Sponsored

One amp to power it all?

mdk77

Base
Well-Known Member
First Name
BM
Joined
Feb 20, 2021
Threads
30
Messages
775
Reaction score
1,238
Location
Illinois
Vehicle(s)
Bronco Base SAS
Your Bronco Model
Base
Clubs
 
Hi all. Currently running kickers in dash, doors, and rears with a kicker sub. All powered by a kicker key 200 except for the rears.

Is there an amp out there that can power all six as well the sub?
Sponsored

 

Area51BS

Badlands
Well-Known Member
First Name
Ron
Joined
Sep 20, 2022
Threads
228
Messages
3,107
Reaction score
5,010
Location
Florida
Vehicle(s)
Badlands non SAS 4dr 2.3
Your Bronco Model
Badlands
Hi all. Currently running kickers in dash, doors, and rears with a kicker sub. All powered by a kicker key 200 except for the rears.

Is there an amp out there that can power all six as well the sub?
I run a Helix V eight DSP amp. Runs dash from 200hz up. Runs kick panels from 80-200Hz. Runs pods from 300Hz up. And runs a dual voice coil sub. Kicks ass.

Gives me complete DSP control. Level control for each channel. Pair of outputs for future expansion. No need for load resistors or any type of adapter for OEM integration.
 

Brian_B

Big Bend
Well-Known Member
First Name
Brian
Joined
Sep 14, 2023
Threads
60
Messages
8,272
Reaction score
14,654
Location
Central CA
Vehicle(s)
'23 BB 4dr 7MT, '22 BSport OBX, '87 B-II XL
Your Bronco Model
Big Bend
Clubs
 
The Key 200.4 is a 4 channel amp - so it's meant to drive the fronts (kicks/dash wired together) and the rears - with you adding in a second separate sub amp (most people look at the 500.1)

You're looking for a 7 channel to do it the way you describe. Plenty of amps will do that, but they start to get large and pricey.

For a single amp install most folks will install a 5 channel and run the front dash/kicks on the same line. There are a lot more options on 5 channel than 7 channel. I'm running a Kenwood X802-5, which is 5 channels - 50W for front/rear, and 500W for sub (basically same thing as the 200.4 and 500.1, only rolled up into one package), and I installed it in my glove box.

The non-B&O system runs the Kicks and Dash in parallel, if you are using the factory harnesses. I don't know if the B&O runs them individually or paired up though, I would guess it's paired as well with the center channel being independent. Nothing saying you couldn't run your own wire and wire them up however you wanted to though.
 
OP
OP
mdk77

mdk77

Base
Well-Known Member
First Name
BM
Joined
Feb 20, 2021
Threads
30
Messages
775
Reaction score
1,238
Location
Illinois
Vehicle(s)
Bronco Base SAS
Your Bronco Model
Base
Clubs
 
I wish I had your knowledge brother haha. I am looking for a quote and easy setup - does the plug and pray harnesses work on the Ken wood you mention? Can I just upgrade to a kicker key 500 or do I need to add that to my 200 to power all?

As you saw in my other thread my sub doesn’t even have sound now. That said my goal after fixing that is to get the rears more power as they are very underpowered in my current setup
 

Brian_B

Big Bend
Well-Known Member
First Name
Brian
Joined
Sep 14, 2023
Threads
60
Messages
8,272
Reaction score
14,654
Location
Central CA
Vehicle(s)
'23 BB 4dr 7MT, '22 BSport OBX, '87 B-II XL
Your Bronco Model
Big Bend
Clubs
 
There is a generic harness available via Crutchfield but it isn’t entirely plug and play - you have to cut a set of wires and run them, but it works with any amplifier you want

I’ll write up a bit more later this evening
 

Sponsored

Area51BS

Badlands
Well-Known Member
First Name
Ron
Joined
Sep 20, 2022
Threads
228
Messages
3,107
Reaction score
5,010
Location
Florida
Vehicle(s)
Badlands non SAS 4dr 2.3
Your Bronco Model
Badlands
I wish I had your knowledge brother haha. I am looking for a quote and easy setup - does the plug and pray harnesses work on the Ken wood you mention? Can I just upgrade to a kicker key 500 or do I need to add that to my 200 to power all?

As you saw in my other thread my sub doesn’t even have sound now. That said my goal after fixing that is to get the rears more power as they are very underpowered in my current setup
Don’t spend money on making rear louder. Rear should be fill only. Spend it on fronts or sub drivers or amps.
 

Brian_B

Big Bend
Well-Known Member
First Name
Brian
Joined
Sep 14, 2023
Threads
60
Messages
8,272
Reaction score
14,654
Location
Central CA
Vehicle(s)
'23 BB 4dr 7MT, '22 BSport OBX, '87 B-II XL
Your Bronco Model
Big Bend
Clubs
 
First off - not clear, do you have B&O, 7 speaker standard, or 6 speaker (sub-delete)?

