The IEM (in ear monitors) Bible thread

[BlueMoon]

21 minutes ago, dave_bass5 said:

but its always a good idea to use gold plated cables as the sound quality is much higher 😂

Been down that rabbit hole with hi-fi equipment. I not sure my hearing is good enough now to tell any difference ……and I suspect the comment was said in jest.

 

I use KZ ZS10 Pro‘s ………without burn in and they are fine.

[dave_bass5]

3 minutes ago, BlueMoon said:

Been down that rabbit hole with hi-fi equipment. I not sure my hearing is good enough now to tell any difference ……and I suspect the comment was said in jest.

 

 

Yeah, the HiFi world is a full of delusional 'professionls' 

[Bankai]

7 hours ago, dave_bass5 said:

Yeah, the HiFi world is a full of delusional 'professionls' 

‘pro-sumers’

[dave_bass5]

12 minutes ago, Bankai said:

‘pro-sumers’

'Sheep' 😎

[EBS_freak]

Not gold…

 

Silver on the other hand….

[JPJ]

38 minutes ago, EBS_freak said:

Not gold…

 

Silver on the other hand….

You’ll be missing so much with the silver, I much prefer the detail you get with platinum 😂

[jimmyb625]

1 minute ago, JPJ said:

You’ll be missing so much with the silver, I much prefer the detail you get with platinum 😂

Pah, lightweight.

 

It's depleted uranium, or nothing for me.

[dave_bass5]

18 minutes ago, jimmyb625 said:

Pah, lightweight.

 

It's depleted uranium, or nothing for me.

Vibranium-metal alloy gives more dynamic range apparently…… 

[Chienmortbb]

On 25/12/2022 at 15:04, dave_bass5 said:

but its always a good idea to use gold plated cables as the sound quality is much higher 😂

 

On 25/12/2022 at 15:04, dave_bass5 said:

but its always a good idea to use gold plated cables as the sound quality is much higher 😂

Agreed but it’s only worth using 24 Ct gold. Anything lower has two many impurities. 🤣

[dave_bass5]

I came across this video earlier, and found  it quit interesting. Also a very interesting bit at the end about videoing a gig

 

 

[BCH]

9 hours ago, dave_bass5 said:

I came across this video earlier, and found  it quit interesting. Also a very interesting bit at the end about videoing a gig

 

 

Excellent, thank you for the link, very useful. We are a 3 piece with silent stage for over 5 years (v'drums, no backline or monitors) Good quality IEM's digital desk to DACS headphone amp, wired to IEMs. each band member controls their mix on iPad or phone...fab quality sound no low level noise & only 0.7ms latency (desk is 96kz).  25 gig and 30 rehearsals a year: our ears are great (all in or 70's) and we are not tired after a gig....many local musicians/bands come and see us, not for the music but for the sound & kit...ha

My 5 piece is wedded to monitors & acoustic drums but they do run the stage as quiet as poss but no where near as good "on any level" as silent stage!....give it a try

[dave_bass5]

1 hour ago, BCH said:

Excellent, thank you for the link, very useful. We are a 3 piece with silent stage for over 5 years (v'drums, no backline or monitors) Good quality IEM's digital desk to DACS headphone amp, wired to IEMs. each band member controls their mix on iPad or phone...fab quality sound no low level noise & only 0.7ms latency (desk is 96kz).  25 gig and 30 rehearsals a year: our ears are great (all in or 70's) and we are not tired after a gig....many local musicians/bands come and see us, not for the music but for the sound & kit...ha

My 5 piece is wedded to monitors & acoustic drums but they do run the stage as quiet as poss but no where near as good "on any level" as silent stage!....give it a try

Ive now gone over to using IEM 100%, but im the only one that does in my band. Even the singer who has IEM’s doesn’t always use them (mainly because she forgets to charge them). 

I never realised just how loud the band is at rehearsals until recently. I took one ear out and was blasted by a wall of sound. We aren't a loud band as such, both guitarists use small 1x12 combos, but the difference was amazing. 

We are talking about upgrading the monitors, at the moment they use small cheap boxy sounding things, but IEM’s are a no go with the Jurassic side of the band. I dont care. Im at the back in  my own world and have told them to to just get on with it, it doesn't involve me now. I run the sound as such, but i dont sing so monitoring is down to them to sort out. 

[BCH]

16 minutes ago, dave_bass5 said:

Ive now gone over to using IEM 100%, but im the only one that does in my band. Even the singer who has IEM’s doesn’t always use them (mainly because she forgets to charge them). 

