All Kicker System Build

So I'm not a brand ***** and while there are other brands I like better none offer the value of Kicker.

So I will update with pictures later as I get them all taken because while I've got most of my stuff installed it's no where near done and most will be pulled out again later anyway to finish the install.

To start off, I first bought 2 12" Kicker Comp R subs with dual 2 ohm voice coils. I wanted to power them with the cx series 1200 mono amp but got a good deal on a cx 600 mono and got it instead. The box that came with these subs was a free attend box. While it works for now, it vibrates way too much and only has .61 ft of air space per sub. Not near enough. So I've ordered a dual 12" ported box from Fox Acoustics. He talked me into ported. This will be my first and I may not like it. I've always went sealed. Anyway still waiting on the box.

The factory speakers have all been replaced with Kicker cs series speakers. 4" in the dash with polyfil under them, 6.5" two ways in the front doors with custom 1/4" mdf rings to fit them in the old 6 x 9 spaces, and 6" x 9" 3 ways in the back doors. I used peel and seal inside the doors and on the inside of the outer plastic skin, also on the inside of the door panel as much as I could cover. I know it's not dynomat but I've compared the two and they look exactly the same. Anyway it's worked good so far and no smell.

I've got a Kicker cx series 300 x 4 coming day after tomorrow for the 4", 6.5", and 6" x 9" speakers. They should all see around 40 watts a piece. Not enough but it should do fine for now. I'm using all kicker wire, fuse blocks, 14 ga speaker wire, and 3 sets of two channel rcas from kicker. The wire will start out as 4 ga with a 200 amp fuse block running into a distribution block. Then from there it will be 8 ga with an 80 amp fuse block for the 600 watt amp and a 60 amp fuse for the 300 watt amp. Grounds will be 8 ga to the cab body. I will also be doing the big 3 upgrade as soon as I get the wire for it.

Anybody got a good idea for a Kicker 4 channel or even 5 channel that I can upgrade to later. That will put out around 560 watts rms to handle the minds and highs. The 6" x 9" take 150 each rms, the 6.5" take 100 rms, and the 4" take 30 rms. So they could maybe handle more. A good 5 channel may be the way to go. What do you guys think?

My deck was changed out for a Pioneer AVH-4800-BS, which I love so far, and I'm going to get a Kicker Front Row DSP to keep with the them. Unless I change my mind and get an AudioControl or a Helix. The Helix offers computer tuning that the other two don't. This should keep me happy for a little while. Until I decide to put the 4" and a set of Ks series tweeters on axis in the front a pillars. Then upgrade my subs and amp. Probably will stay with kicker there too. I mean hell why not at this point.

The subs sound good considering the box lacking air space and vibrating. Not to mention being under powered some. These subs can handle 500 watts rms and I've heard they can take up to 800 a piece no problem.

I will shoot pictures once I pull everything out to re-install and upgrade with the 4 channel and new wiring.

Let me know you guys thoughts. Oh and somebody please tell me why no one mentioned I'd have to hack the hell out of my dash speaker pods to get these Kicker CS series 3.5" to fit. I mean I had to really cut out a lot. Didn't think it would work at first. Not to mention damn those wires are short. Oh yeah forgot to mention I put PAC bass blockers from 10-1200 hz on them until I get a cross over on them.

Edit: to add that I found out my 3.5" speaker problem. Well I ordered 3.5" speaker and got 4". When I got them today I just pulled them out of the box and got to work. I didn't look at the box. They sent me the wrong speakers but now the damage is done and I've got the 4" mounted in the dash.

Check out the kicker IQ 1000.5 . I just had one installed in my truck and can't tell you how impressed both me and the shop that installed it are. The tech said the specs seem way underrated on the amp, it has a built in DSP too.

Sounds like a heck of a system, yes, the ported box will really wake the subs up.

Jake, glad you like the IQ10000.5...the DSP is amazing huh?

Absolutely, love it and well worth the money!

Jake2544 said:

Absolutely, love it and well worth the money!

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Awesome

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JFnUu3mQTwU

I'd remove the peel and seal...it does hardly anything and is hazardous to your health. It barely does anything for it's intended purpose, let alone dampening resonances. I do not mean to be disrespectful...just don't want you to have a big mess on your hands, let alone cancer. Many tests have been performed on these types of products, versus true buytl based tiles. Guys have covered enitire door panels with minimal audible differences, where a 30% coverage of high quality buytl based tiles make a huge audible difference. Again, no disrespect pal

autokraftgt said:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JFnUu3mQTwU

I'd remove the peel and seal...it does hardly anything and is hazardous to your health. It barely does anything for it's intended purpose, let alone dampening resonances. I do not mean to be disrespectful...just don't want you to have a big mess on your hands, let alone cancer. Many tests have been performed on these types of products, versus true buytl based tiles. Guys have covered enitire door panels with minimal audible differences, where a 30% coverage of high quality buytl based tiles make a huge audible difference. Again, no disrespect pal

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I see where your coming from but I also don't know where the cancer bit is coming from. Your not going to get cancer from the stuff. Also check with dodge about peel and seal too because they use the exact same stuff on the inside of the doors.

