Getting ready to buy 06 LS - audio questions

[Tru-Blu]

Hey All,

New to the forum, and am getting ready to buy a 2006 LS (there's a few in the area - I'm upgrading from a 98 Regal supercharged GS) and I've got some audio questions before I try to nail down which ones to look at.

Most of the cars nearby (within 50 miles) have the 12 speaker audiophile system (non-ThX) in them. I probably won't do anything with the system immediately after buying the car, but I want a good system in it long-term.

Q1 - Would it be better for me to buy an LS with the non-THX system in it and upgrade the head unit to a Avic (D3 or F900BT) or try to find an LS with the THX Nav in it?

Q2 - If I go the aftermarket route, I would have to do it in phases. If I were to put an Avic in, would the factory speakers sound better or worse than with the Lincoln head unit in it? Would the Avic head unit have more wattage per channel or not?

Q3 - Would it be better for me to upgrade the door speakers before replacing the head unit? I know that some of the speaker brands out there might be 2 ohms (Infinity etc), and that would force me to immediately get amps.

Q4 - Any thoughts that could help before I start hunting down the new beast?

Thanks in advance for any help,

TRU-BLU

 

[1LoudLS]

The 12 speaker system is great for up grading. It had four 6x8 component speakers in each door (a 5.25 woofer and tweeter inside one enclosure) two 6x9 subs (with there own amp) in the back deck and two 3.5 effect speakers (with there own amp) one on each side of the center console

It is very easy to replace the head unit with something like an AVIC and integrate every thing, then replace the speakers when your ready to

The thx systems can have the headunit replaced and subs added but any more than that and a total upgrade is reccomended since the amp and speakers are designed to work together

I think you will get better results be getting the most basic sound system and going completely aftermarket to get the level of quality that you are looking for

 

[Tru-Blu]

Thanks Loud, appreciate the advice. Guess I'll go after cars with the 12 speaker system in them.

TRU

 

[FabolingLS8]

it doesnt really matter if you get the 12 speaker or not. Its really the difference between getting the 2 center console speakers or without those 2 speakers. all the door speakers have an included tweeter which acounts for the additional 4 speakers as mentioned above. And from my sound setup, where i do have the 2 console speakers, you can barely here the out of the console. Im sure i can upgrade it, but its not something i would do now.

 

[Tru-Blu]

Gotcha Fab, I was only focusing on the 12 speaker system because I thought the head was slightly better - someone can correct me if I'm wrong on that.

Do both the basic and the 12 speaker heads read MP3 discs?

I'm also assuming that either head unit does not have the capability to have an MP3 player connected (I'm using an iAudio right now).

Most of the cars in my area have the 12 system anyway.

Thanks,

TRU

 

[joegr]

None of the LS head units support MP3s.

The THX navigation complicates things because all of the speakers are powered by a remote factory amp (in the trunk sidewall). It also (like many of the LS sound options) has factory amplified sub-woofers in the package deck.

 

[Rich88LSC]

My 06 w/ the 12 speaker system does not read MP3 discs.

 

[Tru-Blu]

Crap - may have to upgrade the head sooner than I wanted to. So upgrading to an Avic but keeping the factory speakers would sound better than the factory head?

Thanks,

TRU

 

[WhoBeDaPlaya]

Picking up an 06 myself this week. Going for one with the THX/Nav package and will be dumping the headunit for a Kenwood eXcellon DDX814.

 

[LeaSr77]

it doesnt really matter if you get the 12 speaker or not. Its really the difference between getting the 2 center console speakers or without those 2 speakers. all the door speakers have an included tweeter which acounts for the additional 4 speakers as mentioned above. And from my sound setup, where i do have the 2 console speakers, you can barely here the out of the console. Im sure i can upgrade it, but its not something i would do now.

Depending on which Gen LS you have, you won't have the tweeters in the doors. From what I've seen, all of the sec gen LS's have the component style speaker setups in the doors. I had just plain on paper 6x8 speakers when I replaced them four years ago. In this case though he'll have the tweeters.

 

[Opies_LS]

okay, have to ask this here.

I just picked up 2006 LS and it has the Audiophile system. If I wanted to swap it with the factory NAV, what is involved?

Does the factory NAV automatically have THX or is there some that is compatible with the Audiophile system?

 

[gcwimmer]

okay, have to ask this here.

I just picked up 2006 LS and it has the Audiophile system. If I wanted to swap it with the factory NAV, what is involved?

Does the factory NAV automatically have THX or is there some that is compatible with the Audiophile system?

No direct plug and play to up grade to factory Nav & THX, anything can be done with time & $$$ but would be better off going aftermarket.

 

[Tru-Blu]

Opie,

You're not going to be able to do that without a LOT of work and cost. The harnesses are way different, as well as different amps. You'd be better off going the route I'm planning on - replace your Audiophile head unit with an aftermarket Nav unit - Pioneer Avic flavor, Kenwood Excelon, etc. Several people here run with the Pioneers, and there might be an Eclipse or Kenwood user floating around as well.

