[Ace_2000]

I recently ordered a Pioneer Premier AVIC-F90BT for my 2006 Ford Mustang GT which has the stock Shaker 500 system still in it. I have been doing some research on what wiring harnesses and adapters I may need to do the install and have found conflicting information. Crutchfield says I need the PAC C2R-FRD1. One local install shop agrees with them. Another local install shop says I don't need it. Some web forum posts say I need the Metra 70-5521. Other posts say I need the Metra 70-5511. Some say I need a RCA Y adapter. My local install shops say the F90BT does not support Ford's Volume Speed Sensing feature, yet I've found posts that say it does. I don't know who to believe. I want to do this myself, so here are my requirements.

1. Retain the Ford Accessory Delay feature where the F90BT will stay on for up to 10 minutes or until a door is opened.

2. Retain the Ford Volume Speed Sensing feature where the F90BT automatically increases its volume as the vehicle increases speed. This is not important, but is nice because you get quite a bit of engine and road noise inside a Mustang GT and I don't want to have to keep raising and lowering the volume as I speed up and slow down in traffic.

3. No "pop" sound when the F90BT is powered on.

4. All of the features in the F90BT function fully.

I will not be replacing the stock speakers or amps at this time. What wiring harness(es) and/or adapters will I need to install the F90BT in my 2006 Ford Mustang GT while getting all of the things I listed above?

[Borgeklungerbo]

i know for the "pop" sound yo uneed a 5v regulator. The aftermarket HU puts out 12V, but your subs only need 5V.

You can get this from radioshack for less than $2.
+5V Fixed-Voltage Regulator 7805 - RadioShack.com

[Ace_2000]

I found a local shop that says they install these all the time while doing all that I want (with the exception of the volume speed sensing feature which the F90BT doesn't support) for a good price and without the PAC harness. Now I'm looking to get opinions on how the AVIC series sounds with the stock Shaker 500 amps, speakers, and subs. I am looking for your opinion if you have the F90BT installed, but would like to hear anything on the AVIC-F series with the stock Shaker 500 amps, speakers, and subs. It will be a month or so before I have the cash to upgrade those things, but I'm looking for the system in my Mustang to produce great sounding music. I'm not looking for loudness. I want to listen to my metal and rock with quality sound. Thanks in advance!

[snowboarder7710]

i know its a week old since this thread started but i have the avic 90 and it sounds great with the shaker 500 subs. the subs are much louder b/c of the 4v preouts. plus now youll have control over the subs themselves so you can adjust accordingly and change the frequency they respond to. the speakers will sound good as well. i ended up replacing mine with alpine speakers and an alpine 4channel amp.

[Bostonhockey_80]

I replaced the head unit on my '06 w/ shaker 500 as well. Crutchfield was exactly right with the wiring harness. The one issue I had was the 'pop' from the subwoofers when I turned it on, as someone already mentioned, relays will solve this but it hasn't bothered me enough to change it. I've never heard of a way to keep the volume adjustment. I would be interested to know if there is a way...

[Ace_2000]

I had it installed last weekend and the shop that did it did not use the PAC harness/adapter. They used a Metra harness, a voltage regulator, and did some wiring to retain what I wanted with the exception of the speed sensing volume.

While the remants of the Shaker 500 system sound better, there is room for improvement. I think I may keep the subs and the amps that power those. The speakers definately have to go. They sound fine at low volumes with certain music. But should you go to mid or high volumes, they sound like crap. The F90BT pushes them too hard for what they were designed for. I'm thinking some JL or DD 2-ways in the upper door panels and probably the same in the rear deck with an amp to push all of those.

[gunz4me]

For anyone who wants to retain the Shaker 500 subs with an aftermarket system, I want to issue one word of warning that I have been able to verify with other installers. The Shaker 500 subwoofers are oddly phased, somewhere greater than 0 but less than 180 degrees and will cause cancellation with any non-shaker components that happen to reproduce the same frequency range. Naturally, if you are just replacing your door speakers, you should be OK. If you add a trunk sub, all bets are off and you will probably suffer from midbass cancellation issues like I currently do