Hi! Wanted to leave a comment and thank you for this video!!! Me and my dad just spent like 4 hours following this and getting my new speakers in my car and they’re everything I dreamed!!! I’m so excited! We couldn’t have don’t it without you 😁😁😁
They really are good. This system is lacking true bass. And I can almost garuntee most owners looking for sound quality dont realize the break in process needed. My s10 stock speakers were laughable but these are definitely decent. Keep the bass low and treble a tad higher for a few weeks, then bump.
Thanks for being a pioneer and being the first one! And you did a great job about showing the whole thing and showing the details, many tutorials skip key parts and it's insanely frustrating when you're the guy with the car 5 years down the line trying to get info 😂
Thanks for this, made changing speakers easier with less surprises. I installed Rockford Fosgate 3 ways -- big improvement over stock. I think that is all the further I will go with sound upgrades. One comment: When taking off the second panel I actually had the door latch / lock linkage disconnect from the panel. It wasn't a big deal to put back on -- actually the easiest I ever came across. The front slid in place and just pop the back down into place while slightly moving the lock button manually. So.... anyone need not worry if this happens.
@@michaelrothe7804 I ordered mine mid September. A few weeks ago I received an email from Ford letting me know they will put it on the schedule soon, I'll be getting some of those plastic snap in things for free and (in what seemed like a happy for me tone) I will get my truck next year.
@@michaelrothe7804 even the ecoboost XLTs are taking 4 months (the dealer I’m working with still has a stack of orders that haven’t arrived from as early August 1st), so yeah, March is probably more realistic)
Thanks Blake. For those waiting to upgrade the Maverick door speakers…do it as soon as soon as possible. I drilled a small hole through the speaker mounting adapter for the PNP speaker wire adapter. Some felt tape comes in handy, too.
Thanks for posting the video how to. My Maverick won't arrive till next year as I just ordered in October, but I am getting everything planned and lined up now.
Thanks a total bunch for this video. I got my Maverick on order for a July 2022 delivery and because I'm very critical about my audio quality, I am DEFINITELY upgrading my door speakers PRONTO!! I had to do the same thing 30 years ago when I purchased my 1988 Mustang. Now I have to do the same after I get the Maverick before I drive it off the lot. I plan on buying Infinity 2way 6 1/2" to go in both doors. Thanks once again for this video. I will follow up with you on what you did with the tweeters that came with your Hertz. One more thing to add y'all; I will ABSOLUTELY replace ALL THE DOOR SPEAKERS 🔊🤗🙄😎
Thanks for the great video on tear down. Some things for those with no experience in this area. The tweeters look like they are looped in with the woofer. So you maybe able to use and mount external crossover in the door. Looks to me that the plug can be used for that. Also the tweeter plug looks like a for Ford metra 72-5600 plug. So there should be no need to cut. With door insert being plastic lots of sound deadening and foam will be needed to reduce rattles. Especially in high power applications.
You don't want to run the wires through the hole the speakers mount through. Even if the opening is a few inches away to go behind, it's going to sound better. When you run wires through the same hole, there has to be small gaps and you're also creating friction between the speaker and wire as you drive. Not ideal in long term. The sound is going to "wraparound" through those little gaps and your bass will be very negatively impacted. This is why if possible in doors where you don't want to enclose the speaker, there are drop in enclosures that just create a little "box" for your 6.5" driver. Where the wires come out the back (or side) use something (e.g. silicone, duct tape, etc) to keep the speaker sealed. Speakers create solid bass by pushing as much air forward with the cone. The area behind the cone is under low pressure or a vacuum as the sub moves forward (e.g. when the kick drum hits). The small gap allows the low pressure or vacuum (behind) to just "borrow" some of the pressure created by the front of the speaker. Tight bass comes from a sealed, or very well designed ported enclosure. A non-sealed mid/sub, is going to be very "sloppy". In this case with the doors mostly open, putting wires through gives it more places to vent, and decreases your sub/mid from the 6.5" driver. In other words, it's taking a non-ideal situation and making it even less ideal for solid/precise bass. If you don't care, not a big deal. However, I'd still have a problem having wires pinched in the high stress environment of a car (constant vibration). I installed car stereo's for a living and I always made sure wires could withstand the harsh environment of an auto for 10+ years. This is why you never want to use splice connectors as one example.
Just happen to have some 6.5" speakers sitting in the box here.. Now I have a Maverick, and, its raining. Not sure I have any rings though, which look needed (to mount further from the metal door part/window). While I don't mind the stock speaker sounds they are a bit "muddled" at times and I'm sure a better speaker up front will sound a LOT better.
