The IEM (in ear monitors) Bible thread

[dave_bass5]

Just now, Al Krow said:

 

Will it be obvious if they are fakes? 

My situation was different, as I was re purchasing items I had already owned, so noticed right away they were inferior. 

I’ve used the grey market many times, even for expensive items, but my mind now

tells me if something is really cheap the be careful. 
Im sure the IEM’s will be fine, they are cheap items anyway. 
When dawn got hers I had a go with them

but they felt too large and heavy for me flat ears. They didn’t actually fall out (probably would have done though). But felt like they would all the time. That’s why I ended up with what I have now. 

[Woodinblack]

23 minutes ago, Al Krow said:

 

Will it be obvious if they are fakes? 

 

If you are buying them from the official store, they aren't going to be fakes!

 

Chinese companies do fake other chinese companies products, but aliexpress and the like are getting better at stopping it.

[BCH]

If you use IEM's & would like crowd feedback, I have added a shotgun mic which I have tested  & suitable...thx

 

 

[dave_bass5]

9 minutes ago, BCH said:

If you use IEM's & would like crowd feedback, I have added a shotgun mic which I have tested  & suitable...thx

 

 

Having just started using something very similar I can say it’s been a revelation as far as feeling part of the music goes. 
Tonight im going to try a stereo mic, but I had no issues with the mono. 

[guyl]

Possible daft question: I've just been told tomorrows gig is in ears only and I should bring IEMs with headphone pack and no backline. I own IEMs, but almost never use them and don't have a headphone pack. Probably should buy a P2 or similar, but no time before the gig.

 

Will any old preamp do the job? In my "big-box-of-bits" I have a couple of preamps which use for upright - an EBS Stanley Clarke preamp (which I can use to "DI" into the desk), and a Fishman Pro-EQ Platinum. Will the Fishman work for the IEs?

 

Thanks for any help....

[jimmyb625]

2 hours ago, guyl said:

Possible daft question: I've just been told tomorrows gig is in ears only and I should bring IEMs with headphone pack and no backline. I own IEMs, but almost never use them and don't have a headphone pack. Probably should buy a P2 or similar, but no time before the gig.

 

Will any old preamp do the job? In my "big-box-of-bits" I have a couple of preamps which use for upright - an EBS Stanley Clarke preamp (which I can use to "DI" into the desk), and a Fishman Pro-EQ Platinum. Will the Fishman work for the IEs?

 

Thanks for any help....

You can borrow my P1 or P2 if you can get to Knutsford beforehand. Are you doing the Wilmslow show?

 

[Phil Starr]

9 hours ago, guyl said:

Possible daft question: I've just been told tomorrows gig is in ears only and I should bring IEMs with headphone pack and no backline. I own IEMs, but almost never use them and don't have a headphone pack. Probably should buy a P2 or similar, but no time before the gig.

 

Will any old preamp do the job? In my "big-box-of-bits" I have a couple of preamps which use for upright - an EBS Stanley Clarke preamp (which I can use to "DI" into the desk), and a Fishman Pro-EQ Platinum. Will the Fishman work for the IEs?

 

Thanks for any help....

Youll need something which takes an XLR (microphone lead) and has a headphone output with some way of adjusting volume. Sitting here I have a small mixer which does the job when I'm practicing. I've also got an audio interface which I use for recording and a Behringer Micromon which will do the job.

 

The only problem you have then is that these will probably have to sit on the floor without a belt pack so you'll need a long lead to your headphones. That's not ideal 

 

So, XLR in, volume control, headphone out. long headphone lead

 

If you are depping they should have a beltpack for the regular bassist. No one would want to lend you something that shares earwax but the beltpack ought to not be a problem for them to lend.

Edited November 26, 2022 by Phil Starr

[guyl]

8 hours ago, jimmyb625 said:

You can borrow my P1 or P2 if you can get to Knutsford beforehand. Are you doing the Wilmslow show?

 

 

That is so kind - thank you! I've messaged you....

[police squad]

On 21/11/2022 at 10:25, EBS_freak said:

Just incase anybody is thinking about how to terminate a XLR one end (so that they can use a single XLR with a stereo signal with a P2)

so to be clear here, is the top one going to be ok with the P2. Will I get stereo from it please? I take it it's a cable that I can buy easily

TIA

[EBS_freak]

If the socket that you are plugging into is giving an unbalanced stereo signal and your P2 is switched internally to be stereo, then yes. (assuming the XLR is locking into the P2)

I'd get a proper cable made up by designacable - just show them what you want. I would be surprised if they haven't made one up before.

This kind of cable is worth investing in as due to the nature of it, is exposed to more wear than your standard cable.

[Chienmortbb]

8 minutes ago, EBS_freak said:

get a proper cable made up by designacable

Or your friendly Basschat cable maker?

[police squad]

28 minutes ago, EBS_freak said:

If the socket that you are plugging into is giving an unbalanced stereo signal and your P2 is switched internally to be stereo, then yes. (assuming the XLR is locking into the P2)

I'd get a proper cable made up by designacable - just show them what you want. I would be surprised if they haven't made one up before.

This kind of cable is worth investing in as due to the nature of it, is exposed to more wear than your standard cable.

the socket is the headphones socket on the Allen and Heath desk

TIA

[police squad]

19 minutes ago, Chienmortbb said:

Or your friendly Basschat cable maker?

is that you Chienmortbb?

