The OPTX project. III.

We compare the optical spectral types with the X-ray spectral properties for a uniformly selected (sources with fluxes greater than the 3{sigma} level and above a flux limit of f(2-8keV)>3.5x10^-15^erg/cm^2^/s), highly spectroscopically complete (>80% for f(2-8keV)>10^-14^erg/cm^2^/s and >60% below) 2-8keV X-ray sample observed in three Chandra fields (CLANS, CLASXS, and the CDF-N) that cover ~1.2deg^2^. For our sample of 645 spectroscopically observed sources, we confirm that there is significant overlap of the X-ray spectral properties, as determined by the effective photon indices, {Gamma}_eff_, obtained from the ratios of the 0.5-2keV to 2-8keV counts, for the different optical spectral types.

Thus, one cannot use the X-ray spectral classifications and the optical spectral classifications equivalently. Since it is not understood how X-ray and optical classifications relate to the obscuration of the central engine, we strongly advise against a mixed classification scheme, as it can only complicate the interpretation of X-ray AGN samples.