2012 Ford Mustang Gets High-End Audio System

A client came to Handcrafted Car Audio in Chandler, Arizona, recently with a 2012 Ford Mustang, wanting us to create a system that would rival the best high-end home audio systems available. We got to design a system that would not only sound amazing but look pretty darned cool at the same time.

Front And Center

Once our modifications were complete on the trim ring, we had it hydro-dipped in a carbon fiber pattern.

In addition to the radio trim ring, we had the remaining plastic pieces in the console hydro-dipped.

The hydro-dipped window switch plates help complete the cosmetic transformation in this Mustang.

For a source unit, the client liked the idea of having a big screen in the dash. The Alpine X009-U with its 9-inch display fit the bill perfectly. We modified the factory radio panel to make room for the Alpine piece. We relocated a row of climate control buttons into the space between the new radio and the storage pocket, then built up the trim around where the radio controls were located to give the dash an OEM look. We mounted the display from an Escort 9500ci and the Audison DRC in the center console for easy access. Finally, we sent out the new customized radio trim, the center console and the trim pieces around the power window controls on each door to be hydro-dipped with a carbon fiber finish.

Front Stage

The Thesis tweeter was mounted in the pillar to help create a realistic soundstage height.

One of our technician’s works on building the fiberglass enclosure for the midrange speaker.

The midrange drivers were mounted in a custom-molded fiberglass enclosure.

A spacer ring and adapter plate complete the enclosure for the midrange speaker in the top of the door.

The door pocket was removed and replace with a multi-layer plastic piece, for better sound quality. Here we are shaping the plastic to fit the door.

Both the door pocket pods and the speaker ring are a composite plastic that will last the life of the car.

The client chose Audison Thesis speakers for the system – a set of Thesis TH 1.5 violino 1.5” Tetolon-dome tweeters for the A-pillars, and Thesis TH 3.0 voce 3’ midrange and TH 6.5 sax 6.5” midbass drivers for the doors. We fabricated a set of ABS and expanded PVC plastic rings for the tweeters and molded them into the A-pillars right around eye level for amazing imaging and staging. We mounted the 3” midrange to a custom ABS plastic adapter plate that fit in place of the factory 5×7” door speaker plate. We removed the factory speaker and built a fiberglass enclosure in the door to ensure that none of the sound from the rear of the TH 6.0 would interfere with the mid range. The enclosure ensures the purest, cleanest sound possible.

We created a set of expanded PVC trim rings for the TH 6.5 mid-bass driver. We removed the factory woofer grille and mounted the TH 6.5 assembly to the door panel. We used the Audison speaker grille to protect the cone of the TH 6.5. To clean up the appearance of the doors, we removed the factory storage pocket and created a new filler panel out of expanded PVC plastic. Once we fitted it perfectly, we wrapped it in vinyl to match the rest of the door.

Bottom End

The test fitting of the woofer, acrylic window, and outer trim ring.

One of the many times the pieces are test-fit into the trunk to verify that they fit perfectly.

The grill that covers and protects the equipment in the trunk floor was covered in a two-tone theme.

The well thought out Audison gear is designed to be thin, allowing us to maximize the mounting of the all this gear in the spare tire well.

Both the subwoofer window trim ring and the spare tire well opening trim ring were covered in the same matching material.

With the floor carpet installed the subwoofer becomes the highlight of the trunk installation.

For sub-bass, the client chose a single TH 10 basso 10-inch subwoofer for the system. We created a custom down-firing subwoofer enclosure behind the rear seats in the trunk. A large Lexan window and blue LED lighting let you see the gorgeous basket of the sub from the trunk. The sub fires into the trailing edge of the spare tire well.

Amps And Processing

The metal amplifier rack was built on our industrial-grade welding table.

The amplifier mounting rack had to be multi-tiered to fit all of the equipment.

It was a tight fit, but our fabrication experts were able to squeeze all of the necessary equipment into the spare tire well.

Lots of blue LED lighting was used to really set this trunk off at night time!

The blue lighting and the coordinated colors of the build really came together nicely.

We created a steel amp rack for an Audison Voce Quattro and Voce 5.1 k amplifier in the spare tire well. In front of the amplifiers, on a hinged portion of the amp rack, is an Audison bit One. We mounted a bit Play HD and an Audison Connection power distribution block beneath the bit One. The bit Play HD lets the client play pretty much any audio or video source on the Alpine source unit. We also created a multi-layer MDF trim piece to accent the amp rack. We protected the product underneath with perforated steel mesh. Including a protective carpet-covered panel means the client could still use his trunk.

We treated the doors and trunk to a layer of Dynamat Extreme to make the interior of the vehicle quieter.

Ford Mustang Audio Upgrade: Signed, Sealed And Delivered!

When the customer returned to Handcrafted Car Audio to have a first listen to the car, he was stunned at just how amazing it sounded. The sound was tight, controlled and stunningly accurate. He immediately commented on how perfectly the cosmetic changes flowed with the style of the vehicle.

We went over how to use the system, including how the Compustar remote car starter we also installed worked.

If you are interested in transforming the sound and style of your vehicle into something amazing, give us a call to book a consultation or contact us here.