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Hey guys, I installed a KTP-445A and am disappointed that it didn't make as much a difference as I thought it would. I can barely tell a difference to be honest.
2-channel.
Focal ISS 165 Components, Alpine UTE-73BT Head Unit and JL Stealthbox 10w3 Sub with JL 500/1 Amp
Nice! I just installed a very similar setup:
Focal Performance PS165F Component speakers
Pioneer x8800 Head unit
Alpine 4.1 Amp (i think its around 140w per channel bridged and like 250w for the sub)
Stealthbox with JL 10w3v3
To relate to OP, I am very happy with the Pioneer HU, Sounds great, lots of options, tons of colors to choose (including white, red, orange to match the stock gages), good BT. Basically meets all the criteria. Downside is the amp is pretty weak and sounded like trash with the upgraded speakers and i hate how many "notches" the volume scale has. I feel like im just constantly flipping the volume switch to get to the level I want. I had to crank the gain on the sub to match the fronts but to my ears, it sounds fantastic, possibly the best of any car ive heard.
Much thanks to @shrykhar, and everyone on this thread, my Kenwood KMM-BT322U. I plan on installing the unit this afternoon. But, a nearby wildfire may force me to stay inside, the smoke is unbelievably bad.
At the very least, if it's truly straight up unhealthy to be outdoors, I'm going to get as much as the wiring completed today.
I assume you've tried playing with the settings on the amp? Gain levels, speaker/line level input, high pass filters. And did you bridge the amp?
That's the thing I was surprised about, the KTP-445 A has NO settings to adjust. Unlike the 445U, it is not bridgeable and does not have any adjustment knobs or switches on the amplifier. So basically I'm running their claimed 45W per channel to the Focal components. Yes I adjusted the EQ on my head unit, but that is about it. The components have built in crossovers and the sub and sub amp are tuned to the system.
Nice! I just installed a very similar setup:
Focal Performance PS165F Component speakers
Pioneer x8800 Head unit
Alpine 4.1 Amp (i think its around 140w per channel bridged and like 250w for the sub)
Stealthbox with JL 10w3v3
To relate to OP, I am very happy with the Pioneer HU, Sounds great, lots of options, tons of colors to choose (including white, red, orange to match the stock gages), good BT. Basically meets all the criteria. Downside is the amp is pretty weak and sounded like trash with the upgraded speakers and i hate how many "notches" the volume scale has. I feel like im just constantly flipping the volume switch to get to the level I want. I had to crank the gain on the sub to match the fronts but to my ears, it sounds fantastic, possibly the best of any car ive heard.
Awesome! How do you like those Focal components so far?
That's the thing I was surprised about, the KTP-445 A has NO settings to adjust. Unlike the 445U, it is not bridgeable and does not have any adjustment knobs or switches on the amplifier. So basically I'm running their claimed 45W per channel to the Focal components. Yes I adjusted the EQ on my head unit, but that is about it. The components have built in crossovers and the sub and sub amp are tuned to the system.
Oof, sorry. On my KTP-445U I've bridged the amp to get 90W and I turned the gain slightly past halfway which I think would be more power than you'd get from a single channel unbridged. Everything else is pretty much straight pass through from my head unit.
I put a KTP-445U in my 2015 STi and honestly it didn't do much for me either. Granted it's a little larger of a car and it was going to 4 channels....It's a cheap amplifier and I wasn't expecting the world from it but while making things louder than they'd normally be it distorted very quickly no matter how much I played with various gain settings. I was planning on adding one to my s2000 but I really don't want to go pulling apart more plastic panels than I need to....I already broke the access panel on my AP1 that everyone likes to place the amp behind when I was doing the top-down mod and installing the SCV wire.
Mind you, I'm far from a gorilla, and very meticulous when it comes to taking things apart. But when other people say this thing is in there tight they're not kidding. I'm not sure if some WD-40 sprayed under and behind that portion of the dash before trying to dis-engage the clips would help at all. I spent 10 or so minutes fiddling with it trying to get the clips to disengage and once I started to see the plastic crack I just ripped it out. The clips are on there so tight they actually start to tear the plastic before letting go.
In short I don't think the KTP-445U is worth the hassle of trying to install in this car or really any for the matter.....I've never had good luck with sound systems...and I'm no audiophile...I've just never been satisfied by upgrades. Sound is subjective, and I've read about various setups and have done my research before just throwing parts at a car....I spent a lot of money for the OEM Audio + setup for my STi (standalone amp, mixer, enclosed sub) and it still did not impress me at all for what I paid.
I installed the Alpine UTE-73BT with the modifry adapter and SCV and I'm happy with the results. I'm just trying to keep things simple and be satisfied with the ability to have BT and stream music from my phone. Plus most single dins look really wonky, luckily the Alpine unit is very modest in terms of weirdly shaped buttons and what not. It has enough volume to listen to my music top-down on the highway. That's plenty for me considering this car is a seasonal pleasure vehicle; driving it is the treat for me, so the radio is rarely on. Just be careful with your damn panel if you have an AP1....a red or blue replacement is difficult to find!
11-08-2018, 05:42 PM
