Benefit from Only Adding a Sub
08-18-2020, 05:10 AM
#11
Removing the factory subwoofer gives you complete control on the Bass and you are not competing with the factory subwoofer. You absolutely still use the cables but if you use the factory subwoofer location for the Amplifier then all your cable runs are so short, everything looks quite neat and hidden away under the spare. You don't see any errors by taking away the OEM subwoofer. And if you are using the Kicker Key then it's absolutely fine.
08-18-2020, 05:31 AM
#12
Removing the factory subwoofer gives you complete control on the Bass and you are not competing with the factory subwoofer. You absolutely still use the cables but if you use the factory subwoofer location for the Amplifier then all your cable runs are so short, everything looks quite neat and hidden away under the spare. You don't see any errors by taking away the OEM subwoofer. And if you are using the Kicker Key then it's absolutely fine.
08-18-2020, 05:35 AM
#13
The battery is literally just there, less than a foot away. And so the power and ground is probably the easiest connections to make in that location. You just need to figure out how you will secure the amp in place. You don't want it bouncing around. This is where the Left cubby location helps because you can zip tie the amp to the various module holders.
08-18-2020, 10:45 AM
#14
AudiWorld Super User
The space taken by the old OEM subwoofer on the Sportback is pretty large & a great location to place for the OEM floor jack (widow maker).
08-22-2020, 05:44 PM
#15
Looking for a little help. I have the Kicker Key amp and subwoofer installed. The amp powers up, but I'm not getting anything from the JL sub and I'm trying to find my mistake. A couple of questions....
1) I'm using Bruce's cable to connect to the factory wiring harness. The Kicker amp input wiring harness has two RCA plugs. The owner's manual says to cut them off if necessary, but I'm not sure I have them wired correctly. After removing the RCA plugs, each wire has a positive and negative correct? How would those be wired into the cable Bruce made (or into the factory wiring)? I currently have the four wires connected individually into Bruce's cable matching positive and negative on each side.
2) Do I have to go thru the Key process or change any settings on the amp before I will get sound to the sub? I've tried every setting combination I can think of already, but haven't been thru the Key setup.
Thanks for any help....I'm stumped.
1) I'm using Bruce's cable to connect to the factory wiring harness. The Kicker amp input wiring harness has two RCA plugs. The owner's manual says to cut them off if necessary, but I'm not sure I have them wired correctly. After removing the RCA plugs, each wire has a positive and negative correct? How would those be wired into the cable Bruce made (or into the factory wiring)? I currently have the four wires connected individually into Bruce's cable matching positive and negative on each side.
2) Do I have to go thru the Key process or change any settings on the amp before I will get sound to the sub? I've tried every setting combination I can think of already, but haven't been thru the Key setup.
Thanks for any help....I'm stumped.
08-23-2020, 12:03 AM
#16
Is your Kicker powered? Do you have the LED light.
Are you keeping the OEM subwoofer or removing it?
If you are keeping the OEM subwoofer, you need only one pair of wires. Take the Green (positive) at the subwoofer and connect both your Kicker positives to it. Take the Black (negative) at the subwoofer and connect both your Kicker positives to it. You just have to follow the wire colours through my cable because they won't match the subwoofer wires.
On the amp. Start with 12 OClock positions on both Low Pass and High Pass filter. Gain can start at 11 OClock position.
If you are keeping the OEM subwoofer keeping the DC Offset pressed.
On the HU, make sure everything is set to Flat. Bass, Treble, Subwoofer. Turn all 3D and Surround off.
Are you keeping the OEM subwoofer or removing it?
If you are keeping the OEM subwoofer, you need only one pair of wires. Take the Green (positive) at the subwoofer and connect both your Kicker positives to it. Take the Black (negative) at the subwoofer and connect both your Kicker positives to it. You just have to follow the wire colours through my cable because they won't match the subwoofer wires.
On the amp. Start with 12 OClock positions on both Low Pass and High Pass filter. Gain can start at 11 OClock position.
If you are keeping the OEM subwoofer keeping the DC Offset pressed.
On the HU, make sure everything is set to Flat. Bass, Treble, Subwoofer. Turn all 3D and Surround off.
Last edited by bruce_miranda; 08-23-2020 at 12:05 AM.
08-23-2020, 04:24 AM
#17
Is your Kicker powered? Do you have the LED light.
Are you keeping the OEM subwoofer or removing it?
If you are keeping the OEM subwoofer, you need only one pair of wires. Take the Green (positive) at the subwoofer and connect both your Kicker positives to it. Take the Black (negative) at the subwoofer and connect both your Kicker positives to it. You just have to follow the wire colours through my cable because they won't match the subwoofer wires.
On the amp. Start with 12 OClock positions on both Low Pass and High Pass filter. Gain can start at 11 OClock position.
If you are keeping the OEM subwoofer keeping the DC Offset pressed.
On the HU, make sure everything is set to Flat. Bass, Treble, Subwoofer. Turn all 3D and Surround off.
Are you keeping the OEM subwoofer or removing it?
If you are keeping the OEM subwoofer, you need only one pair of wires. Take the Green (positive) at the subwoofer and connect both your Kicker positives to it. Take the Black (negative) at the subwoofer and connect both your Kicker positives to it. You just have to follow the wire colours through my cable because they won't match the subwoofer wires.
On the amp. Start with 12 OClock positions on both Low Pass and High Pass filter. Gain can start at 11 OClock position.
If you are keeping the OEM subwoofer keeping the DC Offset pressed.
On the HU, make sure everything is set to Flat. Bass, Treble, Subwoofer. Turn all 3D and Surround off.
The LED on the amp is on. The factory subwoofer is removed and I'm mounting the amp under the spare tire, so I'm wiring the wires from the amp wiring harness directly to the green block on your cable. Does the wiring change if the factory sub is removed?
It's going to be an hour or two before I can look at the wiring again, but I currently have one side of the factory wiring harness wired to green and black as you described and the other side wired to positive and negative on using the third and fourth connection on the green block you provided. So each wire is connected individually instead of the positives and negatives connected together as you described above.
08-23-2020, 04:36 AM
#18
What colours have you assumed for the positive negative for the other subwoofer pair Yellow and Orange?. There are a lot of thread that have it shown reversed. Which if you used, you wouldn't get any sound.
Remove the Yellow and Orange pair from your Kicker and just test it with the single Green and Black pair.
Remove the Yellow and Orange pair from your Kicker and just test it with the single Green and Black pair.
08-23-2020, 05:30 AM
#19
What colours have you assumed for the positive negative for the other subwoofer pair Yellow and Orange?. There are a lot of thread that have it shown reversed. Which if you used, you wouldn't get any sound.
Remove the Yellow and Orange pair from your Kicker and just test it with the single Green and Black pair.
Remove the Yellow and Orange pair from your Kicker and just test it with the single Green and Black pair.