ION Explorer XL High-Power All Weather SPeaker Premium 5-Speaker Sound User Guide

Explorer™ XL

User Guide

Introduction

Thank you for purchasing the Explorer XL. At ION, your entertainment is as important to us as it is to you. That’s why we design our products with one thing in mind—to make your life more fun and more convenient.
Note: Before you first use the product, please fully charge the battery. Your unit was purposely shipped with a reduced battery charge to ensure safe transit.
Use the included power cable to connect the unit to a power outlet and let it charge for up to 10 hours. This helps ensure the longest life for your battery.

Support

For the latest information about this product (documentation, technical specifications, system requirements, compatibility information, etc.) and product registration, visit ionaudio.com. For additional product support, visit ionaudio.com/support.

Rechargeable Batteries

Rechargeable lead-acid batteries are the same type used in automobiles. As with your car battery, how you use this battery has a significant impact on its lifespan. With proper use and treatment, a lead-acid battery can last for years. Here are some recommendations for getting the longest life from the internal battery.

• General Usage: Fully charge the battery before using it.
  Charge the battery completely after each use.

• Storage: For best product longevity, do not store at exceedingly hot (greater than 90°F/32°C) or exceedingly cold (less than 32°F/0°C) temperatures.

• It is acceptable to leave your sound system plugged in. This will not overcharge the battery.
  If you leave the battery level low and do not charge it for 3 months, it may permanently lose capacity.

• Repair: If the battery fails to charge, check your fuse near the power cable input. If your fuse is intact and it still will not charge, contact ION Audio at
  ionaudio.com.

• Disposal: Bring the unit to a recycling center or dispose of in accordance with local ordinances.

Outdoor Use and Care

Though Explorer XL is water-resistant and able to tolerate splashing water, please review the tips below to get the best performance from Explorer XL:

• Explorer XL must only be used outdoors with power outlets or extension cords that are rated for outdoor use.
• Bring Explorer XL indoors during extreme weather.
• Please do not place Explorer XL in standing water.
• Please do not connect the power adapter to Explorer XL in a wet environment. Make sure the power input, power adapter, and power outlet are all completely dry before making any connections.
• WARNING: Keep any non-water-resistant devices (phones, music players, etc.) in a dry place where they will not be affected by water and cause a risk of electric shock.

Quick Setup

1. Make sure all items listed in the Box Contents at the beginning of this guide are included in the box.
2. Read the Safety & Warranty Manual before using the product.
3. Make sure that you have completely charged the battery prior to first use for maximum battery life.
4. Power on Explorer XL.
5. Connect your music player with an audio cable or Bluetooth®
6. Adjust the volume on the music player and on Explorer XL as needed.
7. Turn off Explorer XL when not in use.

Connection Diagram

Items not listed under Introduction > Box Contents are sold separately.

Features

Front Panel

A. Display: Shows information relative to the current operation. See Features > Display Icons for more information.
B. Control Knob: Press to toggle between controlling the volume of the music source (Bluetooth, Aux, or Radio), mic input, or instrument input/FX, or the Treble and Bass EQ, as indicated on the display. Turn the knob to increase or decrease the selected setting.
C. Power Button: Press and hold to turn Explorer XL on or off.
D. Bluetooth Button: Press to pair to a Bluetooth device or disconnect a paired Bluetooth device and enter Aux mode. Double-press to disconnect a paired Bluetooth device and search for a different device. See Operation > Pairing a Bluetooth Device for more information. Press and hold to turn voice prompts on or off.
E. Link: Press and hold this button to start stereo linking to another Explorer XL. Then, repeat this process on another compatible speaker. To disconnect the link between the two speakers, double-press the Link button. See Operation > Linking Two Speakers for more information.
F. BOOM Button: Press to simultaneously enhance the bass EQ and volume and activate a light show that pulses to the beat of the music.
G. Radio Button: Press to set the radio to FM1 or FM2, or turn the radio off.
H. Presets: In Radio Mode, press these buttons to select a previously saved preset station. To save the current station as a preset, press and hold these buttons. See Operation > Using the Radio to learn more.
I. Tune/Track: Press to tune in a radio station or go to the previous/ next track on a Bluetooth connected device. To “seek” (jump to the next available radio station), hold either button down for a few seconds.
J. Play/Pause: Press to play or pause a track from a connected Bluetooth device.
K. Lights: Press to cycle between light modes.

