Install: When Your Boat Needs A Kick

PontoonTV: Kicker Marine Audio from Harris Media Services on Vimeo.

Have you ever been out on the water, cruising around with your family and have been able to hear the sound system of another boat all the way on the other side of the lake? Did you wish your weak speakers, stereo, radio, or whatever outdated setup you’re rockin’ could have the same volume output and clean clarity as theirs? Well, maybe your boat just needs a little kick by adding a KICKER sound system. A dominant player in the market of marine audio since 1973, KICKER is always a great choice for upgrades when looking to replace your boat’s original audio equipment.

A Couple Of Upgrades
Recently we followed the installs of two local pontoon owners who chose to go with new KICKER products to improve the sound systems on their individual boats.

After much research (and really wanting to rock out the lake), Don Potter invested in a complete audio overhaul with four KM Series Marine Coaxial speakers with colored LED light rings, a KMC4 media center and head unit, a 10-inch L7S square marine subwoofer, and a KXMA amp to run it all–each component made specifically for the marine environment and all from KICKER.

With the KMC4, one of KICKER’s premier media centers, Don now has four channels and up to 200 watts of built-in power. The system comes equipped with an AM/FM/weather-band tuner, charging USB connection and four sets of RCA outputs for easy expansion. And he can stay on the water all day without worrying about overheating his L7S subwoofer. It is specifically designed so as the woofer's cone moves downward, hot air around the voice coil is forced out of the woofer, and consequently draws cool outside air into the woofer, cooling the voice coil as the cone moves back upward.

Over-The-Top
Obviously designed specifically for marine use, the electronics are designed to go on a boat. However, KICKER went the extra mile and completely waterproofed them for both fresh and saltwater environments. The KM Coaxial speakers meet or exceed ASTM standards for humidity and corrosion, as well as for material degradation due to UV exposure, and also come with rustproof, 316L stainless-steel speaker hardware. And finally, Don is sure to get the exact sound that floats his boat with the easily accessible KXMA amp with a 24dB crossover that lets him quickly tune his system to perfection with its variable 24dB subsonic filter on the five-channel amp.

Father & Son Project
Don and his son Jamey did the entire installation themselves, and though they respectfully took their time to make sure they were doing it right, they had no issues with any of the wiring or setup. In fact, the 8-inch KICKER speakers actually had a better fit than the boat’s stock 6-inch speakers as apparently with the optional light rings made for the coaxial speakers was a perfect spacer that helped the 8-inch speakers fit into the original 6-inch ports without needing a single custom modification. And the same goes for the head unit media center they got: it fit just snug and tight.

“It’s killer,” said Don with a big smile on his face aboard his pontoon. “This is one heck of an upgrade!”

And their neighbors thought so too! When Don and Jamey completed the installation, they connected their phones to the KMC4 media center via Bluetooth. And at low volume, the entire street – and probably a majority of the neighborhood – could hear the sweet tuneage of Led Zeppelin right around lunch time with the clean and clear quality sound KICKER is known for.

“I’m all in with KICKER, that’s for sure!” Don said in an interview following the install.

And when asked if he'd recommend them to someone looking to do a similar overhaul to their boat’s sound system, he said KICKER was the only way to go.

“This is who I’d suggest,” said Don. “Absolutely!”

Another Happy Customer
As for the second boat, Tom Wilson decided to get his own four KM Series Marine Coaxial speakers with the LED light rights as well, along with a KMC4 media center head unit, a KXMA amp, and a completely weatherproof TB subwoofer enclosure by KICKER. It comes with an innovative bracket system, allowing the TB to be mounted both horizontally or vertically.

“Simple, simple installation,” Tom emphasized. “Everything was in the instructions and extremely easy to follow.”

The hardest part of the installation for Tom was wiring the boat, which was actually understandable considering the age of his old radio system. He did everything himself including the wiring and he’s definitely pleased with his upgrade.

“With this new KICKER system, people can hear me across the lake,” says Tom. “My son has a new high-end boat with an expensive sound system and I’m louder than he is!”

KICKER Checks The Box
All in all, both pontoon owners did their homework first, researching who they should go with to upgrade their boat’s music-blasting appeal, and both are happy they went with KICKER. Not only that, but both Don and Tom were satisfied beyond expectation with the end result. For their individual needs, the complete KICKER systems checked all the boxes of what they were looking for. They recommend KICKER to anyone looking to swap out their current setups. Combined with easy-to-follow instructions and backed by a manufacturer who clearly understands what boaters truly want, these two boaters will continue to enthusiastically share their love of the KICKER brand with those around them, one amazing song at a time.