVQG03MFCFTGE3C

But a friend says that the speakers are too old (my ride is a 2004 LS V8) I'm not really sure if I believe him, would I need to replace all 12 speakers as well as the radio, for it to sound good? He claims it would sound bad, as in not clear, as well as I would get bad feedback.

What is your experience in this? Thanks guys

 

[joegr]

If that is a general comment from your friend, then I don't think he knows what he is talking about. Particularly, the feedback comment is nonsense.
On the other hand, if he has removed your speakers and sees a problem, and they currently sound very bad, then he could be right.
I still have the factory speakers in my 04 (and my 06), and they sound just fine. (Unfortunately, I have had to replace the factory subs in both.)

Perhaps you could just replace the radio and see how it goes from there?

 

[jstoops]

Thanks for the help, I agree with you. My speakers sound great still, with the factory radio.. The only reason I believed him is because he works at an audio shop, albeit he is full of sh**.

 

[1LoudLS]

The only reason I believed him is because he works at an audio shop, albeit he is full of sh**.

not everybody that "works" at an audio shop is an installer.

nobody that actually works on cars would say something like that... ford has the easiest sound systems to interface with (THX excluded) if the speakers sound fine now, they will only sound better with a new good quality (which that one is) radio. the speakers in this car (base model excluded) are very good quality speakers for OEM options. never have I had a feed back problem in a ford premium sound system. while new speakers could make it sound even better, the sound quality isn't going to get worse by keeping good OEM speakers.


three tips.

first, make sure to use the crossovers, the high pass filters will remove any distortion causing bass from the door speakers, this will allow them to handle the extra power the new radio has and play louder and clearer.

second, be careful of the sub settings. with the level set to max, the pioneer does have a more power signal than the OEM radio so the subs will play louder at lower volume settings. and since the OEM amp is still driving the subs, it will push it to distortion fairly easy, and those subs (even with a stock audio system) can blow out easy enough.

third, don't bother hooking up the amp for the center console speakers. as they are really only sound effect speakers made to use with a Digital Sound Processor in the OEM radio, the pioneer does not have the same DSP functionality to correctly use them.