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MOUNTING
Find a sturdy, secure area to mount the MLX 23. Be sure it is accessible, but not out in the open
where the crossover points or the level controls may be easily bumped. Predrill your mounting holes
and use the supplied screws to mount the MLX 23 securely.
POWER CONNECTIONS
Before connecting anything, be sure to disconnect the ground from your battery to prevent any
damage to the audio components. All components should be hooked up before the battery is
reconnected.
B+: Connect to this terminal a positive 12 Volt lead using the same source of power used to power
your amplifiers. This should eliminate any chance of picking up noise due to voltage differences.
If you decide to run the power wire for the crossover directly to the battery, be sure to add an inline
fuse holder containing a 1 amp fuse at the battery in case of a short. Use a minimum of 16 awg
stranded copper wire and be sure to apply grommets whenever the power wire is run through any
metal wall.
GND: When grounding your MLX 23 crossover, locate a metal area close to the crossover that is
good source of ground (preferably the floor). Investigate the area you wish to use for electrical wires,
vacuum lines, and brake or fuel lines. Using either a wire brush or sandpaper, eliminate unwanted
paint to supply a better contact when grounding. Use the same gauge wire for ground as you did
for the power. Terminate your ground wire using the correct size ring terminal and attach it to the are
metal using a #8 sheet metal screw. It is important for this connection to be solid. To complete the
job, spread silicon over the screw and bare metal to prevent rust.
REMOTE: Between the power and ground is a remote turn on terminal. This terminal must be
connected to a switched +12 volt source. Typically, remote turn on leads are provided by the source
unit which will turn on and off the amplifier in correspondence with the source. If a radio does not
have a remote turn on, then a power antenna wire may be used. Yet, if neither of these leads are
available at the source, a switched +12 volt supply must be used. Run a minimum of 18 guage wire
from the amplifier location to the source of the switched +12 volt lead. Remember, it's best to keep
all +12 volt wire ran on one side of the vehicle and away from the RCA cable. Avoid running the
wire near sharp edges that may easily cut through the insulation. Connect the source to the wire.
Connect the source to the wire. Check your connections by turning on the source. The Power LED
will illuminate if your connections are correct.
SIGNAL CONNECTIONS
Check system variation diagrams and choose the application that works best in your system. For
applications requiring fader control, two pairs of RCA patch cables are needed to link the source unit
to the MLX 23. If fader control is not needed or the source unit has only one pair of low level outputs
(RCA outputs), only a single pair of RCA patch cables are needed to connect the source unit to the
MLX 23.
Choose the correct length and style of RCA patch cables for your needs. Better RCA's have either
multiple layers of shielding or twisted pair wiring and gold plated terminals for better noise rejection
and outstanding contact (consult your dealer).
Be extra careful when running your RCA patch cables. Car environments are notorious for poorly
insulated wires. This means that hiss, engine noise, and fan noise can easily be picked up through
RCA cables if ran incorrectly. As a precaution, avoid placing your RCA's near large wire looms and
electric fans whenever possible.
Starting at the source, connect the patch cables to the RCA output. Run the cables to the location of
the MLX 23. Connect your patch cables to the corresponding inputs. Be sure to check for correct
balance (red is right and black or white is left) on both the radio and the crossover.
- 3 -
Now it's time to do the final connections, the outputs. Be careful you link the outputs, via RCA patch
cables, to the proper amplifier(s). Use the diagrams on the following pages to determine the correct
system layout. Avoid entanglement between the RCA's and the power wires. Once again, check for
correct balance between the MLX 23 and the corresponding amplifier.
You may now reconnect your battery and install the correct size fuse into the fuse holder.
OUTPUT LEVEL CONTROLS
Now that your connections have all been made, it's time to adjust your stereo system. Before you
turn the system on, be sure to turn all of the gins down on the amplifier(s) and the MLX 23. Choose
the correct crossover points for the speakers you are using. Once this is accomplished, you may
turn the source unit on and adjust the volume level to 2/3 of maximum volume. Now adjust the
MLX 23 output level controls until desired volume is achieved without audible distortion. If the
output levels are at maximum gain on the MLX 23 and desired volume level is not reached, you may
now wish to adjust the gain controls of the amplifier(s) for more volume control. Remember, turning
the gain control all the way up on your amplifier(s) does not increase output power to your speakers,
but will definitely make your speakers distort much sooner.
SYSTEM VARIATIONS
4 CHANNELS 2 WAY SYSTEM WITH FADER CONTROL
2CH/4CH
Front/HP
2
CH
4
CH
2
CH
4
CH
Rear/Mid
HP/BP
Front Output
Rear Output
Sub Output
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Front tweeters
Rear woofers
Sub-woofers
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