I would argue that there's actually more magnetic energy and that tiny magnet because it's made out of neodymium as a supposed to your new speakers which are made of ferrite. Also the factory speaker has a larger surround looks like it may have more xmax ( cone movement) never heard of hertz, but those look like very cheap entry-level aftermarket speakers. I would have went with Focal...
Exactly. Remember in the early 80s or late 70s one could still get alnico magnet speakers which looked puny compared to the ferrite magnets we see today. Heck, my JBL factory speakers in my earlier Lincoln look small too. Put out good bass for what they are.
Fantastic video. Thanks for going through the effort to film this. Looks like I have plans for this weekend. Ended up doing this, wiring and adapter you used with some speakers I had. Worked perfectly! Had a great time! Thanks again!
Hey, on the black upper small piece that covers the mirror wire, when I pulled them off the bottom tabs came out with the white clips still on. The top tab came out without a clip. It has a rubber boot around its hole. Is there a clip or just the rubber boot?
I just got my hybrid model over the weekend and I heard people saying the speakers weren't good. I thought they were just being picky, but as someone who is super not picky, I have to say the stock speakers are terrible. I don't even play my music loud. Doesn't make me love it any less, just a cost saving measure, but was suprised the speakers in my base model 2014 Kia Rio were way better.
Mr Blake, is the 6.75" speaker a good fit or would 6.5" be better? What is the part number of the mounting rings you first pulled out of the box, please?
This has been a very helpful video in educating me about speaker options for my Maverick XLT. I am leaning heavily towards the JBL Stage3 6.5" Component speakers for the front and the JBL Stage3 4" speakers for the back running of some kind of compact amp. I haven't decided what my sub would be, but it will likely be some sort of compact amp behind the back seat.
Yeah behind the passenger side rear seat it looks like you can make some sort of thin vertical sub box. I think under the seat would be easier, but you would lose your storage down there
@@Mr.Meme01 It looks like a compact enclosed sub may be the best option, based on what I have read from other Maverick owners that have added a sub. Also, does anyone know what the wattage is on the stock amp?
Hi Blake. Can you please provide the number/model for both the mounting bracket and the wiring harness from Crutchfield. When I called them they had no idea of what would work. Thank you.
Nice job man! Great to know! Kinda different design, wonder if that black panel is glued or those white plastic pieces twist or pop-off. Would like to put sound deadner on the other side but might not be an option unless you reach in the speaker hole lol
Thanks for the upload...Just wonder if you tested the old speaker vs new one in terms of SPL curve with respect to frenquencies? This will help you to know what you missed with the old speakers vs new ones. In general, this 6.5" speaker is called mid range driver which can only put out low frequency sound limited by its physical size. You would not expect to hear a controlled base sounds from this size speakers, no matter how much you spend on one. Besides, the listening environment in the car is not ideal for listening, Good sound insulation for your car maybe a better bet...but hard to do with the low end cars.
My maverick lariat upgrade sound system to B/O I turned volume all the way up and there is no distortion but the bass is little weak to my liking any suggestions please
Great job and thanks for the heads up on the trash stock speakers. looks like I get to pick out some new speakers in January. I usually get smaller better speakers for room to mount but it looks like you can go up an inch with out the harness anyway thanks a lot.
For $50 to $100 more dollars, Ford could purchase Rockford Fosgate or Pioneer speakers and have better customer satisfaction for the owners of the Mavericks. I would have gladly paid slightly more to not have to go through this mess. Just ordered a matching set of speakers for front and rear on my Mavvy. Not really looking forward to disassembling my brand new truck. But the speakers from Ford are pretty wretched.
I watched another video where the guy had to take out most of the dashboard and side panels after installing his speakers (he did the back too). He needed to add wiring to the fuse box and I believe the battery. Did you experience anything like that?
Fantastic video!.. I definitely will upgrade my speakers knowing how puny those are.. thanks so much! Looking forward to seeing the next speakers you replace.
Thanks for the videos, great job! I'm thinking about doing this to my Maverick once I ever get it. Have you thought about a powered sub under the driver or passenger seat? I see that there are a few out there that are getting great reviews. I'm interested in the dimensions under the driver and/or passenger seats to see what size sub someone could fit under them. Would you be able to measure under the seats and post on here for me? I would greatly appreciate it! Keep bringing the video upgrades...I'm sure a lot of people are using your ideas. I know I will be!
