KICKER CX400.1 Review – A featherweight that packs plenty of punch

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Verdict

The Kicker Cx400.1 is another solid offering in the company’s legendary line of amplifiers. Weighing in at just under 5 lbs, the Cx400.1 delivers 400 watts (RMS) of clean and stable bass in a relatively small package. Pair its impressive performance with its convenient 1-ohm stability, and you’ve got an amp well suited for a wide range of audio enthusiasts.

Buckle up, and let’s take a spin through everything CX400.1 has to offer.

Pros

  • 1-ohm stability makes pairing with subs easy
  • 400 Watts RMS
  • Efficient heat sinks for outstanding temperature control

Cons

  • Crossover can’t be turned off
  • Remote bass knob is not included
  • Not ideal for 2 sub setups

Review

The Cx400.1 is an all-around solid performer designed to give the gift of clean bass to those with limited trunk space and a limited budget. You won’t blow anyone’s socks off, but if you’re using it to power one quality sub-woofer, you’ll be pleasantly surprised.

Kicker’s CX400.1 mono amplifier delivers strong and refined bass thanks to its Class-D power, 12db crossover, and an efficient subsonic filter. Multiple outputs give you the flexibility to pair this amp with a full range amp or another bass amp if you want to push a multi-subwoofer setup to the next level.

This unit is quite versatile as far as mono amps are concerned. The ability to operate at 1-ohm, a healthy number of outputs, and space-saving capabilities practically beg for you to add an additional amp to your system, However, at the end of the day, the Cx400.1 is still a budget-friendly mono amplifier, so it probably shouldn’t be your first choice as the primary amp in more sophisticated setups.

Features

Three-second turn-on/off delay

An often underappreciated feature, the turn-on/off delay prevents irritating feedback when you start or stop your stereo.

FIT+™ (Fail-safe Integration Technology-PLUS)

Kicker’s built-in fail-safe technology increases this unit’s versatility by allowing it to work with almost any stereo without malfunction. This makes installation much safer for those with little experience.

40 Volt input signal level

This allows the Cx400.1 to accept an impressive 400 watts of speaker input without overloading the unit. This means you can pair it with a high-quality sub and it’ll keep up just fine.

1-ohm stability

Possibly this amplifier’s most impressive feature is its ability to operate at 1-ohm with no trouble. This adds significant power and increases your wiring options as well.

24dB subsonic filter

The highly functional subsonic filter keeps your sound in safe ranges, so you can crank up the volume and not have to worry. Most amplifiers come with built-in filters so this isn’t a game-changer but it functions well through most of the volume range.

Controls

Variable 12dB crossover

The built-in 12db crossover gives you the ability to fine-tune the unit to your liking. Nothing fancy about this built-in crossover, but it serves its purpose well.

KickEQ™ 6dB variable bass boost

The onboard bass control functions well, delivering noticeable bass levels throughout the entire range. It would be nice if it came with Kicker’s CXARC Remote Bass Controller, but it is compatible at least.

Specs

Dimensions: 8-1/2″W x 2-3/8″H x 6-3/4″D

Power: 4 ohm 150×1, 2 ohm 300×1, 1 ohm 400×1

Active Crossover: Variable Lo-pass 50Hz–200Hz, 12dB/octave

Variable bass boost: (0-6 dB at 40 Hz)

Frequency Response (Hz):25-200, +0/-1dB

Class D amp technology

Bridgeable: Mono/ No

Video Review

Last update on 2024-12-21 / Affiliate links / *Image Disclaimer: We use images/data from Amazon Product Advertising API solely on products that link to Amazon. On products with the "Price at Crutchfield" button, we use images/data from Crutchfield.com as per the partnership deal.

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