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

[TP1]

So if I already have the Key 200.4 amp, all I need is the harness correct? 11-1 for $155?

@plugnplaykits any idea when you'll have the harnesses back in stock? Showing sold out.

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[fitterhappier]

My setup:
Kicker Key 200.4 + Kicker KCS404's (Dash) with 600 bass blocker
(Stock kick panel & rear pods)
DC/ Fader On/ Compression On/ Bi-amp Off/ EQ En/ TD En

Question:
Anybody having trouble with muddy(?) sound?
(I am a newbie and not sure how to describe it)

When DSP turned on (X2 beeps), fuller sound with much better sound stage (centered)
BUT!, it is muddy!(? worse with Cello solo) - not clean sound/ All instruments (frequencies?) are fighting each other by all trying to move forward?

When DSP turned off (X1 beep), it becomes much cleaner and organized sound but loses all sound stage and sounds very thin/flat (I can hear it comes out of each speaker).

Tried turning off EQ. It helps tiny bit but not enough.

Any advice/ help on setting?

What's your high-pass crossover set to on the amp? That will make a big difference in terms of your low-end. You may also look into some beefier kick panel speakers.

I struggled mightily with the DSP as well. Like you've noticed, there are a lot of benefits, but also a lot of weirdness. I chalk it up to the cabin of the Bronco. I ended up turning it off, and I'm much happier with the sound now.

 

[Biff]

So if I already have the Key 200.4 amp, all I need is the harness correct? 11-1 for $155?

Kit 11-4 includes 17’ of high level positive and negative left and right channel for a powered sub. Using that PNP kit, I finally got my Kicker 11HS8 installed and strapped to the LATCH for kids’ carseats and velcroed to carpet of rear seats weekend before last, and wow, what a difference! The 8” hideaway isn’t going to rattle doors or anything (don’t want that anyway), but plenty enough for me. The complete lack of bass issue is now fixed! Thank you PNP Kits for making the installation that much easier!

 

[Chirico]

What's your high-pass crossover set to on the amp? That will make a big difference in terms of your low-end. You may also look into some beefier kick panel speakers.

I struggled mightily with the DSP as well. Like you've noticed, there are a lot of benefits, but also a lot of weirdness. I chalk it up to the cabin of the Bronco. I ended up turning it off, and I'm much happier with the sound now.

Thank you for the advice.

Yes, I've fiddled with some onboard settings but it didn't make enough difference (at least for me.)
- EQ on & off
- All hi-pass filter
- Compression on & off

I tried to ignore and be happy with the sound.
But I couldn't even stop thinking about it. (Muddy sound, muddy brain)
So Kicker KS 6.75" on the way;;;

Hope they help in a way.

I may loose some -or most- of bass?
I will see. Bring the clarity back is my priority now.
(This is my first car audio upgrade and I really want to stop here~;;;.
I never thought that I would upgrade my car audio. But this base audio in my truck was beyond my tolerance...)

 

[steezyB6G]

Kit 11-4 includes 17’ of high level positive and negative left and right channel for a powered sub. Using that PNP kit, I finally got my Kicker 11HS8 installed and strapped to the LATCH for kids’ carseats and velcroed to carpet of rear seats weekend before last, and wow, what a difference! The 8” hideaway isn’t going to rattle doors or anything (don’t want that anyway), but plenty enough for me. The complete lack of bass issue is now fixed! Thank you PNP Kits for making the installation that much easier!

do you mind showing a pic of the 11HS8 mounted?

 

[fitterhappier]

Thank you for the advice.

Yes, I've fiddled with some onboard settings but it didn't make enough difference (at least for me.)
- EQ on & off
- All hi-pass filter
- Compression on & off

I tried to ignore and be happy with the sound.
But I couldn't even stop thinking about it. (Muddy sound, muddy brain)
So Kicker KS 6.75" on the way;;;

Hope they help in a way.

I may loose some -or most- of bass?
I will see. Bring the clarity back is my priority now.
(This is my first car audio upgrade and I really want to stop here~;;;.
I never thought that I would upgrade my car audio. But this base audio in my truck was beyond my tolerance...)

I'm with you - I've never fiddled this much with a car's stereo. It's fun and maddening at the same time.

The one thing I've noticed above everything else is that things tend to sound really good and full when you're stopped. As soon as you start to move, the sound tends to thin out due to the wind noise from the top (I'm also contending with a cat-back exhaust). I have a small underseat sub but it doesn't move enough air to be viable at speeds above 30. Holding out for the JL stealthbox to hopefully solve for that. Good luck with the Kickers! They should give you a small bump up in performance.

 

[dangerfoot]

One thoughts (But I am not an audio guy. I probably don't know what I'm talking about here;;

Stock kick panel speakers are much easier to drive than Kicker KS installed on dash?
Getting too much juice from the Key? Resulting in enhanced bass?
Replacing kick panel speakers may help balancing them out?