Theres plenty of space under the cab seats if you get the xl version. I plan on getting a professional install done soon on mine. Honestly the stock speakers on the xl arent too bad. Its just lacking bass BIG time. Id get a professional install done like I am due to the price of the vehicle. Maybe do dual shallow mounts if you dont mind taking up that space under both seats and want more kick. Also, remember that any speakers needs break in time so dont turn up your bass and volume off the bat or youre asking for blown speakers!
I can measure the space tomorrow for ya if you wanted to get ideas for sub sizes. Personally id never rip into this dash though unless I knew exactly what I was getting into.
@@Loco801 that would be great. I ordered am XLT and don't see why the XL would be any different size under the driver or passenger seat. I'm interested to find out how the subs will sound under the rear seat...thanks!
Hi Blake, I have my Maverick on order. Been watching your videos. Thank you. What do you think about installing one of those micro amps from kicker or alpine?? Where is the amp located stock in the car?
It’s like 1.5 inches but with a spacer you should be able to put a variety of speakers in. I just put JL C1- 650s in my doors with the adapter rings and everything worked out. They’re around 2.5 inches deep
Wrong first approach. Always replace the head unit first, then if it still doesn't sound great, then the speakers. Done this for many cars, and worked in the audio industry.
I've had good luck replacing speaker first. Obviously those stock speakers are crap, no matter what was driving them.. These days, messing with the head unit can lead to other computer problems. I fixed a radio in a Nissan because the HVAC system wouldn't work. (seriously) VW used the radio as part of the diagnostic system. Someone told me some vehicles use the radio to make the turn signal sound. It's easy to make a transistor kick out any sound you want. It's difficult to get a piece of paper to sound like a symphony or a rock band.
Yeah, I'm not sure where you worked in the audio industry. I've been installing car stereos since doing it professionally in 1988. You always do speakers first. Even older Porches which came with Blaupaunkt speakers... you pull out the stock ones with tiny magnets, put in new Blaupaunkt speakers and they sound completely different and much better. The only time you need to swap a head unit is if you need upgrade the input or interface. Maybe you were using BlueTooth when you thought the headunits sounded bad?
Hi! Wanted to leave a comment and thank you for this video!!! Me and my dad just spent like 4 hours following this and getting my new speakers in my car and they’re everything I dreamed!!! I’m so excited! We couldn’t have don’t it without you 😁😁😁
Those are not garbage speakers. Hertz makes some of the best speakers in the business. Very good quality there. 👍
They really are good. This system is lacking true bass. And I can almost garuntee most owners looking for sound quality dont realize the break in process needed. My s10 stock speakers were laughable but these are definitely decent. Keep the bass low and treble a tad higher for a few weeks, then bump.
2 years later your videos are still helping. Used them to replace all of my speakers in my 2023. Great detail and greatly appreciated.
Thank you! I’m hoping they will help for years to come 😎
Awesome. If there is something I'll be doing to the Maverick first, it's going to be upgrading the audio. Those stock speakers are dainty haha.
Thanks for being a pioneer and being the first one! And you did a great job about showing the whole thing and showing the details, many tutorials skip key parts and it's insanely frustrating when you're the guy with the car 5 years down the line trying to get info 😂
Thanks for this, made changing speakers easier with less surprises. I installed Rockford
Fosgate 3 ways -- big improvement over stock. I think that is all the further I will go with sound upgrades.
One comment: When taking off the second panel I actually had the door latch / lock linkage disconnect from the panel. It wasn't a big deal to put back on -- actually the easiest I ever came across. The front slid in place and just pop the back down into place while slightly moving the lock button manually. So.... anyone need not worry if this happens.
How is the sound quality? Do you have better bass? Is there enough power from the stock head unit to drive the better speakers?
Keep them coming! This will be one of my planned upgrades. I've been told I'll get my Maverick sometime next year.
Did you order the hybrid? I ordered mine the second-to-last weekend of October and only have order confirmation.
@@michaelrothe7804 I ordered mine mid September. A few weeks ago I received an email from Ford letting me know they will put it on the schedule soon, I'll be getting some of those plastic snap in things for free and (in what seemed like a happy for me tone) I will get my truck next year.
@@garrycollins3415 Ordered my hybrid in July, the latest's scheduled build date was 11/10 but still doesn't show its been built. Patience is needed.
@@garrycollins3415 I was kind of expecting February but maybe March is more realistic for October orderers? Congrats though dude woohoo!
