The Kicker ZX400.1 is a Class D mono-channel amplifier for use in an automobile stereo system. The ZX400.1 can produce 200 watts of constant power when wired at 4-ohms or 400 watts of power when wired at 2-ohms. The ohms the ZX400.1 operates at is a function of the ohm rating of the subwoofer the amplifier will be connected to, how many voice coils the subwoofer has and how the subwoofer and amplifier are wired together. A mono-channel amplifier is specifically designed to be connected to a subwoofer and excels at amplifying the low-end signals received from the stereo.
Locate the vehicle's battery. Disconnect the negative battery cable using a crescent wrench.
Remove the plastic trim piece that surrounds the vehicle's stereo using a panel removal tool. Remove the screws that secure the stereo in place using a screwdriver. Slide the stereo away from the dashboard, exposing the wires. Do not disconnect any wires.
Set the Kicker ZX400.1 amplifier in its desired location. Secure the ZX400.1 in place following the manufacturer's instructions.
Locate the blue accessory wire coming from the back of the stereo. Remove a 1/4-inch section of the wire's plastic protective coating using wire strippers. Wrap the bare wire end of the blue wire from an amplifier wiring kit around the bare section of the accessory wire. Wrap the connection in electrical tape. Run the blue wire to the Kicker amplifier and secure using a screwdriver.
Attach the red power wire with in-line fuse from the amplifier wiring kit to the positive battery terminal using a crescent wrench and the provided nut. Run the wire through an existing hole in the vehicle's firewall to the ZX400.1. Attach the power wire to the Kicker amplifier using a screwdriver.
Plug the RCA patch cables from the amplifier wiring kit into the RCA pre-outs on the back of the stereo. Run the patch cables to the Kicker amplifier and insert them into the RCA inputs.
Slide the stereo back into place. Secure the stereo with the screws removed earlier. Press the plastic trim piece that surrounds the stereo back into place. Reconnect the negative battery cable. The Kicker ZX400.1 amplifier is now installed and ready to be connected to a subwoofer.