I know this is no comparison to mlv or closed cell foam type stuff but when your not going to pay the rediculous prices for dynamat type products and are going to do without instead the peel and seal will be better than nothing.

It seems to be working just fine too. I've killed almost all the vibrations I had and when you knock on the doors they sound dead compared to before. I've also got a lot more sound coming out of the doors from the 6.5" and 6" x 9".

Again I'm not trying to promote peel and seal but it's working for me and seeing as I've held, fooled with, and had the dynamat type products before I really can't tell any difference except one has their name on it and charges a fortune for it.

I've seen the tests on diyma and I'm left unconvinced as far as this specific product goes. Now the other types look like they would definately be better. Especially the thicker rubber mlv stuff.

Got my amp in plus the 4 ga kicker wiring kit. Started the 2 and 3rd set of rcas today along with the 16 ga kicker wire for the dash/door speakers today. Got the right side done. Will do the left tomorrow and take some pictures.

Still don't have my Fox box yet. Don't know how I'm going to mount my amps either. I have the 600 laying down mounted to the floor behind the box I have now next to the cab wall. I don't think with the Fox box I will have that much room. I may have to go vertical with a amp rack out of mdf or something.

Any idea how to mount the amp rack to the back of the cab without going through the wall?

Greygoose, so how's about the kicker front row? Is it nice. Will it be any better than my Pioneer deck. It's got time alignment and a high pass for the front and rear channels plu the sub channel has a low pass. It also has a 13 band eq. Works well so far but I'm wondering if it does as well as a stand alone dsp would.

countrygunner said:

Greygoose, so how's about the kicker front row? Is it nice. Will it be any better than my Pioneer deck. It's got time alignment and a high pass for the front and rear channels plu the sub channel has a low pass. It also has a 13 band eq. Works well so far but I'm wondering if it does as well as a stand alone dsp would.

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Yes, you'll have more tuning than the radio will have, plus a quick up front remote to make adjustments on the fly.

Well I got my fox box in finally. Worth the wait so far. It fit well and looks great. I got the Kicker CompR subs mounted in and re mounted my amp, as it wouldn't work where I had it. The spacers for the box allowed me to be able to lift my front part of the back seat and unhook the back from the cab. Now I can fold it down to get to my amps. So far the only complaint about the fox box is its making more **** rattle now that it's hitting several db harder. It also plays the lower hz better but still picks up the rock beats well. At least as far as I can tell. Only had it in for about 30 min.

I also upgraded the wire to the CX600.1 with 4 ga and got my CX300.4 in with another run of 8 ga. I already had it ran so why take it out when I ran the 4 ga. Just used both for better power transfer from the battery. Turned the gain on the 600.1 down and the bass boost all the way down. I'm using the remote for the bass boost now. I've probably got about 150-200 watts going to each sub. I'm going to put a meter on the outputs and see for sure. Plus I'll turn it up as it allows.

The CX300.4 is mounted and speaker wires ran. Just need to hook up he 2 extra sets of rcas and connect the speakers to the wire already ran in the doors. So there still hooked up to the deck right now. I'm going to run the front dash 4" CS speaker in parallel to the front door CS 6.5" on 2 channels. Should give them 75 x 2 to split among them. The back CS 6 x 9 will get 40 watts each on the rear amp. Not enough power for the 6.5" and the 6" x 9" but it is better than the deck plus sound quality out of the deck should be better since it will run cooler without having to push speakers.

I also did the big 3 upgrade. Ran 4 ga, as that is what I had on hand, from battery to alternator, battery ground to frame ground and cleaned it to the metal, and ran another ground from battery ground to engine. Should help. Kept the stock there so it should be sufficient.

Promise I will upload pictures.

Finally updated with some pictures. Didn't get any of the installation of the door and dash speakers. Also I'm not done. Still need to clean up the wiring. I'm also thinking about components in the doors. Maybe 6.5" with tweeters. Something in the KS series. I like the 6.5" two-ways and the 6" x 9" three ways and the amp woke them up for sure. I just can't adjust them like I think I would be able to components. The 2-way and 3-way tweeters, even thought they have bass blockers, don't have a lot of room for adjustment. I also think while they have decent mid bass it would be better with components.

Wonder what the 6.5" kicker compr subs would be like in the back doors? Greygoose maybe you can help me out. Haven't seen a lot about them. Do they work good. I know they are subs and not full range like what I've got or components. They are subs like my 12's. So I'm worried they may take away from my rear full range even though they'd give me more mid bass. They also make a comprt in the 6.5". Which is slimmer.

Damn shame. System sounds good and I just got everything in today. Already wanted to make it better.

Yes, those are more midbass, you'd want them in a bigger 3 way setup in doors.