Kicker KX3 Owner's Manual

KX3

Electronic Crossover

Congratulations! You have just purchased one of the latest products
in signal processing technology to carry the famous KICKER name.
Your KICKER KX3 is designed and built to give you years of trouble­free performance. This installation manual contains valuable informa­tion on how to get the most out of your new KX3 Electronic Crossover.
Thanks for buying KICKER. Enjoy!

Features & Controls

Front High Frequency Output Jacks High passed at 18 dB/octave with infi-

nitely variable frequencies of 35 to 8000 Hz.
Rear High Frequency Output Jacks High passed at 18 dB/octave with infi­nitely variable frequencies of 35 to 400 Hz.
Frequency multiplier switch Increases the front HI-Pass frequency by 1x or
20x depending on the type of speakers being used. The switch determines the
frequency. 1x (35Hz-400Hz) or set to 20x (700Hz-8000Hz)
Low Frequency Output Jacks Low passed at 18 dB/octave in a range of 45
to 250 Hz for use with low frequency amplifier(s).
Subsonic Filter Set at 25Hz with a slope of 24dB/octave to increase power
handling and help control subwoofer excursion.
Remote Bass Level Control Provides a convenient way to adjust the amount
of bass to suit your taste without having to leave your seat.

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Mounting Instructions

The KX3 crossover can be mounted in any convenient location in your vehicle
that allows access to the controls and freedom from moisture. The flanges on
the chassis have mounting holes which can be used as a template for the screw
holes.

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Wiring Instructions

The preferred method of bringing input signal into the KX3 crossover is with

one or two sets of twisted pair RCA cables from a quality source unit.

If only one pair of RCA cables is used, the “Parallel” switch must be turned ON.

If two pairs of RCA cables are used, the “Parallel” switch must be turned OFF.

Power for the KX3 should always come from a fused source. If you are using
an aftermarket head unit it is convenient to tap into the sources constant power
lead for main power and add to the remote output for turn on.

If you are using a source which does not have a remote turn on lead the KX3
can be turned on with a switched accessory lead. You can find this accessory
power source in the factory harness at the back of the radio. It is the lead that
turns on and off with the key.

To reduce the chance of noise entering the system, it is recommended that
the RCA cables be run through the vehicle separate from any power wires.

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Adjustments and Controls

After all the wiring connections are made and before the system is turned on
for the first time you must make some basic adjustments. Start by turning the
Front, Rear, and Sub Output Level controls most of the way down, counter­clockwise. Now turn the HI-Pass frequency controls all the way to the right and
the LO-Pass frequency control all the way to the right. Also turn the gain con­trols on your amplifiers all the way down.

It is now time to power up the system. The green power LED should be lit. If
not, refer to the troubleshooting section in this manual. Turn the head unit on
and raise the volume until distortion is heard, then back the volume down slight­ly. This is the setting where the head unit puts out the maximum output without
sounding bad. Due to the wide range on the level controls of the KX3 you may
not be able to hear the music loud enough to tell distortion yet. If this is the
case, raise all three Output Level controls to the halfway point (12 o’clock posi­tion) and try it again. Do not increase the gain settings on the amplifiers yet.

The music will sound incomplete right now because of the preliminary fre­quency settings. This is normal. If your head unit has no more than 2 volts of
output, the KX3 Output Level controls will need to be turned all the way up to
get enough signal to the amplifiers.

With the amplifier gains still at minimum and the head unit as high as it will go
without distortion, raise the Front and Rear Output Level controls on the KX3
until distortion is heard and immediately turn it down slightly. This is the maxi­mum setting that this gain control should ever be set to.

It is very important that the HI-Pass frequency control settings are set correct­ly before turning on the system for the first time.

and the gain on your high frequency amplifier will depend on the size of the
amplifier and the power handling capability of your mid/high speakers.
Remember that the power handling of a midrange speaker is directly related to
the high pass frequency. It will handle more power at a higher high pass fre­quency and less power at a lower high pass frequency. If the midrange speaker
ever pops or sounds bad it is a good indication that there is too much power
going to it or that the HI-Pass frequency is set too low. Most 6 1/2” midranges
will operate down to 80 or 100 Hz. A 5 1/4” or a 4” will usually work down to 100
to 150 Hz. Most 3 1/2 mids do not like to be operated below 300 Hz.

Continue on the LO-Pass frequency control and the low frequency amplifier
gain. Normally the LO-Pass frequency will be the same as the HI-Pass Frequency.
An exception will be when the midrange is too small to play down to a real low
frequency and the subwoofer sounds bad trying to play up to meet the
midrange. This may require a gap or difference between the high and low set­tings. Although not ideal, sometimes it is necessary to make the system work as
good as possible.

Setting the HI-Pass frequency

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