New Audio Upgrades from Kicker

Talon_66 · Feb 25, 2014

Yo Nadz said:
Matt, did you have the stock alpine "sub" prior to doing this installation?? Did you just disconnect and remove it?

From what I read, he did, and the kicker kit includes everything to relocate/plug in

Yo Nadz · Feb 25, 2014

I want one, but thankfully Crutchfield is out of stock.

Hemi450hp · Feb 25, 2014

delunad said:
do you know if this is the same on a 2013 Express without the alpine system

It will work on all 09-up QC/CC trucks. The instructions highlight which wires to tap into with each audio system to make for an easy install.

Gymkata · Feb 25, 2014

Uh oh, there is a loss of horsepower somewhere.

Hemi450hp · Feb 25, 2014

Talon_66 said:
This is what shies me away from this set up is the price tag. I could make a nice set up for that price.

What sold me is that it is all bolt on and ready to go. I don't have time to make a custom fiberglass box, and having 1 built is going to easily run at least $300 to have 1 built. Sure, there are cheap MDF boxes available, but they don't sound anywhere near as nice as a box like this. Then the plug-n-play wiring harness is a lot easier and cleaner than having to route wires all over the place.

This may not be for everyone, but it is a great option for the guys that are looking for an easy and great sounding complete setup.

Hemi450hp · Feb 25, 2014

Yo Nadz said:
Matt, did you have the stock alpine "sub" prior to doing this installation?? Did you just disconnect and remove it?

I did, and I just removed it after installing the new sub. The stock Alpine plug is just laying at the bottom of the storage compartment right now.

Talon_66 · Feb 25, 2014

Hemi450hp said:
What sold me is that it is all bolt on and ready to go. I don't have time to make a custom fiberglass box, and having 1 built is going to easily run at least $300 to have 1 built. Sure, there are cheap MDF boxes available, but they don't sound anywhere near as nice as a box like this. Then the plug-n-play wiring harness is a lot easier and cleaner than having to route wires all over the place.

This may not be for everyone, but it is a great option for the guys that are looking for an easy and great sounding complete setup.

I am 100% not saying the route u went is wrong.

Im a 100% DIYer, I too was into car stereos years ago. But I love tackling projects.

Yo Nadz · Feb 26, 2014

I'm on board w this. Been trying to find the install instructions online, but no luck. Is the entire system plug and play?? Do you have to run any power wire through the firewall??

Graygoose · Feb 26, 2014

delunad said:
do you know if this is the same on a 2013 Express without the alpine system

Yes, will work for any 09 and up. The 4.1 front amp will work on 09-12's so far, 2013 changed harneses.

Hemi450hp · Feb 26, 2014

Yo Nadz said:
I'm on board w this. Been trying to find the install instructions online, but no luck. Is the entire system plug and play?? Do you have to run any power wire through the firewall??

The harness they send you does need to run through the firewall to attach to the positive terminal or the post on the fuse panel. From there, you have 1 ground to attach under the steering wheel on an existing ground bolt, and then there are 2 wire taps that you just snap on to the factory amp wiring under the dash. Then you have 2 plugs coming off the harness (1 plugs into the amp, and the other plugs into the sub box. Done deal. The harness is also cut to to length, so there is no excess or areas where you have to stretch the wires...it was a perfect fit.

Canadiancur_101 · Feb 26, 2014

Does the lower end system have an amp to tap into, or just the factory alpine system?

Mr.Asmith9 · Feb 26, 2014

Yo Nadz said:
I'm on board w this. Been trying to find the install instructions online, but no luck. Is the entire system plug and play?? Do you have to run any power wire through the firewall??

I swore I saw the instructions for this on the link provided to Crutchfield. But I have been wrong before.

Mr.Asmith9 · Feb 26, 2014

Canadiancur_101 said:
Does the lower end system have an amp to tap into, or just the factory alpine system?

It was mentioned before that the instructions give you two methods of instalation, one for the alpine sounds system and the other for the stock system. I don't believe the lower end system actually has a amp to tap into. Check the instructions

Hemi450hp · Feb 26, 2014

If you don't have the Alpine amp, then you will tap into your front speaker harness that is just behind your front drivers side kick panel. The instructions list the options for the Kicker 4.1 amp, Kicker 12 channel amp, factory Alpine amp, and base stereo without an amp.

boomer135 · Feb 26, 2014

Very interesting, I am dissapointed in the alpine sstem, and the "sub" taking up the larger storage container sucks.

How was the sound quaility of the other speakers added? Do you know have more tone adjustability of the stock EQ?

Graygoose · Feb 26, 2014

boomer135 said:
Very interesting, I am dissapointed in the alpine sstem, and the "sub" taking up the larger storage container sucks.

How was the sound quaility of the other speakers added? Do you know have more tone adjustability of the stock EQ?

If you have the base audio, it's night and day difference.

Hemi450hp · Feb 26, 2014

I have actually found that this new setup sounds best with the bass turned down to about -4, mid at +5, and Treble at +9 using the factory EQ. Even at -4, the bass is much louder than the Alpine sub ever was even turned up to +9. This setting gives me the best balance of low, mid, and highs while still sounding very clean and the bass still hitting hard when I want it to.

Mr.Asmith9 · Feb 26, 2014

Hemi,

Wouldn't you be better off turning the base down a little more, and also having the the mid and treble turned down in proportion at this ratio you like? I ask because when you turn those things up in the stereo it distorts the signal by amplifying the audio itself before it gets power. So if you turn the adjustments down you don't distort anything but does make the overall music quieter. To counter that you turn up the volume which isn't distorting the sound quality thus giving you what you want. Most people wouldn't notice the distortion unless they like to listen to loud music. But think of the aftermarket stereos that have the optional "loud" feature. It just amplifies the signal at lower volume levels and distorts it at higher.

Just my 2¢ anyway.

Hemi450hp · Feb 26, 2014

I played with this for a while last night, and at this setting with the new 3.5" dash speakers, I am very pleased with the sound quality coming from the other speakers. This obviously is not meant to be a competition sound system, but it sounds far better than I was expecting for such a simple setup. When I turned the highs and mids down, the highs just were not at bright as I like them to be. At this setting, it gives me the best of both worlds and sounds very good to me.

Mr.Asmith9 · Feb 26, 2014

Hemi450hp said:
At this setting, it gives me the best of both worlds and sounds very good to me.

As long as it sounds good to your ears that's all that truly matters. I can't wait to get a hold of this set.

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