Kicker hideaway- final upgrade to the $250(+) 3rd gen premium upgrade (+Kicker Key 180.4 amp)

Destin. Do you have a recommended starting point for the adjustments. I have KS speakers and the Kicker Subaru tweeters. Thanks

 

If you’re adding a subwoofer, I would probably set them at 80hz for those polk speakers. If you’re not adding a subwoofer, I would set them to ‘off’

 

In your scenario, because you’re getting noise while there is no audio playing, I would park somewhere very quiet (in the garage?) set the gains all the way down, and turn up the gains until you hear noise. Then back it off a bit and turn the radio up to see if you get an acceptable volume level. If your volume is plenty loud with the radio at 40, then no need to turn the gains up more. I’d rather sacrifice amp power than deal with noise in my system, personally. However, if you can’t get a reasonable volume level without also having noise in the system, I’d take it back to your installer and have him look deeper into it.

That’s why you paid Geek Squad to do it in the first place right

 

I'll be adding the Kicker Hideaway. 80hz for that? Thanks a ton!!!

 

Thanks. I can do this. And that is why I had it done. And my system is loud at 34 or so. So it's probably the gains. Thanks again.

 

Let me clarify

I would set the crossovers on the power pack to 80hz since you’re adding the hideaway.

As far as the hideaway goes, set the crossover to what sounds good to you. I like my crossovers a bit higher than most. I normally set the crossover all the way down (25hz I think,) put on “Soul To Squeeze” by Red Hot Chili Peppers and turn the crossover up till the bass guitar sounds good. However, if you listen to talk radio or podcasts a lot, I’d keep the crossovers set low enough so that a male voice doesn’t sound boomy.

And I typically do the bass boost directly in the middle

 

If your system is ‘loud’ at 34, I’d stick with my earlier assumption that your gains are too high.

As a reference, I have the Entune head unit (touch, xm, nav, non-jbl)

Running a Kicker KX800.5 (50x4 rms, and much cleaner power than the power pack) playing a CD (best quality audio file) it is ‘very’ loud at 40, and painfully loud at 50.

Let me know if cutting the gains down a bit help with the noise

 

Helped. Still have a tiny crackle when I power up. Running it back to Best Buy and have Sean look at it. Thanks

 

Would you guys mind giving me your thoughts? I wish I would have seen this thread yesterday! I just installed the hideaway in my 2015 double cab this evening and tapped into the rear speaker wires on both sides...for some reason the High Level isn't sensing the signal and turning the amp on (I have it on DC setting). If I juice up the remote wire it works though. Also, I tapped in the sill plate area on both sides and am 99% sure I have the correct wiring. Left side rear I have Yellow (-) and Black (+), Right side rear I have White(-) and Red(+)...Thanks for the help, just got the truck a couple of months back and this is my 1st post in the group. I looked at the direct techs diagram for the 2013 you guys shared, but wasn't sure if it changed in the 2015 model (i'm sure it hasn't)

1st photo is drivers side door sill wire loom and 2nd photo is passenger door sill wire loom

 

Your wire colors are correct, so my first thought would be to make sure the Input Level switch is set to high. If it is set to low, it disables the signal sensing. If it still doesn't work, you may just be better off running a wire for remote turn on and calling it a day. I've wasted way too much time in way too many cars trying to troubleshoot dumb issues like that when I could have just run the remote wire and been done with it. Learn from my mistakes!

 

Thanks for the quick response Destin! I will probably just do that lol. Just frustrating because this was one of the features that lead me to purchase the hideaway. Thanks again for your help man!! I also mounted it behind the back seat, I didn’t want my son kicking it all the time

 

https://www.kicker.com/app/manuals/powered_subwoofers/hideaway/2011_Hideaway_RevM.pdf

Another possible issue could be if you have the polarity wrong when tapping the speaker wires based on the manual.

 

The labeling he posted was correct as far as matching + and - goes. Let’s just hope that’s what actually happened!

 

Destin. Called the installer and he said the teeny sound I hear is the amp powering up. Normal. It's a pretty tiny sound.

 

Yeah if the sound is only when it powers on, and not when it’s playing, then I call that reasonable. Ford vehicles with factory subwoofers give a fairly loud THUMP when hooked up to an aftermarket radio and I have to tell people they can buy a voltage divider for $40 or live with it. And most just live with it! Not the end of the world luckily

 

It's dead quiet with the gains set correctly and getting smoother with better bass output as the speakers are breaking in. Thanks Destin.

 

I triple checked it all...wasn't a polarity issue unfortunately. Just ran a remote wire and all is good now

 

Same here. Like tweeter making a small chirping sound.

 

The metra harness makes this install too easy. Adding the hideaway has completed my system for now and I can enjoy driving 2 hours every day.

 

2 questions:
1) Is it best to tap front or rear speakers on a 2nd Gen for the Hideaway?
2) Can I tap into the speakers wires after my Apline 445U or must I tap into them before the Alpine?
I'm not sure if the front or rear gets a lower Hz signal & IDK if it's okay that the Hideaway is getting an amped input. It'd make my life easier if it can get tapped in after the Alpine!

Thanks!