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

[Pugsly]

you can order the factory sub and wire it to your own amp.

Yeah I saw someone do that. The box is 300 alone then you would need a separate amp and sub, plus cut out a vent. Lot of work. Don’t get me wrong I like the idea just seems like a waste. Maybe if the box wasn’t so much.

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[BroncoAZ]

Just ordered mine Kit 15 with the 17 foot amp cable for my powered sub. Hoping someone comes out with one that would fit where the factory amp/sub goes so I don’t have to take up trunk space.

I agree, looking for a JL stealthbox type solution to put a good sub in the B&O sub location.

 

[22OBX]

Good choice. I already have a Key 200.4 waiting for install and also a Alpine 445 for rear, along with Alpine S-S40 speakers. Just need my Bronco . Question did you just power the 4 front speakers from the 4 channels from the Key or is the Key powering all 6 of your speakers since the kick panel speakers are wired parallel to the front dash speakers?

 

[67BroncoG1]

Good choice. I already have a Key 200.4 waiting for install and also a Alpine 445 for rear, along with Alpine S-S40 speakers. Just need my Bronco . Question did you just power the 4 front speakers from the 4 channels from the Key or is the Key powering all 6 of your speakers since the kick panel speakers are wired parallel to the front dash speakers?

The harness is set up to power both the front and rear speakers. Kept in mind that the factory wiring only has outputs for 4 speakers. It feeds the rear 2 via 4 wires and then the front 4 wires go to the kick panel speakers and then to up to the dash speakers.

this configuration seems to work well. It allows the Key to apply is DSP magic to all the speakers. I don’t have a way to test it but it appears to open up the single to the rear speakers. I suspect that it is doing some channel summing… analyzing the front signal verse the rear and then filling in the what missing.

I should add that i have some background in audio from a failed consumer product I developed a decade ago. That was where I learned about how powerful DSP is. My engineering team could take a cheap driver and small enclosure and magically make it sound pretty damn good. It’s because of this that I believe Ford has intentionally degraded the should quality of the base system. There is no real reason for it to sound as bad as it does. Yes the cheap paper 4“ speakers are junk but with the magic of DSP you can get resonble sound quality out of them.

 

[JakeC]

Thank you for this. With the inexpensive 4” speakers I already have in the wings, this should prove an awesome audio upgrade! Excellent find!

 

[bigblueboing]

I installed a Kicker Key 200.4 amp in my BaseSquatch today and it made a HUGE difference. It was a straight forward install that took about an hour and a half. The install was made easy because of the harness from plugnplaykits.com. There was no need to cut, splice or drill anything. As you will see in the video below, it litterally was a plug and play operation.

The Kicker Key amp has a build-in automatic DSP that fixes Ford's terrible signal as well as adding 50 watts per channel. The combination is amazing. I have a nice 3 way component speaker set waiting to install in the front and now I'm not even sure I will bother. That is just how big of improvement this is.

I have suspected that Ford is intentionally degrading the sound quality of the base system in an effort to get customers to upgrade to the B&O. These amp and more importantly the smart DSP that is integrated in it really brings the entire stereo to life. Spend you money on this before you spend it on speakers. Good speakers can't fix low power and poor signal.

I put together a quick installation video but wasn't able to show the self tuning step because I needed my phone to play the kicker pink noise DSP turning track. If you want to see that step other installation videos show you how to do that.

Edit: the harness and amp are "Kit 11". Here is the direct link to the bronco kits.
https://plugnplaykits.com/products/...y-audio-harnesses-kits?variant=41130698473662

So if I wanted just a line dsp and add a powered sub. I could get kit 1-5 and add my powdered sub right to that harness?

 

[bigblueboing]

I think this is the first harness for bronco because crutch field don’t even have any thing yet. This guy is brilliant!!

 

[Djd7]

Edit: Kit 31 $140 seems to be just the harness for the kicker key 200.4. I already have a kicker key 200.4 but value the plug and play nature of this.

 

[mikec426]

It improved the sound in every single way. Much more base, vocals are clear, the imaging is one point and it sounds good at both lower volume and at high volume. It even seems to have fix the limited rear speaker issue. I suspect it is doing some channel summing to accomplish that last party trick. It is hard to overstate just how big a difference it is. This is the result those people are hoping for when they swap out speakers.

This is just about exactly what I wanted to hear. I do at least a minor audio upgrade to all of my vehicles so I can’t wait to get this done. I like good sound.

 

[rguest3]

Which one of these kits would I install to improve the B&O Stereo System?

 

[mikec426]

Holy smokes. My mind is blown… just went to that website. About 942 different options… can’t make heads or tails of it right now. Will have to dedicate some time to figuring it all out.

 

[ejaffe]

Would seem to me you need to install the new speakers before you have the amp calibrate itself. Fair assumption?

 

[jh3113]

I'm assuming that the plug n play wiring harness utilizes the existing power lines to the head unit to power the amp? Or is a separate run from the battery needed?

 

[dingle87]

Bookmarked for the 2023 delivery of my BD or BaseSas. Thank you!

 

[Mike5681]

I have never upgraded a sound system but boy does my BaseSquatch need it. Looking forward to hearing how this does with upgraded speakers. Following to see what others do.

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