Victory: dialed in the Kicker 200.4 and 500.1 amps with upgraded speakers and Gearshade hidden 8" sub

[TahoeTexan]

Anytime man! I'm looking forward to my upgrade (10 inch kicker dowfiring + JL 500.1 amp) early next week I'll update ya on how it goes!

I have a down firing Kicker 12" running off the 500.1. Very happy with it. That little amp is awesome for the money.

Sponsored

 

[SROC3]

I have a down firing Kicker 12" running off the 500.1. Very happy with it. That little amp is awesome for the money.

I'm now trying to figure out.........(post I just made and realized I could have aksed some peeps here too...haha)

"Tired searching but could not find the specific answer.....help please?

I just need to know which fuse I should be tapping into to send the "remote" turn-on signal for my sub-amp.

I have an"add a fuse kit" that has a 15amp fuse in it - and I know to TAP either Ignition or ACC right? I'm not some pro when it comes to electronics and don't want to fry anything or drain my battery by choosing the wrong one.

Also - is there a Grommet on the passenger side I can use for routing my power cable for the amp? The opposite side seems "crowded" already.....I figure I can route my wiring harness for the SUB on the Drivers side AND the Power wire on the passenger. This way I get less of a chance of them being close to each other and causing any interference. THoughts?

Any help and guidance on this would be great! Thanks in advance!!!!! "

 

[Xrayphoton1]

I installed new front speakers and the kicker key 200.4 today and it's AMAZING! Thank you for the tips. I downloaded the pink noise from kicker's website onto a USB drive and played it at volume 14 through the stereo while running the test since the manual says to run the pink noise through your stereo, not your phone like I see people do on YouTube. Gain on both amps at 0. Factory amp fuse 146 pulled. I have the crossover at 60 for now. Will change to 80 if I ever upgrade the sub and sub amp like you did. After the test I reinstalled the fuse, raised amp 2 about 20%. I didn't mess with forscan and at this stage don't think I need to. Everything sounds perfect to me. I did push up the bass about 20% in the Ford eq. I'm loving it. The factory bass is adequate for now but it definitely would be sweet to have an 8" sub in there. Damn this is awesome. Night and day difference. Anyone on the fence just do it. Took me all day but I was taking my time. I used kilmat behind the speakers and speaker foam and tape to seal and a little polyfil sheet as well

 

[Johnsolo_02]

I'm now trying to figure out.........(post I just made and realized I could have aksed some peeps here too...haha)

"Tired searching but could not find the specific answer.....help please?

I just need to know which fuse I should be tapping into to send the "remote" turn-on signal for my sub-amp.

I have an"add a fuse kit" that has a 15amp fuse in it - and I know to TAP either Ignition or ACC right? I'm not some pro when it comes to electronics and don't want to fry anything or drain my battery by choosing the wrong one.

Also - is there a Grommet on the passenger side I can use for routing my power cable for the amp? The opposite side seems "crowded" already.....I figure I can route my wiring harness for the SUB on the Drivers side AND the Power wire on the passenger. This way I get less of a chance of them being close to each other and causing any interference. THoughts?

Any help and guidance on this would be great! Thanks in advance!!!!! "

I did not notice a passenger side grommet. Even so, running the wire in from the driver’s and under the dash to the passenger side is doable.

Instead of using an add a tap, I did use one of my aux switches as a remote wire for this amp since it accepts inputs like this (aux number 6). Ran that wire down the driver side with the power wire. It fit in the channel with the main power wire just fine. Now I can cut it off when I want to put it in “valet” mode.

 

[jabrax]

Also - is there a Grommet on the passenger side I can use for routing my power cable for the amp? The opposite side seems "crowded" already.....I figure I can route my wiring harness for the SUB on the Drivers side AND the Power wire on the passenger. This way I get less of a chance of them being close to each other and causing any interference. THoughts?

Any help and guidance on this would be great! Thanks in advance!!!!! "

As a noob, I have been doing a lot of reading preparing to upgrade (probably too much) - I recall reading or a video that says it it best to keep power runs down the driver side and speakers down the passenger side to avoid the possibility of power lines interfering with the speaker signals.

 

[SkyKing]

Doers anyone know if... while running the 500.1 Key gain and DSP algorithm processes, is it okay to unplug the main speakers from the 200.4?

