1998 Ford Explorer
David from Bothell, WA on 1/31/2023
1998 Ford Explorer
The Kenwood Excelon KFC-XW800F was a well-matched replacement for the subwoofer in my 1998 Ford Explorer with the Mach Stereo Radio System. The OEM 85W amp drives this 150W RMS sub within the vehicle OEM closed box. The low bass capability of the sub adds richness to music and I expect years of durable service with the rubber surround. This is a shallow sub that left alot of clearance behind it in the box and in front of it to the decorative trim grill. I just put a nylon bolt/rubber washer/nut in to plug the former hole in the box that Ford used to put a bolt into the back of the OEM JBL sub. The eight mounting holes lined up with the existing holes in the box. I applied the thin foam tape onto the mounting flange of the sub to ensure an airtight, cushioned fit-up between the sub and the box. Also, I just bent the spade electrical connector inward to make a solid metal rod and inserted them into the spring- loaded connector on the Kenwood sub and they fit without movement that can cause noise. I'm very happy with this Kenwood sub.
Pros: An excellent match to replace the OEM Ford Mach Radio system sub.
Cons:
0 of 0 found this helpful
Perfect match
Sheri from Bradenton, FL on 1/18/2023
1999 Ford Expedition
It was a perfect match for my stock sub. Sounds amazing in my 1999 Ford expedition
Pros:
Cons:
0 of 0 found this helpful
Underwhelmed by Kenwood Excelon KFC-XW800F in Audi A4
Crutchfield customer from PLEASANTON on 1/19/2022
I have a 2017 Audi A4 with the standard sound system (not the Bang Olufsen system) and have always wished it had a much bigger fuller Base. I finally decided to upgrade the subwoofer and figured it would be a fun project with my son. I called Crutchfield and talked to an agent to get some help figuring out which speaker would be best for the job, and we landed on the 8" Kenwood Excelon. I'm 51 yrs old and Kenwood has been a trusted name for years, so this seemed like a solid choice. Suffice it to say, I'm very disappointed in this speaker as there's basically no difference between this and the stock speaker I replaced (and it's a bunch of work to replace it in the Audi...it's in the rear deck and you have to remove the side pillars and the rear deck to replace it, and then do work to attach it to the mounting bracket for the subwoofer so this is not a trivial project....and I'm pretty comfortable doing stuff like this). If you're seeking a big, full, noticeable bass, do not get this speaker. I have the bass turned up to full and it's still weak. Who knows if my stereo doesn't have enough power to really drive the sub, but this is why I talked to Crutchfield and got their recommendation, so I have to believe this is not the case and that this just isn't the speaker for the big full base I'm seeking. I'll probably just live with it, since it's a pain to replace it, which leaves me very bummed.
Pros:
Cons:
0 of 3 found this helpful
Kenwood Excelon KFC-XW800F
Crutchfield customer from San Tan Valley, AZ on 6/26/2021
2005 Toyota Tundra
I purchased two woofers and one is blown and I spoke to somebody at Crutchfield and I will be shipping it back. The other one is installed in my truck and it does sound really good nice tight Bass.
Pros:
Cons:
0 of 0 found this helpful
Kenwood Excelon KFC-XW800F
Crutchfield customer from Rossford, OH on 4/25/2021
Works great they out perform the factory subwoofer like night and day I personally recommend them
Pros:
Cons:
0 of 0 found this helpful
Good fit
Crutchfield customer from Lacey, WA on 11/11/2020
2005 Lincoln Navigator
0 of 0 found this helpful
Great Sub for the money, Fits stock enclosure, excellent bass
Alan from Huntsville, AL on 8/20/2018
Excellent sub for the price and fit perfectly into the existing Tundra enclosure (Crewmax cab w/JBL system) and used 1/2 in. foam weatherstripping to increase the depth and worked amazingly. The customer service staff at Crutchfield was amazing as well in providing me with all of the details needed to make this work. Back to the KFC-XW800F...It is a perfect complement to the other components and the new amp. I would HIGHLY recommend anyone with the factory JBL system who is upgrading to use this driver, as it is accurate, nice tight bass, clean and distortion free and drops into the factory enclosure (I added some poly fiber fill into the box to give it less resonance) . Two thumbs up and saved a boatload on an aftermarket enclosure.
