In Ear Monitor Question

[guitarman1956]

My band is thinking about going the In Ear Monitor route. Can anyone give us recommendations of what to and not to do, etc?

[kerf]

Don't know if you've done a search yet but while you're waiting for replies, there's lots of good stuff to read in the archives. I just did a search a few weeks ago and found alot of stuff.

[Craig Vecchione]

Don't share earbuds.

[preacherman672]

don't use a system without limiters

[joel77]

I found IEMs sound much better with a touch of reverb/delay.

 

Joel

[Rbts]

Apparently nobody feels like giving a full tutorial. But the advice already given has actaully been very good, even if not comprehensive. You should understand the comments that have been given fully before embarking any further down this road.

 

I myself am not qualified to give the tutorial, but i can share that generally, the shure PSM 200 is the lowest cost system that anyone seems to like.

 

Using in ears is not that different from using wedges, except the to monitor sends go to the processing units send the signals to the ear buds instead of to monitor amps and cabinets.

 

Is there something specific that you are stuck about understanding?

[jneher]

Hi,

 

I'm doing similar research right now as the author of this thread.

I'm a little confused when I look at the wireless systems that

accompany the earsets themselves. Ideally, I would have a

single wireless system that would both allow me to monitor a

couple sends but also send output from my dobro and mandolin

wirelessly to my amp/di box(es). I guess a transceiver is what

a I really want with a receiver for my ear monitor system and

transmitters for my dobro and mandolin.

 

Does such an animal exist or do I need two separate systems.

 

Thanks,

 

Jon

[Craig Vecchione]

 

Hi, I'm doing similar research right now as the author of this thread. I'm a little confused when I look at the wireless systems that accompany the earsets themselves. Ideally, I would have a single wireless system that would both allow me to monitor a couple sends but also send output from my dobro and mandolin wirelessly to my amp/di box(es). I guess a transceiver is what a I really want with a receiver for my ear monitor system and transmitters for my dobro and mandolin. Does such an animal exist or do I need two separate systems. Thanks, Jon

 

 

 

You'd need two separate systems.

 

IEM systems also generally have one or two channels (mono, or stereo/dual mono) so you can't have more than that number of sends per transmitter. Obviously you can have any number of beltpack receivers per transmitter channel (this seems to be a very common beginner question), and some systems like the Shure PSM200 have beltpacks that work as either wired or wireless without conversion. The more expensive Shure systems (PSM400 and up) have dedicated wired and wireless packs.

[Craig Vecchione]

 

Apparently nobody feels like giving a full tutorial. Is there something specific that you are stuck about understanding?

 

 

Exactly. More than happy to share what I know, but I'm not sure what the OP is needing. Some details, especially budget and number of users, would be good.

[jwlussow]

Get the best for what you are willin g to spend. We went through a few before we settled on our best solution for cost/features/sound. We ended up with the Shure PSM 200. We are a three piece band so we had 3 transmitters. Ends up 2 of the mixes were so close that we removed one from the rack and now have two mixes for 3 people. The PSM200 (and I believe the high end Shures) ship with the E2 earbuds. They are good but I picked up a set of E5's and had custom ear molds made. What a difference. We love our setup. The downside??? Yep there are problems. You can't hear people that come up and request songs or have something to tell you without removing an earbud. You can't really hear general crowd noise either. That said, we never looked back. Our voices lasted all night since you don't need to scream to be heard. No monitor feedback!!!!

 

Like I said, don't go cheap (Carvin, Nady). Get a Shure or Sennheiser system. You will love it.

 

We now have a system of wireless mics for vocals, PODxt Pros for bass and guitar and a Roland TD-20 for drums. We have no stage volume at all. The PSM200 is able to give us an in ear mix with all instruments and drums without a problem. People freak out when we do the monitor sound check. They can hear us sing and see us play but there is no sound but the voices and the drumsticks hitting rubber. Then we turn on the system and the mix is great since there is no bleed in the mics.

[Redsand187]

 

People freak out when we do the monitor sound check. They can hear us sing and see us play but there is no sound but the voices and the drumsticks hitting rubber. Then we turn on the system and the mix is great since there is no bleed in the mics.

 

 

That's awesome, they probably think you guys are all crazy.

[T3]

 

You can't really hear general crowd noise either.

 

 

is it worth setting up a mic or 2 covering the crowd and mixing it in a smidge for ambience? this is often done on pro gigs...

[bsinda]

Hi, I am looking for the same kind of answers but I don't need a wireless system. As I don't have wireless gear for my guitars and I don't want to spend too much money I am looking for good in ears monitors.

I ordered a mackie HMX56 http://www.mackie.com/products/hmx56/index.html and wanna use it with earphones for my band. I will be able to upgrade my stuff later.

 

Actually looking for westone UM2 or M-Audio IE30 which seem both great reading forums and so...

[jwlussow]

Adding a mic for the audience is probably not a bad idea. Easy enough to do.

 

As far as wired IEMs...I think that having wires around will limit the movement a great deal. I always do the wireless bass thing, but the guitarist doesn't always go wireless with the guitar. It does limit the movement and can cause tripping problems, not to mention having the lead ripped out of the guitar or even worse, having ear buds ripped off your head during a performance. I'd still look at wireless unless you are the drummer or keyboardist stuck in one spot anyway.

