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

[ILoveToDrive]

Can someone please share their kicker key switch settings? Does the radio button need to be out or in? Struggling after upgrading all speakers and using plug and play kicker key 200.4 from package A. Results worse than factory using pink noise on USB device to run DSP as recommended. I feel like I’m doing something wrong.
Speed compensated volume off. Set to all occupants.
All switches down except kicker EQ. High pass set to 60hz

I’m running all switches up except the first for dc. I’ve tried every imaginable combination.
Make sure gains are completely backed off, and forscan has Eq at 00 and front and rears are Sp/Tw. If you’re running a sub, I find it easier to pull the fuse than turn it off with Forscan.
When you adjust the gain, use kicker’s 0db gain match file. I set the volume to a barely tolerable level and adjusted the gains until the light came on then backed it off a hair. Don’t use the gains to balance the front and rear. Use you fader control for that.
I wasn’t happy until I finally caved and upgraded the kick panels. Like the commercial says, just okay is not okay. HUGE improvement in the overall sound quality.
My pods are upgraded to 6 3/4 Polk audios, dash is 4” Polk’s, and the kick panels are Focal 165’s.
I never used the DSL kicker settings because it was better without. Now, having done it the way I described, the DSP made a dramatic improvement.

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[Neglektor]

I’m running all switches up except the first for dc. I’ve tried every imaginable combination.
Make sure gains are completely backed off, and forscan has Eq at 00 and front and rears are Sp/Tw. If you’re running a sub, I find it easier to pull the fuse than turn it off with Forscan.
When you adjust the gain, use kicker’s 0db gain match file. I set the volume to a barely tolerable level and adjusted the gains until the light came on then backed it off a hair. Don’t use the gains to balance the front and rear. Use you fader control for that.
I wasn’t happy until I finally caved and upgraded the kick panels. Like the commercial says, just okay is not okay. HUGE improvement in the overall sound quality.
My pods are upgraded to 6 3/4 Polk audios, dash is 4” Polk’s, and the kick panels are Focal 165’s.
I never used the DSL kicker settings because it was better without. Now, having done it the way I described, the DSP made a dramatic improvement.

Thank you! Sounds much better now. left off the biamp wiring switch since dont have that harness and kept the rears as tweeters only in Forscan. The 4” weren’t handling bass well.
Going to need a sub to really get this thing sounding acceptable. Has no low end with the small speakers

 

[murphtron]

Can someone please share their kicker key switch settings? Does the radio button need to be out or in? Struggling after upgrading all speakers and using plug and play kicker key 200.4 from package A. Results worse than factory using pink noise on USB device to run DSP as recommended. I feel like I’m doing something wrong.
Speed compensated volume off. Set to all occupants.
All switches down except kicker EQ. High pass set to 60hz

Yeah, right here
https://www.bronco6g.com/forum/threads/my-diy-audio-upgrade-6-speaker-to-7-speaker.80340/

 

[mdube72]

@TheShark - how did you end up liking the PowerBass OE652-FD ? Did you have the B&O or the non-B&O system from the factory ?

 

[TheShark]

@TheShark - how did you end up liking the PowerBass OE652-FD ? Did you have the B&O or the non-B&O system from the factory ?

Oh my gosh, that brought back a memory. I had the Powerbass speakers on my '21 OBX, it had the mid package so no B&O. I'm not a audiophile but they were a big upgrade to the cheap OEM speakers of the non-B&O. I did like the plug and play nature of them, since they are made as direct replacements of Ford stock speakers they come with plug adapters.

 

[Akinmx]

Question... any help is greatly appreciated!

I installed my kicker key 200.4 today. Watched several videos and was fully prepared, lol. I used the Plug N Play wiring harness and it was a breeze. I have it mounted under the steering wheel, ran the positive battery cable to the battery, ground wire to the metal brace bolt where the amp is...

Ran the DSP program and everything is great! Superior sound! I love it!

But... now my SiriusXM does not work. At all. It says "Hardware Problem" on the home screen for Sirius. I can't even look up my radio ID because the Bronco can't detect it.

Has anyone encountered this problem? The regular radio works fine, I can stream music from my phone no problem, but Sirius does not work at all. Do you think its a problem with the wiring harness? I plugged everything in I was supposed to.

Ugh. Frustrated. Help!!!

 

[Akinmx]

Sounds like you might have pulled out the satellite antenna.

Yeah... I'm at a complete loss. I only unplugged 2 connections under the radio (is that the ECM?) I unplugged the gray one to move a wire bundle out of the way then plugged it back in. And I unplugged the black one that I then connected to the plug n play wiring harness.

I tried looking online to find out where the satellite antenna plugs in and can't find it anywhere. Guess I'll open it all up again tomorrow and check my connections?

Ugh

 

[PghBronco]

Yeah... I'm at a complete loss. I only unplugged 2 connections under the radio (is that the ECM?) I unplugged the gray one to move a wire bundle out of the way then plugged it back in. And I unplugged the black one that I then connected to the plug n play wiring harness.

I tried looking online to find out where the satellite antenna plugs in and can't find it anywhere. Guess I'll open it all up again tomorrow and check my connections?

Ugh

Double check your connections. Disconnect everything then slowly reconnect. See my next post.

