Rash

I currently own a 2006 which came with the Shaker 500 stereo system. I found the bass muddy and the overall sound quality lacking. So I upgraded the head until to a JVC KW-XR810, and replaced the 6X8 speakers and 8" door subs with Shelby/Kicker speakers. Kept the factory amp. Total cost was about $600 if I recall. I installed everything myself so no labor cost. I think I had to solder something, but other than that it was plug and play.

That upgrade was all I needed - I'm not looking to wake the neighbors, but I want tight bass, punch from the drums, clear mids, crisp highs, and minimal distortion at high volume. A sub is not necessary if the bass is strong and tight enough without one - it was with my upgrade. I listen to mostly rock.

One thing I find a necessity is a good equalizer - 3 bands aint gonna cut it for me. I am constantly adjusting the JVC EQ with each song. And the high and low pass filter settings of the JVC really help distribute the bass the way I want.

So I'm wondering a few things about the S550 stereo:

- Is it possible to upgrade the 9 speaker or 12 speaker systems for a reasonable price (less than $1000) and significantly improve the sound quality?

- Since there are car functions integrated with the head unit, is it best to keep it and just replace everything else?

- Are there other things needed (line level converters, etc) when adding or replacing the amp?

- How can I get better EQ options if I don't replace the head unit?

I have a basic knowledge of car audio, but I'm not knowledgeable enough about ohms, impedance, preamp outputs, etc to just dive and and DIY. I guess I basically want to know what to expect as far as difficulty, cost, and overall improvement expected when upgrading the S550 audio.

Any help is appreciated - let me know if more info will help.

TIA

RonStang65

Rash, Here is a link to a thread that has a lot of useful information on S550 Mustang audio upgrades http://www.mustang6g.com/forums/showthread.php?t=48275 OEM Radio seems to have a good handle on the different issues people have doing audio upgrades on the S550 Mustang. You can't just do plug and play upgrades like you could on previous generations of Mustangs. Because of this the cost to upgrade the audio system is much greater. Read the thread and you will see what I mean.