@@michaelrothe7804 even the ecoboost XLTs are taking 4 months (the dealer I’m working with still has a stack of orders that haven’t arrived from as early August 1st), so yeah, March is probably more realistic)
Thanks Blake. For those waiting to upgrade the Maverick door speakers…do it as soon as soon as possible. I drilled a small hole through the speaker mounting adapter for the PNP speaker wire adapter. Some felt tape comes in handy, too.
How's the premium B&O system sound?? Anyone?
Thanks for posting the video how to. My Maverick won't arrive till next year as I just ordered in October, but I am getting everything planned and lined up now.
what did you order and when did they say it was going to be done?
@@allotherstaken3 carbonized Gray XLT hybrid
Thanks a total bunch for this video. I got my Maverick on order for a July 2022 delivery and because I'm very critical about my audio quality, I am DEFINITELY upgrading my door speakers PRONTO!! I had to do the same thing 30 years ago when I purchased my 1988 Mustang. Now I have to do the same after I get the Maverick before I drive it off the lot. I plan on buying Infinity 2way 6 1/2" to go in both doors. Thanks once again for this video. I will follow up with you on what you did with the tweeters that came with your Hertz. One more thing to add y'all; I will ABSOLUTELY replace ALL THE DOOR SPEAKERS 🔊🤗🙄😎
Super interested in the sound deadening video. Good job.
Thanks for the great video on tear down. Some things for those with no experience in this area. The tweeters look like they are looped in with the woofer. So you maybe able to use and mount external crossover in the door. Looks to me that the plug can be used for that. Also the tweeter plug looks like a for Ford metra 72-5600 plug. So there should be no need to cut. With door insert being plastic lots of sound deadening and foam will be needed to reduce rattles. Especially in high power applications.
Blake your the man 👊🏽😁🙌🏽👏🏽, let's do the back?
You don't want to run the wires through the hole the speakers mount through. Even if the opening is a few inches away to go behind, it's going to sound better. When you run wires through the same hole, there has to be small gaps and you're also creating friction between the speaker and wire as you drive. Not ideal in long term. The sound is going to "wraparound" through those little gaps and your bass will be very negatively impacted. This is why if possible in doors where you don't want to enclose the speaker, there are drop in enclosures that just create a little "box" for your 6.5" driver. Where the wires come out the back (or side) use something (e.g. silicone, duct tape, etc) to keep the speaker sealed.
Speakers create solid bass by pushing as much air forward with the cone. The area behind the cone is under low pressure or a vacuum as the sub moves forward (e.g. when the kick drum hits). The small gap allows the low pressure or vacuum (behind) to just "borrow" some of the pressure created by the front of the speaker. Tight bass comes from a sealed, or very well designed ported enclosure. A non-sealed mid/sub, is going to be very "sloppy". In this case with the doors mostly open, putting wires through gives it more places to vent, and decreases your sub/mid from the 6.5" driver. In other words, it's taking a non-ideal situation and making it even less ideal for solid/precise bass. If you don't care, not a big deal.
However, I'd still have a problem having wires pinched in the high stress environment of a car (constant vibration). I installed car stereo's for a living and I always made sure wires could withstand the harsh environment of an auto for 10+ years. This is why you never want to use splice connectors as one example.
Just happen to have some 6.5" speakers sitting in the box here.. Now I have a Maverick, and, its raining. Not sure I have any rings though, which look needed (to mount further from the metal door part/window).
While I don't mind the stock speaker sounds they are a bit "muddled" at times and I'm sure a better speaker up front will sound a LOT better.
I would argue that there's actually more magnetic energy and that tiny magnet because it's made out of neodymium as a supposed to your new speakers which are made of ferrite. Also the factory speaker has a larger surround looks like it may have more xmax ( cone movement) never heard of hertz, but those look like very cheap entry-level aftermarket speakers. I would have went with Focal...
Yeah makes sense, let's put top of the line speaker's in a base model truck. He should also put $5000 wheels on his truck too?
@@SandstormGT usually when you "upgrade" you want an improvement...
Exactly. Remember in the early 80s or late 70s one could still get alnico magnet speakers which looked puny compared to the ferrite magnets we see today. Heck, my JBL factory speakers in my earlier Lincoln look small too. Put out good bass for what they are.
i was on the forums and found this video! ordered the stuff!
Hertz are very good speaker 🔊 got 6 and three quarter front and rear doors
Fantastic video. Thanks for going through the effort to film this. Looks like I have plans for this weekend.
