# 2013 Ford Flex sound upgrade



## LEVLHED (Jul 21, 2013)

*2013 Ford Flex sound upgrade MS8 Hertz Alpine Infinity*

It would have been cool if I started this thread weeks ago when I started my upgrade, but oh well....I will post up some pics and explain what I did over the course of the next few days-ish. 

for now

I (finally) got a new vehicle and decided to upgrade the sound in it. It ended up being a significant upgrade and project. My goals were to keep the factory deck with Sync intact to maintain all of the functionality and to keep the whole install as "stock" looking as reasonable. Also, I was unable/unwilling to give up cargo space for a traditional sub box. I work as a mobile wedding dj and need all of the available space for hauling my equipment (it just barely fits with all the seats down!)

I was leaning more towards the SQ side of the spectrum vs. SPL.....not after a competition level system, but I was looking for a significant upgrade over the existing non-Sony "premium" system. 

My first instinct was to DIY the whole thing, but the realities of my schedule, questionable skills, and dismal tool selection made that not really viable.

After shopping around the local "pro" car audio shops (all two of them) I ended up getting hooked up with a friend of a friend who works out of his garage. This ended up being exactly the dude I was looking for! He does excellent work (no shortcuts) and since he's not a equipment dealer/etc he was A-OK with installing what ever I wanted/bought on my own. The "pro" shops all wanted me to buy what they were selling, at full retail price no less...screw that! I'm not really a "retail" kinda guy. hah

I did a lot of research and came up with a system I wanted that met my design goals. Then set out to find deals on all the equipment.

The heart of the system is a JBL MS-8 processor. I used a few of the amp channels from that (center and rear doors) as well as an AlpinePDX F-4 100w x 4 amp for the front doors/tweets.
The subs are a pair of Kicker Hideaway under-seat powered jobbies.

Here's a pdf diagram of the system/equipment/layout of what I came up with.
2013FlexStereoInstall-v5.pdf

As of right now I have my car back and everything is installed. Unfortunately we discovered when I went to pick it up on Saturday that the dude I bought the MS-8 from forgot to send the little RF remote. To use the MS8 you have to run through the set up process first. You can't run the setup without the remote!! So right now I have NO SOUND until the guy sends me the stinkin remote. I haven't even heard the system yet. Bummer, yes. He was supposed to send the remote out yesterday, but he hasn't replied to my emails asking for confirmation that he actually did. So I don't know when I'm going to hear what I've put together yet.

more later


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## LEVLHED (Jul 21, 2013)

80mil sound deadener from Knu installed in all four doors, layer on the inside and outside..


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## LEVLHED (Jul 21, 2013)

The Kicker HS8-11 Hideaways ended up going in the third row passenger foot area. I needed the space under the front seats for the MS8 and Alpine amp. Not enough room under the back seats. I decided since I will very rarely have any passengers in the "way back" I could get away with them there and just flip them over if/when there are people riding back there...


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## LEVLHED (Jul 21, 2013)

4 gauge power run (also 4 gauge ground)


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## LEVLHED (Jul 21, 2013)

All wire connections are soldered...and there was more than a few in this set up...


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## LEVLHED (Jul 21, 2013)

MS8 mounted to a board with some deadening applied. Board is under the carpet under the drivers seat. (Alpine similarly mounted under passenger seat)


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## LEVLHED (Jul 21, 2013)

Upgraded Hertz Audio center vs. factory center


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## pjc (May 3, 2009)

I'm in on this. Getting stuff together for my build in my 2012 Flex.


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## LEVLHED (Jul 21, 2013)

pjc, do you have the Sony system or the stock one? Do you have SYNC? Navigation?


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## pjc (May 3, 2009)

LEVLHED said:


> pjc, do you have the Sony system or the stock one? Do you have SYNC? Navigation?


Stock with sync. No navi or Sony. I'm going to use a MS8 also.


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## LEVLHED (Jul 21, 2013)

Awesome, sounds like the exact same starting point as me.
Over on fordflex.net there's a guy who documented his build (think he's a member here as well) with an MS-8 which was the inspiration for mine. He posted up how he ran power in from the battery that seems to be the slickest way....I will dig up a link or post pics. My install guy did it the same way.


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## pjc (May 3, 2009)

He's fourthmeal on here. Good info in his thread. 
I'm gonna take mine very slow. I've said that on every build as they all get out of hand lol.


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## LEVLHED (Jul 21, 2013)

Yeah I can relate. When I started on the whole idea of upgrading the sound I was literally going to just replace the door speakers with something myself...hence the Infinity's that are currently in the back doors.

...but things spun up rather quickly...


Really though at this time I am having a very serious issue with the member that I purchased the MS8 from. He's not replying to my emails about the status of the remote control. I have no idea if he's actually sent it like he said he was going to or if he's just ignoring me now.
I'm not really sure what recourse I have at this point other than opening a paypal dispute.

