dbx 223 User manual

2-Way, 3-Way
4-Way Crossovers
223/223XL - 234/234XL
®
Operation
Manual

WARNINGFORYOURPROTECTION
READTHESEINSTRUCTIONS:
KEEPTHESEINSTRUCTIONS
HEEDALLWARNINGS
FOLLOWALLINSTRUCTIONS
DONOTUSETHISAPPARATUS NEAR WATER
CLEANONLYWITHADRYCLOTH.
DO NOT BLOCK ANY OF THE VENTILATION OPENINGS. INSTALL IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE MANU-
FACTURER’SINSTRUCTIONS.
DO NOT INSTALL NEAR ANY HEAT SOURCES SUCH AS RADIATORS, HEAT REGISTERS, STOVES, OR
OTHERAPPARATUS (INCLUDING AMPLIFIERS) THATPRODUCEHEAT.
ONLYUSEATTACHMENTS/ACCESSORIESSPECIFIEDBYTHEMANUFACTURER.
UNPLUG THIS APPARATUS DURING LIGHTNING STORMS OR WHEN UNUSED FOR LONG PERIODS OF
TIME.
Donotdefeat the safety purpose of the polarized orgrounding-typeplug. A polarized plug has
two blades with one wider than the other. A grounding type plug has two blades and a third
groundingprong. Thewidebladeorthirdprongareprovidedforyoursafety. Iftheprovided
plugdoesnotfityouroutlet,consultanelectricianforreplacementoftheobsoleteoutlet.
Protect the power cord from being walked on or pinched particularly at plugs, convenience
receptacles,andthepointwheretheyexitfromtheapparatus.
Useonlywiththecartstand,tripodbracket,ortablespecifiedbythemanufacture,orsoldwith
theapparatus. Whenacartisused,usecautionwhenmovingthecart/apparatuscombination
toavoidinjuryfromtip-over.
Refer all servicing to to qualified service personnel. Servicing is required when the appara-
tus has been damaged in any way, such as power-supply cord or plug is damaged, liquid has
been spilled or objects have fallen into the apparatus, the apparatus has been exposed to rain
ormoisture,doesnotoperatenormally, or has been dropped.
POWER ON/OFF SWITCH: For products provided with a power switch, the power switch DOES
NOTbreaktheconnectionfromthemains.
MAINS DISCONNECT: The plug shall remain readily operable. For rack-mount or installation
where plug is not accessible, an all-pole mains switch with a contact separation of at least 3
mmineachpoleshallbeincorporatedintotheelectricalinstallationoftherackorbuilding.
FORUNITSEQUIPPEDWITHEXTERNALLYACCESSIBLEFUSERECEPTACLE: Replacefusewithsame
typeandratingonly.
MULTIPLE-INPUT VOLTAGE: This equipment may require the use of a different line cord, attach-
mentplug,orboth, dependingontheavailablepower sourceat installation.Connectthis equip-
mentonlytothepowersourceindicatedontheequipmentrearpanel.Toreducetheriskoffire
orelectricshock,referservicingtoqualifiedservicepersonnelorequivalent.
ThisEquipmentisintendedforrackmountuseonly.
SAFETYINSTRUCTIONS
NOTICEFOR CUSTOMERS IF YOURUNIT IS EQUIPPEDWITH A POWER CORD.
WARNING:THISAPPLIANCEMUSTBEEARTHED.
Thecores in the mainslead are colouredin accordance with thefollowing code:
GREENand YELLOW - Earth BLUE- Neutral BROWN -Live
Ascoloursofthecoresin themainsleadof thisappliancemaynot correspondwiththecoloured markings
identifyingthe terminals in yourplug, proceed asfollows:
•The core which is coloured green and yellow must be connected to the terminal in the plug
markedwith the letter E,or with theearth symbol, or colouredgreen, or greenand yellow.
•ThecorewhichiscolouredbluemustbeconnectedtotheterminalmarkedNorcolouredblack.
•Thecorewhichiscoloured brown must beconnectedtotheterminalmarkedLorcoloured red.
This equipment may require the use of a different line cord, attachment plug, or both, depending on the
availablepowersourceatinstallation. Iftheattachmentplugneedstobechanged,referservicingtoqual-
ified service personnel who should refer to the table below. The green/yellow wire shall be connected
directlyto the units chassis.
WARNING: Iftheground is defeated,certainfault conditions intheunit or inthesystem to which itis con-
nected can result in full line voltage between chassis and earth ground. Severe injury or death can then
resultif the chassis andearth ground aretouched simultaneously.
LIVE
ENEUTRAL EARTH GND
CONDUCTOR
L
NBROWN BLUE
GREEN/YEL
BLACK
Normal Alt
WIRE COLOR
WHITE
GREEN
Thesymbols shownabove areinternationally acceptedsymbolsthat warnof potentialhazards with
electricalproducts. The lightning flash with arrowpoint inan equilateral triangle means that there
aredangerousvoltagespresentwithintheunit. Theexclamationpointinanequilateraltriangleindi-
catesthat it isnecessary for the user torefer to theowner’smanual.
Thesesymbols warn thatthere are nouser serviceableparts inside theunit. Do not openthe unit.
Do not attempt to service the unit yourself. Refer all servicing to qualified personnel. Opening the
chassis for any reason will void the manufacturer’s warranty. Do not get the unit wet. If liquid is
spilledontheunit,shutitoffimmediatelyandtakeittoadealerforservice. Disconnecttheunitdur-
ingstorms to preventdamage.
CAUTION
ATTENTION: RISQUE DE CHOC ELECTRIQUE - NE PAS OUVRIR
WARNING: TO REDUCE THE RISK OF FIRE OR ELECTRIC
SHOCK DO NOT EXPOSE THIS EQUIPMENT TO RAIN OR MOISTURE
RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK
DO NOT OPEN
IMPORTANT SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS

