In Ear Monitors - help needed...

[tonyf]

[quote name='EBS_freak' timestamp='1426626271' post='2720131']
64 are usually pretty good to be honest... It's JH you are in for a wait with!
[/quote]

Without looking at the paperwork, think mine took about 3 to 4 weeks to arrive. Really quick considering the hello Russ had to go through waiting for his Roxannes to arrive.

The time will fly though and once you have them, it'll have all been worth it.

What transmitter you going with? We've all got the LD Systems MEIs which are pretty good bang for the buck but I'd love to hear some of the Shures that Russ has been using to see how they compare.

[EBS_freak]

Tony drop me some SCS dates to see what I can do... Im getting close to being mobile again.

[Dood]

At the moment I expect to hardwire and run a stereo pair along side a guitar cable or similar then have a personal mixer sat in my rack. I don't run a wireless guitar pack, so whilst I'm tethered, I'll at least see how I get on with a wired system. That of course may change when I get fed up with too many cables ha! The LD looks good actually, but the likes of Shure look really promising too.

[tonyf]

[quote name='EBS_freak' timestamp='1426630860' post='2720221']
Tony drop me some SCS dates to see what I can do... Im getting close to being mobile again.
[/quote]

Will do mate, I'll drop you a IM on FB. One private gig on Saturday and then we're out and about next month with a public gig or two.

[charic]

[quote name='dood' timestamp='1426624157' post='2720072']
I can't believe I didn't think of that!!!!!!! Absolutely brilliant!!

I've ordered translucent deep purple shells with black cables. You did actually get the clef right though. I've put a gold clef on each ear and, well, so I don't lose 'em, I've got my name on 'em too!!



You'll have to imagine the gold writing!
[/quote]

I got the purple and the clef right atleast

Went green with the other so it's easy to tell which is which and so it matches your shuker when it's flipped

[MoJoKe]

[quote name='dood' timestamp='1426631706' post='2720240']
The LD looks good actually....
[/quote]

I've been using an LD MEI1000 G2 for 18 months now, and I know two others who have swapped from Shure since trying LD. The ability to have dual mono is such a good feature, as you can separate and mix your own vox/bass from the main mix, but hear everything in both ears.

[EBS_freak]

If you are talking about the Shure PSM200 I can understand why... The 300 and 900 do the "more me" mix thing to... as do the Sennheiser. Of course, if you have two receivers and pan each one to the extreme, you can use one transmitter for two mono mixers for two people.

Edited March 18, 2015 by EBS_freak

[Dood]

[quote name='charic' timestamp='1426669973' post='2720429']
I got the purple and the clef right atleast

Went green with the other so it's easy to tell which is which and so it matches your shuker when it's flipped
[/quote]

If only they could embed flip-paint - then that would have been a perfect match for my two Shukers! Flip-tastic!

[Dood]

[quote name='EBS_freak' timestamp='1426695029' post='2720922']
If you are talking about the Shure PSM200 I can understand why... The 300 and 900 do the "more me" mix thing to... as do the Sennheiser. Of course, if you have two receivers and pan each one to the extreme, you can use one transmitter for two mono mixers for two people.
[/quote]

Do you have any experience with the PSM300? There's a review coming up in my mag, but I wanted to see what you guys thought too.

[EBS_freak]

The PSM300 I believe shares the same transmission and audio quality tech as the PSM900 however, the thing that I think stops it from being a full on touring grade unit is the nobbled RF selection. :-/ you will run into lots of intermodulation problems if you are planning on running lots of wireless, especially if you aren't planning on running just Shure. If you aren't planning on running any wireless guitars or Mics and just PSM300s you are likely to be ok with just the preselected channels.

What part of the spectrum does your unit run on? Channel 38 or 70?

Edited April 1, 2015 by EBS_freak

[paddy mcbride]

Sorry if this has been covered before but will a LD MEI 100 work with 2 receiver packs simultaneously? Or does each band member need their own transmitter?

[EBS_freak]

It will.

[paddy mcbride]

Thanks very much. I'm not sure it will be the best solution but might get us through while everyone gets sorted out.

[MoJoKe]

[quote name='paddy mcbride' timestamp='1430205490' post='2758801']
Sorry if this has been covered before but will a LD MEI 100 work with 2 receiver packs simultaneously? Or does each band member need their own transmitter?
[/quote]

Both I and my guitarist have an LD MEI 1000 (it really is worth the extra money over the 100), and you can run a number of receivers off each (I've tested mine with 4, but I really see no reason why it couldn't be more; receivers are only "listening" after all!).