I've been driving my car around for three days now with everything installed and ready to go, yet I can't even hear it because I don't have a remote for the MS-8 to set it up!!
I don't know anyone else around here with an MS-8 that could just loan me a remote so I can get past the initial set up either.

It is downright maddening.


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## LEVLHED (Jul 21, 2013)

I've got a question about roughly were I should set the gains on the Alpine PDX-F4 for the tweeters....since I have nothing better to do right now than wonder and ponder.
I'm running them active off the MS8 and powered by the Alpine. I believe they are rated for 60w max/ 30w RMS each. The Alpine is going to put out at least 100w RMS per channel. I took a look at the markings on the gain pots but they don't tell me much.
Tweeters are located in the factory position.


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## powpow2pavement (Feb 22, 2012)

LEVLHED said:


> Really though at this time I am having a very serious issue with the member that I purchased the MS8 from. He's not replying to my emails about the status of the remote control. I have no idea if he's actually sent it like he said he was going to or if he's just ignoring me now.
> I'm not really sure what recourse I have at this point other than opening a paypal dispute.


PayPal dispute ASAP. No excuse for not sending the the remote to begin with, let alone quit communicating with you. Some people don't give a **** once you've paid them. 

Get the dispute submitted now or you will have nobody to blame but yourself when you lose your money and still have to buy another MS-8... good luck finding a remote for sale (maybe directly from JBL?). If the user never sends the remote be sure to out them so others on the board know who to avoid.


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## LEVLHED (Jul 21, 2013)

I sent one final email yesterday morning saying that if he didn't respond to me things were going to get ugly really fast. Lo and behold, a reply within minutes.

His story is he was unexpectedly called _out of the country_ for work on Sunday night, therefore he couldn't send it and also did not have access to his email. He was emailing me from an airport wifi connection and was going to be home today (Wednesday) and send it today. 

He didn't appreciate my "idle threats". Apparently he hasn't had the pleasure of being on the wrong end of a paypal dispute yet. If I don't get concrete proof with tracking tonight that it is going to be in my hands by Friday at the latest, the SHTF tomorrow.
He's already been cleverly outed in my first post.

And yeah, I checked JBL/Harmon. The remote is back ordered until at least the end of this month. If I could just get one in my hands for like 15 minutes so I could set the thing up I'd be a lot less furious.


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## LEVLHED (Jul 21, 2013)

I did start the official paypal-not-involved-yet grievance on Monday.


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## vwdave (Jun 12, 2013)

Sorry to hear about the issue with the seller. Interested to hear you review once you can listen to the system.

Quick question about the MS8, does it give you a remote signal to turn on the amps? How is it determined (signal sensing or require remote input)? In the pictures I see a power and ground, and RCAs coming out, but couldn't figure out about the REM signal.


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## LEVLHED (Jul 21, 2013)

The MS8 does give a remote turn on lead for downstream amps/etc.
It does not have signal sensing, but it only needs 4v at its own turn on.


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## Earzbleed (Feb 10, 2013)

I'm glad he arrived back in the country just in time to reply to your email. What are the odds of that eh? Lucky lucky lucky.


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## LEVLHED (Jul 21, 2013)

I did think that was unbelievably fortuitous.


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## kmbkk (Jun 11, 2011)

I'm in for updates. My wife has a '10 Flex and I'm itching to upgrade the audio in it!


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## Voorttimies (Mar 19, 2011)

Earzbleed said:


> I'm glad he arrived back in the country just in time to reply to your email. What are the odds of that eh? Lucky lucky lucky.


Especially funny considering that we do have this thing called Internet and Internet connections outside of the U.S. too, so I don't think it would've been too hard to answer the email even if he was abroad.


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## LEVLHED (Jul 21, 2013)

Factory door speakers removed.











Damping was applied to the stock door speaker baffles.











20uf capacitors installed inline on the tweeters to protect against crossover/equipment failure.


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## *R 1* (Dec 26, 2013)

LVLHEAD, 

where you mounted the 2 kicker hidaways.... what is that little access cover in the pic for?


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## BWARD07FFSESMTX (Jan 11, 2014)

What model is the center. I'm on their site and cannot quite figure it out. 
Is it the DCX 87.3?

BTW I'm doing a 2013 Explorer Limited Sony system. One speaker at a time. Hope it eventually turns out half as nice as yours!


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## LEVLHED (Jul 21, 2013)

I'm not sure what that access cover is. I had a guy do most of the install for me. I hope I mentioned that in my earlier posts! 

I used is an ECX87 for the center.


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## BWARD07FFSESMTX (Jan 11, 2014)

ECX87

Copy that, Thanks!


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