U.K. MAINS PLUG WARNING
A molded mains plug that has been cut off from the cord is unsafe.
Discard the mains plug at a suitable disposal facility. NEVER UNDER
ANY CIRCUMSTANCES SHOULD YOU INSERT A DAMAGED OR CUT
MAINS PLUG INTO A 13 AMP POWER SOCKET. Do not use the
mains plug without the fuse cover in place. Replacement fuse covers
can be obtained from your local retailer. Replacement fuses are 13
amps and MUST be ASTA approved to BS1362.
LITHIUM BATTERY
WARNING
CAUTION!
This product may contain a lithium battery.There is danger of
explosion if the battery is incorrectly replaced.Replace only
with an Eveready CR 2032 or equivalent. Make sure the bat-
tery is installed with the correct polarity.Discard used batter-
ies according to manufacturer’s instructions.
ADVARSEL!
Lithiumbatteri - Eksplosjonsfare.Ved utskifting benyttes kun
batteri som anbefalt av apparatfabrikanten. Brukt batteri
returneres apparatleverandøren.
ADVARSEL!
Lithiumbatteri - Eksplosionsfare ved fejlagtig håndtering.
Udskiftning må kun ske med batteri av samme fabrikat og
type. Levér det brugte batteri tilbage til leverandøren.
VAROITUS!
Paristo voi räjähtää,jos se on virheellisesti asennettu.Vaihda
paristo ainoastaan laitevalmistajan suosittelemaan tyyppin.
Hävitä käytetty paristo valmistajan ohjeiden mukaisesti.
VARNING!
Explosionsfara vid felaktigt batteribyte.Använd samma batteri-
typ eller en ekvivalent typ som rekommenderas av apparattil-
lverkaren. Kassera använt batteri enligt fabrikantens instruk-
tion.
IMPORTANT SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS
ELECTROMAGNETIC
COMPATIBILITY
This unit conforms to the Product
Specifications noted on the Declaration of
Conformity. Operation is subject to the fol-
lowing two conditions:
• this device may not cause harmful inter-
ference, and
• this device must accept any interference
received, including interference that may
cause undesired operation.
Operation of this unit within significant electro-
magnetic fields should be avoided.
• use only shielded interconnecting cables.
DECLARATION OF
CONFORMITY
Manufacturer’s Name: dbx Professional Products
Manufacturer’s Address: 8760 S.Sandy Parkway
Sandy,Utah 84070, USA
declares that the product:
Product name: dbx223,234, 223XL and 234XL
Note:Product name may be suffixed by the letters-EU orV.
Product option: None
conforms to the following Product Specifications:
Safety: IEC 60065 (1998)
EMC: EN 55013 (1990)
EN 55020 (1991)
Supplementary Information:
The product herewith complies with the requirements of the Low
Voltage Directive 73/23/EEC and the EMC Directive 89/336/EEC as
amended by Directive 93/68/EEC.
Vice-President of Engineering
8760 S.Sandy Parkway
Sandy,Utah 84070, USA
6/23/03
European Contact: Your local dbx Sales and Service Office or
Harman Music Group
8760 South Sandy Parkway
Sandy,Utah 84070, USA
Ph:[phone]
Fax:[phone]

