Kicker 6-Channel Amp & B2B Audio Buying Checklist: 7 Steps I Learned the Hard Way

Who this checklist is for (and why I made it)

I've been handling wholesale audio and accessory orders for seven years. In that time, I've personally made — and documented — about a dozen significant mistakes that wasted roughly $8,500 in budget. One $3,200 order went straight to the trash because I didn't catch a compatibility issue. Another time, I approved 47 units of the wrong mounting depth. That one cost $890 in redo plus a week of delay.

So now I maintain our team's pre-order checklist. This is the short version. It's for anyone ordering Kicker 6-channel amps or building out a vehicle audio system — especially if you're a small shop, a first-time buyer, or someone placing a trial order. Small orders matter. I'll get to that later.

Here's the full checklist: 7 steps, then a few mistakes I still see people make every single week.

Step 1: Know what you're actually powering before you pick an amp

The most common mistake I see with Kicker 6-channel amps: buying the amp first, then trying to make your speakers fit. It's backwards.

Start with your speaker count and impedance. A 6-channel amp typically runs four full-range speakers plus a bridged subwoofer, or six discrete channels if you're running active. If you're powering a factory system with weird impedance drops — 2-ohm or even 1-ohm loads — you need to check the amp's minimum stable impedance per channel. Kicker's specs are usually clear on this, but I've still watched people blow tweeters because they assumed "6-channel" meant "6 identical channels."

"I ordered a Kicker 6-channel for a customer's truck, wired it up, and realized two of the channels were bridged-only. Had to explain to the customer why his rear fill speakers were silent. That's a $200 mistake and an awkward phone call."

Checkpoint: Write down your speaker count, impedance per speaker, and whether you need bridged or discrete channels. Don't guess.

Step 2: Verify RMS power, not peak

Peak power numbers are marketing. RMS is what actually matters.

When I first started, I ordered an amp based on the peak rating printed on the box. It sounded great for about three weeks. Then it thermal-throttled constantly because the RMS output was way below what the subwoofer needed. Learned that lesson the expensive way.

Kicker usually publishes both numbers. The RMS rating at 4 ohms and 2 ohms is what you should compare against your speakers' continuous power handling. If your sub is rated 300W RMS and your amp does 150W RMS bridged, you're underpowering it — which is actually worse for the sub than overpowering in most cases.

Checkpoint: Match RMS amp output to RMS speaker rating. Stay within 80–120% of the speaker's RMS.

Step 3: Measure your mounting space before ordering

I once ordered six amplifiers for a fleet install without measuring the mounting depth. Three of them didn't fit under the seats. That was a $1,400 mistake plus a restocking fee.

Kicker publishes dimensions on their site — height, width, depth, and sometimes mounting hole spacing. Measure twice. I keep a tape measure in my desk drawer specifically because of that one order.

While you're at it: check your power and ground wire gauge requirements. A 6-channel amp can pull 60–80 amps continuous. If you're running 8-gauge wire, you're asking for voltage drop and heat.

Checkpoint: Measure available space, cut a cardboard template if needed, and buy wire rated for 125% of your amp's max current draw.

Step 4: Don't ignore the install accessories — even the ones that sound unrelated

This is where I see small orders get treated differently, and it bothers me.

When I was starting out, the vendors who treated my $200 orders seriously are the ones I still use for $20,000 orders today. Small doesn't mean unimportant — it means potential.

So here's my rule: if you're ordering an amp, order the install kit at the same time. That means:

• Fused distribution block rated for your total amperage
• OFC (oxygen-free copper) wire — not CCA
• RCA cables with proper shielding (cheap ones pick up alternator whine)
• Speaker wire — at least 16-gauge for runs under 15 feet

And while we're talking about accessories people overlook: I've had customers ask about Surron Light Bee X seat covers in the same breath as audio gear. Different vehicle, same principle — measure the seat dimensions before ordering. I've seen people buy a cover for the wrong model year and end up with something that fits like a sock on a cat. The Light Bee X changed seat shape slightly between 2022 and 2023, so check your year.

Step 5: If you're ordering performance parts too, sequence matters

Some of you are building out more than just audio. I get it — a lot of B2B buyers handle multiple categories.

I had a customer once order a catless downpipe for a V6 Camaro along with a full audio system. He installed the downpipe first, then the amp, then couldn't figure out why his audio had a weird ground loop. Turned out the downpipe install moved a factory ground point. Not the downpipe's fault — just bad sequencing. Install performance parts first, then audio, then check your grounds.

Also: if you're doing a catless downpipe, check local emissions laws before you install. Most states won't pass you on a visual inspection. That's not a sales pitch — it's just a fact I wish someone had told me before I wasted a Saturday.

Step 6: Have a portable jump starter on hand for testing

This sounds obvious, but I've killed a battery more than once while tuning an amp with the engine off. A portable jump starter is one of those tools you don't think about until you need it.

For 2024, the ones with lithium cells and built-in USB-C PD are what I'd look at. You want at least 1000A peak for a truck, 500A for a sedan. Check the cold-cranking amps rating, not just the peak. And test it before you need it — I had one sit in a drawer for eight months and die on me when a customer's truck wouldn't start.

Checkpoint: Keep a jump starter charged and accessible in your install bay. Test it monthly.

Step 7: The naming thing — yes, "Rams Kicker nickname" is a real search

This one's a bit off-topic, but I get asked about it enough that it's worth a mention.

If you've ever searched "Rams kicker nickname," you're probably looking for the nickname of the Los Angeles Rams' kicker — which, depending on who you ask, ranges from "Money Matt" to... well, other things. It has nothing to do with car audio. But I've had customers land on our product pages because of that search, so I figured I'd address it directly.

There's also a niche community that calls their Kicker-equipped RAM trucks "Ram Kickers." Not official, just something that caught on in a few forums. If you're in that camp, welcome. Your 6-channel amp still needs proper gauge wire.

Common mistakes I still see (and how to avoid them)

Even with a checklist, these keep happening:

• Ordering the wrong impedance amp. A 2-ohm stable amp and a 1-ohm stable amp are not interchangeable. Check your sub's final impedance after wiring.
• Forgetting the remote turn-on wire. Your amp won't turn on without it. I've seen three installs in the last year where someone forgot this. Three.
• Not checking the fuse rating on the amp. If your amp has a 60A fuse, your distribution block needs at least that. Don't cheap out on fuses.
• Assuming all 6-channel amps are the same size. Kicker's own line varies by 2–3 inches in depth depending on the model. Measure.

One more thing about small orders: if you're placing a first order with a new vendor, ask about their return policy on electronics. Some won't take returns on opened amps. That's a reasonable policy, but you should know it before you order six units for a trial run. The vendors who are upfront about this are the ones I trust.

That's the checklist. It's not perfect — I still catch new things every quarter. But it's saved me from making the same mistake twice, and that's the whole point.