KXMA400.4

Overview: Kicker KXM Series amplifiers combine a small footprint and sleek design with ample power to drive your speakers and subwoofers. The KXM amps are designed for marine applications, with sealed controls and gasketed power terminals to protect them from moisture. New technology onboard lets you easily set the gain and maximize the output. KXM amplifiers feature FIT2 (Fail-Safe Integration Technology) circuitry to let you connect the amp to virtually any radio.

Marine Certified: The Kicker KMX Series amplifiers are made for marine applications. The power, ground, remote, and speaker terminals meet stringent standards set by the NMMA (National Marine Manufacturers Association) and the ABYC (American Boat & Yacht Council) for protection from moisture. The control panel has a drop-down door with a rubber gasket to keep moisture out. The internal circuit boards are conformal coated to protect them from water damage. On the outside, the aluminum chassis is UV-treated to protect it from harmful UV rays for long life.

Power Output: The KXMA400.4 is a 4-channel amplifier designed to power up to two pairs of speakers and/or subwoofers. The amplifier provides the following power output:

• 50 watts x 4 RMS at 4Ω stereo (≤1% THD+N, 14.4V)
• 100 watts x 4 RMS at 2Ω stereo (≤1% THD+N, 14.4V)
• 200 watts x 2 RMS at 4Ω bridged mono (≤1% THD+N, 14.4V)

Gain Matching: The Kicker KXMA400.4 makes it easy to set the input gain through a procedure called Gain Matching. The goal is to match the output of the source unit to the input level of the amplifier. The amp features a self-illuminating gain control knob that indicates when the amplifier is clipping, allowing you to properly set the gain. Kicker recommends setting the gain using test tones for best results.

Controls: The controls for the amplifier are located on the side of the amplifier behind a protective drop-down door. The door is sealed with a rubber gasket to keep out dust and moisture. A 3mm Allen wrench is provided for gaining access to the controls. There are separate controls for Amp 1 (front channels) and Amp 2 (rear channels). The controls include:

• Gain Control: The rotary Gain Controls let you match the output of the source unit to the amplifier. When setting the Gain, you should turn the source unit up to about 3/4 of the maximum volume, adjust the gain until the LED on the Gain Control illuminates (or audible distortion can be heard), and then back the gain down slightly.
• Crossovers: The amp has rotary controls for setting the crossovers for Amp 1 and Amp 2. The crossovers have a 24dB/octave slope.
  • Amp 1: The Amp 1 crossover can be set to high-pass, low-pass, or full-range (off) operations. The cutoff frequency can be set between 10Hz and 500Hz or between 100Hz and 5000Hz with the 1x/10x range switch set to 10x.
  • Amp 2: The Amp 2 crossover can be set to high-pass, low-pass, band-pass, or full-range (off) operations. The high-pass cutoff frequency can be set between 10Hz and 500Hz. The low-pass cutoff frequency can be set between 40Hz and 500Hz or between 400Hz and 5000Hz with the 10x range switch setting.
• KickEQ Bass Boost: The KickEQ Bass Boost features a rotary control to set the level between 0dB and 18dB at a center frequency of 40Hz. Separate KickEQ controls are provided for Amp 1 and Amp 2.
• Fader: You can feed an audio signal to the amplifier with two sets of inputs (front and rear), or with a single stereo input. The Fader button should be set to On for two sets of inputs, and Off to drive all channels with a single input.
• Radio Detect: If you are sending a high-level input signal to the amplifier, but the amp cannot detect it, the Radio Detect feature adds a load resistor to the inputs to tell the source unit that speakers are present. Radio Detect should not be used when using low-level inputs.

Auto Turn-on: The amplifier has three Auto Turn-on modes: +12V, Signal Sense, and DC Offset. The preferred auto turn-on method is to run an 18-gauge wire from the remote turn-on lead of the source unit to the Remote (REM) terminal on the amp. When a +12V signal is detected on the wire, the amplifier will turn on. If your source unit lacks a remote turn-on lead (a factory head unit, for example), you can choose to turn on the amplifier via the signal sense or DC Offset method. When the incoming audio signal from the source unit is detected, the amplifier automatically powers up. When a 3V DC offset is detected on the source unit's speaker outputs, the amplifier automatically turns on. You can select the Auto Turn-on method via a 3-way switch.

Connections: The KXMA400.4 has set screw terminals for power, ground, and turn-on lead (REM). The power and ground terminals will accept up to 4-gauge wire (4-gauge is recommended), and the turn-on lead will accept up to 8 gauge (18-gauge recommended). The set screws can be loosened/tightened with the supplied 3mm Allen wrench. The speaker outputs are set-screw terminals as well, and capable of accepting up to 8-gauge speaker wire. Three pairs of RCA jacks are provided -- two pairs for the front (Amp 1) and rear (Amp 2) input signals and a third pair for the output signal. The RCA inputs will receive either high or low level signals from your source unit. If you are using a high level signal, you can connect the source unit's speaker wires to optional Kicker KiSL speaker-to-RCA adapters, or splice the speaker wires to a male RCA plug. The RCA outputs can be used to feed the audio signal to another amplifier, if desired.

External Fuse: The amplifier does not include a built-in fuse, therefore an external fuse should be placed on the power wire, within 7" (U.S.C.G. standard) of the battery. It is recommended that a 4-gauge amplifier wiring kit and a 100A external fuse be used when installing the amplifier.

Note: Kicker will extend the standard warranty by an additional year (for a total of three years) when a qualifying Kicker Installation Kit (such as the PK4 or CK4) is purchased with the amplifier.

Certified Power: Each amplifier is tested when it comes off of the assembly line. Tests are run for Total Harmonic Distortion, Signal-to-Noise Ratio, Protection Circuit, and Total Power Output. A Certified Power certificate with model and serial number is included with each amp with the measured power output figure, and a pass/fail grade for the other tests.

• 4-channel marine amplifier
• 50 watts RMS x 4 at 4 ohms (100 watts RMS x 4 at 2 ohms)
• 200 watts RMS x 2 bridged at 4 ohms (4-ohm stable in bridged mode)
• CEA-2006 compliant
• Class D amp technology
• gain knobs also function as clip lights
• Amp1:
  • variable high- or low-pass filter (10-5000 Hz, 24 dB/octave)
• Amp 2:
  • variable high-pass filter (10-500 Hz, 24 dB/octave)
  • variable low-pass filter (40-5000 Hz, 24 dB/octave)
  • bandpass engages both high- and low-pass filters
• variable bass boost (0-18 dB at 40 Hz) on all channels
• weather-resistant conformal-coated circuit boards
• front-mounted controls protected behind gasket-sealed fold-down door
• Fail-Safe Integration Technology eliminates noise from your vehicle's electrical system
• preamp and speaker-level inputs (speaker wire to RCA adapter required for speaker-level input)
• preamp outputs
• wiring, hardware, and fuse not included with amplifier
  • 4-gauge power and ground wiress and a 100-amp fuse recommended
• dimensions: 11-1/4"W x 2-3/16"H x 8-1/8"D

USER MANUAL