Rockford Fosgate Fanatic X FNX1404 User manual

® ®
car audio
fanatics
for
operation &operation &
operation &operation &
operation &
installationinstallation
installationinstallation
installation
component systems

Dear Customer,
Congratulationsonyourpurchaseoftheworld'sfinestbrandofcaraudiospeakers. At
Rockford Fosgate we are fanatics about musical reproduction at its best, and we are
pleasedyouchoseourproduct.Throughyearsofengineeringexpertise,handcraftsman-
ship and critical testing procedures, we have created a wide range of products that
reproduce music with all the clarity and richness you deserve.
For maximum performance we recommend you have your new Rockford Fosgate
product installed by an Authorized Rockford Fosgate Dealer, as we provide specialized
training through Rockford Technical Training Institute (RTTI). Please read your
warranty and retain your receipt and original carton for possible future use.
Greatproductandcompetentinstallationsareonly a pieceofthepuzzlewhen it comes
to your system. Make sure that your installer is using 100% authentic installation
accessories from Connecting Punch in your installation. Connecting Punch has
everything from RCA cables and speaker wire to Power line and battery connectors.
Insist on it! After all, your new system deserves nothing but the best.
To add the finishing touch to your new Rockford Fosgate image order your Rockford
wearables,which include everything from T-shirtsand jackets to hats andsunglasses.
To get a free brochure on Rockford Fosgate products and Rockford accessories, in the
U.S.call602-967-3565orFAX602-967-8132.Forallothercountries,call+001-602-
967-3565 or FAX [phone].
If, after reading your manual, you still have questions regarding this product,
we recommend that you see your Rockford Fosgate dealer. If you need further
assistance, you can call us direct at 1-800-669-9899. Be sure to have your serial
number, model number and date of purchase available when you call.
PRACTICE SAFE SOUND™
CONTINUOUS EXPOSURE TO SOUND PRESSURE LEVELS OVER 100dB
MAY CAUSE PERMANENT HEARING LOSS.HIGH POWERED AUTOSOUND
SYSTEMS MAY PRODUCE SOUND PRESSURE LEVELS WELL OVER
130dB. USE COMMON SENSE AND PRACTICE SAFE SOUND.
The serial number can be found on the outside of the box. Please record it in
the space provided below as your permanent record. This will serve as
verificationofyourfactorywarrantyandmaybecomeusefulinrecoveringyour
product if it is ever stolen.
Serial Number: ________________________________
Model Number:________________________________

Welcometo RockfordFosgate! Thismanual isdesigned toprovide information
for the owner, salesperson and installer. For those of you who want quick
information on how to install this product, please turn to the Installation
Section of this manual or refer to the icons listed below. Other information can
be located by using the Table of Contents. We, at Rockford Fosgate, have
workedveryhardtomakesurealltheinformationinthismanualiscurrent.But,
asweareconstantlyfindingnewwaystoimproveourproduct,thisinformation
is subject to change without notice.
G ETTING S TARTED
Sections marked
TROUBLESHOOTING
include recommendations for
curing installation problems
I
N
S
T
A
L
L
A
T
I
O
N
® ®
TROUBLE-S
H
O
O
T
I
N
G
T ABLE OF C ONTENTS
Introduction................................................................................................1
Package Contents ....................................................................................... 1
Design Features .......................................................................................... 2
Installation Considerations ...........................................................................4
Mounting Location ...................................................................................... 5
Installation ................................................................................................. 6
Troubleshooting........................................................................................ 10
Specifications ........................................................................................... 11
Warranty Information ................................................................................ 12
International Information............................................................................ 13
Sections marked
INSTALLATION
include “slam dunk”
wiring connections

