# Kenwood KAC-X4R opinions



## tdicola (Apr 16, 2007)

I'm looking for a reasonably priced way to add a DSP to my car for time alignment, parametric EQ, crossovers, etc. I stumbled on the Kenwood KAC-X4R, a 4 channel class D amp that claims to have a DSP built-in. Does anyone know more about this amplifier? Kenwood's site doesn't have much information but it lists the features:
- 75 Watts X4 @ 4 Ohms, 100 Watts x4 @ 2 Ohms 
- Variable High Pass (40Hz-200Hz or 500Hz-5000Hz, 12, 24dB per octave) 
- Low Pass Filter: (40Hz-200Hz or 500Hz-5000Hz, 12, 24dB per octave) 
- Full DSP with Time Alignment. 
- Parametric Equalizer: Frequency, Quality Factor, Boost & Cut 

Does anyone know, are the crossovers implemented in the DSP? Does the DSP use IIR or FIR filters? 

If this is a decent unit it seems like a great deal for people who want a simple active setup with their factory radio; I have a pair of BG Neo3 and Dayton RS-180 speakers in my Mazda3 that badly need time alignment and a more flexible crossover.

Unfortunately because of my low post count I can't post a direct link without the message being deleted (very frustrating!), but here are links to this amplifier:

Ikesound: ikesound.com/product-product_id/6401

Kenwood's info: kenwoodusa.com/products/ListProduct.aspx?k1=2&k2=42&k3=155&pr=2745


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## tdicola (Apr 16, 2007)

I was able to track down the manual, it's available at:

inform2.kenwoodusa.com/manuals/KAC-X4R.pdf

According to the manual the unit allows high and low pass filters at:
30/40/50/60/70/80/90/100/120/150/180/220/250/500/630/800/1k/1.25k/1.6k/2k/2.5k/3.15k/4k/5k ohms at -12 or -24dB slope, not a bad range for a small amplifier. You can also specify 0-3.9ms of delay per channel in .1ms increments.

I'm pretty sold on the features of the amp but am curious if anyone can comment on the quality of Kenwood's Excelon line of components. I might have to be a guinea pig and give this amp a shot.


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## tdicola (Apr 16, 2007)

Now that I have 5 posts, proper links:

Ikesound

Kenwood's page

Manual


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## Babs (Jul 6, 2007)

Resurrecting this one.. 

Opinions or feedback on this amp? 
Appears to have quite a little processor built in.. gets little to no press.. Anything? Anyone hear the KAC-X4R?


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## Ultimateherts (Nov 13, 2006)

I bought one and should be arriving tommorow! I will be installing it as soon as I get my new deck (in order to do that someone has to by Blaupunkt VW1200 12" sub check the FS section).


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## skylar112 (Dec 8, 2005)

Ultimateherts said:


> I bought one and should be arriving tommorow! I will be installing it as soon as I get my new deck (in order to do that someone has to by Blaupunkt VW1200 12" sub check the FS section).


Please do post a review, I though it was a good looking amp, despite that is it bandpassable?


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## Ultimateherts (Nov 13, 2006)

Just as a side note I will not be using any of the crossover features on the amp itself. Also I am switching from Blaupunkt Velocity amps so it should be interesting!


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## Babs (Jul 6, 2007)

Ultimateherts said:


> Just as a side note I will not be using any of the crossover features on the amp itself. Also I am switching from Blaupunkt Velocity amps so it should be interesting!


How about any of the other processing.. EQ or TA? Or are you just running it "amp.. by itself.. dsp bypassed"?

I read up the manual last night and came to one conclusion on this amp... It's a very very very capable alternative to other processing alternatives with one single major massive flaw.... You have no control from the driver's seat... It's all done from the control panel of the amp itself, which sucks royally if you have it mounted under a seat or in-back somewhere.. Well it sucks royally for about 99.9% of the typically install locations... If tuning by ear, you have to constantly go back to the amp, tune, listen, going back to amp... bla blah blah.. 