2-Way, 3-Way
4-Way Crossovers
223/223XL - 234/234XL
1
TABLE OF CONTENTS
WARRANTY ...............................................................................................................................................................2
INTRODUCTION .......................................................................................................................................................2
INSPECTION ........................................................................................................................................................................3
234/234XL FRONT PANEL OPERATION .............................................................................................................................3
223/223XL FRONT PANEL OPERATION .............................................................................................................................5
234/234XL-223/223XL REAR PANEL OPERATIONS ........................................................................................................6
234/234XL-223/223XL AUDIO CONNECTIONS ...................................................................................................................7
ELECTRICAL CONNECTIONS .............................................................................................................................................7
FEATURES ...........................................................................................................................................................................7
RACK MOUNTING, GROUNDING AND SAFETY ...............................................................................................................8
TROUBLESHOOTING ..........................................................................................................................................................9
234/234XL-223/223XL SPECIFICATIONS ..........................................................................................................................11

2-Way, 3-Way
4-Way Crossovers
223/223XL - 234/234XL
2
®
WARRANTY
INTRODUCTION
Congratulations on your purchase of the dbx 223/223XL or 234/234XL
crossover.We are confident you will find this crossover to be the finest
product of its kind in this price range.We have taken care to include all of
the features you need to make your system sound its best. Some of the
features common to both the 234/234XL and the 223/223XL crossovers
are:
• back panel switches for selecting the operating mode of the
crossover.
• back panel switches indicating the selected range of crossover fre-
quencies. Both of these features have LED indicators on the front
panel so you can see at a glance which mode the unit is in.
• low frequency summed output designed specifically for mono sub-
woofer applications.
• phase invert switches on all outputs.
• individual level controls on every output.
We are sure you will agree that these crossovers are built to provide
extremely high quality frequency division for all applications.
1.The warranty registration card that accompanies this product must be
mailed within 30 days after purchase date to validate this warranty.
Proof-of-purchase is considered to be the burden of the consumer.
2. dbx warrants this product, when bought and used solely within the
U.S., to be free from defects in materials and workmanship under nor-
mal use and service.
3. dbx liability under this warranty is limited to repairing or, at our discre-
tion, replacing defective materials that show evidence of defect, provid-
ed the product is returned to dbx WITH RETURN AUTHORIZATION
from the factory, where all parts and labor will be covered up to a peri-
od of two years. A Return Authorization number must be obtained from
dbx by telephone.The company shall not be liable for any consequen-
tial damage as a result of the product's use in any circuit or assembly.
4. dbx reserves the right to make changes in design or make additions to
or improvements upon this product without incurring any obligation to
install the same additions or improvements on products previously
manufactured.
5.The foregoing is in lieu of all other warranties, expressed or implied,
and dbx neither assumes nor authorizes any person to assume on its
behalf any obligation or liability in connection with the sale of this prod-
uct. In no event shall dbx or its dealers be liable for special or conse-
quential damages or from any delay in the performance of this warran-
ty due to causes beyond their control.

2-Way, 3-Way
4-Way Crossovers
223/223XL - 234/234XL
®
INSPECTION Before going any further, you should take time to fill out your warranty
registration card and inspect the contents of the shipping carton. Inside
both the 223/223XL and 234/234XL boxes you should find the following:
• either the dbx model 223, 223XL, 234 or 234XL crossover.
• operation manual (you are reading it!)
• 4 rack screws and washers
• power cord.
The contents of this manual are subject to change at any time without
notice.
3
STEREO 2-WAY MODE
In 2-way stereo mode the controls are marked BELOW the horizontal blue line.
Channel One and Channel Two functions are identical in the stereo mode. Front panel controls not described in
this section are not active in stereo 2-way operation.
[1] & [7] INPUT GAIN Controls the INPUT level with +/- 12 dB of gain.
[13] & [20] LOW CUT Switch for selecting the 40 Hz high pass filter. An LED indicates the
selection.
[2] & [8] LOW/MID*Selects crossover point between the LOW and HIGH outputs.
[14] & [21] X10 LED Indicates that the LOW/HIGH crossover frequency range is 450 Hz to
9.6 kHz.
[4] & [10] LOW OUTPUT Controls the Low frequency output level with a range of -∞to +6 dB.
[15] & [22] PHASE INVERT Switch for reversing the polarity on the Low Output. An LED indicates
that the phase is inverted.
[6] & [12] HIGH OUTPUT Controls the High frequency output with a range of -∞to +6 dB.
[17] & [24] PHASE INVERT Switch for reversing the polarity on the High Output. An LED indicates
that the phase is inverted.
[19] STEREO LED indicating stereo mode operation.
* although this control is labeled as “LOW/MID”, it operates as the crossover frequency control between low and
high frequencies in stereo 2-way operation.
dbx 234/234XL Front Panel
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
13 14 15 16 17 1819 20 21 22 23 24
Note: There are no front panel differences between the 234 and the 234XL. Therefore the
234XL is shown below, representing both the 234 and the 234XL.

