Upgrade AT4 Sound System?

Money has devalued so much. $100,000 or close is for a basic truck considering I paid $126k for mine off the lot. To see an upgrade you at least need to get something like G-Class for somewhere under $200k; below are just the interior features. Skys the limit if you need more, a million may not be enough, perhaps three may get you a few more features but a few may still be missing.

  • Power Heated Front Seats -inc: 12-way power front seats w/memory function

  • 10-Way Driver Seat

  • 10-Way Passenger Seat

  • 60-40 Folding Split-Bench Front Facing Heated Manual Reclining Flip Forward Cushion/Seatback Rear Seat

  • Power Tilt/Telescoping Steering Column

  • Gauges -inc: Speedometer, Odometer, Engine Coolant Temp, Tachometer, Inclinometer, Altimeter, Oil Level, Power/Regen, Trip Odometer and Trip Computer

  • Power Rear Windows and Fixed 3rd Row Windows

  • Heated Nappa Leather Steering Wheel w/EASY ENTRY/EXIT Auto Tilt-Away

  • Heated/Cooled Front Cupholder

  • Rear Cupholder

  • Front And Rear Cigar Lighter(s)

  • Ashtray

  • 3 12V DC Power Outlets

  • Compass

  • Proximity Key For Doors And Push Button Start

  • Power Fuel Flap Locking Type

  • Remote Keyless Entry w/Integrated Key Transmitter, 4 Door Curb/Courtesy, Illuminated Entry and Panic Button

  • HomeLink Garage Door Transmitter

  • Cruise Control w/Steering Wheel Controls

  • Adaptive w/Traffic Stop-Go

  • Voice Activated Dual Zone Front Automatic Air Conditioning

  • Rear HVAC w/Separate Controls

  • HVAC -inc: Underseat Ducts, Residual Heat Recirculation, Headliner/Pillar Ducts and Console Ducts

  • Illuminated Locking Glove Box

  • Driver Foot Rest

  • Interior Trim -inc: Piano Black/Metal-Look Interior Accents and Leatherette Upholstered Dashboard

  • Full Cloth Headliner

  • Leather Door Trim Insert

  • Urethane Gear Shifter Material

  • Leather Upholstery

  • Day-Night Auto-Dimming Rearview Mirror

  • Driver And Passenger Visor Vanity Mirrors w/Driver And Passenger Illumination

  • Full Floor Console w/Covered Storage, Mini Overhead Console, 3 12V DC Power Outlets and 1 120V AC Power Outlet

  • Front And Rear Map Lights

  • Fade-To-Off Interior Lighting

  • Full Carpet Floor Covering -inc: Carpet Front And Rear Floor Mats

  • Carpet Floor Trim and Vinyl Trunk Lid/Rear Cargo Door Trim

  • Roll-Up Cargo Cover

  • Cargo Space Lights

  • Memory Settings -inc: Door Mirrors, Steering Wheel and Head Restraints

  • FOB Controls -inc: Windows and Sunroof/Convertible Roof

  • Smart Device Remote Engine Start

  • Mercedes me connect (1 year included) Tracker System

  • Driver / Passenger And Rear Door Bins

  • Power 1st Row Windows w/Front And Rear 1-Touch Down

  • Delayed Accessory Power

  • Power Door Locks w/Autolock Feature

  • Driver Information Center

  • Redundant Digital Speedometer

  • Trip Computer

  • Outside Temp Gauge

  • Digital/Analog Appearance

  • Power w/Tilt Front Head Restraints and Manual Adjustable Rear Head Restraints

  • Front Center Armrest and Rear Center Armrest w/Pass-Thru

  • 2 Seatback Storage Pockets

  • Perimeter Alarm

  • Immobilizer

  • 3 12V DC Power Outlets and 1 120V AC Power Outlet

  • Air Filtration
I agree the money has been shockingly and discouragingly devalued. My father was appalled in the early 90s when I paid over $20,000 for a new truck, because the last loaded truck he bought was about half that. Having said that, there’s no good explanation for GM discontinuing fairly basic, well-loved, features like 12 volt outlets, accessory switches, retractable engine compartment light, and a decent stereo. The aggregate cost of those features is probably much less than $200 per truck, and that’s in fully-inflated dollars.
 