I never realised just how loud the band is at rehearsals until recently. I took one ear out and was blasted by a wall of sound. We aren't a loud band as such, both guitarists use small 1x12 combos, but the difference was amazing. 

We are talking about upgrading the monitors, at the moment they use small cheap boxy sounding things, but IEM’s are a no go with the Jurassic side of the band. I dont care. Im at the back in  my own world and have told them to to just get on with it, it doesn't involve me now. I run the sound as such, but i dont sing so monitoring is down to them to sort out. 

Very typical of many bands, particularly if one member tries to fill the venue with there backline.....the best you can do is encourage them to have a hearing test

[Woodinblack]

1 hour ago, dave_bass5 said:

 Im at the back in  my own world and have told them to to just get on with it, it doesn't involve me now. I run the sound as such, but i dont sing so monitoring is down to them to sort out. 

 

I am the same with my band. Me and the drummer use IEMs, the singer and guitarist don't. I have the PA and do the sound (and it is all my stuff). they have mentioned monitors several times but I have said, if they want monitors I have an output for them, but its nothing that I need to buy, so of course, there aren't any monitors.

[dave_bass5]

28 minutes ago, Woodinblack said:

 

I am the same with my band. Me and the drummer use IEMs, the singer and guitarist don't. I have the PA and do the sound (and it is all my stuff). they have mentioned monitors several times but I have said, if they want monitors I have an output for them, but its nothing that I need to buy, so of course, there aren't any monitors.

Yes, that’s my attitude. This band even text’s  me things like ‘do I need to bring a monitor?’, ‘do I need to bring a mic stand?’  I now tell them I don’t care if they do or don’t, I don’t need them so it’s up to them. 
When I joined I said I was happy to supply the PA, as long as they sort the monitors out. So they have their monitors with them. 

As I’m playing keys I really do depend on having a monitor of some sort. I have no issue with using my DBR12 on stage but it’s one more thing to carry. Now my whole monitoring system, along with all my leads and other things go in one bag. 

[dave_bass5]

1 hour ago, BCH said:

Very typical of many bands, particularly if one member tries to fill the venue with there backline.....the best you can do is encourage them to have a hearing test

These guys are just old school, but in a very basic way. Said they have done loads of gigs but have no idea how to act professionally on stage. Bass player keeps turning his bass down (on the bass) and quite often forgets to turn it up. Without someone in the audience letting us know how it’s sounding the whole mix can go tits up, so trying to get them to change to a system when they haven’t grasped the most basic one is pointless. I do point out the better way of hearing yourself when they do complain, but I don’t push it. 

Edited January 2, 2023 by dave_bass5

[Chienmortbb]

58 minutes ago, dave_bass5 said:

Bass player keeps turning his bass down (on the bass)

If it’s a passive bass he will be changing the tone too.

[dave_bass5]

28 minutes ago, Chienmortbb said:

If it’s a passive bass he will be changing the tone too.

Don’t get me started. It’s a passive P and he has no bloody clue about all this. Been playing for almost 40 years apparently. I keep having a go at him but it just won’t sink in. He has just brought a Fender Rumble head and cab. He has high and high mid maxed out, contour on, treble 

boost on. Playing thought a fender 2x10 with tweeter on. Squeak’s all over the place, clanks etc. we are playing Motown, Beatles etc. it annoys me so much. It ruins the mix. After every sound check I turn all that crap off and it’s fine, so gig wise it’s not a huge issue (other than the turning down), but come the next rehearsal it’s all back on. He plays well but is clueless, and stubborn. 
 

There, you got me started 😂

[EBS_freak]

That sounds like somebody who has damaged hearing. Playing at home at quieter volumes and maxing out the mids and highs so that they can hear note definition. They are somebody that could really benefit from IEMs - in that you can split the bass to two channels. One with a front of house sound... and one with a clanky nasty donkey horrible trebly mess for your bass players monitoring needs.

[dave_bass5]

1 hour ago, EBS_freak said:

That sounds like somebody who has damaged hearing. Playing at home at quieter volumes and maxing out the mids and highs so that they can hear note definition. They are somebody that could really benefit from IEMs - in that you can split the bass to two channels. One with a front of house sound... and one with a clanky nasty donkey horrible trebly mess for your bass players monitoring needs.

Well yes and no. I get he might be turning them on at home to get a tone he likes, but he also admits he has never bothered with EQ and used to let the guitarist set his tone (explains a lot) until I came along. So I have tried to educate him and he is having none of it. Takes him a min or so to re tune one bloody string, but has often played more than a few songs before realising he is still down tuned 😂. And also saying his amp Isn’t loud enough when he is standing behind it 🙄. 
 