[Echotraveler]

im doing it ...... not sure how my system would compare to ear monitors but heres my take...

 

 

right now we are playing with electronic tracks, so we all have headphones during performance with the metronome of the song

 

 

last night during our first practice with the whole system online, we discovered that when you put a headphone you become deaf of one ear.....

 

our theory @ the beggining of the experiment was that we didn't need to hear the click all the time, but when we got to practice, the fact of not having sound on the headphone all the time was a problem...

 

when you put a headphone on you ear you only hear what is played, if nothing is in the headphone you are practically deaf from that ear....

 

we now play the BIT, METRONOME, VOCALS thru the headphone.....

 

note: we didnt buy a monitor system....we bought a behringer headphone amp for 139.00 and sent the signal there.....it works....

 

 

im guessing there is a danger of ear damage, if someone pulls the inputs in freakish way, you know that harsh sound, but very near your tympany...

 

 

hope it doesnt happen

 

 

 

+1 limits your movement!! a lot!

[jwlussow]

I'd still move to in ear "earbuds". Wearing headphones will have the effect of placing a imaginary wall between you and the audience. In my experience, headphoned musicians seem to be in their own world on stage and separated from the audience. Just my feeling but I believe this feeling is shared by some others here. Same way I feel about bands that use music stands on stage (unless they are jazz based and using fake books...ie wedding gig). Just a personal pet peeve.

 

Decent in ear monitors all have limiting capabilities. You can easily blow your hearing with heaphones...as well as being too close to the cymbals of a hard driving drummer. Take it from me, tinnutis is NOT a good thing to have.

[Echotraveler]

I'd still move to in ear "earbuds". Wearing headphones will have the effect of placing a imaginary wall between you and the audience. In my experience, headphoned musicians seem to be in their own world on stage and separated from the audience. Just my feeling but I believe this feeling is shared by some others here. Same way I feel about bands that use music stands on stage (unless they are jazz based and using fake books...ie wedding gig). Just a personal pet peeve.

 

 

 

true, when wearing somehing on one ear, you do feel in another world....isnt that what the audience wants when they go to a show?, not feel like thier in the world......

 

we should buy headphone for everyone:thu:

[jwlussow]

I think the audience wants to be drawn in, not feel like they are voyeurs.

[T3]

 

Adding a mic for the audience is probably not a bad idea. Easy enough to do.

 

 

often it'll be 2 mics, used left and right of stage, panned hard L-R in the mix...

[jwlussow]

often it'll be 2 mics, used left and right of stage, panned hard L-R in the mix...

 

I am looking forward to trying that this weekend.

[ear_saver]

Ear buds come in all shapes and sizes. Please pay attention to:

1) How they sound to you

2) How they seal in your ear, is there potential for custom molds?if you want

3) Always wear BOTH earphones!

 

Basically there are a few types of speakers available...dynamic are your basic diapragm style, ipod earphone. SHURE E2 is dynamic. But it seals with your ear, and creates a warm sound

Balanced armature a more advanced replication of the sound. Slightly tinny very precise and like nothing youve ever heard before speaker wise. SHURE E3, E4, E5 is a dual balanced armature driver one tweeter, one sub woofer.

Shure's allow for a custom mold to be made and I have just always been pleased with their employees.

Sensaphonics just introduced a hybrid style driver in their active ambient personal monitor. It has a frequency response of their dual driver in one speaker...one speaker creates less Sound pressure level inside your earcanal. This is how they can be dangerous...more isnt always better. Yes triple drivers sound awesome...but whats the max output that you are putting in your earcanal? can you be doing damage?

there is some wonderful text at Sensaphonics.com look under articles.

[nin4269]

I am looking forward to trying that this weekend.

 

You should have a microphone on the stage for requests... they come up to you and start shouting and it sounds like the teacher from peanuts, just say "we can only hear you if you talk into this microphone."

 

I wouldn't hook that microphone up to anything but a cinder block, but while they're distracted trying to talk into the decoy you can be well on to your next song in the set. requests... pffft.

 

 

[bsinda]

once I wrote something about a monitoring problem. i was trying to experiment the system with an Ipod earphone. the problem was my mic got the sound of the drums' cymbals, the sound inside was painfull as hell even at low volume !

What do you suggest about it ? less gain ? be the farest away from the drummer ?

 

thanks for your help.

 

After a friend suggest I think I gonna take the westone um2 with a pro mod for my ears.(just 100$ more). 1st a wired colution then later wireless.

You know most of the time I play in such little space I can't move a lot so I don't Think this shoud be a problem , i will have just an extension (not sure of the word in english) cable and a clip on my shirt... (a kind of DIY solution ).

 

I am kind of maniac who never let things like walk on a cable happen so I am not affraid of such accident

[Craig Vecchione]

I am looking forward to trying that this weekend.

 

 

Another easy method that works specifically with the PSM200 is a small cheap clip-on lavalier mic plugged into the 1/4" jack on the beltpack. It has the advantage of your ambient mix being 'yours', not a mic somewhere several feet or yards away. Works better to hear song requests if you're a bar band....if it's a noisy place you may still not hear the person standing in front of you if the ambient mic is behind them facing a noisy crowd.

[jwlussow]

There is a way to mix the wired and wireless signal? I like the idea of a lav mic because I would be able to hear people speaking to me. I didn't know the wireless feed would work with the wired one.