Are Kickers Overated?

[WantedIsHere]

for kickers main competition they are a fairly decent sub... Mass production is the key not quality and spl... they have done a good enough job by stayin around this long. I htink they are one of the older car audio companies out there and still doing things on a decent level.

 

[mrray13 10+ year member]

Mass production is the key not quality and spl... .

not spl? not quality? why is it only here do i ever see those words associated with kicker? (btw, not picking on you Wanted)

kicker dominates all mainstreme subs in output. and most in overall quality of build. i won't argue sq, way too subjective. i'll throw a L7 against any sub in it's class for output. you wanna bring a big dog, i'll go solo x to whatever you bring. i'll wager if installs are equal, and power is equal (meaning optimum), kicker wins. and lives to tell about it.

there are exceptions, true. but for the most part, what i've just typed is the truth. jsut look at who truly dominates the spl scene.

and if the L7 in question is this years, or last years black coned model, it'll eat 1000wrms all day. the minimum i'd do on a single sub would be 500, the max right around 1200-1500. a pair? 1500-2000wrms easy.

wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/peace.gif.2db28b618ed8d1964ebbe2f5021d2c39.gif

 

[WantedIsHere]

my point was just that they aren’t one of the hand made custom subs out there that we have options of... like your dd, old re's, FI, mags etc... Like I said in my previous post it’s hard to knock kicker as they have been around for the long run. They just have more of an eye towards their investors and the masses not for a few individuals who demand peak performance for a specific area of the hobby.

 

[mrray13 10+ year member]

my point was just that they aren’t one of the hand made custom subs out there that we have options of... like your dd, old re's, FI, mags etc... Like I said in my previous post it’s hard to knock kicker as they have been around for the long run. They just have more of an eye towards their investors and the masses not for a few individuals who demand peak performance for a specific area of the hobby.

hand made custom subs? like the mag, old re's? sorry, but those aren't hand made custom subs. neither is Fi, though it is customized per the customer's order/budget. it's about the only one you've listed that is truly a custom sub in that not every one (like the mag, the entire re lineup, dd, icon, maw, kicker, memphis, etc, etc) is coming off the assembly line the exact same. the memphis LVS is handbuilt, but far from custom or high quality. cactus sounds is hand built and customized per customer, but is spl oriented.

no, the truth is all these internet brands want to be as successful and as big as kicker. every sub produced is identical to the one before it in that model line. waht you get with companies like SI, SS, mach5, dd, and old Re, is the one one with teh people who design and build these things. but on that note, tracy is very easy to get ahold of from kicker, unlike other mainstreme companies like eclipse, memphis, Rf, etc, etc.

maybe kicker is indeed after the masses. but aren't all the interent companies as well? they jsut don't have the marketing strength (yet) that kicker does, or the rep in the lanes. in the end, everybody is chasing the same goal. you and i.

wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/peace.gif.2db28b618ed8d1964ebbe2f5021d2c39.gif

 

[mrray13 10+ year member]

and you made a specific reference to kicker not bieng after quality or spl. but you and i know that's the exact opposite of what kicker is after, especially output, quality output. they have put more into the lanes and their team then any other company going at the moment, or really, really close to it. there stuff don't jsut die without someone really, really wanging on it. i know many a competitor who go to the lanes with the solo x and not haveing to rebuild them round, after round. Re can't say that.the mt is a badass sub, but it's also know to spit it's softparts all over the floor. every round. so which is better quality?

not picking on Re, jsut a specific example.

people here don't like kicker because it isn't different. you can buy it at best buy. the quality is there, the output is there and hell, depending upon teh person, the sq is there. but it's kicker, not Fi. it's like a corvette compared to a ferrari. in terms of performance and overall quality, it's neck and neck (depending upon model), but because everybody on the block has the vette, it's automaticlly an inferior product. there isn't anything exotic about it. it does what it has to do, does it very well, and you and yoru grandpa can buy one.

wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/peace.gif.2db28b618ed8d1964ebbe2f5021d2c39.gif

 

[Prowler573 5,000+ posts]

Add to the above the fact that not only is Tracy easily contacted for the most part but he is also genuinely a nice guy in my experience and more than happy to help out with a bit of information or a recommendation or three if it is within his power to do so.

It is employees such as that which additionally make huge inroads towards the bottom line (which is locating and acquiring buyers).

