These Old School Kicker amps are stuff dreams are made of.
Yes they where, back in 1996 thr Crutchfield catalog was almost as good as a playboy.
So crazy that back in 90s we used to run four subs in 300-500 watts and that ish use to bump!!
I was in the 251-500 class in IASCA using these Kicker cheater amps. I was running 4 12" kickers running at 1 ohm and would shake the buildings I was next to. Kicker amps were beast back then.
I bought one in 1998 and loved it but what made me love kicker / stillwater designs was I was missing the cover cap and contacted them about buying one . They sent me one for free . Even the shipping they took care of . Miss those simpler times !
**UPDATE** See SPL run with this amp and Quad Box: ua-cam.com/video/JUNlnRccI0Y/v-deo.html
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Video Index:
0:00 Intro - Cheater Amps
1:00 - Kicker Quad Box
1:30 - Kicker 90's Cheater Amps
2:02 - Kicker X50s Amp
2:52 - Kicker Manuals
3:21 - Kicker X50s Specs
4:29 - Kicker Amp Modules
6:43 - Powering Up Amp
8:11 - Amp Dyno Tests
12:25 - What's Inside?
13:35 - Do it Bump Doe?
14:34 - 13V Test 1 Ohm
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Thanks for providing these videos man, there’s not many if any people doing stuff like this. Thanks
My buddy found a old module in his storage. We had a good laugh reminiscing 😂
137 db is my guess. Love the old school car audio. Everything from the amps to subs and pullout decks and builds. Show more. Love the channel
I have a old school X100s I still use today. Works beautiful!
Absolutely love the kicker XS and ZR series amps
It's so cool seeing amps that existed before I ever knew or cared about car audio. My guess is 138.5 db on the floor with the windows slightly open.
128 DB is my guess :) love the old stuff from the days I used to do competition! I used A/D/S/ amps but always loved the kicker stuff!
I remember reading that edition of Car audio magazine.
I had 2 of these amps so I could compete in the 100 watt USAC class, I was so stoked and absolutely loved them. This video was super nostalgic for me, thanks for posting!!!!!
I love the simple look of the old school amps, function over form for the win!
Bringing back the good old days seeing that amp with modules Big D! I guess you'll hit 143.2 burp. Thanks for keeping the old school alive!
What a gem man glad u were able to show it to us
My ex still runs my old 90s model profile Amp. Runs like a charm daily
Showing how some old school gear runs today is awesome. I was a teenager in 96 and just getting into car audio. I always swore that the older stuff sounded way better and louder than stuff available today. Maybe it's just euphoric recall. If you can get your hands on some Soundstream stuff from the 90's when it was made in Folsom Ca. would be really cool. The Soundstream SPL series subwoofers were always my favorite. Keep up the cool content Big D.
These are my favorite videos...reliving my youth I suppose. Right on Big D.
Also loved my punch 360 dot 6. That was a great amp
Man takes me back. I remember seeing these and wishing I could buy one. And yeah, the low efficiency of these early class-B's. I remember having a JBL that I was running below its rated impedance in bridged mode. Made a shitload of power but man was it inefficient. The headlights would almost go out on bass hits. Made the car look like a disco going down the road. After I got done using it I opened it up and it looked like Chernobyl inside. Just hot melty plastic in the bottom from the transformer bobbin and lots of black resistors and board traces. Amazingly it still worked despite being grilled into oblivion.
A good old school amp to test it a alpine v12 because I have one and I want to see what power it puts out
Love your videos so much
An amp i remember a lot of people having in the late 90's early 00's was a "Punch 200"? It bumped everything everyone had.
I had a Punch 60ix, between me and my friends it took some intense abuse for years and refused to die!
@@michaelhollon5332 bought a iron waffle punch 40.. Let my friend used it.. He had gear oil leak on it.. It died.. Fosgate repaired it free.