I'm going to assume standard for the moment:

The fully plug and play harness for the Kicker 200.4 will automatically wire channel A to the fronts, and Channel B to the rears. The fronts will be wired in parallel, the rears get their own power. It does nothing for the sub channel at all.

There is a separate kit to upgrade the OEM sub amp to a Key 500.1. It doesn't sound like you have done that though.

If you haven't used the Plug and Play harness, either you spliced the factory harness (which is possible, but not recommended), or you used something like this:
https://www.crutchfield.com/p_541LPHFD31/PAC-LPHFD31-LocPro-Advanced-T-Harness.html?tp=6348

This is just a pigtail that connects in line with the factory harness, so you can cut wires on ~this~ adapter without touching the factory wiring.

If you just plug in this adapter without doing anything - it all works stock. It allows you to cut the Speaker lines invidiually and re-route them - typically that's Left Front, Left Rear, Right Front, and Right Rear (you don't need to do anything with the subwoofer on this harness - more on that below).

You cut those wires on the adapter. You route the ACM end to the amp Speaker Level Inputs on the amplifier, you then route the other end (speaker end) of the wire from the Speaker Outputs on the amplifier for the associated speaker. Bam - now you have amplified your stock speaker wiring. (This is exactly what the Plug and Play harness does for you). Most amps will have what is called Line Detect - you do not need a 12V turn on signal (the Bronco harness does not have one either, you'd have to tap into a fuse panel if your particular amp requires one)

For the subwoofer - since you already have a sub, I'm assuming Standard 7 speaker, and you have an OEM amp back there?

The speaker input for the sub already runs back to the sub enclosure in the cargo area. If you want to upgrade that amp, it's highly recommended you run a separate power line back there.

Basically, you pull out the OEM amp, and you run your new power line to the amp, and you use the subwoofer input as a line-level input to your new amplifier. Then re-route the Speaker output to your subwoofer. There ~is~ a remote turn on for the stock OEM amp, but it's only 6V. If your amp doesn't have line level pickup, you may need another adapter to adjust that from 6V to 12V (a lot of folks with the Fusion amps see their amps turn off randomly and this is the reason why).

Even though this post is for a sub-delete version, it pretty much still applies to upgrading the OEM amplifier. I'm not aware of an adapter kit for the sub - but one may exist, probably at Plug N Play.
https://www.bronco6g.com/forum/thre...to-add-kicker-key-500-1-and-kicker-sub.79780/

Now, if you do a 5-channel amp, instead of running a power line back to the cargo area for the sub, you'll run the speaker output lines back there, and you can pull the OEM amplifier out of that area.

That's a lot to take in there. If you have the B&O system, the above will mostly work, but there are much better ways to do it since the B&O has a full DSP setup and likely different harnesses for the ACM
 
Last edited:

The Compensator

Outer Banks
Well-Known Member
First Name
Cleigh
Joined
Jul 8, 2020
Threads
25
Messages
438
Reaction score
1,321
Location
Wichita, ks
Vehicle(s)
1994 bronco, 2015 yukon denali xl, minivan
Your Bronco Model
Outer Banks
Clubs
 
I went with a musway 8 channel amp. It's awesome, and powers all speakers to include the sub and isn't very big for the power and amount of channels.
 
OP
OP
mdk77

mdk77

Base
Well-Known Member
First Name
BM
Joined
Feb 20, 2021
Threads
30
Messages
775
Reaction score
1,238
Location
Illinois
Vehicle(s)
Bronco Base SAS
Your Bronco Model
Base
Clubs
 
First off - not clear, do you have B&O, 7 speaker standard, or 6 speaker (sub-delete)?

I'm going to assume standard for the moment:

The fully plug and play harness for the Kicker 200.4 will automatically wire channel A to the fronts, and Channel B to the rears. The fronts will be wired in parallel, the rears get their own power. It does nothing for the sub channel at all.

There is a separate kit to upgrade the OEM sub amp to a Key 500.1. It doesn't sound like you have done that though.

If you haven't used the Plug and Play harness, either you spliced the factory harness (which is possible, but not recommended), or you used something like this:
https://www.crutchfield.com/p_541LPHFD31/PAC-LPHFD31-LocPro-Advanced-T-Harness.html?tp=6348

This is just a pigtail that connects in line with the factory harness, so you can cut wires on ~this~ adapter without touching the factory wiring.

If you just plug in this adapter without doing anything - it all works stock. It allows you to cut the Speaker lines invidiually and re-route them - typically that's Left Front, Left Rear, Right Front, and Right Rear (you don't need to do anything with the subwoofer on this harness - more on that below).

You cut those wires on the adapter. You route the ACM end to the amp Speaker Level Inputs on the amplifier, you then route the other end (speaker end) of the wire from the Speaker Outputs on the amplifier for the associated speaker. Bam - now you have amplified your stock speaker wiring. (This is exactly what the Plug and Play harness does for you). Most amps will have what is called Line Detect - you do not need a 12V turn on signal (the Bronco harness does not have one either, you'd have to tap into a fuse panel if your particular amp requires one)

For the subwoofer - since you already have a sub, I'm assuming Standard 7 speaker, and you have an OEM amp back there?