Pros: Nice tight bass, handles tremendous power, sounds like it's much bigger
Cons: None
13 of 13 found this helpful
using as mid bass
kungfucious from Carlsbad, CA on 6/28/2014
7 of 7 found this helpful
Terrific for what it is
Gary from SLC UT on 5/23/2014
This really is an impressive little sub given its dimensions and specs. I powered it with 150w RMS from a Rockford Fosgate P300 and installed it in a sealed MDF box I made with exactly .5 cubic feet. It was one of the only subs I could fit under my backseat, which is why I bought it. It really complemented my Infinity components up front and produced very clean, tight bass. It's obviously not as powerful as a quality 10" or 12" in a proper enclosure, but it blew the Boss BASS1400 completely away that I tried for a couple days and couldn't stand. The Boss unit seriously lacked sound quality and seemed oriented towards teenagers who want the world to know they have a subwoofer but can't afford something decent. With a proper enclosure and amp, the Kenwood is approaching audiophile sound-quality. I got complements from friends who are true audiophiles and even one who is a professional DJ--but it's worth noting that the inside of my truck is tiny and I listen mostly to bass-heavy rock (i.e. Tool) and no rap.
Pros: Size, price, sound quality
Cons: Not a full size sub
14 of 14 found this helpful
XW800F
DJ BONEZ from Rockville, MD on 2/27/2014
I like my system (highs, mids & lows) all to be on point. The Kenwood XW800F has taken my system to that point.
Pros: Worth every dime.
Cons: They don't come in pairs.
4 of 6 found this helpful
I like it
Jjkinsd from San Marcos, CA on 5/16/2012
This sub does exactly what it is advertised to do. I had the need to build a custom, shallow odd shaped box (sealed) to fit where a sub is not supposed to and this fit the bill. If I were able to fit the 10" version, I would have but the 8" sounds great. I was just looking to fill in the bottom end (mostly rock/punk/alternative) and I am very pleased with my selection. I am feeding it with a kicker 140w @ 4ohms and so far this seems to be a good match. I couldn't quite get the recommended .5 cu ft, closer to .4, but used polyfil, made sure the box is well sealed and the result is good clean full sound. Great sub for applications tight on space.
Pros: Shallow mount, quality construction, good sound.
Cons: None
11 of 11 found this helpful
Replaced stock sub in my 1999 Mercury Mountaineer
TommyA from The Dalles, Oregon on 10/19/2011
I needed a replacement sub for my blown stock sub in my 1999 Mercury Mountaineer. The stock sub is 8" and is pretty shallow. Only option I saw were the MTX, a JL audio, a Pioneer Shallow Mount, and this Kenwood. The Mach audio system has a 85w RMS amp(150w Peak), I didn't think this speaker stood a chance because it had lower db's than the other speakers that would fit, which means it needs more watts to put out the same sound. Anyways coming down to it all I found a tutorial on how to get the old sub out, and the screw that screws into the back of the stock speaker magnet. Really simple job to replace, I did it all in under 1 hour. I found a plug at True Value for 30 cents that filled the hole that was left after I put the aftermarket sub in. Very helpful info is available on online forums for those wanting to change the stock sub in expeditions, explorers, mountaineers.
Pros:
Cons:
40 of 44 found this helpful
Nice
sirheck from Oklahoma on 5/28/2011
Paired this with a pioneer GM5400t amp, which is rated at 380 watts x1RMS at 4 ohms and is CEA compliant. It hits hard but the Pioneer amp runs hot.
Pros:
Cons:
4 of 10 found this helpful
This sub fit a shallow area/enclosure.
Happy Camper from Smyrna, GA on 5/23/2011
This sub fit into my stock sub housing for my 98' Mercury Moutaineer's stock Mach audio system which is located on the passenger side spaced behind the rear wheelwell. It has a more shallow depth compared to the majority of subwoofers available in 8" but the sound is very good. Comparing the original sub with this Kenwood sub, it's pretty evident why aftermarket speakers are the way to go. The quality in appearance alone amazed me. The sales rep, Adam via instant messaging, was very helpful in helping me choose the right subwoofer to make the replacement installation simple. It took me less than an hour to finish and I'm really enjoying my tunes again. Thanks!!
Pros:
Cons:
5 of 7 found this helpful
Great for an 8" sub
James from Southern California on 9/21/2009
I put this sub in a custom box I built for an 07 Frontier crew cab. The box has a little over .5 cubic feet. The key to making the sub sound great is having a good amp to go with it. I origanally hooked up a cheesy 300 watt amp and I couldn't even hear the sub. I ended up getting the Kenwood KAC-6104D 600 watt mono sub amp. That made all the difference. The sub sounds great. It doesn't hit like a ten but it fills in the bass that is missing from your system.
Pros:
Cons:
23 of 28 found this helpful