Blue Sky SAT 8 Compact Midfield Monitor, SUB 212 Subwoofer Monitoring System
by Rob Tavaglione, 05.26.2010
As the owner of a mid-sized project studio, I've always used nearfield
monitors for mixing and kept oversized consumer speakers (or even small
PA speakers) in the rear of my large control room for clients who wish to
track without headphones, or to "hype" my clients with loud playback.
However, I've always had a yen for some
midfield monitors to expand my mixing
palette, better fill the room, and further
inspire performers.
In my use, I have found the SAT 8 threeway
powered midfield monitor with SUB
212 powered subwoofer from Blue Sky
was what I was longing for. They have
proven to be very useful for my large control
room environment — yet the transition
was quite difficult or, should I say,
educational.
Features
Blue Sky's SAT 8 is a three-way, triamplified,
compact midfield monitor with an 8-
inch woofer, 4-inch midrange driver, 1-inch cloth tweeter with integral waveguide,
and XLR input. Its triamp design
features a 100W dedicated amp for each
transducer (woofer, midrange, and tweeter)
for 300W total power; its midrange
and tweeter assembly is neatly rotatable
for either vertical or horizontal mounting.
SAT 8's rear panel provides switchable
"full space" or "half space" (mounted in a
baffle wall) placement settings as well as
high-, mid-, and low-frequency level trims
and variable gain settings (adjustable per
internal amp).
Blue Sky's SUB 212 is a dual 12-inch,
400W subwoofer with sealed box and
"push-pull" design that utilizes dual drivers,
which, according to the manufacturer,
reduces even harmonic distortion.
Blue Sky documentation explains: "The
bottom driver has its magnet facing out of
the box and is driven electrically out-ofphase
from the front driver, which keeps
both drivers acoustically in phase.
However, when the front driver's cone is
moving away from its magnet, the bottom
driver's (reversed) cone is moving
towards its magnet. This puts the even
harmonic distortion components of the
bottom driver out-of-phase with the front
driver. When you combined the outputs of
both drivers, the even harmonic distortion
of both drivers cancels, reducing the
overall distortion of the subwoofer. The
SUB 212's fourth-order 80 Hz Linkwitz-Riley low-pass filter and second-order 80
Hz high-pass filter are matched to the
response of the SAT 8 (as well as other
Blue Sky full-range components including
the SAT 12, SAT 6.5, and SAT 5)."
Manufacturer-provided frequency
response specs are as follows: 80 Hz to
30 kHz +/-3.0 dB (200 Hz to 15 kHz +/- 1.5 dB) for the SAT 8, and 25 Hz to 200
Hz, +/-3 dB for the SUB 212.
In Use
In order to acclimate myself to the Blue
Sky system, I first tried it in the acoustically
flawed rear of my control room. I
immediately noticed that they projected
into the room, filling it better than my
consumer models had and offered a
pleasantly understated midrange.
However, the system didn't sound good
there, with poor imaging and muddiness.
I then moved the system to the front of
my control room, mounted as primary
monitors on my meter bridge shelf and
placed the SUB 212 slightly off-center under my console furniture. The Blue Sky system then sat just
outside my JBL LSR4328 monitoring system (the JBLs in the
traditional four-foot equilateral triangle with my sweet spot, the
companion JBL with its subwoofer below) in a six-foot triangle
with my sweet spot after a quick push back of my Aeron chair: I
could then monitor in the midfield, just about like my clients do.
In this position, the SAT 8 pair produced fine imaging, a nicely
wide and deep soundstage, with a balance clearly more subdued
(and, I must say, darker) than any monitor I have ever extensively
used or reviewed (ADAM A7, KRK Exposé E8, Focal CMS50,
JBL 4328, and numerous old-school models along with two- and
three-way Tannoy, Dynaudio and Genelec models). I can best
describe the frequency response curve as strong and pronounced
at 200 Hz; largely flat through the mids, with a touch of
comparative de-emphasis at around 6 kHz; and an overall slight
tilt towards the bottom end. Admittedly, such response looks a
bit undesirable in print, but it proved to be quite the opposite for
my work habits and sonic goals.
