Blue Sky EXO 2 User manual

2

Stereo Monitoring System

USER MANUAL

Blue Sky International

70 Sea Lane, Farmingdale, New York, 11735 USA • T: [phone] • F [phone]

www.abluesky.com

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Stereo Monitoring System

USER MANUAL • CONTENTS

Important Safety Instructions __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ Page 3
1 Welcome to Blue Sky __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ Page 4
2 Welcome to eXo2 _ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ Page 4
3 Important notes about eXo2 and this Manual __ __ Page 4
4 Expanded Setup Guide _ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ Page 5
5 System Signal Connections and Level Settings __ Page 6
6 A Tour of the eXo2 Amplifier and Remote __ __Page 7 & 8
7 eXo2 Mounting and Placement Options __ __ __ __ Page 8
8 Expanded Calibration Guide__ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ Page 9
9 Subwoofer Placement Guide _ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ Page 10
10 Technical Information __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ Page 11
11 Satellite Cabinet & Remote Dimensions__ __ __ __ Page 12
12 Subwoofer Cabinet Dimensions _ __ __ __ __ __ __Page 13
13 Factory Service Instructions _ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ Page 14
14 General Contact Details __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ Page 14
15 Recycling Information __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __Page 15
16 FCC Part 15 Compliance _ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __Page 15

Page 2 • User Manual - Contents

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Stereo Monitoring System

USER MANUAL • SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS

1 READ INSTRUCTIONS - Read all safety and operating instructions

before operating this product.

2. RETAIN INSTRUCTIONS - Retain these safety and operating
instructions for future reference.

3. HEED WARNINGS - Follow all warnings on this product and in the
operating instructions.

4. FOLLOW INSTRUCTIONS - Follow all operating and use
instructions.

5. ATTACHMENTS - Do not use attachments not recommended by
the product manufacturer as they may cause hazards.

6. WATER AND MOISTURE - Do not use this product near water - for
example, near a bathtub, washbowl, kitchen sink, or laundry tub;
in a wet basement; or near a swimming pool; and the like.

7. ACCESSORIES - Do not place this product on an unstable cart, stand,
tripod, bracket, or table. The product may fall, causing serious
injury to a child or adult, and serious damage to the product. Use
only with accessories recommended by the manufacturer, or sold
with the product. Any mounting of the product should follow the
manufacturer’s instructions and should use a mounting accessory
recommended by the manufacturer.

8. POWER SOURCE - This product should be operated only from the
type of power source indicated on the marking label on the back
of the product. If you are unsure of the type of power that is
supplied to your home, consult your product dealer or local power
company.

Opening or removing covers, including any over bottom or side speaker
drivers, may expose you to dangerous voltage or other hazards. Refer
all service to qualified service personnel.

13. DAMAGE REQUIRING SERVICE - Unplug this product from the wall
outlet and refer servicing to qualified personnel under the following
conditions:

a. When the power-supply cord or plug is damaged.
b. If liquid has been spilled, or objects have fallen into this product.
c. If the product does not operate normally by following the operat-

ing instructions. Adjust only controls that are covered by the
operating instructions as an improper adjustment of other con­trols may result in damage and will often require extensive work
by a qualified technician to restore the product to its normal

operation.
d. If the product has been dropped or damaged in any way.
e. When the product exhibits a distinct change in performance - this

indicates a need for service.

14. REPLACEMENT PARTS - When replacement parts are required be sure
the service technician has used replacement parts specified by the
manufacturer or have the same characteristics as the original part.
Unauthorized substitutions may result in risk of fire, electric shock, or
other hazard.

15. SAFETY CHECK - Upon completion of any service or repairs to this
product, ask the service technician to perform safety checks to
determine that the product is in proper operating condition.

16. HEAT - This product should be situated away from heat sources such as
radiators, heat registers, stoves, or other products that produce heat.

9. LIGHTNING- For added protection for this product during a lightning
storm, or when it is left unattended and unused for long periods
of time, unplug it from the wall outlet. This will prevent damage to
the product due to lightning and power-line surges.

10. OVERLOADING - Do not overload wall outlets or extension cords as
this can result in a risk of fire or electric shock.

11. LIQUID ENTRY - Never spill any liquid of any kind on the product.

12. SERVICING - Do not attempt to service this product yourself.

User Manual - Safety Instructions • Page 3

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Stereo Monitoring System

USER MANUAL • 1 – 3 • Welcome & Important Notes

1. Welcome to Blue Sky

World-renowned for their accurate, full-range sound, Blue Sky speaker
monitoring systems are used in critical listening applications by audio
professionals in a wide variety of industry sectors. Emmy Award-winning
sound editor Eric Lalicata, Grammy Award-winning engineer/remixer Roger
Sanchez and legendary Talking Heads keyboard/guitarist Jerry Harrison all
rely on Blue Sky speakers to check the accuracy of their work before it
goes public. And it’s the same story at film sound facility Skywalker Sound
and broadcaster ESPN, where Blue Sky speakers once again provide an
important link in the production chain.

Blue Sky’s fresh approach to loudspeaker monitor design delivers the
highest possible ratio of performance to cost, in turn providing the highest
value to our customers.

Making the subwoofer (SUB) an integral part of the monitor system design
enables the satellite speakers to be placed for the best imaging, and the
SUB to be positioned for the best bass response. Relieving the satellite
speakers of the requirement to reproduce the low frequencies means that
uncompromised, sealed-box designs can combine with sophisticated bass
management to provide a seamless transition between SATs and SUB.

