North Creek

Music Systems

Apogee Stage

Crossover Upgrade

Revised September 20, 2011

North Creek Music Systems

Apogee Stage Installation Instructions

Included in package:

One Left Stage Crossover

One Right Stage Crossover

8 pieces clear shrink tube

8 pieces colored shrink tube (2 of each color)

8 small crimp barrels

12 3" black drywall screws with tips cut off

12 black screw shoulder washers

2 feet solder

Required Tools:

Phillip's head screw driver

Wire cutter/stripper/crimper

3/8" nut driver (#10)

needle nose pliers

soldering iron (suggested)

heat gun (suggested) or lighter

Procedure:

Carefully lay the Stage on its face.

With a Phillips head screw driver, remove the six screws that hold the crossover plate in place.

Rotate the plate and place it on the bottom edge of the woofer panel.

With the #10 nut driver, remove the binding post nut holding down the red woofer panel wire.

With the #10 nut driver, remove the binding post nut holding down the blue tweeter ribbon wire.

With the wire cutter, cut the black wire going to the 80uF capacitor bank about 1/2" from the bank, leaving a little of the black insulated wire behind.

With the wire cutter, cut the white tweeter wire going to the 10uF capacitor about 1/2" from the solder joint, leaving a little of the white insulated wire behind.

Remove the original crossover and set aside.

Installing the North Creek Crossover for the Apogee Stage

The North Creek crossovers are made specifically for the Left or Right speaker. The way to determine which is which is to place a crossover with the components showing on the bottom edge of the woofer panel, such that the binding posts go into the original crossover chamber and the North Creek crossover box sits flat.

Look very carefully at the photo above to see the wiring. It is tight. This photo can also be viewed in full color on our web site. Please note that the 2012 revision, the woofer capacitors, coil and resistors are very slightly different.

Strip 1/4" from the black woofer panel wire and crimp it to the North Creek black wire.

Take the red woofer panel wire, cut off the connector and strip 1/4" from the end. Crimp to the red North Creek wire.

Take the blue tweeter panel wire, cut off the connector and strip 1/4" from the end. Crimp to the blue North Creek wire.

Strip 1/4" from the end of the white tweeter ribbon wire and crimp it to the white North Creek wire.

Solder these four connections.

VERY IMPORTANT:

Shrink clear shrink tube over each connection to insure it is insulated, then shrink the larger color coded shrink tube over the clear section to make doubly sure there is no possibility of a short

Carefully "roll" the new crossover over and into place. The binding posts should be just below the woofer panel and the mounting holes should line up. We drilled the holes through our cabinet quite large so there is considerable play. Place a black shoulder wash under the head of the 3" black drywall screw. Install all six screws loosely through the North Creek crossover cabinet and into the original mounting holes, then tighten all six.

Carefully play some music at a very low volume level to make sure everything is working properly.

Sit back and enjoy.

Break In:

The big woofer coil and the film-foil caps take about 50 hours of hard playing time to break in, so don't judge too quickly. The midrange will be a little forward and the top end a bit brittle at first but it will pass. Just give it time.

North Creek Music Systems

PO Box 1120

Old Forge NY 13420

www.NorthCreekMusic.com