[Woodinblack]

My ZS10 pros turned up today, and ironically, 2 days ago, I found my ZS10s whos loss recently had prompted me to get new ones!

Anyway, I thought I would do back to back tests to see if there was a difference that was non subtle enough to notice. Turns out there is,.

 

First, the ZS10s sounded fine.

Then I put the ZS10 Pros in and almost deafened myself, they were a lot louder. Turning them down to about the same level, they also sounded fine, same high detail and clarity. Then the bass of the track kicked in, and here seemed to be the difference. On the ZS10s, the bass is much louder but not really very well defined, more a boom. the Pros have less bass, it doesn't boom, but you can hear the individual notes much clearer. I think the sound of the ZS10 pros are a bit more clinical, in what is there, rather than trying to sound pleasing.

Have a gig tonight, I will take them, although I assume as IEMs they are both going to be fine and the more important thing is whether they stay in (they seem a little heavier). 

[Simon C]

On 03/12/2022 at 16:55, Woodinblack said:

My ZS10 pros turned up today, and ironically, 2 days ago, I found my ZS10s whos loss recently had prompted me to get new ones!

Anyway, I thought I would do back to back tests to see if there was a difference that was non subtle enough to notice. Turns out there is,.

 

First, the ZS10s sounded fine.

Then I put the ZS10 Pros in and almost deafened myself, they were a lot louder. Turning them down to about the same level, they also sounded fine, same high detail and clarity. Then the bass of the track kicked in, and here seemed to be the difference. On the ZS10s, the bass is much louder but not really very well defined, more a boom. the Pros have less bass, it doesn't boom, but you can hear the individual notes much clearer. I think the sound of the ZS10 pros are a bit more clinical, in what is there, rather than trying to sound pleasing.

Have a gig tonight, I will take them, although I assume as IEMs they are both going to be fine and the more important thing is whether they stay in (they seem a little heavier). 

I wonder if there is a clue in the name?  "ZS10 Pro" for people who make music, "ZS10" for consumers of music.  Alternatively it may be a marketing thing to convince people they need the Pros.  (Note: I do have the pros).

[acidbass]

I assumed the ZS10 and ZS10 Pro were just two different names for the same earphone?  There is a Pro X which appears to be a different product, but no differential between ZS10 and Pro on their website.

[Chienmortbb]

I believe the Pro X have a more pronounced mid-suck, or if you like bass and treble boost. The Pros are flatter, although they still have some boost at either end of the spectrum.

[MichaelDean]

9 hours ago, acidbass said:

I assumed the ZS10 and ZS10 Pro were just two different names for the same earphone?  There is a Pro X which appears to be a different product, but no differential between ZS10 and Pro on their website.

The Pro versions weren't available when I bought my ZS10s. The Pros were then marketed as an upgrade, with a relatively large price increase, on their release. 

[Woodinblack]

Heres an interesting thing, for people who ask for budget IEMs.

 

ok, I was expecting very little. £40 (I ordered these before I got replacements of my XVives), they are a stereo IEM set, weigh nothing, fairly small. Turns out the sound is fine, fairly surprisingly so. Latency I assume is high although in listening trials straight from a headphone socket of a bass amp I can't hear anything.

Range appears to be ok in my house but my house isn't that big!

 

Can't say that this is the be all or end all, but for £40 they do actually work in a reasonable way. No idea what the battery life is like yet.

 

[EBS_freak]

"Less than 12ms per system"

 

For 40 quid, not a bad find - if they work for you. Watching the vid, interesting to see it will do 1 transmitter to many receivers... I'm wondering if you can run multiple transmitters for multiple mixes? 

[EBS_freak]

Ah - seems to be fixed channel... so that'd be a no.

 

 

[Al Krow]

9 hours ago, Woodinblack said:

Heres an interesting thing, for people who ask for budget IEMs.

 

ok, I was expecting very little. £40 (I ordered these before I got replacements of my XVives), they are a stereo IEM set, weigh nothing, fairly small. Turns out the sound is fine, fairly surprisingly so. Latency I assume is high although in listening trials straight from a headphone socket of a bass amp I can't hear anything.

Range appears to be ok in my house but my house isn't that big!

 

Can't say that this is the be all or end all, but for £40 they do actually work in a reasonable way. No idea what the battery life is like yet.

 

 

A detailed A/B of these vs your Xvive U4s would definitely be interesting! 

[Chienmortbb]

On 03/12/2022 at 16:55, Woodinblack said:

My ZS10 pros turned up today, and ironically, 2 days ago.

Still waiting for mine. They are apparently "Out For Delivery" by Aliexpress, but Royal Mail don't recognise the tracking number.

[Woodinblack]

6 minutes ago, Chienmortbb said:

Still waiting for mine. They are apparently "Out For Delivery" by Aliexpress, but Royal Mail don't recognise the tracking number.

 

No they don't, mine was 'out for delivery' the day before it was delivered

[mcnach]

I just checked and mine says 'out for delivery' as well, but I hadn't checked until today since the expected date was 29th of December.

It'll be nice to get them sooner. We'll see.

My experience with AliExpress is that things arrive when they do. Often much sooner, but the tracking is pretty useless.