• Solid Mode: Each button will stay lit on a specific color and not change. All 4 FX pads will be different colors. The Boom Button ™ will be lit at 20% unless it is pressed, then it will be fully lit.
• Beat Sync: The lights will flash to the beat of the audio being played through the speaker.
• Off: The lights turn off except for the button that is being pressed. If the Boom Button™ is pressed when the unit is in lights-off mode, all lights will turn to 100% brightness until the button is released.

L. FX REC: Press to record up to 30 seconds of your own sound effect. Once the REC icon begins flashing, press and hold an FX pad to begin recording from any sound source (such as Bluetooth, radio, or the Inputs) while the pad is held. Once recorded, press the FX pad to trigger your sound. Press and hold this button and press an FX pad to delete a recorded sound. Higher volume from your input will result in a higher quality sound recording. When using the microphone to record a sample, point the microphone away from the speaker to avoid feedback.
M. FX SELECT: Press to change the sounds on each FX Pad. Once the FX Pads are lit white, press each one to cycle through all the sound effects. Once you have found the sound effects you like, press this button again to lock them in. To revert to the default sounds, press and hold this button. See Operation

Using the FX Pads to learn more.
N. FX Pads: Press these pads to trigger a sound effect. Press the Control Knob and select INST to adjust the FX volume. See Appendix > Sound FX for a full list of sounds.
O. Microphone Input (1/4” [6.35 mm], unbalanced): Connect a microphone to this mono input. Press the Control Knob and select MIC to adjust the microphone volume.
P. Instrument Input (1/4” [6.35 mm], unbalanced): Connect an instrument such as an electric guitar to this mono input. Press the Control Knob and select INST to adjust the instrument volume.
Q. Aux Input (1/8” [3.5 mm], balanced): This stereo input can be used to connect a CD player, MP3 player, or other audio source. To hear this signal, disconnect Bluetooth and enter Aux Mode by pressing the Bluetooth button.
R. USB Charging Port: Connect your device’s charge cable here to charge it. USB charging only functions when the unit’s power is turned on.

Display Icons

• Charging Indicator ( ) :
  • When the power cable is connected, the movement of the battery segments indicates that it is charging.
  • When the power cable is disconnected, the battery segments show the battery level.
  • When the battery level is low, the bottom battery segment will blink.
  • If a front panel button is not pressed within 60 seconds, the battery level indicator will turn off (to save energy). The battery level indicator will reappear when any button is pressed. Also, when the battery gets to the lowest battery icon segment, the battery level indicator will turn back on.
• Power Icon ( ) : The power icon will be lit when Explorer XL is powered on. The power icon will not be lit when Explorer XL is powered off.
• Lightning Bolt Icon ( ): The lightning bolt icon will be lit when the power cable is connected to wall power.
• Link Icon ( ) : The Link icon will be on when linked to another speaker. The Link icon will be off when a single speaker is used. See Operation > Linking Two Speakers below for more information.
• Bluetooth Icon ( ): The Bluetooth icon will be lit when a device is paired to Explorer XL.
• FM Icons: When the Radio is On, this shows whether it is in FM1 or FM2 mode.
• BOOM Icon: The BOOM icon will be on when BOOM mode is activated. The icon will be off when the function is deactivated.
• REC Icon: The REC Icon will flash when the FX REC button is pressed, indicating that the Explorer XL is recording from a sound source.
• Mic/Vol: These icons indicate the current function of the Volume Control.
• Radio Station: The numerals in the center indicate the current radio station that is selected.