I think (and hope) the answer would be yes. (And yes I know that you unplug the 500.1 when doing the 200.4 setup).

I ask this question because when I'm running the 500.1 setup according to directions (on volume 23), the gain matching and DSP algorithm audio tracks are blasting through my main speakers so loud that I worry about damaging things (23 is my max volume for the 200.4 setup, and I'm probably pushing it).

The Kicker manual says that no audio comes from the sub during 500.1 gain matching. I have seen videos of people setting this up and it was silent. I am guessing they simply disconnected the speaker harness from the 200.4. R i g h t . . . ?

And if so, for the "Key DSP algorithm" can I also leave the main speakers disconnected? I'm guessing/hoping this is yes because unlike the 200.4 (with a plugin mic), the 500.1 seems to use an internal sensor (rather than a mic). So I'm guessing that the 500.1 is not actually listening to the main speakers in any way. Anyone?

If so it would make the whole process feel a lot less dangerous!

 

[SkyKing]

I had the 6-speaker setup. We all know that story.

I bought:
- 4" Kicker CS dash speakers
- 6.5" Kicker CS rear pod speakers
- Kicker Key 200.4 DSP amp
- Gearshade hidden enclosure w/8" Kicker sub and Kicker Key 500.1 amp
- Kit 19.1 Harness from Plug N Play

I had no previous experience with stereo upgrades ever. And I had never used Forscan. A lot has changed in 3 weeks.

I know that many people have this setup or something very similar and are struggling to get it all dialed in and balanced. I think I finally got there.

We all have the same problems after the install:
1. The front speakers are too bright and loud
2. The rear speakers do very little
3. Balancing the head unit, speaker amp, sub amp and DSP settings is tricky

But after many attempts, I finally have balanced everything. Soundstage is finally full, with deep base and no issues.

Even after the hardware install and monkeying around for a week I was very pleased but still feeling like the front speakers were too bright and loud, the bigger rear pods still weren't doing much at all (and fading rear made the sub volume go down), and the sub wasn't putting out as much punch as I expected, even at over 50% gain. And at volume 15, it was now crazy loud.

I had "successfully" done all the Kicker Key setup functions on both amps. There were no clipping problems.

Through some deduction and discussion with others on this forum, I suspected that my problem was that I had the gain too high on the 200.4 "Amp 1" dial, which controls the 4 front speakers (even though the Key setup functions led me to these settings). And perhaps my previous attempts I had something not quite right?

So I decided to open it up again and this time do a thorough preparation to give myself the best chances making all these Kicker Key DSP algorithms work correctly.

I got a Forscan tool and did these setting adjustments (only the bottom 3 matter for this exercise, but OMG the others are wonderful):
UPDATE: I found the Forscan details and guidance here. There is a spreadsheet that explains what to do for each of these features, and others): https://www.bronco6g.com/forum/thre...k-sport-mode-chimes-seatbelts-and-more.28489/

1. Added Rock Crawl GOAT mode (to Wildtrak)
2. Disabled Honk/Honk door-close outside of car with engine on
3. Disabled Doo-doo-doo, doo-doo-doo, doo-doo-doo key-in ignition chime
4. Disabled driver & passenger seatbelt-off warning chime
5. Disabled door ajar chime
6. Turn Signal Volume down
7. Rear pod signal switched to: tweeter/speaker/sub
8. Removed factory EQ settings for new amp
9. Moved warning chime sounds (parking sensors etc) to come through the head unit's built-in speaker. This is critical with amplification your will have amplified warning chimes blasting through all your speakers.

Before I reran the 200.4 Key setup and DSP with pink noise, and before I redid the gain setting exercise, I followed these preparation tips:
- subwoofer disconnected
- EQ off on my phone (I hadn't done this previously)
- Speed sensitive volume off on head unit (I hadn't done this previously)
- Volume at 14
- Reset 200.4 (I hadn't done this previously)
- Windows up, inside quite garage
- Head unit fader and EQ to neutral
- gains at zero
- crossover off
- And instead of placing the microphone on the top of headrest, I placed it in the middle of the armrest (move it forward and lower may help pull the sound stage rearward. (I hadn't done this previously)

I got the victory tones from the Key DSP setup.