I NTRODUCTION
This manual provides information on the features and installation of the
Fanatic X Systems. We suggest you save this manual for future reference.
WestronglyrecommendyouhaveyourAuthorizedRockfordFosgateDealer
install the Fanatic X System. If you do choose to install the system yourself,
please be sure to read the entire manual before beginning.
FNX1414
(2) FNX1401 Tweeters
Includes 3/4" [20mm] silk dome tweeter,
flush mount housing, surface mount housing,
wedge mount housing
(2) Tweeter Mounting Brackets
(4) #8 32 x .500 Screws
(4) #8 32 Black Nuts
(8) #8 x .75 Phillips Screws
(2) .110 Female Fast-on Connectors
(2) .110 Male Fast-on Connectors
(2) FNX1404 4" Midrange Speakers
(2) 4" Speaker Grilles
(2) 4" Speaker Grille Rings
(2) “RF” Speaker Grille Logos
(2) FNX142x 2-Way Crossovers
(8) #8 x 1.25 Phillips Screws
(20) 18 Gauge Speaker Wire
P ACKAGE C ONTENTS
– 1 –
FNX1514
(2) FNX1401 Tweeters
Includes 3/4" [20mm] silk dome tweeter,
flush mount housing, surface mount housing,
wedge mount housing
(2) Tweeter Mounting Brackets
(4) #8 32 x .500 Screws
(4) #8 32 Black Nuts
(8) #8 x .75 Phillips Screws
(2) .110 Female Fast-on Connectors
(2) .110 Male Fast-on Connectors
(2) FNX1405 51⁄4" Midrange Speakers
(2) 51⁄4" Speaker Grilles
(2) 51⁄4" Speaker Grille Rings
(2) “RF” Speaker Grille Logos
(2) FNX142x 2-Way Crossovers
(8) #8 x 1.25 Phillips Screws
(20) 18 Gauge Speaker Wire
FNX1614F
(2) FNX1401 Tweeters
Includes 3/4" [20mm] silk dome tweeter,
flush mount housing, surface mount housing,
wedge mount housing
(2) Tweeter Mounting Brackets
(4) #8 32 x .500 Screws
(4) #8 32 Black Nuts
(8) #8 x .75 Phillips Screws
(2) .110 Female Fast-on Connectors
(2) .110 Male Fast-on Connectors
(2) FNX1406F 6" Midrange Speakers
(2) 6" Speaker Grilles
(2) 6" Speaker Grille Rings
(2) “RF” Speaker Grille Logos
(2) FNX142x 2-Way Crossovers
(8) #8 x 1.25 Phillips Screws
(20) 18 Gauge Speaker Wire
FNX1614
(2) FNX1401 Tweeters
Includes 3/4" [20mm] silk dome tweeter,
flush mount housing, surface mount housing,
wedge mount housing
(2) Tweeter Mounting Brackets
(4) #8 32 x .500 Screws
(4) #8 32 Black Nuts
(8) #8 x .75 Phillips Screws
(2) .110 Female Fast-on Connectors
(2) .110 Male Fast-on Connectors
(2) FNX1406 61⁄2" Midrange Speakers
(2) 61⁄2" Speaker Grilles
(2) 61⁄2" Speaker Grille Rings
(2) “RF” Speaker Grille Logos
(2) FNX142x 2-Way Crossovers
(8) #8 x 1.25 Phillips Screws
(20) 18 Gauge Speaker Wire

D ESIGN F EATURES
Tweeter
1. 3/4" Silk Dome Tweeter –Toensure accurate highfrequencyreproduction,the
tweeter dome must be both light and strong. The Fanatic X Component Systems
use a silk dome that has extremely low mass and high strength for smooth high
frequency reproduction.
2. Ferrofluid Cooling – This synthetic fluid is held in place in the magnetic gap. It
bathes the voice coil allowing higher power handling and greater reliability.
3. Neodymium Magnet –What goodwoulda tweeterbe ifitwas toobigto mount
in your favorite spot? The Fanatic Component Systems use a highly efficient
neodymiummagnettoenableaverysmalltweetertohaveverybigperformance.
– 2 –
4
5
6
7
8
2
13
9
12
10
11