Operation

Pairing with a Bluetooth Device

1. Make sure the speaker is within range of your Bluetooth device (no more than 100 ft. /30.5 m away).
2. Press the Bluetooth button on the speaker.
3. Navigate to your Bluetooth device’s setup screen. Then find and select Explorer XL. If your Bluetooth device prompts for a pairing code, enter 0000.

Note: Do not connect to Explorer XL_BLE; this is reserved exclusively for connecting to the ION Sound XP app. If you experience trouble in connecting, select “Forget this Device” on your Bluetooth device and try to connect again.
Note: If you have previously connected to your Bluetooth device, Explorer XL will reconnect automatically.
Tip: Press and hold the Bluetooth button to enable or disable the Bluetooth pairing voice prompts.

To disconnect a paired Bluetooth device, press the Bluetooth button, or turn off Bluetooth from your device’s Bluetooth settings. This will also enter Aux mode. Double-press the Bluetooth button to disconnect a paired Bluetooth device and search for a different device.

App Control

IMPORTANT: To ensure the best possible experience with the app, use the most current Android OS or iOS on your device.

Follow these steps to download the free app on your device:

1. Open the Apple App Store or Google Play on your device. Then, search for the ION Sound XP™ app.
2. Follow the on-screen instructions to download and install the app. Once downloaded, the ION Sound XP™ app will appear on your device’s home screen.
3. Connect your device to Explorer XL via Bluetooth. See Pairing with a Bluetooth Device to learn how to do this.
4. Open the ION Sound XP TM app. If prompted, allow the app to access your device’s Bluetooth and Location Services.
5. Tap to select Add A Product on the screen. The app will scan and find Explorer XL. If you are having issues connecting, tap Help with setting up? for additional tips.
6. Select the Explorer XL icon to go to the next screen, where you can use the app to control various functions of the speaker such as:
   • Radio: Play the radio, change stations, and edit presets.
   • EQ: Adjust the speaker’s equalization, and enable or disable Bass Boost.
   • Volume: Adjust the speaker volume and microphone volume.
   • Voice Prompts: Enable or disable the voice prompts.
   • Link: View instructions for linking Explorer XL to another compatible speaker.
   • Support: Visit ionaudio.com, contact Technical Support, and view Warranty information and Frequently Asked Questions.

Using the FX Pads

Press the FX Select button to toggle between eight different sounds for each of the four FX buttons: DJ Effects, Drum hits, Crowd Noises, and Party Sounds.
Press the FX Pads to trigger each sound effect. Use the Drum and DJ effects to enhance your dance party, the Crowd effects to fire up the crowd at the big game, or have a blast with Party sound effects. See the chart in the Appendix > Sound FX for a full list of sounds.

Linking Two Speakers (stereo)

1. Be sure to disconnect any Bluetooth devices before attempting to link two speakers.
2. Press and hold this button to start stereo linking to another compatible speaker. Then, repeat this process on the other speaker. See ionaudio.com for a list of compatible speakers.
3. Once the link has been established, LINK should appear on the Display. Select which unit will be the primary speaker by pressing its Bluetooth button. Use this speaker for pairing with a Bluetooth device or selecting a radio station. The primary speaker will play left channel audio, and the secondary speaker will play right channel audio.

To disconnect the link between the two speakers, double-press the Link button.

Using the Radio

Selecting a radio station:

1. Press the Radio button to select FM1 or FM2.
2. Press either of the Tune/Track buttons to select a radio station.
   To “seek” (jump to the next available station), hold either button down for a few seconds until it starts to seek a station.

Note: Pause playback from or disable Bluetooth entirely before using the radio to prevent both audio signals from being active at the same time.

