Pioneer vs Kicker: Speakers, Subs & Amps

Stylethority is reader-supported. When you buy through links on the site, we may earn a commission.

by | Car Stereo, Car Style | 1 comment

Comparing Pioneer vs Kicker has always been a bit of a headache for me. Both brands have firmly rooted themselves in the budget to mid-tier of car audio.

Sometimes the answer is clear. For example, only Pioneer focuses on head units, and the brand is well above mid-tier in this segment. Take the AVH-2400NEX, for example – a  true contemporary classic.

For coaxial speakers, subs, or amps, though? Now that’s some tough competition with nuances to be taken into consideration.

Here are my favorites for each category. Make sure to continue reading to see my full comparisons, though.

Product Image
Kicker CS 6.5'' Speakers
  • 100W RMS power with up to 300W max output for a balanced audio experience.
  • Provides crisp and clean tops with deeper lows.
  • Mid-grade bass, not that prominent compared to other options.
Check Latest Prices
Product Image
Pioneer Champion TSW312D4 12''
  • 92 dB sensitivity for higher sound output.
  • Diverse frequency response at 20-1600 Hz.
  • 500W RMS/1600W max sound output.
Check Price on Amazon
Product Image
Kicker 46CXA8001
  • 1600W max output.
  • 2 Ohm supremacy: 600W x 1 Channel.
  • Special delay deals with interference issues; subsonic filter weeds out harmful sound frequencies.
Check Price on Amazon

And before I forget: nothing stops you from mixing those two with each other if you’re going for a full car audio setup.

Car stereo doesn’t discriminate. You can easily have a Pioneer head unit and then put some Kicker speakers for full stereo enjoyment. The better the head unit, the better the sound too.

If your HU is bad in terms of output power and the tuning settings suck, speakers alone won’t salvage the situation. On my daily driver I have this basic Pioneer single DIN, while my leisure vehicle has a more advanced sound setup:

Pioneer single DIN for a simple car stereo setup. Pioneer vs Kicker gets a bit more heated if you go for complicated sound setups.

Here’s what I’ll cover in today’s article, you’re welcome to tag along:

  • Kicker vs Pioneer speakers: including Pioneer D Series vs Kicker KS
  • Kicker vs Pioneer subs: featuring their DVC subwoofers
  • Kicker or Pioneer amps: discussing their Class 4 amplifier setups

You can also use the Table of Contents to navigate to your section of interests.

Kicker vs Pioneer speakers:
Exploring the differences

Both brands have a few different lineups targeting different budgets and achieving varying car stereo results. Before I get to these, though?

Let’s have a general verdict on how Kicker and Pioneer speakers approach sound output.

In general, you’d find Kicker speakers to be louder and more vibrant and meaty at the top end. Pioneers aren’t that great at the top level, but they do sound smoother.

Neither is especially great in the midrange department. I’d say Pioneer coaxials (check some on Amazon) are a step ahead, however.

Also, Pioneer tends to be slightly cheaper than Kicker counterparts; sometimes that sacrifices some design perks though.

These differences are most pronounced in the heated competition between the Pioneer D series vs Kicker KS series. Both are the premium take-on car stereo from either brand, with improved materials used and finer sound output.

Let’s take the Pioneer TS-D65F and Kicker 47KSC6504 as an example, two popular 6.5” choices for a slightly upscale stereo experience.

Here are their fundamental specs:

Pioneer vs Kicker speakers: comparing various specifications.

The higher frequency range of the Pioneer looks fine on paper. In reality, though, it doesn’t matter much. Let’s be real, any frequency above 22-23k Hz isn’t properly registered by us humans. So the D Series just flexes in this case.

What I like about the Kicker is the higher sensitivity (90 dB vs 85dB) and the more portable silk dome tweeter (3/4” vs 1”). Higher sensitivity means louder sound – which is further complemented by the Kickers staying vibrant at the top levels.

To be completely honest, though…If you want the best bang for your buck, I recommend neither. In this case, look at Kicker’s CS series or Pioneer’s A series.

Both of these offer a great balance between sound quality, price, and durable manufacture.

Product Image
Kicker CS 6.5'' Speakers
  • 100W RMS power with up to 300W max output for a balanced audio experience.
  • Provides crisp and clean tops with deeper lows.
  • Mid-grade bass, not that prominent compared to other options.
Check Latest Prices
Product Image
Pioneer A-Series 6.5''
  • Slightly more powerful at 120W RMS and up to 350W max output per speaker.
  • More prominent bass, well-balanced for this price range.
  • Oversized cones provide higher sound dynamic range, yet still fit OEM dimensions.
Check Price on Amazon

I’ve talked about the different Kicker series before. Pioneer has counterparts to every Kicker car speaker segment. For example:

  • Pioneer A series is comparable to Kicker CS
  • Pioneer G series is comparable to Kicker DS (budget speakers, I don’t recommend)
  • Pioneer D series is comparable to Kicker KS

There’s one interesting thing, though. While there’s not much price difference between Kicker CS and DS, Pioneer G speakers can be way cheaper than the more upscale A series.

