Kicker Hideaway HS8 User manual

How to connect the Hideaway (HS8) subwoofer to your factory or
aftermarket radio.
The Hideaway is designed to give you lower bass response that your system may be lacking. The
Hideaway’s small size and super low profile, make it very easy to find a location that it will fit. In many
applications you will be able to mount it under one of the front seats. It will also work very well
mounted behind the seat of a regular cab pickup.
Connecting to factory or OEM head unit:This will also be the procedure for connecting an
aftermarket head unit when using speaker level for input signal to Hideaway:
1. Determine mounting location by test fitting the Hideaway in desired locations. If you plan to
mount under a front seat, you will want to set subwoofer in the desired location and adjust seat
to full limits to see if it will interfere with seat travel.
2. Disconnect negative side of vehicle’s battery.
3. Mount subwoofer in desired location with included mounting tabs or tie down straps for secure
placement.
4. Connect harness to subwoofer and begin to connect wires. Be sure all wires are routed safely
away from anything that could pinch or cut wires.
a. The Red power wire is connected to positive post of vehicle battery. Make sure the
included fuse holder is located as close to battery as possible. Do not insert fuse at this
time.
b. The black wire will be grounded to the vehicle’s chassis or body. Make sure to sand off
paint to bare metal for good contact. Using a bolt is the best connection for proper
operation.
c. The input wires, white/white and black stripe and gray/gray with black stripes connect
to the factory speaker wiring. You may want to search the internet or contact your local
dealer for proper wire colors and possible connecting locations such as in kick panel or
behind pillar panel specific to your vehicle. You can connect to either the front or the
rear speaker outputs of the radio. You will want to make sure the speaker wires you are
connecting to do not have a high pass crossover that restricts bass response to the
speaker they are connected to. If they do have a high pass crossover, you will need to
select a different speaker source for connection. You will also need to know which stock
wires are positive and which wires are the negative wires. The solid white and gray
wires will connect to the positive stock speaker wiring. The white with black stripe and
gray with black stripe will connect to the stock speaker’s negative wiring. The white
and white with black are the left speaker input. The gray and gray with black are the

right speaker input. (note* if you get polarity backwards, you will not have any
output. You can test this by balancing to the left or right. If bass response improves
as you go to one side or the other and decreases as you go back to center, reverse
either the white and white with black stripe or reverse the gray and gray with black
wires. Do not reverse both!)
d. The blue wire will not be used when connecting to a factory audio system.
e. This is an optional step, you do not have to have the remote volume control connected
to use the Hideaway. Connect the cable for the remote subwoofer level control to the
subwoofer. Route the cable safely out of the way of moving components in your vehicle
such as brake, steering, and seat mechanisms. Route the end of the cable to the
location you plan to mount control.
5. Mount the subwoofer level control if it is being used.
6. Proceed to the end of the subwoofer and locate the control panel. Set the switches and dials to
the following settings before powering up system.
a. AUTO TURN ON – set to the DC position
b. INPUT LEVEL– set to the Hi position
c. PHASE – set to the 0 position
d. BASS BOOST – turn fully counter clockwise to the 0 position
e. X-OVER FREQ – set arrow to face 12 o’clock position
f. GAIN – set to the fully counter clockwise position
7. Replace the 10 amp red fuse in the fuse holder by battery.
8. Reconnect ground on battery
9. Turn on key and make sure radio is turned all the way down and all tone adjustments are set
flat. Make sure balance, fader, listening position settings (if equipped) are in the center.
10. If you are using the remote subwoofer level control, turn it clockwise to approximately 75%
maximum output
11. Play the source (tuner, CD, USB, Aux ect.) that will be used most often with the music type that
will be most commonly used. And set to about 75% of the radios output.
12. Adjust the gain on the side of the Hideaway slowly clockwise to increase subwoofer output.
Listen for distortion or the bass to sound odd or break up. When you hear this, rotate gain
counter clockwise about 1/16th turn and turn the volume of the source unit down to a moderate
listening level. Your gain is now set properly
13. Adjust the X-OVER FREQ control to obtain desired sound. Turning control clockwise will give
more punch and sound louder overall but it may decrease perceived low bass output slightly. It
can also sound somewhat “hollow” if the frequency is too high. Turning the X-OVER FREQ
control counter clockwise will decrease how much of the upper bass the subwoofer will play.
Setting it too low will result in very smooth deep bass but you will lose some of the “punch” or
“hit” from the subwoofer. There is no right or wrong on where this control is set. It is up to the
individual that will be listing to the music to decide what sounds good to them.
14. If some extra low bass is desired, you can add more low bass by slowly turning BASS BOOST
clockwise to add the desired amount. Be careful because you can add too much and possibly
damage subwoofer.
15. It may be necessary to switch the phase switch for the best sound. The phase switch will
reverse the polarity of the woofer only. It will not affect any of the other settings or audio

