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So none of this would be possible without @RagnarKon 's videos and posts. Shout out to he and his bucket (and his cute kid). Hope to see them together in other videos. And also this thread for install details
I followed the formula many others have done before me. I have the 2023 "sub-delete" from Ford and got the $250 credit. Very happy that was the outcome! It's great to have the subwoofer wiring and enclosure delivered, and only replace the amp and subwoofer.
I'd never done any audio updates to cars, but the factory 6 speaker is so awful I decided to go ahead. And since the subwoofer was basically already prepped from the factory with wiring and enclosure I figured why not. I got $250 in free money yeah?
I guess one thing I'll pay a little more attention to is the Kicker Key 200.4 amp setup.
My Changes - most (not all) was bought directly from local auto Audio shop. Fuck Amazon... when I can! And they matched pricing without me asking.
Added Fusion sub amp and Kicker 6.75" 4 ohm Subwoofer
Added KilMat 80mil throughout the rear hatch area since it was already ripped apart to add the sub+amp
Replaced dash speakers with Kicker KS 4" (I cut & crimped the wiring)
Replaced rear pod speakers with Kicker KS 4" + metra wiring harness
Added Kicker Key 200.4 amp + plugnplay wiring harness (excluding the now-available direct battery wiring. This guy's website is such garbage I cannot link to correct product directly. His products are good, website is lacking)
Spent a bunch of time configuring the Kicker Key 200.4
Several Forscan changes (to be detailed below)
I did these changes several days/weeks apart, and lived with each for a time before doing the others. That wasn't the plan, but it became an interesting game over time. The updates were done in the order listed above.
First change:
Sub + Amp + Kilmat. I lived with this for 2 weeks before the next change.
Holy cow. Without the rear factory panels in place it sounds like driving a delivery van. I was shocked how high frequencies pained my ears driving an already very loud truck. The factory panels make a huge difference alone. Since the rear was 75% apart, I decided to remove the last driver side panel and install Kilmat. This is new to me, but it makes a large difference with high freq sounds. I'm glad I spent the $30 on Kilmat + 2-3 hours to install.
Aside from the Kilmat sound deadening, adding the sub made the stock 6 speaker system sound 70% better. So good that, honestly, I probably would've stopped had I not already purchased the other components. But since I had the other stuff, I went ahead.
Second change:
Replaced the dash speakers with 4" Kicker KS. I lived with this for 2 weeks.
These sounded a lot better, if a bit bright due to firing directly at the windshield. But they actually have midtones. A nice change. I recommend. But without the sub I suspect changing these alone would be unsatisfying. A 10% improvement in audio quality.
Third change:
Replaced the rear pod speakers with 4" Kicker KS. I lived with this for 2-3 weeks before installing the Kicker Key.
I debated getting 6.5" pods, but decided I'd spent enough $$ and had already experienced diminished returns with the dash speaker upgrade. And honestly replacing the rear pod speakers offered a limited upgrade. I'm still unclear why when fading to the rear, the rear pods emit what seems like far less volume than the dash speakers. But the rears are an improvement. Just a very minor improvement.
Fourth change:
Installed the Kicker Key 200.4
I dragged my feet installing this. The sound was so vastly improved already I really didn't think the Kicker Key would add much. And the install looked like a pain. But I eventually decided to install it simply because 1) I already bought the amp and harness, and 2) I'd done a bunch of offroading with the doors/top off and it was a dust fiesta! When I removed those dash panels... OMG. There was a lot of dust behind there! So now I'm glad I did it, if only to clean.
So, adding the Kicker Key is an interesting process. The wiring is easy, and I placed it beneath the steering column like most. Which makes it easy to tweak changes later. And I did a lot of tweaking over several days!
I was expecting a HUGE positive impact. I was underwhelmed. And then I read the Kicker manual, and watched a bunch of Kicker Key-specific videos. And then it all started to click, er Kick. At the end of the day, I did the Kicker key DSP setup many, many times. Because I wasn't that happy with it vs flat EQ. And, yes, I experienced what many others have: the dash speakers are exceedingly bright and must be turned down using the factory tone controls.
Bottom line: the Kicker Key adds a lot. Is it necessary? Well... I don't think so. You could add the sub and maybe change the dash speakers and you'd have decent car audio. On par with any generic factory car audio system.
But tweaking the Kicker Key config has improved it overall. And since it's already paid for, I ain't gonna remove it. The soundstage is better. It sounds more 'surround-ish'. Although the flat EQ in some ways sounds more natural, if flatter. It's a preference thing. Ain't no "right way".
The important things about the Kicker Key 200.4 setup:
1) DISABLE the subwoofer before doing the auto Kicker DSP setup. I didn't do this and it sounded like garbage the first time. The Kicker manual tells you to do this! RTFM. Disable the sub using one of two options 1) Use Forscan, or 2) unplug the sub (if you have the rear passenger panel off already)
2) Run the Pink Noise WAV file from a USB stick. Not from your phone! This actually makes a big difference in the end result audio performance. I know, I tried. None of my USB sticks worked (even after reformatting to ExFat or FAT32) and I was impatient and used my phone. Then I went to Office Depot and bought a $10 USB stick. Damn, it was better afterwards.