®
2-Way, 3-Way
4-Way Crossovers
223/223XL - 234/234XL
234/234XL-223/223XLREAR
PANEL OPERATIONS
STEREO 3-WAY MODE
In 3-way stereo operation the controls are marked BELOW the horizontal blue line.
Channel One and Channel Two functions are identical in the stereo mode. LEDs are disabled for controls which are non-
functional in this mode.
[1] & [7] INPUT GAIN Controls the INPUT level with +/- 12 dB of gain.
[13] & [20] LOW CUT Switch for selecting the 40 Hz high pass filter. An LED indicates the selec-
tion.
[2] & [8] LOW/MID Selects crossover point between LOW and MID frequencies.
[14] & [21] X10 LED Indicates that the LOW/MID crossover frequency range is 450 Hz to 9.6 kHz.
[3] & [9] MID/HIGH Selects crossover point between MID and HIGH frequencies.
[4] & [10] LOW OUTPUT Controls the Low Frequency output level with a range of -∞to +6 dB.
[15] & [22] PHASE INVERT Switch for reversing the polarity on the Low Output. An LED indicates the
selection.
[5] & [11] MID OUTPUT Controls the Mid Frequency output with a range of -∞to +6 dB.
[16] & [23] PHASE INVERT Switch for reversing the polarity on the Mid Output. An LED indicates the
selection.
[6] & [12] HIGH OUTPUT Controls the High Frequency output with a range of -∞to +6 dB.
[17] & [24] PHASE INVERT Switch for reversing the polarity on the High output. An LED indicates the
selection.
[19] STEREO LED indicating stereo mode operation.
MONO 4 -WAY MODE
In 4-way mono operation the controls are marked ABOVE the horizontal blue line. Front panel controls not described in
this section are not active in mono 4-way mode. LEDs are disabled for controls which are non-functional in mono 4-way
mode.
[1] INPUT GAIN Controls the input level with +/- 12 dB of gain.
[13] LOW CUT Switch for selecting the 40 Hz high pass filter. An LED indicates the
selection.
[2] LOW/LOW-MID Selects crossover point between LOW and LOW-MID frequencies.
[14] X10 LED Indicates that the LOW/LOW-MID crossover frequency range is 450 Hz to
9.6 kHz.
[3] LOW-MID/HIGH-MIDSelects the crossover point between LOW-MID and HIGH-MID frequencies.
[9] HIGH-MID/HIGH Selects the crossover point between HIGH-MID and HIGH frequencies.
[4] LOW OUTPUT Controls the LOW frequency output level with a range of -∞to +6 dB.
[15] PHASE INVERT Switch for reversing the polarity on the Low Output. An LED indicates the
selection.
[5] LOW-MID OUTPUT Controls the LOW-MID frequency output level with a range of -∞to +6 dB.
[16] PHASE INVERT Switch for reversing the polarity on the Low-Mid Output. An LED indicates
the selection.
[11] HIGH-MID OUTPUT Controls the HIGH-MID frequency output level with a range of -∞to +6 dB.
[23] PHASE INVERT Switch for reversing the polarity on the High-Mid Output. An LED indicates
the selection.
[12] HIGH OUTPUT Controls the HIGH frequency output level with a range of -∞to +6 dB.
[24] PHASE INVERT Switch for reversing the polarity on the High Output. An LED indicates
the selection.
[18] MONO LED indicating mono mode operation.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
13 14 15 16 17 1819 20 21 22 23 24
4