I envision tuning it being a nightmare unless you had a really dedicated friend to either be the ears in the driver's seat, or man the helm on the amp.

However, on the plus side... it provides a center and sub out to go to other amps but with it's internal processing.. Nice touch. I think the center is configurable possibly as something else.. either a stereo out with the sub or something like that.. sorry.. the manual truly leaves a lot to be desired, as usual.


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## Ultimateherts (Nov 13, 2006)

Here ya go:

http://www.diymobileaudio.com/forum/showthread.php?t=23024


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## bassfromspace (Jun 28, 2016)

Tyroneshoes used these new Kenwoods and commented on how good he thought they were.

Mobile Electronics did a review on this very amp last month as well.


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## tyroneshoes (Mar 21, 2006)

bassfromspace said:


> Tyroneshoes used these new Kenwoods and commented on how good he thought they were.
> 
> Mobile Electronics did a review on this very amp last month as well.


I only fiddled with them at the store and really liked them. I was going to buy them but someone on this site mentioned issues with them so I decided to hop on the rockford sound domain blowout.


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## bassfromspace (Jun 28, 2016)

tyroneshoes said:


> I only fiddled with them at the store and really liked them. I was going to buy them but someone on this site mentioned issues with them so I decided to hop on the rockford sound domain blowout.


DOH!!!

My bad.


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## ClintMJ23 (May 3, 2007)

We carry these amps and sell quite a few of them. The DSP isn't too bad, very flexible for most people we sell them to. We really like the rotary control knob it uses. If anyone is contemplating the regular eXcelon amps, I strongly urge them to go with the DSP series. The regular eXcelons are gutless, while the DSP versions have quite a bit more power, flexibility, etc.


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## Ultimateherts (Nov 13, 2006)

ClintMJ23 said:


> We carry these amps and sell quite a few of them. The DSP isn't too bad, very flexible for most people we sell them to. We really like the rotary control knob it uses. If anyone is contemplating the regular eXcelon amps, I strongly urge them to go with the DSP series. The regular eXcelons are gutless, while the DSP versions have quite a bit more power, flexibility, etc.


Only problem is they do not make a 2 channel DSP Excelon series. So for those of us who run or are going to be running these amps in a 3-way Kenwood made it a lot more difficult.


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## Babs (Jul 6, 2007)

Interesting.. without looking at the manual.. You can't bridge the KAC-X4R ?

I'm anxious to hear how it sounds and how tuning goes.

Looks like a great poor-man's processing solution.. Makes a bluetooth premier head unit such as the 980 or I guess even the 780 feasible in a simple active 2.1 setup.


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## tlarwa (Sep 18, 2007)

So just to confirm, could I use the crossover on this amp to handle an active 2-way set-up (tweets/mid-woofer/sub)? Is it bandpassable, in other words?


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## wdemetrius1 (Aug 16, 2007)

Has anyone took the plunge?


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## matdotcom2000 (Aug 16, 2005)

Does anyone who own's this amp have any opinion on them???


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## matdotcom2000 (Aug 16, 2005)

I have finally taken the plunge and will have a review o9n them in a week or so


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## GeddyLee (Nov 16, 2008)

I just got my KENWOOD (KAC X4R) on Friday. I am going to be hooking it up hopefully a little bit later today. 

I am quite new to the whole audiophile life in car stereos, but I read up on the amp from here and a couple of other sources, it should compliment the rest of my compents nicely  

I will try my best to write something up and maybe get a few snapshots as well.


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## LS-N-IT (Mar 5, 2008)

I have three X4Rs (and two X1Rs).. they have a ton of power and give you alot of tuning options. Im actually selling mine now. I have a new car and can't fit all these amps in it. I should put pics in the classified section.


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## dyno (Jan 15, 2008)

Another satisfied user here. I ended up getting a 880PRS so have the DSP bypassed but it's nice to have that flexibility if I need it. The 880PRS is so fully featured that if I didn't have it, the X4R DSP would be in use for sure.