Pioneer vs Kicker subs:
DVC options

DVC stands for Dual Voice Coil. A DVC sub isn’t better in terms of power or sound quality compared to a single coil one.

So why bother?

Well, the key word here is flexibility. DVC subs have better wiring options. If you want a custom car stereo setup, a DVC subwoofer makes things waaay easier. They’re also better for amp configuring as you can deliver various loads for more optimal power output.

Anyways, I’ll be looking at Kicker CVR vs Pioneer Champion subs here. Both brands offer a variety of subwoofers, with the 10” or 12” being the most popular.

The main contenders in this category would be the Kicker CompVR 43CVR104 on one hand. On the other, we have Pioneer Champion TS-W312D4.

Frankly said, the Pioneer vastly outperforms the Kicker. The reason is simple – at a way cheaper price you get better specs.

The only huge benefit of Kicker CVR here is the better surround quality (polypropylene with Santoprene rubber makes it more durable than Pioneer’s elastic polymer).

Here’s a quick comparison table:

Product Image
Pioneer Champion TSW312D4 12''
  • 92 dB sensitivity for higher sound output.
  • Diverse frequency response at 20-1600 Hz.
  • 500W RMS/1600W max sound output.
Check Price on Amazon
Product Image
Kicker 43 CVR104 12''
  • Polypropylene with Santoprene rubber allows for a longer-lasting sub surround.
  • Narrower frequency response at 25-500Hz.
  • Less raw power at 400W RMS/800W max sound output.
Check Price on Amazon

Kicker vs Pioneer amps:
Entry-level picks

Last but not least, let’s talk about the amps from these two brands. In this case, I’ll be focusing on entry-level options for beginners in car stereo system setups.

With amps, entry-level means Class 4, also known as Class D amplifiers.

The main contenders here are two very popular monoblock car amplifiers: Kicker 46CXA8001 and its direct competition, the Pioneer GM-D8701.

In terms of sound output power, these two are virtually the same.

You get a 1600W peak with Kicker; same with the Pioneer. The output is the same (800W) when you’re getting sound out from 1-channel at 1 Ohm impedance. Kicker kicks it up (heh) a bit if you decide to use it at 2 Ohms – 600W compared to only 500W with the Pioneer.

There are two bigger differences here.

First, the Pioneer GM-D8701 has a better frequency response: 10-240Hz compared to the 25-200Hz you’ll see with Kicker.

The second factor also tips the scale in favor of Pioneer: extra accessories. You get a remote bass level controller included with the Pioneer amp, as well as a speaker level to RCA input adapter.

In comparison, the Kicker 46XCA8001 has no controller – it’s an optional add-on you have to further pay for.

Product Image
Pioneer GM-D8701
  • 1600W max output.
  • Slightly less powerful at 2 Ohm (max 500 W x 1 channel).
  • Better frequency response (100-240Hz) and remote bass level controller included.
Check Latest Prices
Product Image
Kicker 46CXA8001
  • 1600W max output.
  • 2 Ohm supremacy: 600W x 1 Channel.
  • Special delay deals with interference issues; subsonic filter weeds out harmful sound frequencies.
Check Price on Amazon

Summary

There’s a lot to discuss on both Kicker and Pioneer. After all, with such a diverse product lineup I can’t really cover every single one of their series.

I do believe, however, that I’ve provided you with a concise comparison of their most popular contenders.

While I covered 6.5’’ coaxials, bear in mind both brands have various sizes. Another popular size is the Pioneer 6×9’’ door speakers and specifically, the A-Series TSA6967S Shallow speakers.

Pioneer TS-A6967S 6x9 Inch Speakers

Decent power and great soundput on a shallow 6x9'' speaker design. Affordable price too.

I’m not partial to either brand; for me what matters is getting the best bang for your buck. In this sense, I have to point out that in Kicker car stereo components can be slightly overpriced compared to  Pioneer equivalents.

As I said, though, Kicker does feature more vibrant highs and louder output, specifically with their car speakers.

Some people put a huge emphasis on these factors, so they wouldn’t mind paying a bit extra.

Kicker vs Pioneer: I take a look at their speakers, subs and amplifiers for a thorough review.

If you want to search around for specific sizes, both brands have a rich catalog that’ll fit any custom car stereo setup.

As I pointed out earlier, you can always mix up car audio components from both brands for a customized setup. If you have a Pioneer head unit, nothing stops you from hooking a few Kicker speakers on your door, dash, or wherever you want them to be.

Xander