However, even though we have one each, for most gigs we normally share a single transmitter to keep our setup as simple as possible (we do lots of different clubs where they use lots of radio mics and we were clashing frequencies all the time). This is because the 1000 has "Focus Mode". We have an X32 Producer digital desk and feed Aux 1 (guitarist's FB mix) and 2 (my FB mix) into the left and right of the MEI1000. Set in focus mode, he pans his receiver fully left to get a mono mix in both ears of the output of Aux 1, and I pan my receiver full right and get a mono mix in both ears of what is on Aux 2. We each get our own independent mix and while it is not HiFi, all is perfectly good!

If there are more band members who want/need a different mix, then you'd need two more aux channels and an additional transmitter and two receivers per pair of band members, but you'd be spared the cost of one each (unless you each want a stereo foldback mix but that would also use up quite a lot of aux channels, which most compact desks won't be able to support).

Hope that helps

[paddy mcbride]

That's good information thank you. At this stage, I already own the MEI 100 and I'm slowly bringing the rest of the band round to the idea of IEMs because the monitor at the venues we play at is shockingly bad most of the time. Our singer needs it most and to help her I suggested she and I could share the same mix. Due to restricted funds I looked at buying second receiver but for a similar price we can get a second hand system. Then we could choose whether she is happy with the same mix as me or would prefer her own. Nice to have options.

[EBS_freak]

Want a sweet mobile monitoring solution? (Assuming you have access to an iPad)

Get one of these - http://www.thomann.de/gb/mackie_dl_806.htm
Get one of these - http://www.thomann.de/gb/art_s83way_mikrofon_splitter.htm

That way, plug everything that you want in your monitors into the splitter and then into the dl806. Send the other split to the front of house. In this situation you have 4 mono mixes and 1 stereo mix if you use the LR mix also. You sort out your inears/wedges (compete with compression, eq, fx etc) and let the sound engineer sort out the front of house. Easy carry and you don't give a crap how bad the front of house or in-house monitoring is.

The DL806 is also a very good mixer for FOH duties if you plug your own FOH speakers into it.

In my experience, even with IEMs, if somebody else is doing your sound, it's always a compromise... especially if they are using an analog desk. At best, you are likely going to have a dry, unprocessed, unprocessed etc etc... feed from the in-house desk. And that means an increased chance that the fat handed "engineer" at the fleapit venus is going to send a bazillion dB down your ears as an honest mistake.

[intime-nick]

Another quick question - I've been using an LD MEI100 for a while now and I'm reasonably happy with it especially now we have a new Mackie DL32R digital desk :-)

I'm looking at buying a new IEM system and favourite so far (based solely on reviews which I know is not the most accurate method) is the Shure PSM900 but which frequency version should I be looking at for the UK ?.

I've read a fair amount of info on the subject and the available frequency bands (both licenced and in-licenced) but am still a little confused. Any help would be appreciated

The other system I've been looking at is the Sennheiser EW300 G3 but I've read a few reports of background hiss but not having heard either system, i don't know how significant it is.

Thanks


[i]EDIT : I've done a bit more reading and it looks like channel 38 is licensed and 70 is licence-free. Unfortunately the PSM900 doesn't come in a channel 70 version unless someones knows otherwise ?[/i]

Edited April 29, 2015 by intime-nick

[EBS_freak]

[quote name='intime-nick' timestamp='1430292987' post='2759828']
Another quick question - I've been using an LD MEI100 for a while now and I'm reasonably happy with it especially now we have a new Mackie DL32R digital desk :-)

I'm looking at buying a new IEM system and favourite so far (based solely on reviews which I know is not the most accurate method) is the Shure PSM900 but which frequency version should I be looking at for the UK ?.

I've read a fair amount of info on the subject and the available frequency bands (both licenced and in-licenced) but am still a little confused. Any help would be appreciated

The other system I've been looking at is the Sennheiser EW300 G3 but I've read a few reports of background hiss but not having heard either system, i don't know how significant it is.

Thanks


[i]EDIT : I've done a bit more reading and it looks like channel 38 is licensed and 70 is licence-free. Unfortunately the PSM900 doesn't come in a channel 70 version unless someones knows otherwise ?[/i]
[/quote]

PSM900 for Channel 38 is K1E, (UK spec with legal power output level). There isn't a unit manufactured for channel 70 - it's seen as a piece of tour kit and hence not available in the free to use frequencies.