The speaker input for the sub already runs back to the sub enclosure in the cargo area. If you want to upgrade that amp, it's highly recommended you run a separate power line back there.

Basically, you pull out the OEM amp, and you run your new power line to the amp, and you use the subwoofer input as a line-level input to your new amplifier. Then re-route the Speaker output to your subwoofer. There ~is~ a remote turn on for the stock OEM amp, but it's only 6V. If your amp doesn't have line level pickup, you may need another adapter to adjust that from 6V to 12V (a lot of folks with the Fusion amps see their amps turn off randomly and this is the reason why).

Even though this post is for a sub-delete version, it pretty much still applies to upgrading the OEM amplifier. I'm not aware of an adapter kit for the sub - but one may exist, probably at Plug N Play.
https://www.bronco6g.com/forum/thre...to-add-kicker-key-500-1-and-kicker-sub.79780/

Now, if you do a 5-channel amp, instead of running a power line back to the cargo area for the sub, you'll run the speaker output lines back there, and you can pull the OEM amplifier out of that area.

That's a lot to take in there. If you have the B&O system, the above will mostly work, but there are much better ways to do it since the B&O has a full DSP setup and likely different harnesses for the ACM
Thanks much.

My current setup:

- Standard - not B&O
- Hoel plug and pray wiring harness specifically for Bronco Base 2022 / kicker key 200 / Kicker sub
- Two dash and two kick panel kicker speakers
- Two rear kicker pod speakers
- One Kicker hideaway 8" powered sub
- All sound from head unit using plug and pray harness from Hoel
- Kicker key 200 power run to battery and sub power run to battery

Really all speakers are great except the rear pods, They seem to lack the power as the others which I trust is due to not being powered by the amp at all based on your description above?

But I am going to consider redesigning everything based on your notes and others on here. Sounds like I need an amp with more channels which I'd rather do than have two amps (200 + 500 kicker)

So it sounds like for a future design it could be:

- Get an amp big enough to power all speakers
- Use the Crutchfield wiring kit to get sound from head unit to amp
- Run power from amp to battery and sub to battery
- Run cables from new amp to sub to sound output

Sound correct?
 

Brian_B

Big Bend
Well-Known Member
First Name
Brian
Joined
Sep 14, 2023
Threads
60
Messages
8,272
Reaction score
14,654
Location
Central CA
Vehicle(s)
'23 BB 4dr 7MT, '22 BSport OBX, '87 B-II XL
Your Bronco Model
Big Bend
Clubs
 
Really sounds like you just need to adjust the gains on the 200.4

There are two gain adjusts on the amp by the dip switches - these adjust the output to the channels. Just play with those a bit and see what happens
 

Sponsored

Mr Bacon Jr

Wildtrak
Well-Known Member
First Name
Gary
Joined
Jun 7, 2023
Threads
16
Messages
199
Reaction score
268
Location
Santa Fe, NM
Vehicle(s)
Yeti SB130
Your Bronco Model
Wildtrak
I went with a musway 8 channel amp. It's awesome, and powers all speakers to include the sub and isn't very big for the power and amount of channels.
I did as well, but I did add a separate Musway 2 channel for the sub- signal comes from the 2 unpowered DSP channels.
 

daggum

Badlands
Member
First Name
Andrew
Joined
Jul 19, 2023
Threads
4
Messages
15
Reaction score
7
Location
Raleigh, NC
Vehicle(s)
2023 Ford Bronco Badlands Sasquatch
Your Bronco Model
Badlands
Clubs
 
I went with a musway 8 channel amp. It's awesome, and powers all speakers to include the sub and isn't very big for the power and amount of channels.
Where did you install the Musway 8 channel?
 

The Compensator

Outer Banks
Well-Known Member
First Name
Cleigh
Joined
Jul 8, 2020
Threads
25
Messages
438
Reaction score
1,321
Location
Wichita, ks
Vehicle(s)
1994 bronco, 2015 yukon denali xl, minivan
Your Bronco Model
Outer Banks
Clubs
 
Where did you install the Musway 8 channel?
I was recommended the stinger under the driver seat amp bracket by the plug and play kits guy. It fits but just barely. If I did it again I'd put it somewhere else.
 

Sluggz

Badlands
Well-Known Member
First Name
Th
Joined
Jul 2, 2024
Threads
9
Messages
82
Reaction score
20
Location
Nc
Vehicle(s)
Bronco badlands
Your Bronco Model
Badlands
I was recommended the stinger under the driver seat amp bracket by the plug and play kits guy. It fits but just barely. If I did it again I'd put it somewhere else.
You wouldn’t happen to have any pictures of the mount would you? I’m about to pull the trigger on the 8 channel musway and I’m a little concerned where I’m going to put it. Which channels did you use for which speaker? Did you run your own speakers wire to the speakers?
Sponsored

 
 





Top