Ended up doing this, wiring and adapter you used with some speakers I had. Worked perfectly! Had a great time! Thanks again!
I wonder if I should just get external Bluetooth speakers and plug in the the 110v outlet
No
Thanks for showing the speaker upgrade! You need some door trim tools it would keep you from breaking the clips.
Nice. I was able to put a pair of JBL GTO629s in the door. Mounting depth is pretty shallow, but anything under 2 inches should fit.
Hey, on the black upper small piece that covers the mirror wire, when I pulled them off the bottom tabs came out with the white clips still on. The top tab came out without a clip. It has a rubber boot around its hole. Is there a clip or just the rubber boot?
Thanks for the video man ,maverick will be my next truck .Crutchfield is where I buy my audio gear home and my cars
I just got my hybrid model over the weekend and I heard people saying the speakers weren't good. I thought they were just being picky, but as someone who is super not picky, I have to say the stock speakers are terrible. I don't even play my music loud. Doesn't make me love it any less, just a cost saving measure, but was suprised the speakers in my base model 2014 Kia Rio were way better.
Great Job !!!! Thank you for posting this video. Looking forward to your next videos.
Mr Blake, is the 6.75" speaker a good fit or would 6.5" be better? What is the part number of the mounting rings you first pulled out of the box, please?
I was wondering they were component speakers where did you put the tweeter in the crossover.
This has been a very helpful video in educating me about speaker options for my Maverick XLT. I am leaning heavily towards the JBL Stage3 6.5" Component speakers for the front and the JBL Stage3 4" speakers for the back running of some kind of compact amp. I haven't decided what my sub would be, but it will likely be some sort of compact amp behind the back seat.
Yeah behind the passenger side rear seat it looks like you can make some sort of thin vertical sub box. I think under the seat would be easier, but you would lose your storage down there
@@Mr.Meme01 It looks like a compact enclosed sub may be the best option, based on what I have read from other Maverick owners that have added a sub.
Also, does anyone know what the wattage is on the stock amp?
Hi Blake. Can you please provide the number/model for both the mounting bracket and the wiring harness from Crutchfield. When I called them they had no idea of what would work. Thank you.
Nice job man! Great to know! Kinda different design, wonder if that black panel is glued or those white plastic pieces twist or pop-off. Would like to put sound deadner on the other side but might not be an option unless you reach in the speaker hole lol
Thanks for the upload...Just wonder if you tested the old speaker vs new one in terms of SPL curve with respect to frenquencies? This will help you to know what you missed with the old speakers vs new ones. In general, this 6.5" speaker is called mid range driver which can only put out low frequency sound limited by its physical size. You would not expect to hear a controlled base sounds from this size speakers, no matter how much you spend on one. Besides, the listening environment in the car is not ideal for listening, Good sound insulation for your car maybe a better bet...but hard to do with the low end cars.
Easy like my Nissan Sentra. Literally very similar steps. I'm going with the JBL GTO629 when I get my Maverick.
Here for the Maverick content!!! Keep them coming!!
My maverick lariat upgrade sound system to B/O I turned volume all the way up and there is no distortion but the bass is little weak to my liking any suggestions please
Great job and thanks for the heads up on the trash stock speakers. looks like I get to pick out some new speakers in January. I usually get smaller better speakers for room to mount but it looks like you can go up an inch with out the harness anyway thanks a lot.
Great video!
Can you provide links for the gear we need to do what you did ? Thank You
For $50 to $100 more dollars, Ford could purchase Rockford Fosgate or Pioneer speakers and have better customer satisfaction for the owners of the Mavericks. I would have gladly paid slightly more to not have to go through this mess. Just ordered a matching set of speakers for front and rear on my Mavvy.
Not really looking forward to disassembling my brand new truck. But the speakers from Ford are pretty wretched.
Did you hear any rattles from the wires you left loose or did you zip them? Didn't notice if you secured them
Waiting for my Maverick. Can you do a video or do you know how to hook a CD player up to the stereo? Thanks
I watched another video where the guy had to take out most of the dashboard and side panels after installing his speakers (he did the back too). He needed to add wiring to the fuse box and I believe the battery. Did you experience anything like that?
Would you add some sound deadening in the front doors? Do the speakers rattle the door panel or the metal sheet?
I missed it, was the plastic mounting ring you modified from the stock speaker? Def planning to do this on my maverick whenever it gets delivered!
can you share the name of the website for the speaker jumper please!
amazing video!
