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

[Biff]

I wouldn’t take it to a stereo shop that needs instructions. That’s just me.

I wholeheartedly agree. I took the 200.4, PNPK 11-4, and a Kicker Hideaway 8 and Crutchfield sub wiring kit to a local shop near me, and the look of befuttlement from the owner said all I needed to know to tell me I just need to do it all myself. It was as if I was showing them some alien technology! 4 hours in the hot sun and learning how to do it myself was much better than the $200 for the key install and $200 for the sub install price they quoted me. System sounds amazing now and I can only imagine how much better it will be once I can find the time to install the sub. Pop a few panels, run the power wire to the battery, and find a decent ground wire location and I’ll be all set.

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[Sherminiator]

You’re better off just pulling out the whole panel without attempting to remove the grill at all. Then it easily pops out from the inside which makes the reinstall easier.

No I was talking about the tabs near the dash under the handles-there is a trim peace under the handle you have to remove then the kick panel. At the top of the kick panel there is a long tab that had two slots in it and it’s long and skinny-that breaks very easily

 

[RedHotFuzz]

$200 for the key install and $200 for the sub install price they quoted me.

That's insane. My local shop charged me $150 to install both an amp and a sub in my Jetta Sportwagen. I'll be installing my own amp in the Bronco. I'm waiting for better subwoofer solutions to come along though. I'm not keen on taking up precious cargo space with an exposed sub (not to mention theft concerns, especially in a topless vehicle).

 

[Lak34ers]

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

Thank you for the video and info. I will definitely do the Amp and harness. I have replaced all 6 speakers with KickerCS and it already sounds much better. Any help or ideas on how to wire and power 6.5 Alpines that would be connected to the DV8 bar as shown?

 

[Barlos]

If you do brake those tabs just use crazy glue and baking soda, like new!!

 

[MMJ]

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.

I have the harness. I pulled the black box (passenger side) and connected the harness. What does the other box connect to? I know the flat connector goes to the amp but I am unsure where the third connection is. Thank you

 

[Matsterious]

I have the harness. I pulled the black box (passenger side) and connected the harness. What does the other box connect to? I know the flat connector goes to the amp but I am unsure where the third connection is. Thank you

The amp has a connection on each side of it.

 

[niterider006]

Do you think just adding the Memphis Audio MJP6 's in the kick panels is enough bass for the Bronco? I don't really feel like going to though al the trouble of adding a sub. SO far I've added kickers in all 4" locations and the kicker key 200.4.

 

[Barlos]

Do you think just adding the Memphis Audio MJP6 's in the kick panels is enough bass for the Bronco? I don't really feel like going to though al the trouble of adding a sub. SO far I've added kickers in all 4" locations and the kicker key 200.4.

I have the Memphis MJP6s on my kick panels and not sure why there is almost no base from them, the factory speakers sounded better and they are probably on 50 watts, I wonder if the reason is due to them being shared with the dash speakers. also, the Kicker key limiters are coming on around 20 volume LEVEL, my next step is to get power and ground directly from the battery and chassis to see if that will help fix the issue.
I wonder if anyone here has tried bi-amp mode it makes sense but I think the volume of rear speakers will have to be adjusted by forescan. what a dilemma...
the two images show the wiring diagram for normal and bi-amp modes. hope this helps.

 

[ctandc]

I have the Memphis MJP6s on my kick panels and not sure why there is almost no base from them, the factory speakers sounded better and they are probably on 50 watts, I wonder if the reason is due to them being shared with the dash speakers. also, the Kicker key limiters are coming on around 20 volume LEVEL, my next step is to get power and ground directly from the battery and chassis to see if that will help fix the issue.
I wonder if anyone here has tried bi-amp mode it makes sense but I think the volume of rear speakers will have to be adjusted by forescan. what a dilemma...
the two images show the wiring diagram for normal and bi-amp modes. hope this helps.

Did you see my post earlier about setting up the amp? I found it on another forum and it worked great for me. I'll report it here...

1. Reset the amp to default setting (hold the mic button down for 10 seconds - you'll hear a long beep).
2. Turn the amp gains ALL the way down (CCW)
3. Set the head unit EQ (Treble, Bass, Mids) where you WANT it.
4. Play the Kicker pink noise and turn the volume up until you see the LIMITER LED, then back the volume off one click - that's your MAX volume
5. Run the Kicker DSP setup with the pink noise on your max volume setting
6. After setup completes, click the mic button once, pink noise starts again. Now w/ pink noise playing at the SAME volume, turn each gain up until you hit the limiter LED, then back it off a bit.
7. Test the sound and see what you think.

 

[Barlos]

Did you see my post earlier about setting up the amp? I found it on another forum and it worked great for me. I'll report it here...

1. Reset the amp to default setting (hold the mic button down for 10 seconds - you'll hear a long beep).
2. Turn the amp gains ALL the way down (CCW)
3. Set the head unit EQ (Treble, Bass, Mids) where you WANT it.
4. Play the Kicker pink noise and turn the volume up until you see the LIMITER LED, then back the volume off one click - that's your MAX volume
5. Run the Kicker DSP setup with the pink noise on your max volume setting
6. After setup completes, click the mic button once, pink noise starts again. Now w/ pink noise playing at the SAME volume, turn each gain up until you hit the limiter LED, then back it off a bit.
7. Test the sound and see what you think.

Thank you for responding, I will follow your instructions, my other question concern is that the Memphis speakers have a max RMS wattage of 125 ( no minimum RMS wattage) the amp is definitely underpowering them.

 

[niterider006]

Thank you for responding, I will follow your instructions, my other question concern is that the Memphis speakers have a max RMS wattage of 125 ( no minimum RMS wattage) the amp is definitely underpowering them.

That's interesting. The only reason I would consider the MJP6s is to get that extra bass. I don't need butt rattling bass, but enough to fill out the sound range. If the kicker Key can't push it then it doesn't make any sense to install them.

 

[cmcbronco]

That's interesting. The only reason I would consider the MJP6s is to get that extra bass. I don't need butt rattling bass, but enough to fill out the sound range. If the kicker Key can't push it then it doesn't make any sense to install them.

I haven’t had any issues with mine. Great sound and definitely more bass than stock.

 

[jh3113]

Wondering if anyone has bought the SRQ Subwoofer Enclosure yet? I like the idea, but I am not a fan of the grille thing.
https://srqcustoms.com/product/ford-bronco-subwoofer-enclosure-with-grille/

 

[hozer]

Wondering if anyone has bought the SRQ Subwoofer Enclosure yet? I like the idea, but I am not a fan of the grille thing.
https://srqcustoms.com/product/ford-bronco-subwoofer-enclosure-with-grille/

That is a first for sale, and so otherwordly over priced for just an enclosure. I was quoted less than that for a custom job.

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