It all adds up to accurate, full range sound.

2. Welcome to eXo

Your new eXo2 system is more than a set of external speakers for your
computer. It’s a complete desktop audio reference monitoring system from
Blue Sky – the people that make the monitors used in professional recording
and production studios worldwide.

Your eXo2 system consists of a subwoofer (which also contains the amplifiers
and bass management circuitry), Left and Right satellite speakers, and a
remote control.

In this box, you will find:

1 x eXo2 subwoofer
2 x eXo2 satellite speakers
1 x eXo2 Remote (HUB)
1 x eXo2 HUB cable
2 x Sets speaker wire
1 x Warranty card
1 x Owner’s manual

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www.abluesky.com

3. Important Notes about eXo

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and this manual

WARNING: Turn off power when connecting or disconnecting the remote /

pre-amp from the back of the subwoofer (SUB).

EARPHONES / HEADPHONE LEVEL WARNING: Permanent hearing loss
may occur if earphones or headphones are used at high volume.

THE OWNERS MANUAL

Please read this owner’s manual carefully and contact Blue Sky International
if you have any comments or questions. Contact information can be found
on page 14 or you can visit:

www.abluesky.com

Page 4 • User Manual • Welcome & Important Notes

Stereo Monitoring System

USER MANUAL • 4 • Expanded Setup Guide

1. If you haven’t already done so, carefully remove all items from the
packaging and confirm that everything that is listed on page 4 is
included. [Welcome to eXo2].

2. eXo2 is compatible with XLR, TRS, RCA and 3.5mm stereo plug
input connections and can be used simultaneously. You will
need a total of two (2) XLR, TRS or RCA inputs cables, or one

3.5mm stereo cable, for a stereo monitoring configuration (input
cables not supplied). For more information on connecting your
system, please see page 6 [System Signal Connection and Level
Settings].

3. The first step in the installation process is to position the active
subwoofer (SUB). Although you have great flexibility with regard
to where the active SUB can be placed, a good starting point is
centered between the left and right satellite speakers. This could
be under a console / desk, behind the console / desk, etc. For an
expanded SUB placement guide, please see page 10 [Subwoofer
Placement Guide].

4. Once the SUB is in position, confirm the power is off,
then connect the remote DIN plug into the SUB plug labeled
“PREAMP”. Next connect the two input cables from the left and
right analog outputs from the mixing console, digital workstation
or other source, to the left and right inputs on the eXo2 remote
control / pre-amp. For more information on connecting your
system, please see page 6 [System Signal Connection and Level
Settings].

5. Placing the eXo2 SATs: The recommended position for the SATs is
based on an ITU standard and sets the speakers at 60 degrees
from the listener, forming an equilateral triangle (a triangle with
equal sides) - See Figure 1. Fortunately, this setup eliminates
most of the math and is easily simplified to the following
guidelines: If you want to sit 1 meter (39.37 inches) from the
speakers, place the speakers 1 meter apart. If you want to sit
2 ft from the speakers, place the speakers 2 ft apart. Etc. The
monitors can be positioned on a console, desk, or mounted using
wall mount brackets, etc. For more information see page 8 [eXo2
SAT mounting and placement options].

6. Connect the speaker wire from the left high-level outputs on the
back of the SUB, to the inputs on the left SAT. Now do the same
for the right channel, connecting the right output to the right
SAT. Please make sure that you connect positive to positive and
negative to negative, so that both SATs are in-phase, and also
confirm that the connections are not shorted between positive
and negative terminals. Lastly, please plug in the power cord to
the IEC connector on the back of the SUB (International / non
North American version only). Prior to proceeding, confirm
that the system is wired correctly, as shown on page 6 [System
Signal Connection and Level Settings].

7. At this point the Blue Sky monitoring system is correctly
configured, and ready for the final steps in the installation. Prior
to plugging the system into the wall outlet, and powering up
the system, do a final quick check of all connections and level
settings and turn down the gain, to the minimum setting.

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Figure 1

8. If everything is correct, plug the power cord into the wall outlet.
Do not turn on the power switches, yet! Some mixers and
out-board equipment such as D-to-A converters and equalizers
generate loud rail-to-rail pops when they initially turn-on.
Depending on the gain setting of the monitoring system, these
pops could damage the monitors. To avoid this, always turn

on equipment in the following sequence: All sources and
mixer first, and then the eXo2 monitoring system, or set
the GAIN to the minimum setting / fully counterclockwise,
until everything is powered on.

9. At this point the Blue Sky monitoring system is fully operational,
and ready for use. Begin by playing familiar pieces of music
which can assist you in fine-tuning the exact positioning of both
the SATs and SUB, along with optimizing the system gain and
level of the SUB (a good starting point is the middle circle on the
SUB knob). It is important to remember that the positioning of
the SUB will impact the its output level. You may find it necessary
to adjust the level of the SUB depending on its location. This is
OK, and is anticipated. For more information, see page 6 [System
Signal Connection and Level Settings].

10. For a more exacting setup, using test signals and a SPL meter,
please see Page 9 [Expanded Calibration Guide].

11. Just remember - Use your ears, they are the best audio tool you
have and you will be amazed how accurate the setup can be if
you use familiar audio material during the setup of the system.

12. Congratulations! You have now completed the set up of one of
the world’s finest studio monitoring systems. If you have any
questions, please do not hesitate to contact us directly with your
questions. [phone] (9:00am to 5:30pm EST) or e-mail:

[e-mail]

User Manual • Expanded Setup Guide • Page 5