Jumping over to the input section, the first thing I noticed is that the signal grounds are extremely well isolated from the chassis ground. With 40k ohms of isolation, this amplifier will never participate in any ground loops in your system - that's for sure. The signal and shield conductors from the RCA are all fed into low-noise op-amps, thus making this a differential input. This style of input will better reject noise radiated into your RCA cables. The owner's manual reinforces this format by recommending twisted-pair cables rather than big fat coaxial RCAs. Differential inputs are typically found on more expensive amplifiers and have the potential for much better sound quality than less expensive designs. The gain control is accomplished through additional op-amps, rather than the cheaper (and noisier) style of attenuating the signal to ground.
Lastly, the output section consists of four complementary pairs of TIP35C/TIP36C output transistors, each capable of dissipating 125 watts, or 250 watts per output channel, which is more than adequate for this unit.
PerformanceThe amp performed well on the bench, meeting or exceeding every specification as listed in the owner's manual. The S/N ratio was a very respectable >94dB and the frequency response measured 13Hz to an astonishing 66kHz. The crossovers drifted ever so slightly from the published spec, but the difference was small and the curves were textbook. While filters are spec'd at 50Hz to 200Hz, the lowpass range was measured 54Hz to 203Hz, and the highpass was 45Hz to 180Hz. The bass boost was right on with the published 18dB boost, but centered at 41Hz rather than 40Hz. Trust me, you're not going to hear the difference on any of this.
The protection circuits worked well, both short-circuit and thermal. I like that they're self-resetting so you don't have to turn the system off and back on. On the bench the amp fired up smoothly and there was no turn-on or turn-off noise in the car at all.
ManualThe owner's manual really cuts to the chase. On page 2 there's a place to write down the purchase details; then it tells you how to mount the amp. Wiring is next, still on page 2, and then it slows down a little to cover different system configurations and the setting of controls. Page 5 covers troubleshooting and specifications, while pages 6 and 7 are the warranty covered in four different languages. Speaking of warranty, Kicker provides a 2-year deal when purchased from an authorized dealer. As always, keep your receipt.