2-Way, 3-Way
4-Way Crossovers
223/223XL - 234/234XL
5
dbx 223/223XL Front Panel
STEREO 2-WAY MODE
In 2-way stereo mode the controls are marked BELOW the horizontal blue line.
Channel One and Channel Two functions are identical in the stereo mode. LEDs are disabled for controls which
are non-functional in this mode.
[1] & [5] INPUT GAIN Controls the INPUT level with +/- 12 dB of gain.
[9] & [15] LOW CUT Switch for selecting the 40 Hz high pass filter. An LED indicates
the selection.
[2] & [6] LOW/HIGH Selects crossover point between the LOW and HIGH outputs.
[10] & [16] X10 LED Indicates that the LOW/HIGH crossover frequency range is 450
Hz to 9.6 kHz.
[3] & [7] LOW OUTPUT Controls the Low Frequency output level with a range of -∞to +6
dB.
[11] & [17] PHASE INVERT Switch for reversing the polarity on the Low Output. An LED indi-
cates the selection.
[4] & [8] HIGH OUTPUT Controls the High Frequency output with a range of -∞to +6 dB.
[12] & [18] PHASE INVERT Switch for reversing the polarity on the High Output. An LED indi-
cates the selection.
[14] STEREO LED indicating stereo mode operation.
MONO 3 -WAY MODE
In 3-way mono operation the controls are marked ABOVE the horizontal blue line. Front panel controls not
described in this section are not active in mono 3-way mode. LEDs are disabled for controls which are non-
functional in this mode.
[1] INPUT GAIN Controls the input level with +/- 12 dB of gain.
[9] LOW CUT Switch for selecting the 40 Hz high pass filter. An LED indicates
the selection.
[2] LOW/MID Selects crossover point between LOW and MID frequencies.
[10] X10 LED Indicates that the LOW/MID crossover range is 450 Hz to 9.6 kHz.
[6] MID/HIGH Selects the crossover point between MID and HIGH frequencies.
[16] X10 LED Indicates that the MID/HIGH crossover frequency range is 450 Hz
to 9.6 kHz
[3] LOW OUTPUT Controls the LOW frequency output level with a range of -∞to +6
dB.
[11] PHASE INVERT Switch for reversing the polarity on the Low Output. An LED indi-
cates that the phase is reversed.
[7] MID OUTPUT Controls the MID frequency output level with a range of -∞to +6
dB.
[17] PHASE INVERT Switch for reversing the polarity on the Mid Output. An LED indi-
cates that the phase is reversed.
[8] HIGH OUTPUT Controls the HIGH frequency output level with a range of -∞to +6
dB.
[18] PHASE INVERT Switch for reversing the polarity on the High Output. An LED indi-
cates that the phase is reversed.
[13] MONO LED indicating mono mode operation.
9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18
Note: There are no front panel differences between the 223 and the 223XL. Therefore the
223XL is shown below, representing both the 223 and the 223XL.
®
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

®
2-Way, 3-Way
4-Way Crossovers
223/223XL - 234/234XL
234/234XL-223/223XL REAR
PANEL OPERATIONS
MODE SWITCHES
234XL REAR PANEL
234 REAR PANEL
The mode switches on the back panel of the unit are used to select one
of the three modes of operation in the 234/234XL and one of two modes
of operation in the 223/223XL.There could be disastrous consequences
if the crossover were improperly setup or the switches were mistakenly
pushed during the regular operation of a sound system.Therefore great
care should be taken when setting these switches.There is a mode dia-
gram on the back panel to help you understand at a glance how this is
done.The following steps should be taken in setting up your system:
• Know the loudspeaker manufacturer’s requirements regarding the
amplification needs of your particular speaker system. Follow the
manufacturer’s guidelines carefully, as dbx is not responsible for dam-
age relating to improper setup or implementation of the 234/234XL-
223/223XL.
• Without any audio or power connections in place, use the back panel
switches on the crossover to set it to the proper mode of operation;
either stereo 2-way, stereo 3-way, or mono 4-way for the 234/234XL,
or stereo 2-way or mono 3-way for the 223/223XL.
• Use the literature that came with your speaker system to properly set
up the mode of operation and crossover frequencies to the manufac-
turer’s specifications.
• There is one of the four possible mode button combinations for the
234/234XL which is marked “not valid”. Be sure you have not selected
this combination as the 234/234XL will not operate correctly in this
mode.
When you are certain that the proper selections have been made, com-
plete the steps described below and in the “234/234XL-223/223XL Audio
Connections” section on page 7.
6