PHOTO COURTESY OF KICKER
Musician Steve Irby built his first speaker with his father 65 years ago for his garage band at the time. Today, his audio company KICKER is celebrating 50 years of creating big sound for the mobile and marine sector.
The company found its footing in the mobile audio sector after a request from a friend to build a better speaker for long haul pickup trucks. Irby delivered with big, clear concert-level sound in small spaces, and the innovation continued with the “Solo-baric speaker,” “Warehouse Amp” and “L-7” patented square speaker that this year’s 50th anniversary logo and 2023 Comp Gold anniversary line is modeled on.
“We are still playing the game,” says Irby, who heads a company based out of Stillwater, Oklahoma that employs over 200 people. “At KICKER, the culture starts with me. I like audio, I like people and that’s where it has to start. It has to be who you are.”
KICKER launched its marine audio line in 2006, now branded “Real Marine,” delivering high quality marine audio that has won two major national industry recognitions for its new KMXL horn-loaded speakers: the prestigious Bonnier ELEX Award and the 2023 Boating Industry Magazine “Top Products” award, and offers tower systems, coaxials, subwoofers, amplifiers, receivers, service units and remotes for operation and lighting.
When it comes to quality, KICKER Marine Audio is backed by industry- surpassing testing for salt, fog, weather and UV to ensure that components are waterproof, corrosion resistant, durable and problem-free to withstand the challenges of the harsh marine environment, and offers industry-leading warranties backed by reliable and efficient service.
Visit kicker.com/marine-audio to learn more.