Got the same one
Fantastic video!.. I definitely will upgrade my speakers knowing how puny those are.. thanks so much! Looking forward to seeing the next speakers you replace.
That stock speaker magnet is the same small size as a FJ Cruisers Stock Magnet
Why don’t they just make snap or screw on speaker covers? Who wants to do all this work?
Thanks for the great videos!
Maybe I missed it but how many watts was the speakers that you installed?
thanks bro
Thanks for the videos, great job! I'm thinking about doing this to my Maverick once I ever get it. Have you thought about a powered sub under the driver or passenger seat? I see that there are a few out there that are getting great reviews. I'm interested in the dimensions under the driver and/or passenger seats to see what size sub someone could fit under them. Would you be able to measure under the seats and post on here for me? I would greatly appreciate it! Keep bringing the video upgrades...I'm sure a lot of people are using your ideas. I know I will be!
Theres plenty of space under the cab seats if you get the xl version. I plan on getting a professional install done soon on mine. Honestly the stock speakers on the xl arent too bad. Its just lacking bass BIG time. Id get a professional install done like I am due to the price of the vehicle. Maybe do dual shallow mounts if you dont mind taking up that space under both seats and want more kick. Also, remember that any speakers needs break in time so dont turn up your bass and volume off the bat or youre asking for blown speakers!
I can measure the space tomorrow for ya if you wanted to get ideas for sub sizes. Personally id never rip into this dash though unless I knew exactly what I was getting into.
@@Loco801 that would be great. I ordered am XLT and don't see why the XL would be any different size under the driver or passenger seat. I'm interested to find out how the subs will sound under the rear seat...thanks!
Where is the factory crossover located?
And the tweeters??
Did the rings come with the speakers you bought or is there a part number for them? I have speakers to install but no adapter plates
Do not have the part number anymore, when you buy all of the stuff from Crutchfield it comes with it automatically.
Nice job! Keep the mod's coming.
where can i order the brackets and wire harness.
Love the vid. You have my sub. Thank you for sharing
Hi Blake, I have my Maverick on order. Been watching your videos. Thank you. What do you think about installing one of those micro amps from kicker or alpine?? Where is the amp located stock in the car?
I’m probably not going to go that far, but I agree with you that would probably make them sound that much better.
Hi Blake, can you confirm the stock amplifiers are located behind the rear seats?
idk what I was expecting when you tested the speaker but it wasn't that 😂
Any Idea on the size of the rear speakers?
@@BlakesCars2 Awesome thanks!
What amp did you get???
So helpful and looks easy thank you man
How much speaker depth did you have to play with?
It’s like 1.5 inches but with a spacer you should be able to put a variety of speakers in. I just put JL C1- 650s in my doors with the adapter rings and everything worked out. They’re around 2.5 inches deep
@@evangable8453 Awesome speaker choice I want to put Infinity in my door.
How do you find out what speakers you can buy for the maverick?
He said he went with the bronco sport speakers and it worked
I’ll replace mine with pioneer!!!!
B&O in Ford = highly overrated. This is the way to upgrade the sound in Maverick. Too bad lower trims don’t have Sirius
Sirius has poor audio bitrate anyway. With Android Auto, you get a better overall experience anyway.
i don't think so.
$100-200 for good speakers... I know Ford was all about saving money, but you can't skimp with garbage speakers!
100% DAMN STRAIGHT on the SHITTY speakers and distortion.
cant understand what u r saying half nthe time make better audio
Wrong first approach. Always replace the head unit first, then if it still doesn't sound great, then the speakers. Done this for many cars, and worked in the audio industry.
I've had good luck replacing speaker first. Obviously those stock speakers are crap, no matter what was driving them.. These days, messing with the head unit can lead to other computer problems. I fixed a radio in a Nissan because the HVAC system wouldn't work. (seriously) VW used the radio as part of the diagnostic system. Someone told me some vehicles use the radio to make the turn signal sound.
It's easy to make a transistor kick out any sound you want. It's difficult to get a piece of paper to sound like a symphony or a rock band.
Yeah, I'm not sure where you worked in the audio industry. I've been installing car stereos since doing it professionally in 1988. You always do speakers first. Even older Porches which came with Blaupaunkt speakers... you pull out the stock ones with tiny magnets, put in new Blaupaunkt speakers and they sound completely different and much better. The only time you need to swap a head unit is if you need upgrade the input or interface.
Maybe you were using BlueTooth when you thought the headunits sounded bad?