D ESIGN F EATURES
Midrange
4. Rubber Surround – The durable rubber surround withstands the
extremesoftheautomotiveenvironment.Italsoimprovessoundquality
byreducing2ndand3rdorderharmonicsandprovideswiderfrequency
response.
5. Mica Filled Polypropylene Cone – The ideal cone material would be
infinitelystrong,verylightandwouldhaveveryhighdampingtoensure
great sound quality. The Fanatic X Series Component Systems use a
micafilledpolypropyleneconethatisstrong,lightandhashighinternal
damping to provide excellent reproduction of sound.
6. Cupped Spider – The spider has the job of centering the voice coil and
providingtherearsuspensionforthespeaker.TheFanaticXComponent
Systems use a durable cupped spider to ensure great sound with long
life and durability.
7. Large 1" Voice Coil with Anodized Aluminum Former – Just like all
Rockford Fosgate woofers, all Fanatic Component System midrange
drivers use an aluminum voice coil former for more efficient dissipation
ofheat.Dissipatingtheheatiskeytolonglifeandhighpowerhandling,
so go ahead and crank it up!
8. VentedPolePiece–Thepolepieceextendsfromthebackofthespeaker
intothevoicecoilarea.TheFanaticXComponentSystemusesavented
polepiecetoallowcoolairtocirculateinthevoicecoilgapwhichallows
greater power handling and increased reliability.
Crossover
9. 2WayButterworthCrossover–Featuresan18dBperoctavehigh-pass
crossoverforthetweeteranda6dBlow-passcrossoverforthemidrange.
The steeper slope of the tweeter crossover gives better power handling.
The low-pass crossover provides a seamless transition between tweeter
and midrange.
10. OpticalCompression–Thisbuilt-inprotectioncircuitlimitspowertothe
tweeter when the “danger” threshold is exceeded. Because it simply
limits power and doesn't shut the tweeter off, this circuit is completely
inaudible.
11. Gold-PlatedScrewTerminals–Terminalsplatedingoldformaximum
resistance to corrosion to ensure great sound for years to come. These
terminals accept bare wire or 1/4" spade lug connectors.
12. 0dB/–3dB Tweeter Pad – In some installations, you may find that the
tweeterlocationismuchclosertoyourearsthanthemidrange.Thispad
allows you to match the tweeter level to the midrange for the best
balance. – 3 –

I NSTALLATION C ONSIDERATIONS
Tools Needed
The following is a list of some of the tools necessary for the installation of your
speakers.
Power Drill with assorted bits #2 Phillips Screwdriver
Tape Measure Voltmeter
General
1. Forsafety,disconnectthenegativeleadfromthebatterypriortobeginning
the installation.
2. Neverrunwiresunderneaththevehicle.Runningthewiresinsidethevehicle
provides the best protection.
3. Avoid running wires over or through sharp edges. Use rubber or plastic
grommets to protect any wires routed through metal.
4. Mountthespeakers/crossoversawayfromelectricalsources(otherthanthe
amplifier) i.e., power cables, electronic fuel pumps, vehicle computers,
and other potential noise sources.
5. Mount the speakers/crossovers away from areas of extreme heat or
moisture.
Speakers
1. Makesurethereisanarealargeenoughforthespeakertomount.Warning!
Failuretodothiscancausedamagetothespeakerifthespeakerframe
is bent during installation.
2. Check to see that the location is deep enough for the speaker(s) and the
location does not interfere with the normal operation of the vehicle.
3. When mounting the speaker(s) in the door of a vehicle, make sure the
speaker(s) do not interfere with either the door or window operation.
4. When mounting the speaker(s) on the rear deck of the vehicle, check the
operationoftherearhatchortrunklid.Makesurethetorsionbarsandother
moving parts are not obstructed by the speaker(s) installation.
•PleaserefertotheSpecificationssectionofthismanualforpropermounting
diameter and depth of the speaker(s).
Crossovers
1. Make sure there is a flat area large enough for the crossover to mount.
2. Forbestresults,mountthecrossover(s)nexttotheamplifierforadecorative
finish to the installation and to provide an easy upgrade (no new wires to
run) for a bi-amp Rockford Fosgate system in the future.
– 4 –