At this point, I employed the SAT 8's baffle compensation EQ,
rolling back to -2 dB, which helped clear out a touch of excessive
low-mid murkiness. Even after such compensation, I still found
myself struggling with the bottom end on snare, mids on kick
drum, and bass guitar in general. However, over a period of
months, I refined my mix approach (with rough mixes at first),
literally learning to mix in a new way based on the unrelenting
detail and definition the SAT 8 pair provided between 160 and
800 Hz.
As difficult as this process was, this Blue Sky SAT 8 pair has
made me a better mixer! I am positioning bass guitar more boldly
within the mix, where I now physically enjoy it in the control
room, and the tactile balance actually translates nicely elsewhere.
I also pay more attention to sculpting the low EQ of my
snares, getting a better relationship between, for instance, a
200 Hz fundamental and the overtones above and below it.
I have benefited greatly from the accuracy that the SAT 8's
midrange driver brings to the table. It is not vocals that have
improved in my work but the balances between competing
instruments. For example, in my own pop mixes, two guitars (L
and R) that should be equally represented; keys versus guitars
in balance; or two percussive elements like drum kit and tabla,
both vying for space and depth, are more refined and precisely
placed than ever. With the SAT 8 system, I've found the mids so
accurate that I make such decisions with great ease, decisions
that have typically held up while listening elsewhere.
The SUB 212 is well designed and sturdily built; it offers sufficient
amp power and polarity reversal (although a variable
phase adjustment would be nice). Sonically, it is loud, deep, and
powerful, yet still not a perfect fit for my personal tastes; I imagine
that is due to the push/pull design, which does indeed output
a lot of SPL and minimize distortion, but not in the punchiest
of ways. I find the SUB 212's approach best suited to music
with sustaining bass notes, where musicality and tone are most
important, such as orchestral music. For rock and pop music — where monstrous kicks and constant punchy thumping are the
norm — I found the push/pull approach too pillowy and round,
slightly lacking some snap and tightness. This design approach
is not without "pop-worthy" merit, however; as I worked harder
than usual on my kick drums and basses, I also received better
results. My mastering engineer of choice, Dave Harris of Studio B
Mastering, immediately noticed the changes in my work while
using the Blue Sky system, but only in the bottom end of my
mixes; he commented on how he was tweaking different frequencies
than normal, but proclaimed that my mixes were
excellent — "better than usual" is probably more like it.
I've done some mastering work myself with the Blue Sky system
and, after a troubled learning curve, I again came out a better
man, or rather a man with better work. I often don't listen
loudly enough when mastering (I'm thinking fadeouts and black
gaps in particular) because of the discomfort of fatigue and fear
of that fatigue adversely affecting my EQ decisions. The SAT 8 pair was pleasant enough to avoid this behavior, and their smooth
handling of 8 kHz and above guided me into some pleasant highend
sweetening.
Summary
In my own discovery, I must declare that there's nothing to dislike
about the Blue Sky SAT 8/SUB 212 monitoring system: it offers quality
drivers; ample amplification; vertical or horizontal placement (SAT
8); level controls for woofer/midrange/tweeter; defeatable "auto on"
functionality (a bit bothersome at first, but worth it for reduced heat
and less power consumption); and a high-output subwoofer.
Before purchasing this system, I can name only two real concerns.
Will you will approve of their sonic signature, which I would
comparably describe as "detailed, rich and thick" — perhaps the
aural equivalent of expensive dark chocolate? (I definitely
approve.) Secondly — and the only thing holding me back from
immediately buying this system — can you justify the price tags
of $1,750 per box (per SAT 8 or for one SUB 212, street)? Don't get
me wrong, the Blue Sky is most likely worth all of $5,250 to your
work; my improved work quality and newly found mix decisiveness
with them is a testament to that. If you have the budget and
a room big enough to do justice with this midfield system, you
won't regret having their brazenly accurate mids and excellent
versatility at your disposal (as well as reduced ear fatigue at the
end of each work day).
Rob Tavaglione has owned and operated Catalyst Recording in Charlotte NC since 1995. rob@cataltystrecording.com