I'm going to look at my first car tomorrow. We'll see how it pans out. Carfax report on it appears clear.

TRU

 

[chocolat1701]

Picking up an 06 myself this week. Going for one with the THX/Nav package and will be dumping the headunit for a Kenwood eXcellon DDX814.

if your going to get a LS and you want to replace the head unit dont get the THX, save some cash and get the regular audiphile system, now if you dont want to repalce the system go with the THX the sound is extremely good and it is one of the best factory nav that are available mainly cuz of the touch screen i cant stand the nob/mouse ones they take too long to input directions, only drawback is the outdated maps but you can get one on ebay or buy one from ford for $200 if you really want the updated roads. the sound on the THX is great, extremly clear sound and also you may find yourself loving the sound but with 300watts it may be too low for you but you can upgrade the amp and speakers but i suggest to replace them with infinity's speakers and amp i found it to be the clearerst sounding speakers available for a decent price.

 

[SlickLS]

Depending on which Gen LS you have, you won't have the tweeters in the doors. From what I've seen, all of the sec gen LS's have the component style speaker setups in the doors. I had just plain on paper 6x8 speakers when I replaced them four years ago. In this case though he'll have the tweeters.

Hmmm...my 2000 model had the component style speaker setup in the doors. They were alpine and the factory head unit was also an alpine. It must have been an option because I thought all LS's had the component style speakers in the doors.

 

[King03LS8]

My '03 THX system reads MP3 discs just fine.

 

[LeaSr77]

Hmmm...my 2000 model had the component style speaker setup in the doors. They were alpine and the factory head unit was also an alpine. It must have been an option because I thought all LS's had the component style speakers in the doors.

Slick, did you have the subwoofers in the rear deck?

 

[joegr]

My '03 THX system reads MP3 discs just fine.

That's funny, my 06 with THX navigation won't. It will work with CDs that I make from MP3s, but it won't work with an MP3 disc. The difference is that a CD can hold maybe 20 songs at the most. A real MP3 disc can hold over a 100 songs per disc. Are you sure yours really works with MP3 discs? The service manuals say it won't.

 

[1LoudLS]

yea, F the putting factory nav in a car that did not come with it, alot of people have wanted to do it, and i dont think anyone has done it yet, not to mention with the cost of all the parts and harnesses and the time to do it, you could buy a Premier or an Excelon AND a complete set of real nice speakers, and have a unit with a lot more functionality (DVDs, bluetooth, MP3's, Ipod, traffic...)

 

[1LoudLS]

Depending on which Gen LS you have, you won't have the tweeters in the doors. From what I've seen, all of the sec gen LS's have the component style speaker setups in the doors. I had just plain on paper 6x8 speakers when I replaced them four years ago. In this case though he'll have the tweeters.

it may be dependant on which audio package you have, but both my 2000 and my 2003 have had the component speakers in the doors. They where different however, the 2000 had heavier alpine speakers and the 2003 had regular old light weight Mach components, like my dads Mach MP3 ranger had

 

[LS4me]

Depending on which Gen LS you have, you won't have the tweeters in the doors. From what I've seen, all of the sec gen LS's have the component style speaker setups in the doors. I had just plain on paper 6x8 speakers when I replaced them four years ago. In this case though he'll have the tweeters.

Depends on the system. The base system had 2-way paper cone speakers in the doors; the Alpine had 2-way plate speakers in the doors, imaging speakers in the console and 2 subs in the rear deck; the Alpine "sport" model deleted the subs to save weight; the THX certified system has Pioneer plate speakers in the doors and the subs in the deck.


BLU:

If you want the THX certified system then get an LS with it installed (I love both ours, but I still have my hearing!). If you really want to spend the $$$ on a custom system then get an LS with the base system. A long time ago I replaced the speakers, added an amp and added speakers in the rear deck of what is now my daughters LS (it had the base system). I kept the head unit (I like the factory look) and didn't go crazy and built the system on a budget.

 

[LeaSr77]

I guess I had the Alpine sport model then because I got the console speakers but didn't have the subs. Must have been the base model judging by the paper 6x8 speakers.

 

[TheArchaic1]

My LS came with the base audio system, and it was really easy to swap in my Alpine indash flip out. From what I have heard the audiophile system is a little more complex to swap out because of a separate brain box? in the system. My Taurus came with a mach audio system in it and there was the head unit and a brain box in the trunk. Made it real easy to swap everything over to the amps because the wire runs were something like five feet vs having to run them all the way to the dash for speaker to amp hook ups. I got a four in one wire kit from best buy for 20 bucks to hook up my speakers to my four channel. What I really liked about this install I did vs my Taurus is that the battery is in the trunk so the only wire that got run to the dash was the speaker wire and that was only about a quarter inch thick.