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

[Ft. Worth Rob]

Yeah I went on a drive yesterday, and it was the first long drive I've been able to do since I picked up the Bronco. I played around with tone settings and came to that same conclusion. I just don't think they have what it takes.

So now I have to decide whether to go with a key 500 or just get one of those mini 8-in self-contained subs that I would have to unplug and move if I wanted to lay the rear seats down.

I will not compromise my cargo area.

I’m with you. I want hidden and no loss of cargo space. While I’ve not installed it yet, I picked up the 500.1 and the SRQ custom box and 8” square Kicker sub. https://srqcustoms.com/product/ford-bronco-subwoofer-enclosure-with-grille/
An 8” square sub is the surface area of a 9” round sub (not that I’ve heard of a 9” sub). Not sure if I could’ve squeezed a 10” round or square into that space but I’m lazy in my old age and figured I’d buy the box rather than try to fabricate my own.

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[dangerfoot]

Does adding just the 200.4 resolve the lack of lower frequencies? From my understanding 6.5 speakers (kick panels) can have a Frequency Response: 65-20,000 Hz.

That should be plenty low enough to hit those lower frequencies. Yet

...are going the key 500.1 route with some sort of sub.

6.5” speakers don’t have the surface area to move that much air. The amp will help a little but you’re not going to be rolling down the street blasting Posse on Broadway. A subwoofer will fill in the low end, a little of which probably dips below 65Hz.

Stock 6.5s are better with an amp, but not good. 65hz is hardly low in modern music. Anything above that point is directional...I'm not a bass head but I cannot stand music without full frequency presentation... subwoofer gets you close.


Def get a sub if you want anything to sound correct....have the kicker hs10 and it is awesome for what it is.

 

[da_jokker]

I’m with you. I want hidden and no loss of cargo space. While I’ve not installed it yet, I picked up the 500.1 and the SRQ custom box and 8” square Kicker sub. https://srqcustoms.com/product/ford-bronco-subwoofer-enclosure-with-grille/
An 8” square sub is the surface area of a 9” round sub (not that I’ve heard of a 9” sub). Not sure if I could’ve squeezed a 10” round or square into that space but I’m lazy in my old age and figured I’d buy the box rather than try to fabricate my own.

Yeah I think the cheapest route would be to go pick up one of those kicker hideaways (with the amp built in) for $260, toss it under the backseat and call it a day. You can quickly unplug those and move them if you need to lower your seat. The real downside is having to run all those wires all the way to the back.

On the flip side, I can pick up a M2M glove box brace ($35), plugNplay's kit 24 ($370) and only have to run a positive from the battery to the glove box. But then pick up (or build) something like that SRQ box ($630).

I like doing things the right way but $260 vs $1000 makes me pause and contemplate.

 

[22OBX]

I haven’t read the entire 66 pages of this thread, but findings from my build. I didn’t use the plug and play but I did use the Key 200.4 for the highs and Kicker mono for two 10’s. Super clean sound with plenty of bass up to full volume with no distortion. There is nothing wrong with the Ford radio signal, you just have to design and use the right components. I think one of the main keys is setting up the signal gains using pink noise through the LCI7. Here is a few pics and link from my build.

https://www.bronco6g.com/forum/posts/1457528/bookmark

 

[dangerfoot]

Yeah I think the cheapest route would be to go pick up one of those kicker hideaways (with the amp built in) for $260, toss it under the backseat and call it a day. You can quickly unplug those and move them if you need to lower your seat. The real downside is having to run all those wires all the way to the back.

That's what I did. Realistically - either way you're running wires.
Get the HS10 over HS8, they're basically the same size. I've see that someone installed under front seat with 3/4" seat jackers, fwiw.

I've had $3k systems before, stealthboxes and high end components...I'm in this for under $1000 for PnP, Key 200 and HS10 and it sounds 90% of what some of my priciest builds have yielded....is it the sum of the parts, or the more noisey vehicle? Likely a mix of both, but I'd rather spend that $2000 on something else if I have to spend it.

 

[da_jokker]

That's what I did. Realistically - either way you're running wires.
Get the HS10 over HS8, they're basically the same size. I've see that someone installed under front seat with 3/4" seat jackers, fwiw.

I've had $3k systems before, stealthboxes and high end components...I'm in this for under $1000 for PnP, Key 200 and HS10 and it sounds 90% of what some of my priciest builds have yielded....is it the sum of the parts, or the more noisey vehicle? Likely a mix of both, but I'd rather spend that $2000 on something else if I have to spend it.

I never thought of lifting up the seat more. When I look under mine, they are packed with wires and levers and plugs. No way at speaker box was going to fit under it.

Lots of options to think about!

 

[dangerfoot]

I never thought of lifting up the seat more. When I look under mine, they are packed with wires and levers and plugs. No way at speaker box was going to fit under it.

Lots of options to think about!

I'm likely building a false floor in the back for a bit of storage and sub hiding in the near future, just waiting on scrap lumber from another project.

 

[iBrad81]

Not the prettiest but sounds way better then I anticipated with the factory box, I did purchase a whole rear side panel to look factory since I have high package

 

[Ft. Worth Rob]

Not the prettiest but sounds way better then I anticipated with the factory box, I did purchase a whole rear side panel to look factory since I have high package

Cool. You don’t happen to have the part number for the side panel that you can post, do you? I’ve been hit or miss on finding part numbers. I literally have the sticker that should show the part number on the back of the drivers footrest cover that I snapped a clip off of and it won’t come up on Ford or any dealers’ sites. Depending on the price, I may do what you did. Yours appears to be a two door like mine.