Saving a radio station as a preset:

1. Press the Radio button to select FM1 or FM2.
2. Press either of the Tune/Track buttons to select a radio station.
3. Press and hold a Preset button to assign the current station to that preset number. The display will show “SAV” to show the station has been saved.

Recalling a saved radio station preset:

1. Press the Radio button to select FM1 or FM2.
2. Press a Preset button to select a previously saved preset station.

To turn off the radio, press the Radio button until it is set to Off.

Troubleshooting

If the unit is not charging, make sure the power cable is properly connected to the power input and the power outlet.
If the sound is distorted, try lowering the volume control of your sound source, musical instrument, or microphone. Also, try to reduce the overall volume of Explorer XL using the Volume knob.
If there is too much bass, try adjusting the tone or EQ control on your sound source to lower the bass level. This will allow you to play the music louder before clipping (distortion) occurs.
If there is a high-pitched whistling noise when using microphones, this is probably feedback. Point the microphone away from the speaker.
If you can’t hear the microphone over the music volume, turn down the music volume from your source.
If you can’t play music from a flash drive, the USB port is only for charging USB devices.
If you cannot connect your audio device to Explorer XL via Bluetooth:

• Have your audio device (e.g., smartphone or tablet) and Explorer XL as close together as possible while trying to connect. Make sure both the audio device and Explorer XL are unobstructed by walls, furniture, etc.
• Reset the Bluetooth connection on Explorer XL to disconnect Explorer XL from any other audio device and restart the search process. If this does not work right away, power off Explorer XL and then power it back on. See Pairing with a Bluetooth Device for more information.
• Reset the Bluetooth connection on your audio device by turning Bluetooth off and back on. You can find this under the Bluetooth menu in the Settings for your phone or other audio device. If this does not work, and you have connected to Explorer XL before, find Explorer XL in the list of available or previously connected devices in your audio device’s Bluetooth menu, tap the “gear” or “i” icon located next to it and then select Unpair or Forget. Turn Explorer XL off and back on and try pairing again once it reappears in your available devices list.

Note: If Explorer XL has been paired to another audio device recently that is still within range, you may need to repeat this process with that audio device to fully disconnect.

If you experience audio dropouts while playing music from a Bluetooth device, this may be happening because your unit is trying to link to another speaker. This can occur if you power off a speaker that was linked to your unit or if you have just turned on your unit and it is in Stereo-Link mode. To stop the audio dropouts, exit Stereo-Link mode by double-pressing the Link button. Alternatively, you can wait for your unit to link to another Explorer XL speaker if there is one within range.
If you would like to stop your speaker from automatically linking when you power it on, make sure you double-press the Link button to exit Stereo-Link mode before you power it off.

Appendix

Sound FX

Hit
10. Orchestra Hit| 20. Punchline Fill 2| 30. Arena Whistle| 40. Singing Plastic

Technical Specifications

High-Frequency: 3.0” / 76 mm tweeter
Bluetooth Specifications Profil| Profile: A2DP
Range: Up to 100 feet / 30.5 meters
Microphone Type| Dynamic microphone
Radio Frequency Range (US) USB Charging Ports| 87.5–107.9 MHz (FM)
USB Charging Ports| (2) +5 V, 1 A
Water Resistance Class| IPX5
Battery Battery| Battery life: Up to 100 hours
Charge Time: 10 hours
Type: 12 V, 7 Ah, SLA
Power C| Connection: IEC320 C7 Power Cable (6 ft. / 183 cm)
Input Voltage: 100–240 VAC, 50/60 Hz
Dimensions (width x depth x height)| 14.6” x 9.9” x 17.7”
370 x 252 x 450 mm
Weight| 22.3 lbs.
10.1 kg

Trademarks & Licenses

ION Audio is a trademark of inMusic Brands, Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries. The Bluetooth word mark and logos are owned by the Bluetooth SIG, Inc. and any use of such marks by ION Audio is under license. All other product names, company names, trademarks, or trade names are those of their respective owners.

ionaudio.com
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