Kicker Key Amp 200.4 Install DIY Video - Do this first!

[DefNotBuddyLee]

I've read reports that any 4" speakers where the tweeter sits higher than the rest of the speaker results in the tweeter pushing against the plastic dash covers (or in the roll bar pods). Not true?

The ACX and RCX 100 tweeter does not sit that much higher. I think some have had issues with the ICU 100 in the rear, so I suspect the same for the 100AC but not 100%.
I usually like Focal, but I have had 2 QA issues recently with an RCX100 and an ACX100 that have kind of soured me for the moment. However, that could just be bad luck of the draw.

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[Barlos]

I rarely have it that loud. My eardrums would be blown out. I run about 16 max most of the time. I was showing my dad my bronco last weekend and he turned it up over 20 for a while though and I never heard it clip.

I have to check what the problem is then. Im going to put them back in the kick panels, all speakers are 4 ohms. If there is a grown issue that is making them cut out, that’s the hardness then.
troubleshoot time

 

[CtSASBronco]

Would a bass blocker on the dash speaker impact the kicker panel woofer as well if they are not in Bi Amp mode?

 

[BFizzy]

Does anyone know or have the wiring diagram for the plugnplay 11-4 sub output wires? Just want to make sure I don’t have anything out of phase.

 

[BFizzy]

Would a bass blocker on the dash speaker impact the kicker panel woofer as well if they are not in Bi Amp mode?

Not if you splice it in right before the 4” speaker connection.

Bi-amp mode would treat the entire circuit like a tweeter, so make sure to have that setting off.

 

[ctandc]

This seems to be split here.

My Polk DB 4s in the dash clip at around 20, but its also offensively loud at that point and well within my expectations of when they should start to clip.

My wife and I just got back from a road trip in the Bronco. We spent 5+ hours at interstate speeds most of the time with the soft top down (2 dr - Bestop). Before we left, I decided to rerun the DSP setup and after I bumped the front gain a bit.

70+ mph with top down, volume 10-13 (Depends on source - mainly Apple Music / Radio but some older songs are just lower in volume - that happened before all this so it's no the system's fault) is PLENTY with the top down.

With the top up we rarely have the volume more than 6-8.

I DID notice the chimes are louder now. I didn't notice this at all before I bumped the front gain up a bit. Not super annoying as it only happens when I open the door with it running (to get pump gas etc) or I leave the headlights on.

 

[hozer]

Does anyone know or have the wiring diagram for the plugnplay 11-4 sub output wires? Just want to make sure I don’t have anything out of phase.

Mine came with a note in the package with the wiring diagram. I can take a picture but it was handwritten and may not be the same

 

[Biff]

Mine came with a note in the package with the wiring diagram. I can take a picture but it was handwritten and may not be the same

If you wouldn’t mind to post a pic of the wiring diagram (no note in my package, only the harnesses), it would be most helpful. I ordered kit 11-4 as well and installed the 200.4 yesterday leaving the Kicker 11HS8 out for now until I can run the microphone setup. Now I just have to run the pink noise setup at my buddy’s farm this evening (nice a quiet out there), as I live on a very traffic-filled road, which would definitely result in the sad tone if I attempted it in my driveway. When I ordered my 8” hideaway from Crutchfield, I also made sure to order the speaker wire to RCA adapters and Crutchfield’s sub wiring kit. So close to finally being done with my audio upgrade, can’t wait! TIA

 

[DaveInSA]

I took my kicker 10" sub and amp out today in preperation of leaving the vehicle at the dealer/body shop for a week.. and ... holy cow my kicker's by themselves with the key 200.4 has NO bass AT ALL.
I replaced all the speakers with kicker csc's.. I need to try turning the key's EQ off and see if there's any difference. Maybe re-do the auto adjustment. But it doesn't sound like there's any bass at all going to the 6.5" in the kick panels. I think the stock ones had more so I assume it's the Key's EQ doing this... gotta play with it.

I did have the hi cut on the key set to 120hz with the sub in. But even with that turned off the 6.5"s have nothing.

 

[Barlos]

I took my kicker 10" sub and amp out today in preperation of leaving the vehicle at the dealer/body shop for a week.. and ... holy cow my kicker's by themselves with the key 200.4 has NO bass AT ALL.
I replaced all the speakers with kicker csc's.. I need to try turning the key's EQ off and see if there's any difference. Maybe re-do the auto adjustment. But it doesn't sound like there's any bass at all going to the 6.5" in the kick panels. I think the stock ones had more so I assume it's the Key's EQ doing this... gotta play with it.

I did have the hi cut on the key set to 120hz with the sub in. But even with that turned off the 6.5"s have nothing.

Same here, was going to leave the original kick panel speakers since they had more bass but it was cutting out like crazy. Replaced all 6 speakers with Memphis and added a single downfire 12” sub in the back. Sounds super clean and that boom is deep.