3) Kicker microphone placement. This is entirely subjective. The manual says place it on the top of the driver headrest. Many before me have complained about harsh high frequencies after the setup and they turn down the tone settings. I had the same experience. I have a hardtop without sound deadening. It bounces the sound all over. So I ran the setup again placing the mic on the center console armrest facing up. Wow, a huge difference. It tamed the harsh high frequencies.
4) Kicker "Gain" config. I found one great video on this. And downloaded the test tone file from Kicker. The amusing thing is my Kicker amp starts clipping (gain limit lights turn on) at about volume 18 with the test tone. With the gain adjustment turned all the way down! So that's where I've left it. Maybe if I get motivated I'll spend another $30 to get the wiring that runs to the battery to directly power the Kicker Key. But, really, I don't have the Kicker turned up that loud most of the time. So why bother.
The last part is the Forscan changes I made for the audio, and the specific Kicker Key settings I've used. The cool thing is you can change the Kicker Key settings after running the Kicker DSP setup.
Kicker Key 200.4 Settings:
Auto-On: DC
Fader: On
Compressor: On (there's some debate, but this is the generally accepted best setting, especially if not running power from battery)
Bi-Amp: Off
Kicker EQ: EN
Time Delay: EN (I don't know if this is correct, simply because I don't know if the factory head unit has time correction already. I have not tested this yet on/off and have no opinion so I kept it stock at EN)
Gain: all the way down
Forscan changes (this is shorthand, you'll need to lookup the specifics if this doesn't make sense, and learn about Forscan):
ACM 727-01-02: EQ turned Off
ACM 727-01-01: Passenger Rear set to '2' - Speaker/Tweeter (this disables the factory high-pass filter and delivers full frequency to the rear)
ACM 727-01-01: Driver Rear set to 'A' - Speaker, Tweeter, Sub (this disables the factory high-pass filter, and also enables the Sub if you added it). Note: if you need to disable the Sub when running the Kicker Key auto-setup, then flip this value to 8 to disable the Sub.
This is the most effort I've ever put into improving factory audio. I'm pleased with the result. And I'm no longer intimidated by ripping off factory interior panels. I do suggest getting "panel poppers" to remove panels vs using a screwdriver. Harbor Freight has them. I also used this as an excuse to buy a really nice Klein wire stripper (damn that thing is nice!), a wire crimper, some SolderSticks and a heat gun. More toys for future electrical projects! (Some of that stuff came from Amazon. Fuck me.)
I followed the formula many others have done before me. I have the 2023 "sub-delete" from Ford and got the $250 credit. Very happy that was the outcome! It's great to have the subwoofer wiring and enclosure delivered, and only replace the amp and subwoofer.
I'd never done any audio updates to cars, but the factory 6 speaker is so awful I decided to go ahead. And since the subwoofer was basically already prepped from the factory with wiring and enclosure I figured why not. I got $250 in free money yeah?
I guess one thing I'll pay a little more attention to is the Kicker Key 200.4 amp setup.
My Changes - most (not all) was bought directly from local auto Audio shop. Fuck Amazon... when I can! And they matched pricing without me asking.
Added Fusion sub amp and Kicker 6.75" 4 ohm Subwoofer
Added KilMat 80mil throughout the rear hatch area since it was already ripped apart to add the sub+amp
Replaced dash speakers with Kicker KS 4" (I cut & crimped the wiring)
Replaced rear pod speakers with Kicker KS 4" + metra wiring harness
Added Kicker Key 200.4 amp + plugnplay wiring harness (excluding the now-available direct battery wiring. This guy's website is such garbage I cannot link to correct product directly. His products are good, website is lacking)
Spent a bunch of time configuring the Kicker Key 200.4
Several Forscan changes (to be detailed below)
I did these changes several days/weeks apart, and lived with each for a time before doing the others. That wasn't the plan, but it became an interesting game over time. The updates were done in the order listed above.
First change:
Sub + Amp + Kilmat. I lived with this for 2 weeks before the next change.
Holy cow. Without the rear factory panels in place it sounds like driving a delivery van. I was shocked how high frequencies pained my ears driving an already very loud truck. The factory panels make a huge difference alone. Since the rear was 75% apart, I decided to remove the last driver side panel and install Kilmat. This is new to me, but it makes a large difference with high freq sounds. I'm glad I spent the $30 on Kilmat + 2-3 hours to install.
Aside from the Kilmat sound deadening, adding the sub made the stock 6 speaker system sound 70% better. So good that, honestly, I probably would've stopped had I not already purchased the other components. But since I had the other stuff, I went ahead.
Second change:
Replaced the dash speakers with 4" Kicker KS. I lived with this for 2 weeks.
These sounded a lot better, if a bit bright due to firing directly at the windshield. But they actually have midtones. A nice change. I recommend. But without the sub I suspect changing these alone would be unsatisfying. A 10% improvement in audio quality.