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## jerzxdevil (Jul 9, 2007)

Would the KAC-X4R with an RF 3Sixty.2 be overkill?


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## LS-N-IT (Mar 5, 2008)

absolutely not.. the 360.2 has alot more processing options than does the amplifier. Combined it lets you do alot of different things (and be able to totally change your setup later without having to buy more gear). 
I use the 360.2 because of the 4 channels on the X4R, two of the channels has a certain set of processing it can do, and the other two channels have different capabilities processing wise. (all 4 are not the same). You have to read the manaul thoroughly to see all it can do. 

Also, yes you can bridge the X4R. I recently took the Lincoln on a 6k mile 5 week road trip. (it was awesome btw). I didnt have room in the trunk for subs and sub amps. I had one X4R that was using 2 channels for the tweets. I bridged the other 2 channels and ran them to (2) cdt 6x9 mid-subs in the rear deck. Those things rocked. To a certain volume level, you would have swore I had the 12s in the trunk. X4r is a very capable amp.


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## 8675309 (Jan 8, 2007)

I have had 3 of these and I really like them. I also have a KAC-X1R that I have not had a chance to connect.


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## tyroneshoes (Mar 21, 2006)

I run them. I have a couple threads on them here.

http://www.diymobileaudio.com/forum/showthread.php?t=31936&highlight=x4r

http://www.diymobileaudio.com/forum/showthread.php?t=39453&highlight=x4r


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## John Swanberg (Mar 17, 2008)

just got one. powering ID chameleon 64, IDQ 12 V3. can't compare it to anything (as this is a new car, and its the first system in the car). sq, imho, comparable to jl300/4 500/1 dynaudio 240gt/10w3 in my last car. very happy with the amp and speakers. jps


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## quality_sound (Dec 25, 2005)

Damn, if I could bandpass the crossover I'd pitch the 701 and run these even with the loss of EQ power.


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## GeddyLee (Nov 16, 2008)

Well sorry for the delay in posting, but this is the first chance I have had since attempting to install my X4R. I managed to get the puppy installed and running, but later in the died  I was soooooooooooo heart broken! It sounded awesome for the little time it ran. 

I methodically hooked the power, ground and remote and tested it for power and ground connectivity. It fired up showing 14.1v on the LED screen. I was like GREAT! I then hooked up the RCAs and the only the front speakers at first. Turned the car back on and wallah the front speakers fired up with an awesome sound! I then went back and connected the rear speakers, and then tested again. Success again! I then tested for fade and left and right speaker functions and all tested OK. 

So I then mounted the amp onto my custom MDF board I created for it, it was a bit of a pita trying to get the correct length of screws to use due to having the MDF board behind the carpet in the trunk. But I managed to finally get it in place. 

And later in the day is when the amp decided it was time to commite electronic suicide  I am not sure what happened, but I checked all the fuses on the amp, all three 25amp fuses were intact and I checked the 4ga fuse off the battery and it too was intact, so it wasn't a power surge issue, but something happened and I don't know what. I never tuned the amp so it was set at the factory settings when it was running. I know I would need to turn the sensitivity down when I get the amp back. 

I know electronics, even new, can fail. I am just disappointed cause it sounded so good! 

But my biggest concern I have currently is my grounding situation in my car. I will start another thread about that mess. No point in putting it here. 

I will keep you all up to date when it might arrive back. From what I understand, it will be 8 - 10 days before that happens


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## quality_sound (Dec 25, 2005)

I'm thinking that grounding issue might be the problem now. Wil it fire up if you remove it and connect it right to the battery?


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## agentk98 (Oct 31, 2006)

Sorry to hear about the amp.

Quick question folks, where's a good place online to get the X1R and X4R?


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## agentk98 (Oct 31, 2006)

- double post -


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## Babs (Jul 6, 2007)

quality_sound said:


> Damn, if I could bandpass the crossover I'd pitch the 701 and run these even with the loss of EQ power.


