User manual POLK AUDIO EX3550

[. . . ] EX3 Series Tweeter & Component Speaker Systems the speaker specialists ® POLK AUDIO 5601 METRO DRIVE BALTIMORE, MARYLAND 21215 (800)377-7655 http://www. polkaudio. com "Polk Audio" and "The Speaker Specialists" are trademarks of Britannia Investment Corporation used under license by Polk Audio Incorporated. GETTING STARTED ATTACH YOUR RECEIPT HERE AND FILE FOR FUTURE REFERENCE X Please inspect each loudspeaker carefully. Notify your Polk Audio dealer if you notice any damage or missing items. They will do the best job of protecting your speakers if they need to be transported. Check that you have the following model-specific parts: EX3550 and EX3560 Models: · 2 Mid-Woofers · 2 Mid-Woofer Grilles · 2 EX3500 Tweeters With Wires Attached · 2 Crossover Networks · 2 Flush Mount Tweeter Cups · 2 Flush Mount Cup Clamps · 2 Straight Surface Mount Tweeter Cups · 2 Angled Surface Mount Tweeter Cups · Speaker Wires With Fast-on Connectors Attached · 2 Machine Screws For Flush Mount Installation · 16 Sheet Metal Screws For Surface Mount Tweeter Installation (4), Crossover Mounting (4) & Driver Mounting (8). [. . . ] Carefully orient the new speaker over the screw holes and mounting clips. Tighten the screws firmly to secure the speaker and grille frame to the mounting surface. 11. ) Place the mesh grille in the grille frame. 12. ) Repeat Steps 1-11 for the other speaker(s). EX3 Series Tweeter Installation Step 1--Choosing the proper tweeter location When properly installed, component systems can improve the soundstage created by music in your car. The soundstage will be dramatically affected by where you mount your tweeters. How do you determine the best place for tweeter installation?Grab a friend and play along as we recommend a simple "Tweeter Placement" experiment!Just follow these easy steps: 1. ) Complete the installation of your entire system except for the EX3500 Tweeters. 2. ) Connect the wires provided with your tweeters to the tweeter terminals on your EX3 Crossovers [figure 3]. 3. ) Without actually running the wires through doors or under upholstered panels, connect up your EX3500 Tweeters. 4. ) Mount the tweeters in a temporary location (where you think you'd like to install them) with tape. 5. ) Have your friend sit in the passenger-side seat while you sit in the driver's seat. 6. ) Now, with familiar music playing (we recommend music with vocals for this test), both you and your friend should position the tweeters in different locations around the passenger compartment, listening for resulting sound differences. Listen to the tweeter with the Elliptical Lens on it, and ALSO listen to it with just the Grille on it. If you're planning a surface installation, try this with both the Straight Surface Mount Cup and the Angled Surface Mount Cup. Rotate the Angled Surface Mount Cup in conjunction with the Elliptical Lens to help get the most desirable radiation pattern. Listen for imaging, soundstage and clarity. In a short time, you should be able to determine the best location for your tweeters. 7. ) Mark the location, and move on to Step 2 and choose your mounting option. The EX3500 Tweeter offers two optional "high frequency directors" to give you even more control over your sound and to help you get better sound in difficult placements: an Elliptical Lens and an Angled Surface Mount Cup. (You also get a Straight Surface Mount Cup and a Mesh Tweeter Grille. What a deal. ) Use the Elliptical Lens to focus the high frequencies in your system for better imaging and directionality [figure 5]. When you're doing the Tweeter Location Test (above), tape the Elliptical Lens in place on either the Straight or Angled Surface Mount Cup to help find the direction best suited to your system. [. . . ] Bass blockers are installed in series, one end connected with the positive lead from your amplifier and the other end connected to the positive lead of each of your speakers [figure 7]. Bass blocker capacitors (200 microfarad @ 100volts, non-polarized) are available at any RadioShack or parts supply house. The other route is to use an electronic crossover device that allows filtering below 100Hz or so. Find these devices at your authorized Polk Audio dealer. FIG. [. . . ]