 

[Jmax]

Need some help… I have been reading through tons of posts but am getting lost. On my B&O system I replaced my 5 4inch with focal Acx 100 and the kicker panel with focal acx 165 by recommendation of crutch. I also added a RF punch amp with 12inch sub which I repurposed from having in my explorer which sounded great. My first mistake may have been having Best Buy install but… I feel like I am missing something. I initially thought it sounded way better, but now I feel like the high are screaming at me. I don’t feel like the kicker panels get much sound. Oh I also added a small kenwood 2channel amp for another pair of focal performance 165ac because I felt like the 4inchs in the back are just too small and can’t keep up. Well all I hear out of the performance is base like the sub. Is this due to a bad sub or did my guy wire this incorrectly? Also, I feel like I barely can hear the rear 4inch. I don’t experience any clipping, I can turn it 20plus but I don’t go louder because it is so load at that level. But my sub has to be turn almost completely down (gain, eq, and frequency) or it has just too much base. However many songs seem to me lacking in the extreme low frequencies, is this sub/amp wired wrong as well? I am contemplating trying a different amp, possibly 4 channel and adding another set of 6.5 under the seats to adjust the performance 6.5 which I plan to put in sound pods (again assuming I can get full signal out of them, again only have base at this point).

 

[BFizzy]

Same here, was going to leave the original kick panel speakers since they had more bass but it was cutting out like crazy. Replaced all 6 speakers with Memphis and added a single downfire 12” sub in the back. Sounds super clean and that boom is deep.

I kept the OEM 6.5’s and they had some decent mid bass with the kk200.4. If yours don’t have any bass at all, make sure you don’t have the BI-AMP switch turned on.

 

[ctandc]

Shoutout to Joe at @plugnplaykits
The sound improved so much with the speaker replacement (dash and kick panels) and adding the Kicker amp, I really enjoy cranking it up so I want to add a powered sub. Talked to Joe and he's going to sell me an extension to plug right into the existing harness connector to plug right up to a Kicker Hideaway 8" powered sub.

I did play around with settings and here's what I learned for my setup:

- Kicker DS 6.75 in the kick panels
- Kicker CS 4" in the dash w/ bass blockers
- Kicker 200.4 amp

I initially ran the auto dsp setup with the stock tone controls set all the way to the left (zero essentially). Gains all the way down on the amp. Used kicker's pink noise track on a usb stick.

Setup completed without any issues, sounded pretty good. Bumped the gain on the front a bit and a bit on the rear. Sounded good.

I just ran the setup again this morning. Reset the factory EQ in the default (middle) spot and reran the DSP setup.

It sounds better to me. The kicks put out a good bit of middle range thump. Went to set the gains and noticed that without almost any increase on the front gain it hits the limiter.

I tried w/o compression, with and without Kicker EQ, tried it without DSP setup settings etc.

Is everyone turning the factory headunit tone controls all the way off to the left or leaving it at default when running the setup? Just curious

 

[Biff]

Shoutout to Joe at @plugnplaykits
The sound improved so much with the speaker replacement (dash and kick panels) and adding the Kicker amp, I really enjoy cranking it up so I want to add a powered sub. Talked to Joe and he's going to sell me an extension to plug right into the existing harness connector to plug right up to a Kicker Hideaway 8" powered sub.

I did play around with settings and here's what I learned for my setup:

- Kicker DS 6.75 in the kick panels
- Kicker CS 4" in the dash w/ bass blockers
- Kicker 200.4 amp

I initially ran the auto dsp setup with the stock tone controls set all the way to the left (zero essentially). Gains all the way down on the amp. Used kicker's pink noise track on a usb stick.

Setup completed without any issues, sounded pretty good. Bumped the gain on the front a bit and a bit on the rear. Sounded good.

I just ran the setup again this morning. Reset the factory EQ in the default (middle) spot and reran the DSP setup.

It sounds better to me. The kicks put out a good bit of middle range thump. Went to set the gains and noticed that without almost any increase on the front gain it hits the limiter.

I tried w/o compression, with and without Kicker EQ, tried it without DSP setup settings etc.

Is everyone turning the factory headunit tone controls all the way off to the left or leaving it at default when running the setup? Just curious

I ran the DSP setup with the treble, mid, and bass on default (centered, not all the way to the left) and am very happy with the results. I also made sure to turn off speed compensated volume. Once setup was complete, I then bumped the treble, mid, and bass back up to what sounds best to my ear. Finally I bumped the rear gain up to about 25% and am happy to actually hear sound coming from the rear speakers. Now I just have to install the Kicker 11HS8 and it should have the bass sounding proper too.

 

[ctandc]

FYI I ran across this post on another forum on setting up the Kicker Key (DSP and gains) and it made a BIG difference in how it sounds for me:


1) Turn compression off, set gains to 0, and set the Fader where you normally would want it when playing music. Un-hook your sub if you have one.

2) Play pink noise or test tones and keep the gains as low as possible on the amp. Slowly turn up your Head unit volume until you see the limiter LED's turn on. Turn the volume down 1 and remember this value, it is now your max.

3) Run the Kicker Key auto setup with all HU stuff set to flat (or your desired position prior to the auto setup if you want more/less bass, treble, etc then turn those down/up).

4) Now with your HU volume still at that same number and still playing pink noise or test tones, turn the gains up until the limit LED's come on or it is loud enough for you.

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