You can check out my sound system build post for a lot of info. I did a full rebuild of my AT4x. It has the extra speakers you are referring to and was total garbage.

Sound System Build - 2024 At4X HD​


I wouldn’t worry about more speakers. The power and signal mapping is what sucks, not speaker quantity. You get the separate tweeters in the doors and a pillars in the premium models and a crap sub in the center console that is worthless.

You can add an amp with DSP to fix the signal issues and lack of power and replace your door speakers with some quality ones and have a great system. Also add sub if you want.

Rear door speakers in these trucks receive almost no signal. Not even worth replacing those unless you correct the signal with a DSP. You probably hear 80% of the sound through the small dash speakers and 20% from the front doors.

I did full rebuild on my 2024 and have a 10” kicker solo baric sub under the back seat.
This is what I did. I first swapped out the speakers for Focals and then added a DSP AMP with a Bose amp integration harness from online. I then added a10"JBL sub under the rear seat. I also did some sound dampening and proofing but just swapping out the speakers made a difference. A sub is really needed whether it be through a new amp or the GMC Kicker aftermarket sub.

This is what makes it so easy.
 

Unless adding DSP and amp, don’t just replace speakers. I did that just to see how much improvement I would get. Installed good speakers in front and that was all. I can’t tell any difference
 

The factory Bose system is poor. Adding a sub will provide some bass/depth, but upgrading to match the sound quality of other OEM systems is expensive. I got most of the way there by adding Polk Audio subs — for me one 8” or 10” quality sub is plenty, as I don’t need to make my truck shake. The front speakers can be replaced with a very high efficiency, high quality, alternative. I installed Hertz separates, but Focal also makes speakers that will work well. The factory system pushes very little power, so don’t buy great speakers that require a bunch of power unless you’re prepared to go all in adding amps and more. The rear speakers are a harder fix. I just installed Hertz coaxial speakers and left a front-biased balance. All in, the system reached just okay. Good enough for us, as I was only prepared to spend about $2000 (And I complained about that!) I’d say it’s now almost as good as the OEM Ford stereo, but still well short of Jeep/Ram/Dodge sound quality. There was a guy at the stereo store who really valued sound quality. He tore out the entire GM interior, installed the sound-deadening mat on the floor and walls, and completely redesigned the factory system, by taking the factory signal into some kind of translator box (I know little about such things), then routing the signals to separate amps, and out to quality speakers (and more of them). That sounded amazing — way better than anything I’ve heard before. I think he was about $8500 into that project. I’d love that, but can’t spend that kind of money, so getting close to Ford OEM was enough for me.
Whaler, I am an old guy and would like to ask if you have a roadmap / diagram for DPS and changing the front center speaker?
 

Whaler, I am an old guy and would like to ask if you have a roadmap / diagram for DPS and changing the front center speaker?
Here is a diagram I drew up when I changed out my system. I have a AT4X model so separate tweeters in the A pillars and rear doors. All of the wire colors are listed here. I replaced the dash speakers and left those running off factory amp. I don’t like the concert sound stage so did not want to amp those more. I used a 8 channel DSP amp and ran new wires to all new door speakers and A pillars tweeters so all are on separate channels. I was able to set the master volume of my DSP amp to the right point where the dash blend in for fill but the majority of the sound comes from the other better speakers.
 

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Here is a diagram I drew up when I changed out my system. I have a AT4X model so separate tweeters in the A pillars and rear doors. All of the wire colors are listed here. I replaced the dash speakers and left those running off factory amp. I don’t like the concert sound stage so did not want to amp those more. I used a 8 channel DSP amp and ran new wires to all new door speakers and A pillars tweeters so all are on separate channels. I was able to set the master volume of my DSP amp to the right point where the dash blend in for fill but the majority of the sound comes from the other better speakers.
Forgot to mention if you do 2 way door speakers instead of separate channels for tweeter and woofers you can use those additional channels for the 3 dash speakers. 3 dash speakers and 4 door speakers means a 8 channel amp would do all that with 1 left over.
 