*Thought you could band-pass ch-B with the X4R... Can you not? *

Yeah the manual blows but am I reading it wrong??? I hate their X's and O's on that grid in the manual pg 8 to show which channels get or don't get the function. 

I assume the O's signify the function is available, correct?

*I'd already own an X4R if they took balanced signals directly.*


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## tspence73 (Oct 14, 2008)

Well,

It looks like a fine amp if you're running high efficiency drivers or powering mids/hi's in an active setup, but I just can't give it a thumbs up if it's going to be used for bass on any driver but a high efficiency type. 

First, it's class-D from what I remember AND it's only 75-watts RMS.  Normally class-D amps sound like skunk when they clip and with 75-watts RMS, you're going to be clipping. That's not a well thought out amp design by Kenwood IMO. Even if the amp is underrated, it's still not going to have enough power to use for anything but lightweight duty. For the same money you can get more power output from other choices. My amp costs less than this and absolutely crushes the KAC-x4r's power output. The built-in pre-amp features and crossovers may look good, but that is 'fluff'. Amps are for muscle, not fluff. Buy accordingly.


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## Babs (Jul 6, 2007)

The 4R is made for the front-stage or front-rears... But it will process and output sub channels for another amp(s)... Nice touch.. All the processing is in the X4R but the sub amp can be a big dumb powerful whatever. Didn't think they intended it for SPL but rather more to the SQ side.

75 RMS isn't enough for a pair of tweets and mids except "light-weight duty"?


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## tspence73 (Oct 14, 2008)

Babs said:


> The 4R is made for the front-stage or front-rears... But it will process and output sub channels for another amp(s)... Nice touch.. All the processing is in the X4R but the sub amp can be a big dumb powerful whatever. Didn't think they intended it for SPL but rather more to the SQ side.
> 
> 75 RMS isn't enough for a pair of tweets and mids except "light-weight duty"?


If you re-read what I wrote, you will find I said this amp is only good if you're using it for mid/hi drivers. I just don't think anyone should use it for mid-bass or bass duty. I agree, for a 75-watt per channel amp, it's more SQ/purity based. I think we're both in basic agreement on this one here.


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## 86mr2 (Apr 29, 2005)

Babs said:


> 75 RMS isn't enough for a pair of tweets and mids except "light-weight duty"?


No, don't encourage him. God, can't any useful thread progress without being polluted by the grand wizard of SPL theory???


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## GeddyLee (Nov 16, 2008)

quality_sound said:


> I'm thinking that grounding issue might be the problem now. Wil it fire up if you remove it and connect it right to the battery?


Well I figured out the grounding issue. It was the old Pioneer RCA grounding issue. Simply did this .........










And buhbye alternator noise  

I have my new X4R waiting to be installed, but the weather has been quite crappy to wanna work in the garage with temps only in the 10's to 20's degree range.


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## GeddyLee (Nov 16, 2008)

agentk98 said:


> Sorry to hear about the amp.
> 
> Quick question folks, where's a good place online to get the X1R and X4R?


The only real place left to find them cheap is on eBay. I know you can still get them at some shops, but I think this product line is slowly going to be replaced with a newer model. A lot of the ones founds on eBay are going to be refurbished though, so choose wisely. 

I did get mine from eBay as well, it was new and still in all of its factory wrappings. I did get the 3 year CPS warranty just incase to cover my investment. For $29 bucks it was well worth the piece of mind


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## tspence73 (Oct 14, 2008)

86mr2 said:


> No, don't encourage him. God, can't any useful thread progress without being polluted by the grand wizard of SPL theory???


SQ & SPL and is like good & evil. You can't really have one without the other if you want to achieve harmony and happiness. That's your tspence car audio fortune cookie for the day.


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## wdemetrius1 (Aug 16, 2007)

I thought that I remember reading somewhere that if you used two of these amps that you could bandpass the channels together. Also, Car Audio and Electronics reviews them in the November 07 issue and found that they were rated at 12 volts @ 75 watts at 14.4 volts they did over 100 watts. I have heard these amps and they sound great. Oh, the x4r can be bridged to give some nice mid bass response,  and the x1r is the bass amp.