Third change:
Replaced the rear pod speakers with 4" Kicker KS. I lived with this for 2-3 weeks before installing the Kicker Key.
I debated getting 6.5" pods, but decided I'd spent enough $$ and had already experienced diminished returns with the dash speaker upgrade. And honestly replacing the rear pod speakers offered a limited upgrade. I'm still unclear why when fading to the rear, the rear pods emit what seems like far less volume than the dash speakers. But the rears are an improvement. Just a very minor improvement.
Fourth change:
Installed the Kicker Key 200.4
I dragged my feet installing this. The sound was so vastly improved already I really didn't think the Kicker Key would add much. And the install looked like a pain. But I eventually decided to install it simply because 1) I already bought the amp and harness, and 2) I'd done a bunch of offroading with the doors/top off and it was a dust fiesta! When I removed those dash panels... OMG. There was a lot of dust behind there! So now I'm glad I did it, if only to clean.
So, adding the Kicker Key is an interesting process. The wiring is easy, and I placed it beneath the steering column like most. Which makes it easy to tweak changes later. And I did a lot of tweaking over several days!
I was expecting a HUGE positive impact. I was underwhelmed. And then I read the Kicker manual, and watched a bunch of Kicker Key-specific videos. And then it all started to click, er Kick. At the end of the day, I did the Kicker key DSP setup many, many times. Because I wasn't that happy with it vs flat EQ. And, yes, I experienced what many others have: the dash speakers are exceedingly bright and must be turned down using the factory tone controls.
Bottom line: the Kicker Key adds a lot. Is it necessary? Well... I don't think so. You could add the sub and maybe change the dash speakers and you'd have decent car audio. On par with any generic factory car audio system.
But tweaking the Kicker Key config has improved it overall. And since it's already paid for, I ain't gonna remove it. The soundstage is better. It sounds more 'surround-ish'. Although the flat EQ in some ways sounds more natural, if flatter. It's a preference thing. Ain't no "right way".
The important things about the Kicker Key 200.4 setup:
1) DISABLE the subwoofer before doing the auto Kicker DSP setup. I didn't do this and it sounded like garbage the first time. The Kicker manual tells you to do this! RTFM. Disable the sub using one of two options 1) Use Forscan, or 2) unplug the sub (if you have the rear passenger panel off already)
2) Run the Pink Noise WAV file from a USB stick. Not from your phone! This actually makes a big difference in the end result audio performance. I know, I tried. None of my USB sticks worked (even after reformatting to ExFat or FAT32) and I was impatient and used my phone. Then I went to Office Depot and bought a $10 USB stick. Damn, it was better afterwards.
3) Kicker microphone placement. This is entirely subjective. The manual says place it on the top of the driver headrest. Many before me have complained about harsh high frequencies after the setup and they turn down the tone settings. I had the same experience. I have a hardtop without sound deadening. It bounces the sound all over. So I ran the setup again placing the mic on the center console armrest facing up. Wow, a huge difference. It tamed the harsh high frequencies.
4) Kicker "Gain" config. I found one great video on this. And downloaded the test tone file from Kicker. The amusing thing is my Kicker amp starts clipping (gain limit lights turn on) at about volume 18 with the test tone. With the gain adjustment turned all the way down! So that's where I've left it. Maybe if I get motivated I'll spend another $30 to get the wiring that runs to the battery to directly power the Kicker Key. But, really, I don't have the Kicker turned up that loud most of the time. So why bother.
The last part is the Forscan changes I made for the audio, and the specific Kicker Key settings I've used. The cool thing is you can change the Kicker Key settings after running the Kicker DSP setup.
Kicker Key 200.4 Settings:
Auto-On: DC
Fader: On
Compressor: On (there's some debate, but this is the generally accepted best setting, especially if not running power from battery)
Bi-Amp: Off
Kicker EQ: EN
Time Delay: EN (I don't know if this is correct, simply because I don't know if the factory head unit has time correction already. I have not tested this yet on/off and have no opinion so I kept it stock at EN)
Gain: all the way down
Forscan changes (this is shorthand, you'll need to lookup the specifics if this doesn't make sense, and learn about Forscan):
ACM 727-01-02: EQ turned Off
ACM 727-01-01: Passenger Rear set to '2' - Speaker/Tweeter (this disables the factory high-pass filter and delivers full frequency to the rear)
ACM 727-01-01: Driver Rear set to 'A' - Speaker, Tweeter, Sub (this disables the factory high-pass filter, and also enables the Sub if you added it). Note: if you need to disable the Sub when running the Kicker Key auto-setup, then flip this value to 8 to disable the Sub.
This is the most effort I've ever put into improving factory audio. I'm pleased with the result. And I'm no longer intimidated by ripping off factory interior panels. I do suggest getting "panel poppers" to remove panels vs using a screwdriver. Harbor Freight has them. I also used this as an excuse to buy a really nice Klein wire stripper (damn that thing is nice!), a wire crimper, some SolderSticks and a heat gun. More toys for future electrical projects! (Some of that stuff came from Amazon. Fuck me.)
Sponsored
You can probably sell the Key of you decide you don't want it. 