After that, I did the gain adjustments. The winning solution was to turn "Amp 1" dial down to near zero", and "Amp 2" dial at about 20% (this boosts rear speakers and still no clipping at high volume). It is sooo much better than my previous attempts. I listened to different song types and A/B tested the differences of the DSP settings on vs. off. With it off, it still sounds great but has a muddier midrange. I left the DSP settings on. Also, the volume knob is now at a more reasonable number for how loud it is.

I then went to the back and re-did the Key 500.1 sub amp setup processes. I ran the tests at volume 19 instead of the recommended 23. When playing the gain matching track, I was getting no warning light even at max gain. So I backed if off to 50% gain. The victory lights eventually flashed, and I did the Key 500.1 Algorithm setup. I will admit that when I A/B test this, I can't hear any difference, but I left it on anyway.

It sounds exactly how I want it!

Update to update: Started with Hi-pass crossover on the 200.4 amp off. Then at 60, and then at the recommended 80Hz and it didn't sound like I was losing anything, which I assume means it's better/safer (it still has plenty of bass coming to kick panels - you can feel the air waves hitting your pants - they couldn't do that before the amp). I have the 500.1 subwoofer Low pass at 80Hz.

I also just turned the "radio detect" button off. I still have radio signals so not sure how else this feature helps/hurts? Anyone? Bueller?

But I think I'm done! Hope this helps someone.

In the interest of confusing things further... my ears are telling me that the sound quality is better when I have the 200.4 at higher gain (15-20%, which is still before any clipping at volume 23) and lower volume, as compared to higher volume and zero gain. Question 1: Does that potentially make sense?

Question 2: Would it stand to reason that the impact of the DSP would be magnified at higher gain?

My anecdotal evidence to this is that with more gain, lower volume, it seems that poorly mixed old classic rock songs come alive much more. As people have surely noticed, certain songs and song types have a much fuller soundstage. For example, I've been noticing that the reggae band Stick Figure is excellent audio to hear how impressive the sound is. Whereas, playing some favorite Zeppelin or Rush songs did not have the same fullness and I assume it has to do with more primitive audio mixing in the 70s. But with gain higher and volume lower, I feel like the fullness of these songs also comes alive like Stick Figure already sounded. For this reason, I'm wondering if more gain gives you more DSP??? (or is that nonsense and it was all in my head which is totally possible)

 

[SkyKing]

In the interest of confusing things further... my ears are telling me that the sound quality is better when I have the 200.4 at higher gain (15-20%, which is still before any clipping at volume 23) and lower volume, as compared to higher volume and zero gain. Question 1: Does that potentially make sense?

Question 2: Would it stand to reason that the impact of the DSP would be magnified at higher gain?

My anecdotal evidence to this is that with more gain, lower volume, it seems that poorly mixed old classic rock songs come alive much more. As people have surely noticed, certain songs and song types have a much fuller soundstage. For example, I've been noticing that the reggae band Stick Figure is excellent audio to hear how impressive the sound is. Whereas, playing some favorite Zeppelin or Rush songs did not have the same fullness and I assume it has to do with more primitive audio mixing in the 70s. But with gain higher and volume lower, I feel like the fullness of these songs also comes alive like Stick Figure already sounded. For this reason, I'm wondering if more gain gives you more DSP??? (or is that nonsense and it was all in my head which is totally possible)

Upon my further reading, it suggests that gain (on the speaker amp) should be kept as low as possible, so long as you can still attain the loudness you want without turning volume knob past the HU's clipping point. In other words, there is no benefit to increasing the gain, just because you can get away with it. Assuming this is true, I should back off a bit from my recently "pushed" gain settings (because I would never normally listen past volume 12 - I'd rather have that number be higher and have a smoother increase on volume knob. And by keeping the gain on the 200.4 low, it allows me to get more out of the 500.1 because its got less to compete with.

The increased gain I have specifically on my rear 6.5" pods (amp 2 dial on the 200.4) has introduced some rattling at high volume. Fortunately, after taking speakers out of the housing I realized the speakers were fine and it was just speaker wire vibrating behind the boom mats. I wrapped the wires in cotton cloth and that took care of it - nice to be able to force those rear pods throw out real sound.

Sponsored