 

[iBrad81]

Cool. You don’t happen to have the part number for the side panel that you can post, do you? I’ve been hit or miss on finding part numbers. I literally have the sticker that should show the part number on the back of the drivers footrest cover that I snapped a clip off of and it won’t come up on Ford or any dealers’ sites. Depending on the price, I may do what you did. Yours appears to be a two door like mine.

M2DZ9831012BA

 

[da_jokker]

I'm likely building a false floor in the back for a bit of storage and sub hiding in the near future, just waiting on scrap lumber from another project.

I've thought about this as well. Build a floor with some drawers, and use the back section for a subwoofer. I have an old 10-in along with an amp that I had years ago in a vehicle and I've been hanging on to it. But now with these modern amp So much smaller, I almost think purchasing a 500.1 would be a no-brainer.

 

[TP1]

Installed the Kicker key and PnP harness today. Am getting sound once plugging it in, but no matter how loud I turn up the volume, I'm not getting any limiter LED lights showing up. Also tried to run the programming (at 22 volume), at completion of the test I get the sad beeps followed by four tones. I am running the pink noise sound directly off of USB.

Any ideas or help at all please?



EDIT: apparently the volume wasn't nearly high enough even at 22. I turned it up to 27 to program it and got the happy beeps.

 

[boomboomthump]

Stock 6.5s are better with an amp, but not good. 65hz is hardly low in modern music. Anything above that point is directional...I'm not a bass head but I cannot stand music without full frequency presentation... subwoofer gets you close.


Def get a sub if you want anything to sound correct....have the kicker hs10 and it is awesome for what it is.

Yes. The thing to keep in mind here is that typically folks set subwoofer crossovers at 60Hz. So 60Hz and below gets you that bigger BOOM and anything above 60Hz is handled by other speakers in the soundstage.

So that in mind, 6.5" speakers that have a range starting at 65Hz are designed for use WITH subwoofers. This is the problem many folks are running into when they replace the factory kick panel speakers with "good" 6.5" woofers. They are losing low end range because they're designed to be used in conjunction with a subwoofer.

If you don't want to run a subwoofer, you need 6.5" speakers that have a lower range (like the factory speaker) and those typically exist at the lower end of the price scale. There are 6.5" woofers that have a range starting at 35Hz. For example the Polk DB+ 6502 components start at 35Hz (got these for the kick panels) and the Polk DB+ 652 2-way coaxials start at 40Hz (I got those 6.5's for the rear speakers to use in the SSV speaker pods I got).

If you go buy some fancy 6.5" speakers that are better than the run of the mill stuff, you'll see they typically do not service any of the range that is subwoofer territory.

 

[dangerfoot]

Yes. The thing to keep in mind here is that typically folks set subwoofer crossovers at 60Hz. So 60Hz and below gets you that bigger BOOM and anything above 60Hz is handled by other speakers in the soundstage.

So that in mind, 6.5" speakers that have a range starting at 65Hz are designed for use WITH subwoofers. This is the problem many folks are running into when they replace the factory kick panel speakers with "good" 6.5" woofers. They are losing low end range because they're designed to be used in conjunction with a subwoofer.

If you don't want to run a subwoofer, you need 6.5" speakers that have a lower range (like the factory speaker) and those typically exist at the lower end of the price scale. There are 6.5" woofers that have a range starting at 35Hz. For example the Polk DB+ 6502 components start at 35Hz (got these for the kick panels) and the Polk DB+ 652 2-way coaxials start at 40Hz (I got those 6.5's for the rear speakers to use in the SSV speaker pods I got).



If you go buy some fancy 6.5" speakers that are better than the run of the mill stuff, you'll see they typically do not service any of the range that is subwoofer territory.

While you obviously have done your homework, we both know that claimed low end is a roll off and most mfgs dont publish the db drop at the low end...and this is tested in an optimized environment, which every car is not.
I have 6.5s rated to 40hz and guarantee you the db drop at even 50hz is material.

And no, the stock speakers weren't hitting to 40hz either, , let alone 30.

And no, I don't want any BOOM...esp at 60hz. I want right, controlled, balanced musical bass. I want seamless transition between my components.

The reason 60hz is most often the point designed around is bc that is about the frequency at which the sound is no longer directional.

All good info, I hope that clears up confusion around building a system.

 

[boomboomthump]

We’re about to get into semantics but I will state this factually…

I have used a 40, 50, 60, 80, 100, 150, 200Hz test file played through the stock stereo and speakers.

With the fader set all the way forward (front channel only) all of those test files played through the stock kick panel speakers. 40Hz included. You can test this yourself. The dash speakers only produced the 200Hz tone.

With the fader set to the rear speakers only, again, only the 200Hz tone produced any sound.

Are those 40Hz-60Hz tones going to be great through the 6.5” kick panel speakers? No. But something is better than nothing if you don’t have a subwoofer.

Does this explain the “loss of bass” people report when replacing their stock kick panel speakers with “higher end” speakers? Yes, if they only have a frequency response range starting at 65Hz. They do not respond below that range.

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