Kicker Key200.4 - Great sound with one big problem

[Mosey]

Hi all,

I just completed the install of a Kicker Key 200.4 amp in my 2021 XLT screw with the seven speaker factory audio. Prior to this installation I had upgraded (Jan. 2024) all of my speakers to Infinity Reference series. The sound quality was improved but I wanted a bit more volume and a better EQ.

The install went mostly smooth. Getting the power thru the firewall and removing some trim were the hardest parts. I purchased a T-harness from SGS, a great product that made installation much simpler even with running the harness to the back of the cab. I also picked up a Kicker power kit.

Setting up the amp was a bit harder. The switches for various settings were slightly misaligned to the access port and the first switch was not visible accept when viewing close up directly in front of the amp. Once I overcame that, setting up the EQ was a breeze. After making the Forscan flat EQ change, in five minutes the amp's EQ was programmed and I was rocking. I added some gain, but not a lot. Played Rush's Limelight and had a big smile.

But there is one BIG problem I was not prepared for even after reading many threads, and that has to do solely with Ford's chimes integration being so darn load. I made a change in Forscan and set the chimes to go thru the instrument panel, and that solved most of the problems. Chimes thru the instrument panel do get drowned out by music. However, whenever I change a preset station by touching the display the "pong” sound is incredibly loud. I have no idea how to fix this. This is such an annoyance that I am seriously contemplating removing the amp and living with the stock built-in amp. This would be a non-issue if the chime volume could be adjusted.

If you have a Key 200.4 and have fixed the chimes issue, please post your solution.

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[HammaMan]

Not sure where you grounded the amp but you might try running your ground to the same point (G202) the ACM grounds as that's where the factory amp is. It's in the dash. Unsure best method for accessing it.

 

[Je1279]

Not sure where you grounded the amp but you might try running your ground to the same point (G202) the ACM grounds as that's where the factory amp is. It's in the dash. Unsure best method for accessing it.

If it's the locatiin I'm thinking of, it will require pulling the HVAC module to access it. Where do you have the amp grounded currently? Could there be a better ground more accessible you could try first?

 

[HammaMan]

Might be able to access it behind the screen -- I have no idea of its exact position.

 

[Mosey]

I grounded to G302. It is on the rear cabin wall, driver side. What has ground have to do with the loudness of the chimes?

 

[Je1279]

I grounded to G302. It is on the rear cabin wall, driver side. What has ground have to do with the loudness of the chimes?

It's the popping issue, not the chime volume. That could indicate a poor or lose amplifier ground. Did you sand off the paint in that location and put the amplifier ground terminal below the factory ground terminal when you installed it?

 

[Mosey]

It's the popping issue, not the chime volume. That could indicate a poor or lose amplifier ground. Did you sand off the paint in that location and put the amplifier ground terminal below the factory ground terminal when you installed it?

I’m sorry, I did not mean a pop as an artificial crack or pop from the amp, I am referring to the sound the radio outputs when you change a preset station. Poor description on my part. This audio indication is not related to the chimes I piped to the instrument panel.

I have edited my original post to better describe the sound.

 

[SALEEN961]

Is the noise you're hearing the touchscreen beep? You can turn it off.

 

[Mosey]

I will check that out.

 

[Mosey]

Here is a photo of the settings in my wife’s Hyundai. Wish our trucks had this adjustability.

 

[Mosey]

Thanks everyone for your help and suggestions. I had to make a few compromises and don’t have everything sorted out, but at least the beeps and chimes are acceptable.

To tame the chimes I decided to revert to the stock EQ. I then reset and recalibrated the 200.4. This brought the chimes volume back to the factory volumes. I then pushed up the gain to a tolerable level. The sound quality is greatly improved, maybe not what it could be, but good enough for me.

But there is something that puzzles me. Why do the chimes increase in volume so dramatically when setting the truck’s EQ to flat? I would think an EQ setting that selectively reduces the volume of the frequencies which compose the chimes would affect all audio sources.

 

[Mud]

Hi all,

I just completed the install of a Kicker Key 200.4 amp in my 2021 XLT screw with the seven speaker factory audio. Prior to this installation I had upgraded (Jan. 2024) all of my speakers to Infinity Reference series. The sound quality was improved but I wanted a bit more volume and a better EQ.

The install went mostly smooth. Getting the power thru the firewall and removing some trim were the hardest parts. I purchased a T-harness from SGS, a great product that made installation much simpler even with running the harness to the back of the cab. I also picked up a Kicker power kit.

Setting up the amp was a bit harder. The switches for various settings were slightly misaligned to the access port and the first switch was not visible accept when viewing close up directly in front of the amp. Once I overcame that, setting up the EQ was a breeze. After making the Forscan flat EQ change, in five minutes the amp's EQ was programmed and I was rocking. I added some gain, but not a lot. Played Rush's Limelight and had a big smile.

But there is one BIG problem I was not prepared for even after reading many threads, and that has to do solely with Ford's chimes integration being so darn load. I made a change in Forscan and set the chimes to go thru the instrument panel, and that solved most of the problems. Chimes thru the instrument panel do get drowned out by music. However, whenever I change a preset station by touching the display the "pong” sound is incredibly loud. I have no idea how to fix this. This is such an annoyance that I am seriously contemplating removing the amp and living with the stock built-in amp. This would be a non-issue if the chime volume could be adjusted.

If you have a Key 200.4 and have fixed the chimes issue, please post your solution.

I feel your pain my friend. Brand new 24 f150 . I f ing HATE all the chimes!!! Very loud , ding ding ding. Beeb beeb beeb. How can i turn this crap off?

 

[Mosey]

You can change the chimes output to the IPC which does quiet them a bit. You can also turn off some of them too. This is all done using Forscan. I tried using the IPC but did not like it. I may try it again for a few days and see if I can get use to it.

 

[SALEEN961]

The route I went was setting the chimes to come from the IPC instead of the door speakers, I turned off the touchscreen beep, and I turned off some chimes/noises all together. I'm also not using the center dash speaker and if I remember correctly, I have my ACM set to 6 speakers and not 7 as this got rid of the DTC for the missing speaker.

I'll also mention that the software level of your truck matters. Initially I had the gain set decently high, but after an OTA update the volume was painfully loud and I had an audible hiss coming from the speakers. Now that I ran the Kicker EQ and set the gain again, my gain settings are MUCH lower with the new software and there's no hiss. I haven't tried setting the chime source back the the speakers as I'm used to them coming from the IPC, but the chime volume might be tolerable at this point with how low the gain is set.

 

[HammaMan]

You could likely grab an ACM high for B&O systems and an a2b converter for separate chime controls. It's a $700 'fix' to have discrete chimes, but it is an option. That's a lot of $ for seperate chime volume though.

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