KickerCS Upgrade with Kicker Key amp Install Assistance

yeah I realized how simple it was immediately after I posted the reply. Got it wired and started the pink noise...and the neighbor's dogs came out to yell at me loudly enough to make me stop the test and wait until tomorrow. Those test noises are weird! and loud!

 

Ok to anyone who is wary of taking this on: do it! It is ultimately very simple and the upgrade to your sound is simply amazing.

I have been running the gains at somewhere between 2 and 4 and there is far more than enough volume, even with the windows open at freeway speeds. I find that the sound is very "punchy"---i.e. the mids come through above the lows/highs. I replaced the door monitors with the Kicker CS line and am running the upgraded Subaru tweeters in the dash. I used the head unit EQ to scoop the mids and the sound is much more rounded.

I am probably going to need to add a sub down the line because Pandora's box is now open. What a huge difference! Thanks again to all who have contributed...I owe each and every one of you a beer

 

I'm at 0 gain on both and getting an audible hiss/hum with the headunit audio off. I have the CS and subaru upgrades, no sub. I have the switches set to down, down, up, down, up, up, and filter set to off. Getting power from cigarette lighter, should I move it to a run to the battery? Sounds fine with music playing, just when I have the radio off it's annoying to have the that powered on style buzzing.

Any suggestions @destin_meeks

 

It’s a noisy amp, mine does it too.

 

so it sounds like I need to wire in a switch if I want to keep this amp, I like quiet sometimes and this hum is freakin annoying.

 

Step one: unplug the INPUT harness from the key (the plug without power/ground)
did the buzz go away?
if so, check all your splices/solder joints

If not, double check your ground. I’ve had amps be finicky if I get power from the cig lighter and I’ve had to try different grounding locations to get rid of that humm.
If you’re willing to run some 12awg to the battery with a fuse holder, that’s never a bad idea, even if you’re not having problems. I would find a chassis ground first (which means you may need to extend your ground wire)
Any bare metal will do.

 

I just had Kicker speakers/tweeters/amp/and one hideaway installed. The hideaway is installed under the drivers seat. I love it so far. I am sure I will love it more if I had another hideaway installed under the passenger seat. Can I install two of these sub woofers?

 

Won’t fit under the passenger seat. There’s a bar that hangs too low

 

Figured out the buzz. I was using the wrong pink noise to set it up. It’s much less noticeable now.

 

Shoot. But otherwise I can put two of these. I was wondering of strain on the battery.

 

Zero strain on the battery. They pull about 100w each, which is about 15A total. That’s less than an old set of Halogen lights before LED became a thing

 

You, my dear Sir, are a gentleman and a scholar! Thank you.

 

I did the Kicker CS and Subaru tweeter upgrade and am installing the Kicker Key amp tonight....
I have already set up the Metra Harnesses...

My question is what I set the DIP Switches to on the Kicker Key...

Do I need to enable Radio Detect?

Thanks!

 

I believe all the dip switches should be in the up position. Before tuning the amp.

 

This may be a dumb question but I'm planning on getting the key but I wanted to know if the harnesses will interfere/delete the front/rear anytime dashcam mod that's available on TW (I can't remember who sells it). I'd like to keep that functionality and include they key amp.

 

Also @destin_meeks I see there's a 200w amp and 180w amp, the only other difference I could see was variable vs fixed crossover... Which I don't know much about. Which one should I get?

 

They’re both the same, except one is newer and puts out a tad more power. Not sure why the crossovers are listed as different, because they’re both the same. I’d spend the few bucks on the new bigger one personally. But I’ve installed dozens of the 180w and it’s awesome so you can’t go wrong

 

Thanks man!
Also This may be a dumb question but I'm planning on getting the key but I wanted to know if the harnesses will interfere/delete the front/rear anytime dashcam mod that's available on TW (I can't remember who sells it). I'd like to keep that functionality and include they key amp.

 

Luckily, no. The radio’s power and speaker wires are on separate harnesses than all the other data wires for the camera and stuff

 

Thanks man, for being such an active and knowledgeable source on these forums!