2nd gen DC speaker/amp questions

Have a 2015 double cab and already installed a Pioneer DMHW4600NEX head unit which is working great with the Maestro RR. Now looking to do some speaker upgrades because stock ones are hot garbage. I haven't played with "premium" speakers much but think I have a good idea on what I want - just hoping some audio gurus can either confirm my thoughts or point me in the right direction. Goal of making it just sound good and smooth (and not just ear-bleeding loud):

Plan for Stage 1

• Fronts: Upgrade with Kicker KS components (leaning 6x9 over the 6.75 but probably not much difference; both have 1" silk tweeters with good reviews)
• Rears: Kicker KS coax 6.75
• Sound deadening on doors
• Comments: Want to do speakers first and see how they sound off only the headunit, but planning to add the amp either same time or shortly after.

Plan for Stage 2

• Amp: Kicker Key 200.4 using high-level outputs from headunit
• Maybe some additional sound deadening on floors/doors/headliner
• Comments: Going to push front & rear off the Key unit. Maybe this ends up being enough but if not...

Plan for Stage 3 (if I even need it later)

• Some kind of sub box behind back seat - TBD, not in a hurry for this
• Change Key 200.4 setup to active stage for fronts
• Kicker 500.1 to power sub -OR-
  
• Add another Key 200.4 to power rear coax's + sub? Or just run rears off deck power (4600 is only 14W RMS) and put sub on Key 500.1?
• Comments: Whole point of this stage is to improve on sound and add a sub to fill bass where door speakers might be lacking. Running active front stage would improve fidelity and I'm guessing with our truck cab layouts it can use all the help it can get.

Budget isn't the most pressing concern but let's just say I don't want the cheapest parts and I don't want to spend like I'm entering a competition. Just nice, good, clean sound.

Open to any thoughts or suggestions. Thanks!

PS - Darn Five Star Audio making me get these crazy type of ideas, here's the video in case anyone else needs a reason to spend money.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jdVj-BHNrGM

Edited for words and to clarify plans.

 

I started with speakers and deadening they doors, had already planned to put a Kicker 180.4 in. Definitely a huge step in the right direction.

I’m about to drop a Kicker Key 500.1 in with an 8” subwoofer. The upgraded speakers and amp helped a ton, but nothing replaces a sub and once you’ve heard one you really notice it missing.

 

Thanks for the feedback, that confirms pretty much what I was expecting. I haven't had a subwoofer in my car since I was a dumb 16 year old kid with 2x10's in the trunk but due to the layout of our truck cab it seems this might be an inevitable step in the long-term to fill the whole sound spectrum.

Appreciate the info, probably going to pull the trigger on speakers once I figure out proper sound-deadening. Read another thread on that and went down the rabbit hole so I need to do some more reading first - never knew about some of the options they have nowadays, it's amazing how far technology has come in that area!

 

Sound deadening will make all the difference. I run a full Kicker setup all around and it sounds better/louder after deadening the roof/floor. Did the doors/rear wall in the beginning.

 

You’ll still have to figure out if a simple “hideaway” powered sub will fit your needs, or a more involved install. I’m going straight to a 500.1, Mr Marv box, and Sundown sub because I know a compact powered sub won’t keep me happy.

500 watts on a Sundown SD4 8” just might.