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

[cmcbronco]

I also messaged them here weeks ago and haven't heard back on that one either.

ya customer service and website maybe arent their strong suit. it is a bit confusing but im sure they are swamped with questions because of this thread.
but to me it looks like kit 14 and 15 are the same except the harness length. 14 is 6 ft and 15 is 17 ft. hope that helps.

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[Nemo]

Following for later

 

[ejaffe]

Does the amp have a setting to help with low frequency or do I need to install something when putting there speakers in?

 

[mcinfantry]

Following for later

 

[longwoodknight]

Got notice of shipment today! Can’t wait.

 

[Altitude]

Does the amp have a setting to help with low frequency or do I need to install something when putting there speakers in?

The Kicker Key 200 has selectable, built in hi-pass filters of 60, 80, 120hz or none. Beyond those options, you can do your own in-line frequency blockers.

 

[Altitude]

I'm in no VIN purgatory, but am planning on doing a simple system immediately once I receive mine. I'm looking to do the Key 200.4 with LC2.1 wiring kit from plugnplay and JL JD500/1 amp for a sub which is 9 inches long, 2 inches high, and 7 inches wide. I have not been under the dash on one of these yet. Any idea if there is enough room to cram all those items under the dash, or do I need to think of a different home for the JL amp? TIA.

 

[cmcbronco]

Does the amp have a setting to help with low frequency or do I need to install something when putting there speakers in?

I spoke with crutchfield for a while today and got some great tips. They do recommend upgrading all speakers if you do install the kicker 200.4. I don’t know if they know all the specs On the factory speakers but they don’t think they’d handle the amplified sound well. They did also recommend using bass blockers on the 4” speakers and to install them BEFORE doing the pink noise track for set up.
Another note. If you’ve already done a mono amp with sub install and tapped into the kick panel speakers (or rears if you’ve had the sound bar flash or forscan change) you will need to readjust your gain settings on you sub amp. This of course is only if you haven’t amplified your other six speakers prior.
Hope this helps

 

[Puddle Jumper]

Just curious…If I have replaced all 6 speakers, added a Kicker powered Hideaway subwoofer in the rear and added the Kicker Key200.4 to power the front & rear pods, is it recommended to still ForScan the rear pods and then do the pink sound test for calibration of the DSP? Or is the ForScan step not necessary with the pod speaker replaced and DSP Key process doing its thing?

 

[67BroncoG1]

Just curious…If I have replaced all 6 speakers, added a Kicker powered Hideaway subwoofer in the rear and added the Kicker Key200.4 to power the front & rear pods, is it recommended to still ForScan the rear pods and then do the pink sound test for calibration of the DSP? Or is the ForScan step not necessary with the pod speaker replaced and DSP Key process doing its thing?

I would be really curious what the results of this are. Pink noise calibrate it before the forscan changes and then pink noise calibrate it after the forscan changes and let us know the difference. I think that the Key amp might be doing some channel summing and making up for the factory limited rear signal. If it is then the forscan changes won't do much. If it isn't then there should be a noticeable difference. Of course I could be totally wrong and I absolutely lack the testing hardware to find out but maybe someone on here can test for that.

 

[cmcbronco]

Just curious…If I have replaced all 6 speakers, added a Kicker powered Hideaway subwoofer in the rear and added the Kicker Key200.4 to power the front & rear pods, is it recommended to still ForScan the rear pods and then do the pink sound test for calibration of the DSP? Or is the ForScan step not necessary with the pod speaker replaced and DSP Key process doing its thing?

According to crutchfield it should open up the rear pods without the sound bar flash or forscan. That’s why the recommended base blockers back there as well.

 

[ejaffe]

I spoke to Crutchfield as well. They recommended the 300 Hz resisters for the 4” speakers. We discussed the Rockford and the JVC‘s. Both are good, the JVC can handle a slight bit more power. In my mind they sound a little better.

 

[Frankie945]

You don’t need forscan if you get the kicker key you can turn the rears up loud as you want with the rear gain on the amp. I thought the factory sound was better then the kickers DSP tune so I flipped that dip switch to off. It has more of a full sound with it turned off. I recommend driving some in real life conditions when your making your setting changes on the amp. You can just loosely mount it under the steering wheel and pull over somewhere to make changes on it. You’ll want to turn the gains all the way down on the front and just barely turn up the rear or your warning chimes and seatbelt chimes will be super loud. If you turn the rear gain up too high they will be louder than the fronts. I have mine set to the letter A in amp. You’ll also get a static sound even when the radio is off if your gains are too high so you’ll want to turn them down till it’s gone or acceptable to you. I had this in another car and it did the same thing with the static noise. I researched it more last night and it seems like it’s pretty common if gains are too high while using a factor radio but no big deal it still sounds great and added much more power to the speakers. I have jl audio 4” in my dash and the vibrate like crazy on certain songs now after the amp install I will probably try some base blockers before I switch them out to something else. I did try the crossover but it took little too much bass out so I ended up leaving it off. Over all I’m pretty happy with the kicker key my last car I soldered all the wires behind the radio and it was no fun but with this plug and play harness it was a joy to install.

 

[ejaffe]

You don’t need forscan if you get the kicker key you can turn the rears up loud as you want with the rear gain on the amp. I thought the factory sound was better then the kickers DSP tune so I flipped that dip switch to off. It has more of a full sound with it turned off. I recommend driving some in real life conditions when your making your setting changes on the amp. You can just loosely mount it under the steering wheel and pull over somewhere to make changes on it. You’ll want to turn the gains all the way down on the front and just barely turn up the rear or your warning chimes and seatbelt chimes will be super loud. If you turn the rear gain up too high they will be louder than the fronts. I have mine set to the letter A in amp. You’ll also get a static sound even when the radio is off if your gains are too high so you’ll want to turn them down till it’s gone or acceptable to you. I had this in another car and it did the same thing with the static noise. I researched it more last night and it seems like it’s pretty common if gains are too high while using a factor radio but no big deal it still sounds great and added much more power to the speakers. I have jl audio 4” in my dash and the vibrate like crazy on certain songs now after the amp install I will probably try some base blockers before I switch them out to something else. I did try the crossover but it took little too much bass out so I ended up leaving it off. Over all I’m pretty happy with the kicker key my last car I soldered all the wires behind the radio and it was no fun but with this plug and play harness it was a joy to install.

Where do you think you will locate the amp? It seems like something you want accessible or at least you don't need tools to get to.

 

[Frankie945]

Where do you think you will locate the amp? It seems like something you want accessible or at least you don't need tools to get to.

Once you set it up to your likings you won’t need to mess with it. The panel under the steering wheel is on a hinge it drops down and there’s a metal plate. Remove that plate and just lay the amp behind where it was then close up the panel just don’t completely close it so you can open it back up easily to make your changes. All you’ll need is a small flat head screw driver to adjust gains and flip the dip switches. Once your get the settings and gains set then mount it to the plate, I used Velcro with sticky tape on one side that I already had. You could even use zip ties if you wanted. This isn’t the greatest pic but it shows that there’s plenty of wire to get the amp under the steering wheel.

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