 

[PghBronco]

Finally after 3 years decided to get a key from another user On the forum. Everything works great watched videos etc. prior to the key install (kit 11) I had kickers installed in the dash (150mhz blockers) and focals in the kick panel and I have 6.5 in the back with kicker (ks) paired with an 8inch custom sub box that I did powered by a mono alpine 500w amp. The sound was good but it was definitely lacking when the top and doors off.
Key install: I ran it like everyone else (don’t reinvent the wheel) plugged in all connections and unplugged my fuse and rca cables to sub, turned on electronics….. nothing no sound. Immediately assumed second hand amp broken. I tore back into the cables and checked my connections. Those were fine… amp wasn’t grounded. Fixed that still nothing. Unplugged the amp and check. Now I have power.

called crutchfield for dip switches. Ended up copying this posts setup. Ran pink noise on Spotify with CarPlay not usb (imo that’s the best I can do Bluetooth quality is way different than CarPlay for some reason) it ran the auto tune with all speakers I did enable full range to the rear speakers a long time. Ago and with the amp I wanted more power to the regular speakers without the sub. Once complete reconnect sub and it’s god awfully flat. Horribly flat. Then I remembered to make the eq neutral, checked that remembered when unplugging battery settings divert to factory. No need to retune. Still flat. I did not want to mess with the gain but that’s what I ended up doing. Cranked the volume to 15 and increased the back then the front and I guess it’s better

I see people post that the key is the path to the best sound ever. And idk if it’s all what it’s hyped up to be. Maybe mine isn’t tuned properly if anyone has input that I can check or fine tune I’m all ears. In the vehicle tune settings I had to turn down my treble a bunch. Less than half.

 

[redone17]

Anyone else having this issue?

I have a kicker key 200.4 along with PnP
KICKER KEY 180/200.4 Harness in my 2021 Bronco.

It’s been working fine for a couple of years now - but, all of a sudden I’m getting zero volume (though it’s set to 12 or whatever) when I get back in the truck where I was just listening to something minutes prior after turning off the ignition. If I turn the vehicle back on - CarPlay restarts and the program I was listening to starts up - but, nothing is coming out of the speakers. I am having to force restart the infotainment system (power + fast forward button for 3 sec) - and it makes an abrupt speaker noise upon restart (almost like unplugging a guitar from an amp while it’s powered up) and then boots back up without a problem.

Any ideas?

 

[CV428]

I just wanted to say THANK YOU to the OP for the instructional video. Condensing it down to less than 5 minutes without missing a step is massively appreciated. I feel like every other instructional video these days is filled with garbage nonsense filler just to force every video to be 40m+ (such as stopping to talk to house plants, watching the microwave nuke leftovers, telling pointless stories about bad experiences at Taco Bell, etc). Time is the thing I have the least of, so I just wanted to commend you on your concise editing- I wish more people did that!!

 

[daveyB]

Hey group! I have questions about my audio configuration (amp gains, sub gains) after completing some ForScan tweaks (EQ and rear pods) and was hoping somebody could help me dial it in.

Setup
I went with the PnP kit B (6 KS series speakers, kicker key 200.4, kicker HS10 sub). No Bi-amp mode, i believe the rear pods are powered by the head unit. It was just more simple to leave it like that, sounds good

ForScan Mods
I did notice that the rear pod speakers were still pretty useless after the setup, so i finally used ForScan to make them Speaker/Tweeter instead of the factory Tweeter only. I also removed the factory EQ so that the Key amp handles all of the EQ with DSP.

DSP Setup
I did the following for DSP preparation after ForScan:

1. No HVAC, unplugged sub, rolled up windows, car off, amp gains zeroed
2. I played the pink noise file to find my “Max Volume” that I should run the DSP at. However, I was able to reach 30 without any limiter light showing up, so i settled on volume 23 (3/4’s of max). This used to be set at 20 before ForScan
3. Ran DSP at volume 23
4. I set gains after DSP with the same pink noise and the gain knobs were pointing up, about halfway (level 5-6/11). Played a bass-heavy song and noticed the limiter, so i ended up setting gains to that song. Both gains are now about level 2 out of 11

ForScan/DSP Aftermath
I can tell that the rear pods are full speakers now, sounds a little better. The real change was removing the factory EQ. The sound can get much louder than before, and the gain can be set much higher than before, before the limiter light shows up (about volume 25 now). some songs can do the full 30 without limiter.
I think the speakers sound more clear than before but it’s hard to really remember.
I don’t hear much distortion from the HS10, even with full gain and full bass boost on the sub.

My Questions

• Has anyone else done the ForScan audio mods with this setup?
• What are your amp gains set at?
• After reading my DSP configuration, does this look correct? should i change the starting volume?
• should i be setting gain to where songs never show the limiter light, or is a little okay?

I’m not used to the system being able to handle louder volume and more gain so i’m unsure of everything. thanks for the help!

 

[B22-2023]

I’ve made the rear pod changes in Forscan, but I don’t understand “Max Volume” - is that a change you made in Forscan, and if so where? Thanks.

 

[VAtruck]

Has anyone tried the PNP wire kit & Kicker KeyDSP 200amp hooked up with the factory speakers still installed and see how it sounds? Just curious if all those speakers still need to be replaced even after adding the DSP Key amp.

I would also think adding the baffle, boom matt, or polyfil will help too.

67BroncoG1, the person who started this thread.

 

[VAtruck]

Has anyone tried installing the Kicker amp without using the plug and play harness? it's a great product but $155 is pretty steep for what it is. Crutchfield will provide all of the directions and says there is no wire cutting so it can be returned to stock..

See my thread How To Make Your Own Kicker 200.4 Amp Harness. Cost me forty bucks and took about an hour to make.

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