Members Dogoth Posted October 2, 2016 Members Share Posted October 2, 2016 I'm pretty sure I wrote about this subject a year or so back and I wanted to update my findings but the thread seems to be lost (maybe it was just after this latest software switch over when they lost so so much (including interested posters)). The scenario was what to do about "tethered" IEMs. The system is a Roland R48 stage mixer which is fed data and ppoe. The Ear buds we provide are Shure SE215's. The problem was the headphone extension cords kept failing at an alarming rate. We tried several brands (cheap to fairly pricey) but the female jack would become intermittent after only a few shows. Most replies here said simply "1/8 TRS is a poor connection for stage use" (no solution to the problem - just a statement). I verified this by talking to an engineer at Neutrik who said "that's why we don't even make an inline jack with our name on it. I said to myself "How do professional IEM's operate with reasonable reliability when ours keep failing?" The answer is that pro quality ear buds have a right angle connector made for a belt pack. When plugged into an inline jack and dragged around (or even hung in a belt loop) the sideways torque makes the jack fail quickly. Here's the update. I made PASSIVE WIRED belt packs (yes I know you can buy them but they are bulky, usually XLR in and always active). I even put 3 jacks across the top for redundancy's sake. This relieves the sideways strain on the connector. Problem solved. I now have zero complaints when the belt pack is used (some girls in dresses have no belt and request an inline - they are almost always problematic). I have been using this system for more than 6 months (13 hours of music per week) with excellent results. Well there's the intent of the original post and the update I promised. Cheers to all Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members RoadRanger Posted October 2, 2016 Members Share Posted October 2, 2016 Here's the update. I made PASSIVE WIRED belt packs (yes I know you can buy them but they are bulky' date=' usually XLR in and always active)[/quote']Passive: http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/PM1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members fdew Posted October 2, 2016 Members Share Posted October 2, 2016 Good information. I have been using 1/4 in inline and supplying bunches of throw away 1/4 to 1/8 addapter. I like your fix better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members wesg Posted October 3, 2016 Members Share Posted October 3, 2016 Exactly what kind of signal is Uli expecting a passive box to feed from XLR to IEMs? Do mixers really have a low enough output impedance on their aux busses to drive headphones safely? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members RoadRanger Posted October 3, 2016 Members Share Posted October 3, 2016 Exactly what kind of signal is Uli expecting a passive box to feed from XLR to IEMs? Do mixers really have a low enough output impedance on their aux busses to drive headphones safely?It requires a headphone amp wired to the XLR. It's in the "small print" LOL. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Luckenbacher Posted October 3, 2016 Members Share Posted October 3, 2016 The right-angle 1/8 plug on my se215s went out last year, so I ordered another cable. But I also ordered a Neutrik right angle jack. I was surprised at how easy the cable was to work on. It feels a lot more robust than the original connector, so I use the older cable with the new connector and keep the other for a backup. It's probably not a great idea, but for the folks who want inline you might consider replacing the right angle plug on the IEMs with a straight mini XLR or just hardwiring that all the way to the HP amp. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members fdew Posted October 3, 2016 Members Share Posted October 3, 2016 I use a headphone amp with aux outputs in. The worship team uses tablets for IEM control surfaces. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members wesg Posted October 4, 2016 Members Share Posted October 4, 2016 Thanks, RoadRanger. Glad I got the PowerPlay P1 now. Although I hate IEMs. *sigh* Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Dogoth Posted October 10, 2016 Author Members Share Posted October 10, 2016 Passive: http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/PM1 That's perfect!!! Thanks. No big deal to pick up 1/4" TRS to XLR cables (The aforementioned Roland system has the headphone amp built in). Since I only made a few boxes, I think I'll order a few of these and allow for some test driving. If it's an already manufactured Item, I can easily order a few from a known vendor. THANKS! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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