M OUNTING L OCATION
Asolidfrontstagewithagoodimageisoneofthemostdifficulttaskstoachieve
inavehicle.Nocarhastheoptimumlisteningenvironment.Thismakesproper
sound staging very difficult to accomplish. Most speakers tend to be placed
where they will fit easily, as opposed to where they can perform the best. The
mountinglocationofyourspeakerswillhaveagreateffectonthesoundquality
of your stereo system. The special care taken to place the speakers will yield
many hours of listening enjoyment in return. Several important recommenda-
tions should be followed.
• Placethespeakerswheretheyhaveadirect
path to the listening area.
• Forthebestintegrationbetweenthemidrange
and tweeter, the tweeter should be placed
lessthan 2" fromthemidrange. (Figure1)
• If you cannot place the tweeter less than 2"
from the midrange, then place the tweeter
more than 7" from the midrange. Placing
the tweeter 2"-7" from the midrange can
cause destructive interference (frequency
response problems) which will affect the
speaker's ability to reproduce the frequency range around the crossover
frequency of the system.
• Wheneverpossible,placethetweeterdirectlyaboveorbelowthemidrange
as this maximizes the imaging (point source) capability of the speakers.
(Figure 2)
Figure 1
2" or less
Figure 2-A Figure 2-B
– 5 –

• Soundradiatedfroma“pointsource”hasthemostoptimumstereoimaging
becausetheseparationoftheacousticalcentersbetweenthemidrangeand
tweeter for each channel is at the optimum. Figure 2-A describes a
horizontal speaker alignment. In a closed environment such as an
automobile,horizontalspeakeralignmentcancausesevereamplitudeand
phase differences which will degrade not only the imaging, but also the
frequency response. This is due to the path length differences between the
midrangeandtweeter.Figure2-Bdisplaysaverticalalignmentbetweenthe
midrangeandtweeter.Withaverticalalignment,thepathlengthdifference
between the midrange and tweeter are reduced to a minimum. The result
isanegligibledifferenceinpathlengthsbetweenthemidrangeandtweeter
regardless of the proximity of the listener to the speakers. Mounting the
speaker with minimum path length difference will ensure the best staging
and imaging possible from your audio system.
I NSTALLATION
Mounting the Midrange
– 6 –
I
N
S
T
A
L
L
A
T
I
O
N
® ®
1. Cut the proper size hole for the midrange/woofer.
• For the FNX-1404, cut an 90.48mm (39⁄16") diameter hole
• For the FNX-1405, cut a 113.50mm (415⁄32") diameter hole
• For the FNX-1406F, cut a 127mm (5") diameter hole
• For the FNX-1406, cut a 139.06mm (51⁄2") diameter hole
2. Placethemounting ringover themounting holeand markthelocationof
the screw mounting holes.
3. Remove the ring. Drill the holes for the screws using a 1/8" drill bit.
4. Route the wire through the hole.
5. Place the mounting ring over the hole.
6. Attach the wires and be sure to observe the proper speaker polarity.
7. Place the speaker into the hole and screw the speaker into place. Be
careful not to bend the speaker frame during this step.
8. Press the speaker grille into the mounting ring.

– 7 –
I
N
S
T
A
L
L
A
T
I
O
N
® ®
Flush Mount Tweeter
Tweeter
Surface Mount Tweeter
Trim Ring Back
Plate
Flush
Housing
Tweeter Trim Ring Back
Plate
Surface
Housing
Wedge Mount Tweeter
Tweeter Wedge
Housing