A complete n00b, after having an extended conversation with Tracy, might very well feel as if Kicker has done them a favor at the end of the day by being available for purchase. I have no doubts that not every single employee up there in Stillwater is as approachable as Tracy but it ends up looking very, very good for them in the long run that he is a well-known entity in the online car audio forum community at large.

 

[audioholic 5,000+ posts]

An American highschool where Kicker isn't the end-all be-all, besides maybe JL? I find this entire story very hard to believe.

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[jmanpc 5,000+ posts]

I'm giving my 15" L7 2k daily //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/fyi.gif.9f1f679348da7204ce960cfc74bca8e0.gif

and it got me a 144.8 in my van.

Yeah... overrated.

 

[Chevyaudio 5,000+ posts]

and you made a specific reference to kicker not bieng after quality or spl. but you and i know that's the exact opposite of what kicker is after, especially output, quality output. they have put more into the lanes and their team then any other company going at the moment, or really, really close to it. there stuff don't jsut die without someone really, really wanging on it. i know many a competitor who go to the lanes with the solo x and not haveing to rebuild them round, after round. Re can't say that.the mt is a badass sub, but it's also know to spit it's softparts all over the floor. every round. so which is better quality?


not picking on Re, jsut a specific example.

people here don't like kicker because it isn't different. you can buy it at best buy. the quality is there, the output is there and hell, depending upon teh person, the sq is there. but it's kicker, not Fi. it's like a corvette compared to a ferrari. in terms of performance and overall quality, it's neck and neck (depending upon model), but because everybody on the block has the vette, it's automaticlly an inferior product. there isn't anything exotic about it. it does what it has to do, does it very well, and you and yoru grandpa can buy one.

wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/peace.gif.2db28b618ed8d1964ebbe2f5021d2c39.gif

No but an un reinforced SoloX cone will crack VERY easily under higher pressure applications...HENCE the reason kicker had to redesign the cones. And the S.P.A.I.R.S still aren't available last time I checked. I would love to try some SoloX 10s in my competition vehicle...but I'm not going to buy a sub knowing that recones aren't available right now.

Where as I can call up RE and get a recone in less than 3 days...but It takes some serious abuse to wreck My MT's. (took 5kw and Free air to get the sub to fail mechanically.)

To the OP Kicker makes good quality stuff. I have many friends that run them in their SPL vehicles that have set world records and won world titles. Kickers name is sononymous with winning. You can't go wrong with them //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/wink.gif.608e3ea05f1a9f98611af0861652f8fb.gif

 

[CobaltKicker 10+ year member]

I am now pushing 1000-watts daily at 35Hz....to my one 06 12L7 DVC 2-ohm you should hear that......

 

[Propimp 10+ year member]

1 15" L7 will handle 1300watts? I have no personal experiance but i have heard the l7 fail a little bit after RMS.

 

[jmanpc 5,000+ posts]

1 15" L7 will handle 1300watts? I have no personal experiance but i have heard the l7 fail a little bit after RMS.
like i just said... ive got mine on 2k daily.

i'm just careful with my volume knob.

 

[Propimp 10+ year member]

you think it would like 1300 selaed?

 

[Famous_78]

not spl? not quality? why is it only here do i ever see those words associated with kicker? (btw, not picking on you Wanted)

kicker dominates all mainstreme subs in output. and most in overall quality of build. i won't argue sq, way too subjective. i'll throw a L7 against any sub in it's class for output. you wanna bring a big dog, i'll go solo x to whatever you bring. i'll wager if installs are equal, and power is equal (meaning optimum), kicker wins. and lives to tell about it.

there are exceptions, true. but for the most part, what i've just typed is the truth. jsut look at who truly dominates the spl scene.

and if the L7 in question is this years, or last years black coned model, it'll eat 1000wrms all day. the minimum i'd do on a single sub would be 500, the max right around 1200-1500. a pair? 1500-2000wrms easy.

wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/peace.gif.2db28b618ed8d1964ebbe2f5021d2c39.gif

so a kicker l7 15 vs a btl 15 kicker wins? ya right.

 

[Famous_78]

1 15" L7 will handle 1300watts? I have no personal experiance but i have heard the l7 fail a little bit after RMS.
a 15 l7 will handle 1500 daily, 1300 easy.