Is Kicker overrated?

[shellfish 10+ year member]

I was gonna make a new thread for this but i'll just as it here since this thread seems like its going nowhere good.

Why do some knowledgeable people get kickers and **** when Fi, RE, AQ and companys like that make better quality product?

I ask this because i just got a fi running of an AQ and this **** sounds soo much better then the alpines and it gets much louder then I've ever needed it too.

 

[projectnutz 10+ year member]

I was gonna make a new thread for this but i'll just as it here since this thread seems like its going nowhere good.
Why do some knowledgeable people get kickers and **** when Fi, RE, AQ and companys like that make better quality product?

I ask this because i just got a fi running of an AQ and this **** sounds soo much better then the alpines and it gets much louder then I've ever needed it too.

because kicker and alpine was "Tha ****" back in the days.

 

[Enellz 10+ year member]

Kicker makes good solid amps. Its just like JL though, alot of people want it for the it factor, not because of what it really does. So you get a bunch of uneducated new people who thinks there ish is the sh*t. My advice would be hate the idiots who buy it for the brand not the quailty. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/wink.gif.608e3ea05f1a9f98611af0861652f8fb.gif

 

[Buck 5,000+ posts]

kicker has very good products especially their amps. they are pricey but they work great and do the power they are rated to do.

 

[mrray13 10+ year member]

I was gonna make a new thread for this but i'll just as it here since this thread seems like its going nowhere good.
Why do some knowledgeable people get kickers and **** when Fi, RE, AQ and companys like that make better quality product?

I ask this because i just got a fi running of an AQ and this **** sounds soo much better then the alpines and it gets much louder then I've ever needed it too.

because kicker has proven itself in the lanes far longer then those companies have even been in existance. you could combine re, fi and aq's records from the lanes and they won't compete with kicker's. are they getting there? you bet. Fi/sundown combos seem to be springing up everywhere and doing damage.

some people just go with what they know works, period. there just isn't much kicker hasn't won, stomped on, or set.

are there brands just as good? yep. but no mainstreme brand, save maybe dd, can really say what kicker can. like tommy has mentioned, alpine's claim to fame is the type r, pioneer's is the spl sub, memphis has the mojo lineup, but none of them can say what kicker can say across most of it's lineup. from the L5 up to the solo x, from the greatest wire ever (hyperflex is just too **** pimp) and some of the most solid, reliable amps on the market, it's just flat hard to beat kicker.

and the only kicker products i own at the moment are a kx400.1 (birthsheet states just under 500wrms) and a pair of rmb8s. i do miss my solo xs though.

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

 

[Enellz 10+ year member]

because kicker has proven itself in the lanes far longer then those companies have even been in existance. you could combine re, fi and aq's records from the lanes and they won't compete with kicker's. are they getting there? you bet. Fi/sundown combos seem to be springing up everywhere and doing damage.

some people just go with what they know works, period. there just isn't much kicker hasn't won, stomped on, or set.

are there brands just as good? yep. but no mainstreme brand, save maybe dd, can really say what kicker can. like tommy has mentioned, alpine's claim to fame is the type r, pioneer's is the spl sub, memphis has the mojo lineup, but none of them can say what kicker can say across most of it's lineup. from the L5 up to the solo x, from the greatest wire ever (hyperflex is just too **** pimp) and some of the most solid, reliable amps on the market, it's just flat hard to beat kicker.

and the only kicker products i own at the moment are a kx400.1 (birthsheet states just under 500wrms) and a pair of rmb8s. i do miss my solo xs though.

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

This is the main statement right here. Kicker has been proven things for years, so yes it has a huge rep. Same for JL. Just because its mainstream doesnt mean its not good.

 

[spencer321 10+ year member]

I can dig up more pics. This car has been a consistant winner in both SQ and DTS/Multimedia formats. Food for thought. A lot goes into the building and tuning of these cars. Not just the equipment brand.

wow thats amazing, i wasn't stating i wouldnt use kicker in general for SQ, just the L7, i would have gone with the CVX if my intent was a SQ install but apparently i was wrong. love to see more pics

 

[spencer321 10+ year member]

Kicker recommends an upgraded electrical system with the zx2500 no matter what impedence.
I know a lot of people have/do run them at 1 ohm. None of the ones that myself or my teammates run are modified in any way. Still has all the protection circuits.