Sennheiser EW300 IEM Band E for channel 70 and Band GB for Ch38.

Channel 38 is licensed - [url="https://www.pmse.co.uk/licences.aspx"]https://www.pmse.co.uk/licences.aspx[/url]

The EW300 noise floor is greatly exaggerated. It is there, but the second you have a signal being sent, it's really not here or there. Bass response slightly better on the PSM900 than the EW300 but given that you've got control of the output on the DL32R, you can EQ to taste anyway... so it all becomes swings and roundabouts. If you are looking to save money, I'd have no hesitation saying go with the EW300 with that setup, especially if you aren't going to make use of the extra features of the PSM900.

The biggest advantage of the EW300 over the PSM900 as a selling point, is the battery life is far, far superior to the Shure.

DL32R - great piece of kit in a compact format. Got one sitting here.

Edited April 29, 2015 by EBS_freak

[intime-nick]

thanks very much for the info - greatly appreciated. i'll look further at the EW300 as we won't be using some of the features on the PSM900 but i do like the replaceable pack antenna on the Shure....swings and roundabouts as you say.

we're still getting used to the DL32R but so good so far - it's certainly a step up from our old analogue desk !!

cheers

Edited April 29, 2015 by intime-nick

[EBS_freak]

Just done a quick google, my friends at mercury - [url="http://www.mercury-av.com/sales/sennheiser-ew300-iem-g3-complete-system-654-0.html"]http://www.mercury-a...stem-654-0.html[/url] - £675!! Maybe the price drop is to do with getting in competition with the PSM300? I have to say the RF section of the Sennheiser is superior to Shure PSM300 - in that its got discrete tuning instead of being fixed to groups and channels. But then again, unless you are running a load of RF, would you be bothered by this. Anyway, I digress. In short, the EW300 is pro and the PSM300 is prosumer.

The cost PSM900 is currently just under a grand.

When I bought my PSM900s I think I paid just under 800 - they were near enough damn it the same price as the EW300s... but given Mercury's price... well, I'm not sure I would plump the PSM900s now!

In short, if you go with the PSM900s or the EW300s, you'll be over the moon with either of them.

Edited April 29, 2015 by EBS_freak

[intime-nick]

that certainly sways things a bit !!! cheers for the link - my credit card is getting nervous....

[EBS_freak]

[quote name='intime-nick' timestamp='1430308426' post='2760063']
thanks very much for the info - greatly appreciated. i'll look further at the EW300 as we won't be using some of the features on the PSM900 but i do like the replaceable pack antenna on the Shure....swings and roundabouts as you say.

we're still getting used to the DL32R but so good so far - it's certainly a step up from our old analogue desk !!

cheers
[/quote]

I used to be concerned about the antennas on the Sennheiser... but having had 5 packs in action for some time, (alongside the Shure packs) - the antenna not being replaceable no longer bothers me. They are a lot more flexible than the Shure offerings. You couldn't snap them or bend them - unless you were really intentionally trying.

Having looked at the replacement - it's a case of taking the unit apart and unsoldering two tags and soldering on a new aerial. Not that difficult... but certainly not as easy as the Shure pack... but then again, the likelihood of it happening I think is very, very minimal!

[EBS_freak]

[quote name='intime-nick' timestamp='1430308769' post='2760069']
that certainly sways things a bit !!! cheers for the link - my credit card is getting nervous....
[/quote]

No problem - just do it. You'll never want to play without them again. With a DL32R, an EW300 and I presume some decent in-ears, you'll be enjoying a fabulous mix. Even the IE4s which I believe are included are not too bad - if you don't need them, you'll probably get a few quid on eBay for them!

[intime-nick]

will order today i think - at the moment i'm using some SE215's and occasionally some very old ACS moulded types (a very early prototype of the T15 I got from them to test years ago that fitted into my even older ER15 moulded plugs) - they are OK but will be contacting Paul at the Headphone company to get some new multi-driver moulded ones. Having the new desk and playing with no amp on stage means i can now justify a better set of in-ears

cheers for the help - this thread has been most enlightening !!

[EBS_freak]

No worries - the SE215s will do the job... when you get some new multi driver customs, prepare for your socks to be blown off!

No amp on stage = win.