Kicker ZX850.4 or JL Audio HD600/4

I'm working on aquiring parts for my stereo install. It includes 3 amps and one of those is a Kicker 850.4. It's just so frickin big. Big enough and heavy enough I am considering going with a JL HD 600/4. It's a couple hundred more, but it is much smaller and should run more efficiently.

Thoughts?

I'm not too familiar with the Kicker Amps, but i do know the JL HD amps are amazing little machines, i don't think you would be unhappy

I have 3 MHD600/4 in my supra.. Those things are awesome If I had it to redo I would of only went with 1 600/4 to all 8 of my ws-650 highs instead of 2... Also I only went with the MHD due to my mounting location...

Kickers are nice but thats not really even close. The JL is a much more effecient amp with a smaller footprint and simular output.

Matt, what's your opinion on the WS-650s? i was thinking about switching to those and putting another 600/4 in my boat

Kick Kicker to curb...go with JL. You will be very happy with your choice.

Kicker going up for sale. The 600/4 is on the way and will be installed next week when I do the complete install.

If anyone is interested, I'm cleaning house

ZX850.4 New
ZX650.4 New
ZX550.2 New

I vote for Kicker. If for nothing else than the great feedback everyone gets from Phil on this forum. You can't go wrong with Kicker.

I 2nd kicker I have the 850.4 running my wet sounds 3some I think they sound great.

Sorry bout jumping on your thread

Ryan, I have 4 pair of ws-420 in the boat.... They are crazy loud & very clear... I also have 2 pair in my Rhino... Jumping sand dunes @ 50mph without a windshield & you can hear them clear as day...

awesome, i think i'll start out with one 600/4 on them and see where we need to go from there

The only issue I really had with the Kickers was nothing to do with them. Just had to do with available space to mount things. With 3 amps, an omnifi and some other things I was running out of room really quick. I might use two of the kickers in my truck. If not, I'll sell them. Phil does give solid advice and I appreciate that he is a part of this forum.

omnifi! sweet. Kickin' it old skool.

I have that omnifi for years waiting for an install. I had two of them, but sold one a couple weeks ago.

Since we're talking stereo, here is what is going on.

Making the mounting rack out of starboard to fit the opening. I'll epoxy some boards to the wall and screw the mounting board to those boards.




The electrical wiring.


The component layout.



New plate to mount the head unit, switches, omnifi and equalizer. It's being lasercut out of aluminum by someone I know.

Honestly (and I've used 'em for years), I think you are better off with a modern headunit with usb and a 16 or 32gb thumb drive than with an omnifi. The omnifi is freaking huge, and it's hard drive based, so it WILL skip in chop. It was a rad concept in 2004. Today's modern HU's have such better integration with digital media, though....

The install in my old pathfinder:

I have a modern headunit that has USB in. You bring up a good point about the chop and the skipping. Most of the time it would be used at rest. I'll have to give that some thought.

I've got one sitting in my closet that I seriously considered putting in the boat. But the level of complication involved (wiring it up, running the control cable, mounting the face plate, etc) ultimately outweighed the convenience of just slipping a thumb drive in my deck.