bluetooth monitoring

Brian Dixon

Inspired
I'm looking at a inexpensive way to monitor myself onstage. The church I play at does not like a messy stage so amps are out of the question. They have monitors of course but not enough for everyone to have their own and even when I'm in the monitors I feel like it is hard to get the level right for me to play my best. I realize the ax8 does not have a headphone out but I have read you can use the fx loop out with an adapter cable. Has anyone tried this? my next question is has anyone tried using a Bluetooth transmitter and wireless headphones or earbuds?

I found this on amazon Amazon product ASIN B0185GZMMQ
My only concern is will there be latency to the point it would throw off my playing. Anyone with any experience on this or another Bluetooth option that you have tried?
 
In your situation, I would recommend buying a powered monitor. The Alto TX8 is $129 at Guitar Center. By the time get through headphone amps, bluetooth transmitter, and bluetooth headphones you'll have spent about $100+ anyway. Just plug one side of your main out into the FOH and the other into a TX8. You'll be able to mix your own guitar sound to a level that works well for you and you'll be able hear yourself without latency.
 
Can't you just plug into one of the additional inputs on the monitor nearest to you and set your level accordingly? Then no need to add additional equipment on stage.
 
I might could but I was really trying to get options for something through headphones or ear buds. that way I can put it at any level I choose without bothering anyone else. it is also a fairly small room with a small stage. stage volume is also a concern. if I had everything I wanted I would have an amp on stage as well as a great sound system and a big room but not everyone has the luxury of a church that has big space and a lot of money poured into their worship teams. some of us have to start small. I realize I could just buy an in ear monitoring system but I was trying to avoid that expense right now as well as more equipment on stage. in the past Bluetooth has had way too much delay but I don't know if newer technology has fixed that and i don't have any of the newer Bluetooth devices. i was hoping someone here had tried it.
 
I believe you are not going to be able to find a wireless solution that is cheap (I am assuming cheap is around $100) without latency. If headphones are a must, then a headphone amp with a long cabled set of ear buds or cans is going to be the only solution. However the ear buds are not going to be made for monitoring and the sound will not be optimal. Whether this is an issue for you or not is something only you can decide. I know playing through earbuds designed for playing mp3s did not work well for me.

The reason I suggested the 8" monitor is because it is small (not much bigger than your AX8) and cheap. They are pretty directional and will not add a lot of stage volume but will be able to add a good amount of guitar for you to monitor. I play in a rather large church with a good size stage, but we have a lot of people on that stage and I don't have a lot of room. The stage has three monitors with two mixes. The front of the stage has two of the monitors with a mix for the singers and the back of the stage has one monitor for the stringed instruments (acoustic guitar, bass and as many as two electric guitars). When I was having the same issue as you, I purchased a small 8" monitor that I placed on the floor in front of me and ran only my guitar through it. Because the monitor was very directional I was able to place it so I got 80% of the benefit. The thing that made it work so well is the sound crew was able to bring me down in the other monitor so the other instrumentalists were able to hear them selves better through their shared monitor and I got exactly the mix of me vs. them I wanted on stage. It really worked well for my situation.
 
I'd find a rolls headphone amp with two inputs, get a tap from a wedge with everyone else in it, then run an out from your gear into the other input and mix the two. Should be easily done well under a C-note.
 
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