I purchased this amp as soon as I found out it had Bluetooth integrated. I haven't seen the point of a head unit since smart phones have become so powerful. Not to mention the unwanted attention a head unit can bring.
Installation is standard to any aftermarket amp and the units extremely compact size allows for many options in way of mounting and concealment.
Sound and power are adequate for the units rating. I must note the sound is flat when using only the Bluetooth signal but was easily remedied by downloading an EQ app for my phone. This is only the case when using the Bluetooth signal alone since traditionally a head unit handles sound processing. Definitely a small trade off if don't signal the amp with a head unit.
All in all I'm happy with the purchase and would definitely recommend this amp. Works as advertised!
Works great. I noticed some scratches on the bottom of mine and contacted the seller (Sold by: Best*Deal*On*The*Planet) and never received a reply.
Luckily though, the amp has worked great in my 1981 Honda GL1100. With these and some kicker enclosures with 4" speakers, my friend could hear it behind or next to me on the highway at 60MPH. They rock!
Something I love is that once you get the bluetooth connected,
If you are using this on a motorcycle, USE A RELAY. Hook it up to a switch on accessory power, and then run the power from the relay to the battery. That way you are able to use accessory to turn on with a switch, but the amp has plenty of power from the battery.
I put this amp on my 2015 harley Road king. I used some wakeboard speakers on my engine guards. My wife and I can here our music going 80 on the highway. I'm going to add speaker lids soon. The bluetooth connection is very easy.
Very impressed. When I first saw it’s small overall size and small wire size I was tempted to return it.
But it’s been working great, and is loud enough to hear in an open cab at highway speeds with ear plugs in.
It’s a little annoying how it starts playing every time it gets power, like when working on the electrical system. But that’s really not a big deal.
Awesome way to add music w/o needing a tuner, and the size is very reasonable. Easy enough setup, easy to use, great sound. Bluetooth and the remote switch worked easily on both my iPhone and my Galaxy S4. The USB port is for charging only, which is too bad, as a direct hook-up for a thumb drive with music would make this perfect. I took this on a 4,500 mile trip recently and it did really well in all sorts of weather.
Feature Product
- New Kenwood 4 channel Bluetooth marine atv motorcycle amplifier (kacm1824bt)
- 45 watts x 4 at 4 ohms
- Peak power: 400 watts
Description
With today's smartphones hosting a wide variety of listening choices such as stored music, internet radio, podcasts, etc., It is no wonder that customers want to use this as their primary listening source. Bluetooth offers the easiest and most popular connection, kac-m1824bt is not only your standalone Bluetooth gateway but if used with an in-dash receiver, it will double the power of a typical CD receiver with it's built-in 45watts x 4 of amplification. A water resistant controller can be used to adjust volume and change tracks. Many of today's power sports have very limited space to work in and tend to be a harsh environment for electronics because of the exposure to outdoor environments. Kenwood's compact performance amplifiers are small in size so they fit even the most limited installation areas. The amplifiers also use a conformal coated main pcb (printed circuit boards) which offer extra layers of protection to help prevent moisture or damp air from damaging the product.
Installed this on my Road King Classic. after wiring it up, and connecting speakers - this thing rocks. Great sound around town as well as on the highway. Only issue - not the Amps - is placement in the saddlebag of my classic. I looked high and low for the right configuration. This amp paired with Kicker 40PSM34 100" 3" Weather-Proof Enclosed Mini 4 ohm Speaker System and Satechi Bluetooth Button Series (Media Button) provides a great setup - low profile speakers - no requirement to run the amp BT controller to the handlebars. Pair iphone with the Amp BT control - pair the media button - and now you have wireless sound controlled by a non-intrusive handlebar controller. My next modifications will be to hardwire the iphone to the amp - and let my passenger connect to the Amp BT if we need to swap music. You will not go wrong with this configuration! only recommendations - is given this is a marine amp - Kenwood give the option to include waterproof Deutsch type connectors/harness.
I chose this amplifier for three main reasons: to have a high-quality Bluetooth connection (especially compared to the cassette adapters and fm transmitters I've been using), to be able to keep using my cassettes and CD's in the car, and to retain clarity at louder sound levels.
I looked through a lot of aftermarket radios, and none had Bluetooth and a cassette player. Besides that, my speakers would start to sound very harsh when turned up, and I don't listen to music that loud in the car (about 80 dB-SPL at the loudest points).
Installing the unit was a little complicated, but mostly by nature of installing an amplifier in a car/not by any fault of the manufacturer. Installing this will require a bit of soldering, so if you wish to leave your car's wiring harness interact, you can buy a little extension for cheap. One for my car is on Amazon for $5. It should also be noted that the inputs for the amplifier are RCA jacks, so if you don't have an aftermarket radio, you may need to buy something to solder to the bare wire. I had RCA male-to-male cord lying around, and cut it half to use that. It's worth mentioning that I was concerned that this would drain the car's battery while turned off with how they wanted it wired, but it actually senses an input from the car's radio, and when the radio is powered off, this powers off.
I read a lot of criticism towards the remote, but it seemed pretty well made to me; the cord was thick and tough, and the remote itself was hard plastic with thick rubber buttons. The Bluetooth works well, and the remote is simple and straightforward.
In fact, I can't think of anything about the amp that seemed like it was cheap or corners were cut, Kenwood delivers a quality product here.
The improvement the amp made to the sound quality of my car amazed me! I left the stock speakers in my car, so I didn't have too high of expectations, but after a little EQing on my phone, the amp put some life in my crappy speakers.
In conclusion, this amp is a quality product that does it's job exceedingly well. If you don't need the Bluetooth, there might be better options, but for very specific needs like mine, this is perfect.
I installed a tablet instead of a head unit in my Silverado and used this to power some cheap kicker replacement doors speakers. Sounds great, and it fits behind the tablet. I 3d printed by own bracket as the factory one was too bulky and didn't fit where I wanted it. All in all for a refurb it looked brand new. I only wish I could turn down the brightness of the controller or have it tied into my brightness of the vehicle like other head units.
Was kind of skeptical of such a small amp to deliver enough power but i am NOT disappointed. Used it in my 77 trans am to add Bluetooth function. I was afraid it wouldn’t be loud enough to hear with the windows down but it definitely is. I can see why motorcyclists like it.
Remote is easy to use, even sounds good with my factory radio (which was modified to have line level outputs).
Very pleased though. Will recommend to other car guys/girls and would probably pick up another one if I had a use for it.
The wiring diagram is pretty straight forward and I was able to installand operate the amplifier without the use of a traditional radio head unit. I now enjoy the ability to connect my phone via bluetooth to the speakers to play music or I've also wired in a 3.5mm audio jack. I'm not sure if it will function without the remote, but it appears you need the remote to switch between inputs if not connected to a kenwood head unit.
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