I was a Punch 150 guy early 90's that amp handled EVERYTHING I threw at and it never broke a sweat It was the center of many keg parties back in the day 🔊🔊🔊👍🏽👊🏽✌🏽💯
For a 25 year old amp its super clean inside and still hit rated power numbers pretty dam amazing BIG D 🔥🔥🔥🔥👍
Love the channel! this was surprising. I remember competition amps being really weak at 4 ohms then going way over rated power at lower impedance.
BigD!! What up, y0? Got an update on the Mc yet? That's my jam, bro!
I remember these amps back in the day back when car audio felt special to have and subs performed so well and you didn’t need ten k to be someone with a banging system
You clearly werent paying attention lol did you not see those prices in the mag?? Lol stop it. Car audio was way more expensive back in the day compared to today lol
@@Playaflydre Lol wtf its still just as expensive you must not be paying attention
@@Playaflydre I guess you’ve never owned or bought anything higher end in car audio cause you’re stuck on thinking cause its got low power numbers that means it’s not worth the money well you should expand your research on higher end amps like Audio Art or Xtant or something it’s not always bout quantity it’s quality over quantity
@@jasonjackson329 neither of those companies sell 4ch amps at that price with that low of output. Thanks for ASSumming you know what i have or know. Again stop it
Awesome video love the old school Amps I am still bumping the zr600 with sub crossover module and I still have the original box for the amp
My guess is 136.4, good luck.
Oh wow, that would be pretty good with the power here. I'm hoping for a little more, but we'll see...
I was thinking around that, but considering its an efficient enclosure with 4 12's in close quarters in a truck... the box can give +6 dB... I say 140-142. We will see.
So many variables. How are you testing Big D? At the windscreen? Headrest? Windows up or down?
@@TheRedDeadRat Testing at the windscreen/dashboard with windows closed is the correct way to test. According to the old IASCA rules
I’m gonna say you’ll hit about 140.3db. Great video! Made me reminisce about my first amps in the early 90’s. I had a couple of Acoustic 380’s with 4 Acoustic 10’s. Wasn’t the greatest but sure beat the brakes if my 6x9’s I had before that. I’m in my 50’s now and still play it loud my 11 yr. old Kenwood 1800 watt amp on my Alpine 12” sub. “If it’s too loud, your too old” and I still can’t visualize when I’ll reach an age where that’s true. Keep it up 👍.
142.3 is my guess. Love the amp dynos, keep up the good work!
More optimization coming, but here is the initial run ua-cam.com/video/JUNlnRccI0Y/v-deo.html
141.3dB is my guess. Love that combination of new and old school!
I had one of these running some jl audio components back in the day. Was a great little amp.
I had the MTX 225 HO 25x2 and 700x1@1ohm I believe loved that amp
Same old stuff Glad to see your back after it
Hey- thanks again for your content. Awesome stuff! I got a lot of those magazines from back then- I saved them to keep an q&a article I was featured in, as a teen, asking questions about band pass boxes. If you want to get some stuff to borrow for your show- let me know. Cheers
I had one of these on 4 10s back in 1996 in a ext cab Toyota with a walk thru and a snug top. It slammed!
Reminds me of my ZR I had back in the day. The heatsinks on those old Kickers were awesome, they made the amp heavy as hell but they were so good at sucking up any heat. Man do I miss it, those amps would run any sub you threw at it at 1ohm all day no problems.
Killing me boss my first amp was a 200si and my second a xs50. The good old days paying well over a dollar a watt and happy to do it😂😂love this channel👍🏻👍🏻
134.7db in the sequoia!!! Str8 bangin!!!
Just another great video as always! If you're not learning something new everyday, well you're doing it wrong my friends.....
Thank you. Big D!
My 85 s10 blazer had 4 of the XS100 on 8 of the XPL 15s in a sealed clamshell B Pillar wall and was consistent 158 - 159 legal back in the mid 90s. Ive still got the score sheets from a few of the shows it was at
Amazing really that kicker is still doing the same thing today, for example with their key amps. Back in the 90s to have those swappable modules must have been quite unique.
Cool video! Its fun to see old hardware being put to the test. And my guess is probably anywhere between 115 and 130 dbs.
