Features

Overview: Kicker KX Series amplifiers combine a small footprint and sleek design with ample power to drive your car's speakers and subwoofers. The KXA1200.1 includes an innovative wireless remote that lets you control much more than the amp's volume. New technology onboard lets you easily set the gain and maximize the output. KX amplifiers feature FIT2 (Fail-Safe Integration Technology) circuitry to let you connect the amp to virtually any radio.

Power Output: The KXA1200.1 is a mono block amplifier designed to power the subwoofers in your vehicle. The amplifier provides the following power output:

• 600 watts x 1 RMS at 4Ω (≤1% THD+N, 14.4V)
• 1200 watts x 1 RMS at 2Ω (≤1% THD+N, 14.4V)

Gain Matching: The Kicker KXA1200.1 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. A self-illuminating gain control knob indicates when the amplifier is clipping, allowing you to properly set the gain. Kicker recommends setting the gain using test tones for best results. In addition, you can use the Clip Indicator feature on the included KXARC remote to identify when the amp is clipping.

SHOCwave: The SHOCwave (Sub Harmonic Octave Creation) feature can restore low frequencies that are lost due to compression in digital music files or in older recordings. Using the KXARC remote, you can adjust the SHOC level until the low frequencies are satisfactory. For the effect to work properly, the subwoofer channel must be operating with a full-range signal.

KXARC: The amplifier includes the KXARC wireless remote control that connects via Bluetooth. Not only can you adjust the amplifier gain, you can also set the phase (0° or 180°), control the SHOCwave feature, and monitor the amplifier's output for clipping. The remote features a rotary dial with a push button action to activate the indicated selection. The KXARC is powered by a CR2450 cell battery, and can control up to four amplifiers simultaneously.

Controls: The controls for the amplifier are located on the side of the amplifier behind a protective drop-down door. A 4mm Allen wrench is provided for gaining access to the controls. The controls include:

• Gain Control: This rotary Gain Control lets 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.
• Subsonic Filter: The Subsonic filter provides a cutoff point for lower frequencies that could potentially damage your speakers. These low frequencies may cause over-excursion in the drivers and waste amplifier power. You can set the subsonic filter between 10Hz and 80Hz to match your speaker's low-frequency capability. The filter has a 24dB/octave slope.
• Low-pass Crossover: The amp has a rotary control for setting the low-pass crossover between 40Hz and 160Hz. The crossover has a 24dB/octave slope.
• KickEQ Bass Boost: The KickEQ Parametric Bass Boost features three rotary controls for level, center frequency, and bandwidth. The boost level is variable between 0dB and 18dB, and you can set the center frequency between 20Hz and 80Hz. The bandwidth of the bass boost is variable from levels 1 to 5, with the higher bandwidth setting resulting in a sharper cut at the frequencies above and below the selected center frequency.

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.

Radio Detect: This Kicker amplifier is equipped with a Radio Detect function that works with some factory radio systems. If you have connected Hi-level inputs to the amplifier, but the source unit cannot detect an audio system present, or will not play audio out of one or more speakers, you may need to engage the Radio Detect feature. Pressing in the Radio Detect button activates a load resistor at the amplifier's inputs to help the head unit detect that there are speakers present. The Radio Detect feature should not be used if you are using low-level inputs because the input signal level is greatly reduced.

Connections: The KXA1200.1 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. There are two sets of speaker terminals to make it easier to connect multiple subwoofers. The terminals are wired internally in parallel. Two pairs of RCA jacks are provided -- one pair for the input signal and another 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 18" of the battery. It is recommended that a 4-gauge amplifier wiring kit and a 150A external fuse be used when installing 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.