It does get hot, but I've never had it shut down because of that. The only time I've had it go into protect was because of low voltage (jamming full volume with the car off)

thanks again for the help good to know, might look into a zx1500, was looking for 2000w at 1 ohm

 

[MikeyB 5,000+ posts]

Those two statements don't belong in the same sentance.
Opinion does not = validation. Just because you think something sounds dirty doesn't mean everyone does.

I have kicker amps on my highs and my sub and I don't hear anything "dirty" about them. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/confused.gif.e820e0216602db4765798ac39d28caa9.gif

Kicker is just a MUCH larger company compared to memphis and especially Fi. They have to make products on a SUPREMELY larger scale thus have to have them work for a variety of users. Their products are simple and to the point. Sure they don't have fancy cooling or options like a Fi sub, but once again a price/performance/supply ratio needs to come into play here. If kicker tried to make subs similar to Fi they would have a lead time out the ass because they build thousands of subs a year.

Are they the best sounding subs out there? No. But they are a solid product for the money.

x2^^^

I run all Kicker amps. I love Kicker products, good solid build quality and they are rated very reasonably. As far as the more main stream end of things go, I personally think Kicker is up at the top, as well as a couple others.

I LOOOVVEEE my Kicker amps //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/fyi.gif.9f1f679348da7204ce960cfc74bca8e0.gif Some of the best Ive used and they are very dependable.

edit- Been running my KX2500 at 1ohm for the past couple months also and its been doing great. Y-top up front, 220amp alt, and a deka in the trunk. 2 runs of 1/0 and Big 3. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/boink.gif.91933e72f927f2cefc79aff02573090c.gif

 

[audioholic 5,000+ posts]

wow thats amazing, i wasn't stating i wouldnt use kicker in general for SQ, just the L7, i would have gone with the CVX if my intent was a SQ install but apparently i was wrong. love to see more pics

If you only listen to your music at 126db or less, by all means use SQ competition systems as your measuring stick for equipment potential. That's the db level they judge at.
Its alot harder to make a sub retain SQ at higher db levels. Hell a guy a few years ago won a major SQ championship with a largely STOCK stereo. Not taking away from the SQ guys who compete, because they compete against each other... but 126db isn't very loud for daily listening.

 

[qkassidyw 10+ year member]

because kicker has proven itself in the lanes far longer then those companies have even been in existance. you could combine re, fi and aq's records from the lanes and they won't compete with kicker's. are they getting there? you bet. Fi/sundown combos seem to be springing up everywhere and doing damage.

some people just go with what they know works, period. there just isn't much kicker hasn't won, stomped on, or set.

are there brands just as good? yep. but no mainstreme brand, save maybe dd, can really say what kicker can. like tommy has mentioned, alpine's claim to fame is the type r, pioneer's is the spl sub, memphis has the mojo lineup, but none of them can say what kicker can say across most of it's lineup. from the L5 up to the solo x, from the greatest wire ever (hyperflex is just too **** pimp) and some of the most solid, reliable amps on the market, it's just flat hard to beat kicker.

and the only kicker products i own at the moment are a kx400.1 (birthsheet states just under 500wrms) and a pair of rmb8s. i do miss my solo xs though.

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

I can completely respect this and you make a great point...probably the most intelligent thing said in this entire thread.

 

[Worlddre 5,000+ posts]

The reason I think they are overrated is because people think the square design on the SOLO's makes them better/louder, and Kicker knows that so its almost a gimick. Also the amps do put out a lot of power but its dirty. And, they need to be in a perfect enclosure for them to sound good (sub wise). Also, like any company that goes to a big box...the quality degrades...
The reason your friend beat them with type-e's is because you could throw thos ein any enclosure and they will beat...

how does one classify dirty power?

 

[silvercookie 5,000+ posts]

man look what i started

 

[sri3850341 10+ year member]

kicker is underrated (stillwater days)
now days tis standard issue

x2

my zx1500.1 at 1.5 ohm has never failed me 1 year so far

 

[Bass911 10+ year member]

To the OP, Kicker has proven numbers on the meter. Put those Type E in a real SPL contest and you'll have a very hard time beating Kicker.