Love those amps man, made me remember my old days of wanting what I couldn’t afford! I would guess 145 db?
Super cool! Love seeing the stuff that I grew up with! 124db my guess!
Man I miss all my old school kicker amps I had all the zr models from the zr120 to the zr1000 I had the kicker xs 100 the kicker dx350 and even the kicker zx460 this was when kicker was really all about competition
crazy how far car audio has come in 15 short years
I've got a XS50 and ZR120 in my oldschool 92 b2200 90s minitruck build. oldschool kicker amps are awesome 🔥
@@walawesome I hit 127.29 db at 55hz sealed with 2 solobaric l7 8s on my xs50 in sealed boxes. which I don't think Is too bad considering the age of the gear and the fact that they are not ported.
I had 3 of these amps back when with a 6 jlw6's. It was insane.
A friend of mine in high school had a Kocker amp. Don't know the model...but she was a beast!! I'm willing to bet you'll pull a 145 off the glass
Its one brand i couldn't get my hands on for my collection. But do love the early gens ☺👍
I had this amp. It had a sheet with it that said it put out 442 watts to 1 at 1 ohm. Had 2 kicker comp 12’s from 1996 hooked up to it. That was one of my favorite systems. Also hooked up two round solo baric 15’s for a week and that was very loud! Even tho it was way under powered. Pissed off a lot of people lol
Remember those Amp having flash back of my days at Audio Express 😏😏
Love these ole cheater amps.used them a bunch in spl contests all over indiana during the 90s.droppn' the ohms greatly impacts wattage for a short burst for comp... I guessin' 147.8
Love your content! My first system was 2 12" and 2 15" Mohawks, on a 400w Audiovox amp. sounded qmazing. And got pretty loud. My best was a 151.4. If I had to guess I'd say you are gonna pull the same 151.4.
Definitely a classic.. brings back memories of having a small fortune in stereo equipment that cost more than the car itself.. 112db or 128db...
I did 133 dB with two MTX Blue Thunder 10's and a PPI A200 @ 200W in my MX-3 back in 1995. I think he will do more.
I have a Kicker X100 in my closet if you ever want to test it. I worked for Rolling Thunder here in Vegas and we were the #1 Kicker dealer in the country so they sent us 2 X100's and 2 X50's to do real world testing on them and that's is where my X100 came from. I had it on 6 Kicker C15's and was tearing up the 0-150 class up and down the west coast.
Heck I even have a few Kicker XS 100's in my closet that I was using in the 250-500 watt class back in the day.
I drooled over them when they were new.
Cheater Amps. Love them. Had a Crossfire myself with a pair of Autotek 12's. Was a nice setup for 1997-98
My guess on the db in the sequoia would be 137.2db love the channel big D keep up the good work!
Cool info, thanks :)
Nice to see it's still Kick'n it out!!! Gotta love the old school cheaters. My guess, it will be just a hair over 140db - I'll peg my guess at 143db...
So cool! Back in the day I put a Punch 45 on 9 G&S Redlines in my wife's new Taurus. Not loud but smooth....
Later swapped out the Punch for a US Amps X50 ( exterminator 50 I believe).
The system went quite a bit louder:)
I had one of these on 4 mtx thunder 5000 12's back in the day in a regular cab 1988 S-10, banged pretty hard actually
I vote a 144 db for the kicker amp, pumped to see the results 😬
i can hear the apprehension in your voice as you power the dyno up
Old school? Say what?! Those amps are absolutely a very unique, yet simple design. Reminiscent of bits and pieces I've seen from a/d/s, PG, but all Kicker OG.
Oh the days of running two channel bridge amps and going from 20w x2 to 1000w x1 🤣🤣 yeah im old enough to remember those days
I just saw this amp for sale on Ebay for nearly $2000! Insane.
