After reading the many, many posts on the shaker audio systems, no one has brought up the fact that it's peak wattage and not RMS that Ford is giving you. Aftermarket wattage is always measured in RMS. For example the $1295 (MSRP) shaker 1000 adds 2 125 watt subs giving you 250 watts RMS or 500 peak. My gf's '02 GT with Mach 1000 is only 570 watts but peaks at 1140. Her system should be called Mach 570. I think Ford should call the systems what they are, shaker 250 & 500. The reason I brought this up is because many people are comparing the shaker price to an aftermarket stereo price. It's much cheaper to achieve 500 watts RMS than 1000 watts RMS. Just want people to compare apples to apples or bananas to bananas

 

I tink that I might have to get the shaker 500 just for the extra nice factory door speakers. Then replace all of them but I will have two more than if I ordered it without the shaker.

 

It's been awhile since I looked at a speaker magazine, but aren't all speakers advertised as the peak wattage?

 

In short no. Depending on the quality of speakers is how you will see it rating.

for example go to walmart and look at their speaker. they are rated in peek power. No look at so higher quality (and you don't have to go real expensive) and you should be able to find peek and rms values.

the sub box I have is rated at 300 rms and 750 peek B) and it only cost $99

 

Thanks for the post, 1mean7. I've been wondering if I should get the Shaker 500, but now I think I should pass...

Any idea what the wattage of the base CD player is? I think I remember hearing 160 or something.

I'm not really an expert here... how does the base system on the Mustang compare with, say, the base sound system on any other car? Better, worse, what?