Forgot to mention if you do 2 way door speakers instead of separate channels for tweeter and woofers you can use those additional channels for the 3 dash speakers. 3 dash speakers and 4 door speakers means a 8 channel amp would do all that with 1 left over.
Hey bud you must own a sound shop! May have to pull in some favors and get it done. Afraid I will destroy the doors and dash if I go it alone.
Appreciate your kindness John....
 

Hey bud you must own a sound shop! May have to pull in some favors and get it done. Afraid I will destroy the doors and dash if I go it alone.
Appreciate your kindness John....
No, I have just rebuilt every vehicle I have owned and help my friends out. I found the full wiring schematic for the truck online so I mapped out my own diagram before I dove in and everything was correct. Don’t be afraid to just give it a go. Door panels are super easy, just a few screws at the bottom and by door handle, almost everything is snap together plastic fasteners. You can change out door speakers in about 10 minutes each. Pop the door panel then remove I think 2 screws holding the speaker in. Dash is just plastic cover with spring clips. Pretty much just start pulling and things start coming apart.
 

You can check out my sound system build post for a lot of info. I did a full rebuild of my AT4x. It has the extra speakers you are referring to and was total garbage.

Sound System Build - 2024 At4X HD​


I wouldn’t worry about more speakers. The power and signal mapping is what sucks, not speaker quantity. You get the separate tweeters in the doors and a pillars in the premium models and a crap sub in the center console that is worthless.

You can add an amp with DSP to fix the signal issues and lack of power and replace your door speakers with some quality ones and have a great system. Also add sub if you want.

Rear door speakers in these trucks receive almost no signal. Not even worth replacing those unless you correct the signal with a DSP. You probably hear 80% of the sound through the small dash speakers and 20% from the front doors.

I did full rebuild on my 2024 and have a 10” kicker solo baric sub under the back seat.
you mention there is a sub in the center console. I've never seen anyone produce a picture proving that this sub exists. Are you sure our trucks have this? Is it only in the at4x?
 

dude above (pine whatever), just go back to wherever you came from bc you’ll be dead before GM offers anything close to that in their trucks. It took GM a decade to add adaptive cruise control from their SUV’s(2010/11) to their 1500s(2019/2020) and 14 years for the HD trucks(2024).
 

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No, I have just rebuilt every vehicle I have owned and help my friends out. I found the full wiring schematic for the truck online so I mapped out my own diagram before I dove in and everything was correct. Don’t be afraid to just give it a go. Door panels are super easy, just a few screws at the bottom and by door handle, almost everything is snap together plastic fasteners. You can change out door speakers in about 10 minutes each. Pop the door panel then remove I think 2 screws holding the speaker in. Dash is just plastic cover with spring clips. Pretty much just start pulling and things start coming apart.
There are 5 screws, one at the door handle, two behind the door grab facia, and two at the bottom. T-15 or T-20. The rest of the door panel just pops off.
 

Unless adding DSP and amp, don’t just replace speakers. I did that just to see how much improvement I would get. Installed good speakers in front and that was all. I can’t tell any difference
Buy the right speakers for the Bose system, not the size that fits. You don’t need an amp or DSP if you try. Lowest RMS speakers and highest sensitivity. The Bose front door speakers are 2.3 ohms at 50 watts. A 4ohm speaker @ 200 watts with a 102db sensitivity like the Memphis 8” speakers will hit harder off the same Bose amp supply. Bc the Sensitivity equals more response for less watts. Which you end up with an equivalent speaker rating that performs almost three times more efficiently.
 

you mention there is a sub in the center console. I've never seen anyone produce a picture proving that this sub exists. Are you sure our trucks have this? Is it only in the at4x?
Looks like the sub is in at least the AT4 and up models. The AT4x and Denali Ultimate have a 12 speaker “premium” set up which you can tell by tweeters in your A pillars and separate location in rear doors. The sub is under the center console up front below the cup holders. They are pathetic (I believe a 6” with a roll off signal so the more you turn up the volume the less power it receives so it doesn’t distroy itself) and you can’t even tell it is there. Not worth the effort to remove, easier to clip the wires feeding it at the amp or under passenger side door sill plate. I am referring only to the 2024, 2025, haven’t looked at specs for earlier years.
 

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