Realistic Need for Kicker Hideaway?

Hey, all. I have progressively done the Kicker upgrade over the last 2 years and installed the Kicker Key a few months ago. I am extremely impressed with the sound but was wondering if the Kicker Hideaway would be a logical next step or if there would be a negligible improvement. The 6x9 CS and the 6x5 CS rear with the gain turned up more give some great bass on their own. Not really looking into doing an amp and sub in the back. Those days are long gone!

Wanted to get some feedback. I appreciate it!

 

I just did the same route, except I went Hideaway first and now I’m considering the key. The hideaway is a super easy install, and I’m very impressed with how it filled out the low end. Enough punch, enough lows, but not shake your license plate and sound like shit low. It’s well worth the $200 imo.

 

Jl audio micro sub .. 8” hides behind the rear passenger seat . Not over the top in bass completes my system and I’m not a bass head .

 

Subbed.

 

You will be amazed at how the Key brings the speakers to life.

 

I noticed the 180.4 has been discontinued and now the 200.4 is the only one available. Kinda hoping if I wait the 180.4 will go on close out somewhere and I can save a few bucks

 

If you enjoy bass, do it.

 

Definitely enjoy it but wondering if the speakers give me enough of it. Looks good under the seat!

 

Having done quite a few systems over the years, and almost always doing them in phases, what subwoofers brings to the table is being able to drive down lower than any 6x9 or 6.5” speaker ever will. They aren’t really a replacement for missing mid bass, which a speaker upgrade and the Key should have covered, they are for those low end frequencies your midrange speakers simply can’t reach.

What this means acoustically is things like drums, bass guitar’s lowest notes, the sound of thunder, will all reproduce much better. The sounds you hear in nature you can almost feel in your chest or tickle deep in the ear canal, those are what you’re missing without a subwoofer.

An audio system can sound really, really good without subs. I’ve done it before in installs where subs were simply inappropriate or not feasible. That said they do bring something to the table that makes me recommend them when they can be integrated.

 

Great feedback! How would you set it up? My fear is that I would lose what I’ve got from all 4 speakers hitting me from all around the cab by using a low frequency crossover that feeds more into the subwoofer. Does that sound right? Not an audio guru so I don’t know how all it works. Thanks again!

 

I guess what I mean is that I want to still have what I’ve got now and add to it with the hideaway.

 

I know what you mean. I recently upgraded to the hideaway after first doing the Subbie tweets, then the Kicker CS speaker upgrade, then Kicker Key amp, and finally the Hideaway. IMHO, I’d keep the 4 speakers as is. I am thinking about selling the Hideaway as it does give extra punch but for me the 4 speakers with it tuned correctly sound better than with the Hideaway. When I made the switch on the Key to have the heavy thumping come from the sub vs the front door speakers it dulled the front speakers a bit. I’m on the fence about going back.

 

I'll take your Hideaway, if the price is right.

 

I think if you engage the Key’s 60hz or 80hz low pass and add in the sub you won’t be missing anything. A low pass/high pass crossover isn’t a hard cut, they’re a soft filter. So if you low pass one at 80hz and high pass the other at 80hz and run a sweep, you’ll be able to hear both subs and mid ranges on either side of that frequency for some of the range.

Also, the frequencies the subwoofer will really come into its own are at the point your 6x9’s are really giving up. It should be additional frequency bandwidth and impact, not really taking away from what you already have.

 

All that said, I put the 60hz high pass crossover on my Kicker Key even without a subwoofer installed. Keeps the system sounding a little cleaner by preventing the door speakers from trying to dig lower than they’re able.

 

I think I understand. Thanks so much for the advice!

 

I just installed the Hideaway today. I have the same components as you, minus the Key amp. It is a huge improvement to the system. After installing the Kicker CS in all doors and the Subaru tweeters it just seemed like something was missing. The Hideaway adds what was missing. It really fills in the low end in the punk music and makes it fun to listen too again. I highly recommend it.

I installed it under the front driver seat. I pulled the high level inputs from the front speakers spliced in behind the head unit. It took about 2 hours. For some reason when I plug in the remote bass knob I get horrible distortion. I’m running it without the knob for now.

 

Where did you install your hideaway at?

 

How many channels does the key support up to?

 

Under the drivers seat. Fits nicely