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## tyroneshoes (Mar 21, 2006)

ca&e tested them to produce 135 watts a channel at 14v

You can use the subsonic to bandpass, highest it goes is 60hz w/24db slope

The guy calling them fluff or whatever, is an idiot.

1 year plus with no shutdown or problems. Great amps.


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## Jimi77 (Jul 4, 2005)

tspence73 said:


> Well,
> 
> It looks like a fine amp if you're running high efficiency drivers or powering mids/hi's in an active setup, but I just can't give it a thumbs up if it's going to be used for bass on any driver but a high efficiency type.
> 
> First, it's class-D from what I remember AND it's only 75-watts RMS.  Normally class-D amps sound like skunk when they clip and with 75-watts RMS, you're going to be clipping. That's not a well thought out amp design by Kenwood IMO. Even if the amp is underrated, it's still not going to have enough power to use for anything but lightweight duty. For the same money you can get more power output from other choices. My amp costs less than this and absolutely crushes the KAC-x4r's power output. *The built-in pre-amp features and crossovers may look good, but that is 'fluff'. Amps are for muscle, not fluff.* Buy accordingly.


Okay, who is the funny guy signing on as Tspence? Clearly this isn't the same guy who posted that he wants the following in a high end amp. 



tspence73 said:


> 1. A chassis that looks high end. People that send big money usually want to show off what they bought and a small/ordinary/black box ain't it.
> 
> 2. An amp that delivers FAR more than rated power to provide additional headroom.
> 
> ...


This certainly can't be the same guy who was whining about his PA amp being class A/B instead of D.

So who is the joker? Fess up.


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## tspence73 (Oct 14, 2008)

Jimi77 said:


> Okay, who is the funny guy signing on as Tspence? Clearly this isn't the same guy who posted that he wants the following in a high end amp.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Hey, can't a guy have his cake and eat it too? Amps to me in the 'real world' are about buying for power and headroom FIRST before any other consideration. If there is extra 'fluff' with that power, of course I'll take it. Nice try though. I have 'evolved' my opinion and reserve the right to change when I want.  BTW, my amp still is class-D even if those support morons at Planet Audio can't confirm it with their internal docs. A few good opinions said the amp looks class-D internally and Planet Audio's very own release info states it is. Looking back now, I wish it was class-A/B because they clip more forgivingly. No doubt the reason Kenwood underrated it. I would have hoped they wouldn't make a class-D full range amp only 75-watts RMS. That would've been retarded. I'm not putting the Kenwood KAC-X4R down at all. It's a good amp and I respect it. Especially if it has a real RMS of 130-watts. That changes things a bit.


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## Babs (Jul 6, 2007)

The thing that sucks about it.. I've got these sweet balanced lines off my oem (08 Civ' Si that feeds an oem amp).. I'd love to get those to an X4R but I did get response from Kenwood confirming the inputs are very much unbalanced.. Gotta convert prior to the amp. 

I guess find me a steal on a little audiocontrol matrix or something? ideas from you guys? balanced to unbalanced receiver.... A couple CL-RLC adapters?


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## 86mr2 (Apr 29, 2005)

Jimi77 said:


> So who is the joker? Fess up.


I'm with AWC, I think he's Bob.


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## 8675309 (Jan 8, 2007)

You can bandpass the b side but it is using the infrasonic filter. I think it only goes up to 60hz.


Babs said:


> *Thought you could band-pass ch-B with the X4R... Can you not? *
> 
> Yeah the manual blows but am I reading it wrong??? I hate their X's and O's on that grid in the manual pg 8 to show which channels get or don't get the function.
> 
> ...


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## Jimi77 (Jul 4, 2005)

86mr2 said:


> I'm with AWC, I think he's Bob.


I'm beginning to agree, although the same joker showed up on CAF too. Perhaps Bob had some unresolved issues with CAF too. Are we speaking of BobG mod extraordinare from ECA?


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