Any help/ advice would be appreciated.

Regards,

stocks are not as efficient as the KS, they're harder to drive. Effective db output goes up. I agree, he needs to upgrade the kicks.

 

[Chirico]

stocks are not as efficient as the KS, they're harder to drive. Effective db output goes up. I agree, he needs to upgrade the kicks.

Thank you for the explanation.
I think I understand it a bit better now.

KS should be here today and planning to install them over the weekend.
Hopefully it works in harmony together!

Regards,

 

[Billnchristy]

As a former audio installer back in the dinosaur ages I never cared for rear speakers but do understand the need for them with back passengers. I think it would be better to amplify the fronts as 4 channels and let the stock radio do the rears. Is there a wiring diagram for the factory setup available?

 

[1970AMCAMX]

As a former audio installer back in the dinosaur ages I never cared for rear speakers but do understand the need for them with back passengers. I think it would be better to amplify the fronts as 4 channels and let the stock radio do the rears. Is there a wiring diagram for the factory setup available?

Kick/Dash Wiring

The front setup wires the kick panel speakers and the dash speakers in parallel, if you get this adaptor for the kick panel speakers you can split the dash and kick panel speakers and only have to run an additional set of speaker wires to the kick panels by cutting the wires shown in the instructions

If you get this T-harness you can connect the Kicker 200.4 in bi-amp mode to the front speaker outputs of the T-harness and then connect the outputs of the amp to the speakers using the existing wiring to drive the kick panel speakers and the additional wires run to the adaptor in the kick panel.

PAC LPHFD31 LocPro Advanced T-Harness T-harness for adding an aftermarket amplifier to a select 2018-up Ford vehicle without a factory amp at Crutchfield

 

[Billnchristy]

Awesome, thanks for the harness links, I knew what I had to do but thought I was going to have to splice up the expensive harness listed in this thread. I think a good solid pair of woofers in the kick panel with some infiniti reference up on the dash would sound real nice.

 

[1970AMCAMX]

Awesome, thanks for the harness links, I knew what I had to do but thought I was going to have to splice up the expensive harness listed in this thread. I think a good solid pair of woofers in the kick panel with some infiniti reference up on the dash would sound real nice.

That's what I am doing, I already soldered up the new T-harness and have the speakers. I just haven't got a chance to install it all yet.

I am installing these under the seats:


Amazon.com: JBL Fuse - Passive Dual 8” Subwoofer : Electronics

 

[Chirico]

Kicker Key 200.4 installed.
4" Kicker KS installed on Dash (with bass blockers).

6.75" KS delivered today.
Will install over the weekend.

My question is,
Should I put down some sound deadening/ dampening sheets in the kick panel to cover some bare metals?

Good for controlled (clean?) bass?
Or
Possibly kills and makes dead sound (muffled)?
Or
Won't make much difference?


Any advice for a newbie who is after just some clean sounds would be appreciated.

I guess I am just trying to understand what I am about to change by adding sound absorbing material behind the woofer: Good or Bad? How it would impact the sound.

(Any cavity required behind the woofer? Reflective vs Deadening surface behind?
I basically have no idea how the kick panel speaker works. How the woofer moves around the air to make sounds: Obviously I don't know what I am talking about;;

Thank you.

 

[greatlakes]

Kicker Key 200.4 installed.
4" Kicker KS installed on Dash (with bass blockers).

6.75" KS delivered today.
Will install over the weekend.

My question is,
Should I put down some sound deadening/ dampening sheets in the kick panel to cover some bare metals?

Good for controlled (clean?) bass?
Or
Possibly kills and makes dead sound (muffled)?
Or
Won't make much difference?


Any advice for a newbie who is after just some clean sounds would be appreciated.

I guess I am just trying to understand what I am about to change by adding sound absorbing material behind the woofer: Good or Bad? How it would impact the sound.

(Any cavity required behind the woofer? Reflective vs Deadening surface behind?
I basically have no idea how the kick panel speaker works. How the woofer moves around the air to make sounds: Obviously I don't know what I am talking about;;

Thank you.

I used sound deadening inside the kick panel cavity so the flat metal back there doesn't vibrate. Vibration means some of the work your speaker is doing is going to vibration rather than output.

I also sealed my speaker to the plastic adapter using strips of the same sound deadening to prevent air from leaking from any gaps between them. It's the same concept - you're trying to separate the front of the woofer from the back of the woofer so it does not reduce the sound output:

 

[Billnchristy]

front/rear isolation is more a cancellation thing, but yeah, reduced output, less control etc. You want that enclosure as tight as it can be, i'd even go as far as spray foaming or gumming up gaps to tighten it up. We don't have ours yet so I haven't been inside the panel but the more you can make it like a box, the more it will behave like one and provide you with bass.

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