The CX3400 3-way stereo/4-way mono crossover features absolute precision, state-of-the-art circuitry, with superior-grade components, ultra low-noise op amps and balanced inputs and outputs. The CX3400 also includes a switchable pre-EQ circuit, providing enhanced performance of systems with constant-directivity horns. A user-adjustable multi-band limiter is included for the ultimate protection of individual loudspeaker system components.

Sound Quality

When a sound system is tuned properly, it becomes powerful, balanced and efficient. Bass content is punchy and tight, with vocals and instruments that are rich, crisp and well defined. The CX3400 crossover’s accurate signal processing protects critical loudspeaker components and improves overall system efficiency.

What’s a Crossover?

Chances are if you’re reading this, you already know what a crossover is and you know that you need one. But if you are new to multi-way PA systems, here is a brief overview.

Loudspeakers (which we call transducers) convert electrical signals into sound waves. And no matter how well a transducer is designed and made, it simply cannot reproduce the entire audio spectrum all by itself. Low-frequency sounds tend to push a transducer to its maximum, making it impossible for that same transducer to reproduce the treble content with the sound quality it deserves. (Try singing high falsetto next time you’re bench-pressing your limit!)

That is why high-quality sound systems use multiple speakers (woofers and tweeters) to share the work. When the woofer (usually the larger transducer) does all the heavy lifting, the tweeter can easily handle the high-frequency stuff. Three- and four-way systems distribute the work even more, allowing the individual transducers to reproduce the frequency range they are best suited to. It is the crossover’s function to divide these tasks between the various transducers.

Divide and Conquer

The CX3400 provides two modes of operation: 3-way stereo, for left and right Lows (woofers), Mids and Highs (tweeters); and 4-way mono, for Lows, Low-Mids, High-Mids and Highs. In either mode, you have the option of normal (left and right), or summed-mono low-frequency output. Adjustable time delays (up to two milliseconds) are also provided, so that the sound coming from the various transducers arrives at the listener in-phase and at the same time.

By using 1% metal film resistors, along with other extremely tight-tolerance components, the CX3400 is able to guarantee surgically precise frequency selection with incredibly low thermal noise. State-of-the-art, ultra low-noise op amps ensure super-quiet operation. CX3400’s elegant LED matrix shows at a glance which operation mode is selected and which controls are active.

Getting Connected

All of the inputs and outputs accept balanced and unbalanced XLR connections. The inputs feature 25 Hz Low Cut filters for low-frequency driver protection. Mute and phase invert switches are provided for each frequency range, making troubleshooting an entire loudspeaker system a breeze.