system. Try switching the switch and listening to music. Leave switch in the position that
sounds best to you.
16. Final step….enjoy the music!
Connections to an aftermarket head unit with RCA output:
1. Determine mounting location by test fitting the Hideaway in desired locations. If you plan to
mount under a front seat, you will want to set subwoofer in the desired location and adjust seat
to full limits to see if it will interfere with seat travel.
2. Disconnect negative side of vehicle’s battery.
3. Mount subwoofer in desired location with included mounting tabs or tie down straps for secure
placement.
4. Connect harness to subwoofer and begin to connect wires. Be sure all wires are routed safely
and away from anything that could pinch or cut wires.
a. The Red power wire will get connected to positive post of vehicle battery. Make sure
the included fuse holder is located as close to battery as possible. Do not insert fuse at
this time.
b. The black wire will be grounded to the vehicle’s chassis or body. Make sure to sand off
paint to bare metal for good contact. Using a bolt is the best connection for proper
operation.
c. The input wires, white and gray and white with black strip and gray with black stripe will
connect to the optional KISL speaker wire to RCA adaptor. The white and white with
black stripe are the left input and the gray and gray with black stripe are the right input
wires. Connect those accordingly to the KISL connect RCA cable. Route the RCA cable
safely out of the way of moving components in your vehicle such as brake, steering, and
seat mechanisms. YOU CANNOT CONNECT A LOC OR LINE OUTPUT CONVERTOR
BEWEEN THE HIDEAWAY AND THE AFTERMARKET HEAD UNIT! Line output convertors
are designed to convert speaker level to RCA level. They will not convert the RCA output
of an aftermarket head unit to the speaker level for the input of the Hideaway.
d. The blue wire of the Hideaway will connect to the blue, antenna output, or amplifier
control wire of the aftermarket head unit.
e. Connect the cable for the remote subwoofer level control to the subwoofer. Route the
cable safely out of the way of moving components in your vehicle such as brake,
steering, and seat mechanisms. Route the end of the cable to the location you plan to
mount control. This is optional. You do not have to have the volume control connected
to use Hideaway.
5. Mount the subwoofer level control if it is being used.
6. Proceed to the end of the subwoofer and locate the control panel. Set the switches and dials to
the following settings before powering up system.
a. AUTO TURN ON – set to the +12V position
b. INPUT LEVEL– set to the LO position
c. PHASE – set to the 0 position
d. BASS BOOST – turn fully counter clockwise to the 0 position
e. X-OVER FREQ – set arrow to face 12 o’clock position

f. GAIN – set to the fully counter clockwise position
7. Replace the 10 amp red fuse in the fuse holder by battery.
8. Reconnect ground on battery
9. Turn on key and make sure radio is turned all the way down and all tone adjustments are set
flat. Make sure balance, fader, listening position settings (if equipped) are in the center.
10. If you are using the remote subwoofer level control, turn it clockwise to approximately 75% of
full clockwise rotation.
11. Play the source (tuner, CD, USB, Aux ect.) that will be used most often with the music type that
will be most commonly used. And set to about 75% of the radios output.
12. Adjust the gain on the Hideaway slowly by turning it clockwise to increase subwoofer output.
Listen for distortion or the bass to sound odd or break up. When you hear this, rotate gain
counter clockwise about 1/16th turn and turn the volume of the source unit down to a moderate
listening level. Your gain is now set properly
13. Adjust the X-OVER FREQ control to obtain desired sound. Turning control clockwise will give
more punch and sound louder overall but it may decrease perceived low bass output slightly. It
can also sound somewhat “hollow” if the frequency is too high. Turning the X-OVER FREQ
control counter clockwise will decrease how much of the upper bass the subwoofer will play.
Setting it too low will result in very smooth deep bass but you will lose some of the “punch” or
“hit” from the subwoofer. There is no right or wrong on where this control is set. It is up to the
individual who will be listing to the music to decide what sounds good to them.
14. If some extra low bass is desired, you can add more low bass by slowly turning BASS BOOST
clockwise to add the desired amount. Be careful because you can add too much and possibly
damage subwoofer.
15. Final step….enjoy the music!