[How-To] Amp Install - Kicker Key 200.4

[JPG]

You just took out my urge to install an Amp... lol I would not have the patience to do this, I'd end up with broken pins everywhere

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[RagnarKon]

You just took out my urge to install an Amp... lol I would not have the patience to do this, I'd end up with broken pins everywhere

You could do it!! It’s one of those things that’s once you know where the pins/clips are it isn’t too bad. But without knowing where they are it’s super easy to break them.

Big reason why I filmed these videos is because most of the other tutorials go from “alright so today I’m going to install this amp”… and then they immediately cut to “sweet it’s installed now! that wasn’t too bad”. I’m left sitting there wondering how the heck they got those panels off. So hopefully by showing the struggle it gives people a better idea of how to actually do it.

 

[Soundwave]

What's the benefit of having the amp there instead of under rear seat like my installer did?

 

[RagnarKon]

What's the benefit of having the amp there instead of under rear seat like my installer did?

It doesn’t really matter where you install the amp as long as there is enough beathability to ensure the amp doesn’t overheat.

For me personally… I have the washout interior. If the amp was installed under the seats that would kind of ruin the point of the washout flooring—I would have to take care to ensure I don’t get water near the amp.

 

[Soundwave]

It doesn’t really matter where you install the amp as long as there is enough beathability to ensure the amp doesn’t overheat.

For me personally… I have the washout interior. If the amp was installed under the seats that would kind of ruin the point of the washout flooring—I would have to take care to ensure I don’t get water near the amp.

I also have the washout interior and was concerned about that. The installer seemed to shrug it off not real happy about that.

 

[Altitude]

Terrible picture, so I apologize for that. I did mount my AudioControl ACM 4.300 on those curved brackets noted in your video. I affixed the amp to a scrap piece of acrylic with some velcro and glued some closed cell foam on the bottom to provide some cushion. I drilled two holes in the acrylic and used zipties to hold it to the braces. Works great, its hidden above the glove box and doesn't interfere with anything under there.

 

[jacobrdoty]

You're killing it with these vids. I installed my amp right under the stearing wheel behind the metal plate. Perfect place and easy to adjust when you need to.

Same! Fits so well there and easy to zip tie it on.

 

[GTS104]

Do yo have the B/O upgrade system? I have a base with sub delete. Seems like you had some more steps for existing Amps? Wondering if it would be a different harness for base.

 

[RagnarKon]

Do yo have the B/O upgrade system? I have a base with sub delete. Seems like you had some more steps for existing Amps? Wondering if it would be a different harness for base.

I have a 2022 with the base audio system. The only difference between your audio system and my audio system is yours contains wiring for a subwoofer from the factory, while mine does not.

The B&O system has FAR more steps than this.

 

[6inthefamily]

Great video!
I just watched this before planning to tackle this this evening. I have a 2023 with the rear sub wiring (no amp or sub). I bought the PNPkits harness and key 200.4. (Not doing the Sub, 500.1, or aftermarket speakers yet)
The only thing I see different in my install is I was told I need to run a power wire/fuse at the battery which is easy enough.
Can you tell me what to set the dip switches at?

 

[RagnarKon]

Great video!
I just watched this before planning to tackle this this evening. I have a 2023 with the rear sub wiring (no amp or sub). I bought the PNPkits harness and key 200.4. (Not doing the Sub, 500.1, or aftermarket speakers yet)
The only thing I see different in my install is I was told I need to run a power wire/fuse at the battery which is easy enough.
Can you tell me what to set the dip switches at?

• Auto Turn-On: DC
• Fader: Off
• Compression: Off
  • If you are the type to really pump the volume, make sure to leave this on.
• Bi-Amp Mode: Off
• Kicker EQ: Enabled
• Time Delay: Enabled
• High-Pass Filter: 60Hz
  • At the time I recorded the video in this post, it was turned off. It was only after dialing in my audio system in this video, I switched it to 60 Hz.

 

[Duvel]

To do it all over again, would you still mount the kicker key under the steering column, or would you pick an alternate location like above the glove box? I finally found a Key 200.4 in stock and plan on installing sometime next week. I’ve been following your videos and posts here on b6g. You have really made the process less intimidating, so thank you!

 

[RagnarKon]

To do it all over again, would you still mount the kicker key under the steering column, or would you pick an alternate location like above the glove box? I finally found a Key 200.4 in stock and plan on installing sometime next week. I’ve been following your videos and posts here on b6g. You have really made the process less intimidating, so thank you!

If I could do it again, I would have mounted it behind the glove box using the radio/amp mount @Mountains2Metal created (LINK). I just didn’t know that mount existed when I originally did the installation.

That said, I’ve had zero issues with it under the steering wheel, and I have no intention on relocating it.

 

[Alex Sector]

If I could do it again, I would have mounted it behind the glove box using the radio/amp mount @Mountains2Metal created (LINK). I just didn’t know that mount existed when I originally did the installation.

That said, I’ve had zero issues with it under the steering wheel, and I have no intention on relocating it.

I swapped out the speakers with the same ones you used, plus 6.75" pods in the rear and Kicker 6.75" sub and Fusion amp. It sounds decent and much better than stock. Do you think the Kicker Key & plug & play kit is worth the money (~$500)?

 

[RagnarKon]

I swapped out the speakers with the same ones you used, plus 6.75" pods in the rear and Kicker 6.75" sub and Fusion amp. It sounds decent and much better than stock. Do you think the Kicker Key & plug & play kit is worth the money (~$500)?

Yes.

That said, you MAY want to swap in a more powerful amplifier. It really depends on the type of music you listen to and the volume you want to listen to it at.

If we are doing things "by the book", the Kicker Key 200.4 is slightly underpowered for the application. Here is something I posted in another thread that I'll just copy/paste:

That's kind of a hard question to answer... because a lot of it depends on your personal tastes.

The Kicker 200.4 is underpowered for the application if I'm being honest. The reason why my (and I suspect so many other people) are selecting it is because of its small size, its relatively low cost, the availability of PnP kits, and because it's auto-setup features that handles EQ and time delay without a ton of work. I'm sure it also helps that there are so many people (myself included) have created install guides for it as well.

BUT, it's only a 200 watt amp shared across four channels and six speakers. That's not much at all. It's basically on-par with a really good factory audio system on many other vehicles. For me, that's exactly what I wanted. For you, if may not not be enough. (For some context... my Kicker Key starts clipping by the time I get the volume knob to 18/30... and its really noticeable around 22/30.)

If you really want to push the volume you really should be around 50-75 watts for smaller 4" speakers and 75-100 watts for 6.5"/6.75" speakers. Which means you are looking at a 400-600 watt amplifier... maybe 300 watts on the low-end. There are many amplifiers out there that fit the bill, and @plugnplaykits sells a handful of those options, both with and without DSPs...

• Musway M6
• AudioControl D-4.800
• Kicker CX360.4 (no DSP)
• AudioControl ACM-4.300 (no DSP)
• Musway M4+
• etc.

But, they also are generally a little bigger, harder to install, harder to configure, or there just isnt a whole lot of info/examples online of people actually using them. Doesn't make them bad amplifiers at all... having used the AudioControl D-series before I can tell you they are great... but it'll probably be a little more work to get installed and configured.

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