Sorry for derailing this thread. 

Edited January 2, 2023 by dave_bass5

[Chienmortbb]

2 hours ago, dave_bass5 said:

Don’t get me started. It’s a passive P and he has no bloody clue about all this. Been playing for almost 40 years apparently. I keep having a go at him but it just won’t sink in. He has just brought a Fender Rumble head and cab. He has high and high mid maxed out, contour on, treble 

boost on. Playing thought a fender 2x10 with tweeter on. Squeak’s all over the place, clanks etc. we are playing Motown, Beatles etc. it annoys me so much. It ruins the mix. After every sound check I turn all that crap off and it’s fine, so gig wise it’s not a huge issue (other than the turning down), but come the next rehearsal it’s all back on. He plays well but is clueless, and stubborn. 
 

There, you got me started 😂

I had to severely cut the bass at our NYE gig, as there is a boomy stage there, but usually just back off the bass a tad. I tend to boost at 450Hz, but leave the top end alone. Using an Aerodyne P/J with the J or bridge pickup on zero. The P pickup full up and occasionally take a bit of treble off with the bass's tone control. Volume I adjust using the amp and rarely after sound check.

 

The tweeter in those Rumbles is not the best, any tweeter is only as good as the crossover. If you look at @steviedesigned cabs, for exsmple the Basschat BC112 MK3, the horn.compressiion driver would set you back close to £100. I doubt Fender pay that for both drivers and the excuse for a crossover. Markbass get a bad rap for their tweeters, but others are just as guilty.

[Pirellithecat]

OK ...... hopelessly optimistically tried to set up a monitor mix for our drummer at rehearsal.   (guitar/bass/vocals)  BUT his kit isn't micced so he doesn't like the fact that he can't hear himself (properly).  He normally uses "ear plugs" so I was hopeful it would work ..... but he's not content.     Is there an approach that might work ... short of miccing his kit?  

[acidbass]

1 hour ago, Pirellithecat said:

OK ...... hopelessly optimistically tried to set up a monitor mix for our drummer at rehearsal.   (guitar/bass/vocals)  BUT his kit isn't micced so he doesn't like the fact that he can't hear himself (properly).  He normally uses "ear plugs" so I was hopeful it would work ..... but he's not content.     Is there an approach that might work ... short of miccing his kit?  

In my experience, drummers mostly like to hear themselves over others - I guess it's what they are used to.  Perhaps a single overhead mic (well positioned) might do the trick?

[Jakester]

1 hour ago, Pirellithecat said:

OK ...... hopelessly optimistically tried to set up a monitor mix for our drummer at rehearsal.   (guitar/bass/vocals)  BUT his kit isn't micced so he doesn't like the fact that he can't hear himself (properly).  He normally uses "ear plugs" so I was hopeful it would work ..... but he's not content.     Is there an approach that might work ... short of miccing his kit?  

I play drums, and for gigs where I want to use my IEMS but it’s not going to FOH I do one of 3 things. The easiest is to use a ‘wurst’ mic - i.e. something like an SM57 positioned over the batter head of the kick pointed at the drummer’s crotch. This will give a surprisingly good drum sound which is fine for monitoring. 
 

I tend to have my kick mic internally mounted so it’s always ready to go, so I just connect that and use a single overhead too, positioned over the snare. He might want to have a low mic stand, or one of the clamps that holds a mic in place so h could do the same. There’s a cheap Gibraltar internal mount which is easy to fit. 
 

Or, finally, you could just point a mic a couple of feet away at the kit. Probably easiest to do but runs the risk of a) getting knocked over or b) picking up too much other stuff. 
 

If he likes spending money, the Yamaha EAD10 is an all in one mic/monitoring solution. 

Edited January 5, 2023 by Jakester

[Pirellithecat]

Many thanks - I think that the mind set of "too complicated, a hassle, gets in the way, can't hear my drums" etc. will make this an impossible task.   I did try the Mic above the drums, but as its the drummers vocal Mic this doesn't work too well.  I'll have another go though, who knows, I've got progress from "Nah" to "OK I'll put on a headset for a quick listen ...... Nah" in 12 months so another year or two should do it.   Next step is to put a dedicated mix to a dedicated active monitor and await so much feedback (from his non directional vocal mic) that it's clear it's not and option.  Then repeat the "have you thought about IEM's".     To be honest it's not my problem that he can't hear the vocals or the guitar, but as this leads to time keeping issues -  especially when things go a little arwy, it affect the band too.   Hey ho!! 

The EAD10 does look like a good solution though, but a tad costly.