I have an old Orion 425 HCCA, so I'll guess 142.5 db. Love your videos
remember today's pressure sensors are around 6dB quieter than the old SPL mics. See my result here: ua-cam.com/video/JUNlnRccI0Y/v-deo.html
uncle Mike!!!!!... badass lil amp you have
I predict 138 Db, that was my best in 1987. A Rockford 50x4 amp driving a Boston Acoustics three way component set and a PP 200 driving four 10" Pyle's in a Chevy van. My first big installation. Good times!
Maybe we can get an East Coast meet-up next Spring. Should be in the safe zone by then!!! Like to see that Kicker Quad in person
@Frank Bonazza III Maybe we could leave 2 sided Politics out of it, and work on getting us all better HOWEVER each person sees fit. Then we can have some go Old School times!!
Used to drool over these in Crutchfield. High school w/ a minimum wage job meant I couldn’t afford them. Ended up buying US Acoustics instead and wasn’t disappointed.
@@wal may have been in Car Audio. Still couldn’t afford them at the time. McIntosh was what I really wanted.
142.7db my guess. I wish I knew where my old hifonics vulcan amp went years ago. I'd send it to you to test. As always great video.
142.1 had to change it I saw a 142. That Kicker amp is made like the old soundstream where the fets are attached through the board to the heat-sink on top. Very efficient for heat dissipation
Super cool. My guess is 134.4
Nice looking old school amp. Reminds of style back then. Harman kardon ca100, or ads, soundstream amps. Great sounding and I would run still if available. 👍😁😷
I love the zr amps
I'd say about 100 db at the front seat. Hard to say exactly without knowing the test distance and other variables but if I had to guess I would say "it do bump doe". Nice old school find. Reminds me of my old Clarion 50 X2. It was tiny but still a champ for adding a little grunt to a factory set up. Wish I still had it. I would love to see one dynoed. 👏
I would love to see the M1D by DD on that amp dyno
I have that exact car audio magazine in my office next to all my old school amps!!!!
I loved these amps. I had (I think) a zr500 running 4 comp 12s and it was amazing. I currently have a kicker 1000.1 running 2 compR 12s and it sounds great. But something about that old kicker stuff just rubs me the right way.
Nice video my friend
Now this is freaking bad ass!!
138.8 db. subs facing up, port toward rear @ 47 hz. Back in 97' did a 129.0 with orion hcca225 and pair of cerwin vega xl12D's in a 91 Grand Prix
Definitely ol skool was were it was at. I couldn't afford to drive to ISAC comps but A few little local shops got USAC to come do a event. My first amp was a road gear cheapo from Walmart. I loved kicker but don't hate MTX XTANT was my choice. BIG D`s Quad Spl will be 110db depending on how he puts the box in the sequoia. Gj with the vid as always.
That's a beautiful amp love the consistency I'm guessing 145.2
They were really cool they had a clear case so you could see the guts
I had a bunch of amps from the 90's have 2left and one is what you are looking for but it's hooked up
I had a few of those Orion HCCA amps , Fosgate power 650.
Pretty cool that Kicker has their manuals all the way to back then still on the site. In the mean time some companies can't even get specs published for their current products. Guess they have to wait for the cookie cutter to report back... 🍪👨🍳
You are so right! Same owner since 1973 and they are still killing the game!
That is something all that's been in for the long haul should do.. Even if they been passed around..
Love some old school amps. These models are just a bit before my time. I started with two of the black Impulse amps, then got a ZR240. Kicker amps looked so awesome
I figured out why these chinese cookie cutter amps are all rated sopoorly, and why companies don't change them. You see, it cost nothing to add your brand or logo, website etc. They have white labels for that data input. However, to change the box, packaging, manual, etc... you must pay extra fees. Now company A has to charge more than company B with the same amp but lower numbers in the data. All is good so long as you are truthful correct? But wait... once consumers realize you have same amp, charging more. They will just go buy the liars amp anyways cause it is cheaper.
@@MurderousMindstate right.. If i "made" a amp from China.. They told me 50 watts rms.. I'd send it to someone.. If it put 30watts rms.. I'd call it 20 watts rma.. Even if it's rolling of a assembly line they all are not all the same.