Where can I learn more about IEM's?

[geoangus]

I'd like to learn more about IEMs. I play in a cover band, 2 guitars, bass, drums. Everyone but the drummer shared vocal responsibilities. I have an XL, ch 1 to FOH, ch 2 to a CLR. Other guitar>Boss unit>Alto powered some>PA. Bass has a Mesa carbine and cab plus DI to board. Drum kit pretty much mic'd up.

We bring our own PA. PA is Presonus rm 16ai into their 18"subs and 2ways. Monitors are Altos, all four of us have our own. We don't have a sound man, do the mix at sound check and pretty much leave it for the night.

As the other guitarist handled most of the lead vocals, I'm playing most of the guitar parts. But what I'm fighting is knowing where I am in the mix over the course of the night. Goldilocks - too loud, too soft?

I'm used to old school attempts at trying to backline volume, VOX only in monitors. With the gear we have now, I know we could dial instruments in along with Vox to the monitors. But if I'm not standing in front of the wedge, which I'm not if I'm not singing, that mix isn't helping me at all. Side fills, which besides the fact most of the bars we play have no room for, only add to stage volume.

Would IEMs help me out? What would I want in the mix? Drummer hits hard; would IEMs knock that down? If I'm the only guy in the band using them, would it still work, and would I still need to bring my CLR? Can a $500 budget get me there?

Finally, and I guess most importantly, I know I need to create my patches at gig volumes, which I currently do using my CLR. Would I need to start dialing patches in using the PA?

 

[dpeterson]

Lots of threads on the subject. It's a different thing. I'd start with a little headphone amp and some buds and see if you can dig it. Some guys can't gel with it. Eventually Custom molds are the way to go, and cut down stage volume a lot.

Mix is subjective, I like a stereo as close to cd type mix I can get. Some guys only like certain things. You will have to experiment. Iems will produce the same mix no matter where you stand which is awesome. Done right it is great, done poorly, not so much. Ymmv.

 

[geoangus]

. . . Done right it is great, done poorly, not so much. Ymmv.

I think this is the meat of the matter. We're not seasoned stage guys, and I am concerned that our inexperience will be the dominant factor.

In your experience, what constituted the mix you used? Would you use the FOH mix?

 

[Desmo808]

I wouldn't go with the FOH mix. Set up a monitor mix just for you. It's okay to be selfish and want more of yourself, or what not.

Go stereo IEM if you have enough outputs on the mixer. If you just want to test the waters, a Behringer P1 personal monitor amp is only $50. It's entry level and wired, but at least you can judge if this is what you want to pursue. Mine is permanently mounted in my rack, and I only need a thin 1/8" headphone extension wire connecting me to it (beats having a pair of XLR cables). My ear buds are cheap single-driver Audio Technicas.

Entry level stuff aside, the experience has encouraged me to stay with IEM. I would definitely upgrade to better gear if we had more paying gigs to justify it. Better ear pieces, multiple drivers, custom molds, maybe go wireless.

 

[Desmo808]

Would IEMs help me out? What would I want in the mix? Drummer hits hard; would IEMs knock that down? If I'm the only guy in the band using them, would it still work, and would I still need to bring my CLR? Can a $500 budget get me there?

Finally, and I guess most importantly, I know I need to create my patches at gig volumes, which I currently do using my CLR. Would I need to start dialing patches in using the PA?

Properly fitting IEMS will help knocking all that down. Even my cheap, generic tipped IEMs do a good job of isolating (as long as I don't make too many guitar faces, then it sort of breaks the seal).

Whether or not you bring your CLR is up to you. I bring mine just for stage fill. Continue to create patches as you normally do on your CLR. If the guitar is too "in your face" in your IEM mix, insert some reverb or EQ or other processing just in your monitor mix from within mixer.

 

[dpeterson]

I think this is the meat of the matter. We're not seasoned stage guys, and I am concerned that our inexperience will be the dominant factor.

In your experience, what constituted the mix you used? Would you use the FOH mix?

Well you gotta start somewhere.

We have our own digital mixer (X32-Rack), and a splitter snake. We control our own mix. Took a while and some cash to get to this point mind you. Starting out you can think of the iem as just a wedge in font of you in your ear that follows you around. Whatever foh puts in that wedge goes into your ears.

You wouldn't use foh mix. It would be tailored to what you want to hear. Biggest problem being a lot of venues don't have a lot of aux sends used to create separate mixes. Thus you will have to share mixes most likely.

 

[geoangus]

Well you gotta start somewhere.
.

You're right. I won't ever know if I don't try something.

Like everything else, there are several price points. My first thoughts are Shute or Sennheiser, but what are some good entry level models, say $500-700

 

[dpeterson]

You're right. I won't ever know if I don't try something.

Like everything else, there are several price points. My first thoughts are Shute or Sennheiser, but what are some good entry level models, say $500-700

Check out the carvin em900, metal pack, good sound quality, great price for a stereo set of iems. I had some and used for years until i got a good deal on some Sennheiser IEMG3's and upgraded. Buds are crappy as most are that come with the systems. Before going wireless maybe pickup a little headphone amp and some Shure buds, and a long cable and try it out... wouldnt cost much to get that going and you can see if it's for you.

 

[unix-guy]

You're right. I won't ever know if I don't try something.

Like everything else, there are several price points. My first thoughts are Shute or Sennheiser, but what are some good entry level models, say $500-700

My band is using the Audio Technica M3L, mostly because the bassist already had one and was happy with it.

About the same price as the competitors, seems to work well. We've got 4 of them and no issues.

That said, we all also have custom IEMs (64audio and Ultimate Ears) so I can not really comment on the sound quality of the ear buds that come with them - I've never used them

 

[dukemcrae]

I set my rig up with a little mixer, so I have my vocals and my axe FX on 2 channels, in stereo, and another feed from the FOH , preferably without my vocals or guitars. Then I can control how much of me get, and now that I'm used to it, I absolutely love it.

I use the Shure ULXD4 wireless for a wireless mic and wireless guitar, a Shure PSM300 for IEM, and a Rolls MX122 for the mixer. 2 rack spaces total (each unit is a 1/2 rack size).