The IEM (in ear monitors) Bible thread

[warwickhunt]

Is it anything to do with the internal stereo/mono switch internal to the P2?  

 

[dave_bass5]

5 minutes ago, markbunney said:

Has anybody had any success using a Boss WL20L with a Behringer P2 as a DIY wireless set.

 

I have tried today but can only get it to work in left ear. (Note the P2 works in both ears when using XLR so I know it’s not faulty)

 

 

 

Is the P2 in mono?

[markbunney]

8 minutes ago, warwickhunt said:

Is it anything to do with the internal stereo/mono switch internal to the P2?  

 

Thanks, that’s fixed it!

 

[markbunney]

6 minutes ago, dave_bass5 said:

Is the P2 in mono?

Now switched to mono and it works. Thanks, Mark

[Jakester]

Wahey, my care package from ACS has arrived!

 

 

A set of Engage Classic IEMs, some Pro20 earplugs, and a set of sleep earplugs. 

 

I'll give them a test and report back.

[dave_bass5]

I’ve been asked by another band member to recommend some cheap IEM’s. 
budget is under £50. 
He doesn’t like the KZ ZS10 as they feel too bulky. They do slightly smaller ones. Anyone got any thoughts?

 

Still loving my IE400 pro. Singer now using the IE100 pro I originally brought. 
 

[Phil Starr]

On 05/08/2023 at 12:35, warwickhunt said:

Is it anything to do with the internal stereo/mono switch internal to the P2?  

 

Just a heads up that this is a slight design fault with the P2. It's very easy to slide into the stereo position when either inserting batteries or sliding the outside sleeve back on, all of our band have done this at least once. Really simple to fix once you know and to check but the first time it happens can be a panicky moment

 

[lemmywinks]

On 02/08/2023 at 13:31, BigRedX said:

 

That's what the channel fader in the desk is for. Give him plenty of vocals in his IEMs and mute him FoH.

 

We do this with our guitarist, lovely lad but can't sing for toffee although he loves to try.

 

Hope he isn't a member here.

Edited August 9, 2023 by lemmywinks

[EBS_freak]

23 minutes ago, Phil Starr said:

Just a heads up that this is a slight design fault with the P2. It's very easy to slide into the stereo position when either inserting batteries or sliding the outside sleeve back on, all of our band have done this at least once. Really simple to fix once you know and to check but the first time it happens can be a panicky moment

 

the other design fault is that if you drop the unit, the battery can pop out. Easy when you know - but annoying when you are under the pressures of the gig and you are faced with the problem for the first time. Even more annoying when you find out that the wearer dropped it and didn’t tell you. Especially annoying when the battery was fresh in and the unit was confirmed as working by me.

 

”it just stopped working”

 

”nothing to do with you dropping it then?”

 

Anyway, nothing a bit of knowledge or gaffa can’t fix.

 

 

[Greg Edwards69]

It's also easy to pull the volume knob off if you're heavy-handed with it, as one of our singers discovered when she was using mine, and dropped the plastic knob on the floor. Luckily I found it when we were packing up.

[dave_bass5]

Wow, you P2 owners are animals 😂

 

First thing I did with mine was to tape the mono/stereo switch so it didn’t move. 
I keep a P1 handy (well, the G4M version) which is passive. It’s enough to drive my IEM’s as I use the headphone out so it’s already being boosted. 

Talking of design faults, and G4M. 

Many pages ago I was talking about not getting stereo from my XLR, even though I knew the cable was wired correctly. Turned out the G4M version of the P2 wouldn’t produce stereo via the XLR input, even though it would using a TRS cable. I had two, and both were the same. 

[Woodinblack]

I didn't even know there was a stereo mono switch let alone accidently setting it to anything else - it never moved.

The only thing the thing that is an issue is forgetting to turn it off.

[WalMan]

Another good evening with the MercuryIEM’s and getting closer to a mix I’m happy with. Rolled the H6 ambient feed back and it helped a lot as that was getting ox & guitar bleed from the drummer’s monitor even if put behind the speaker.

 

Got hold of XAirMonitorMix from App Store which means I can’t accidentally select FOH and mess anything up. Seemed a no-brainier for £3.99

 

Still only used the P2 as everywhere has been tight on space, but that all seems fine running a 10M XLR from the stage box.

 

re the mono/stereo switch in the P2 I keep meaning to check but as I’m getting something in both plugs I’m presuming it must be set right, or just runs dual mono from the XLR in 🤷‍♂️

Edited August 9, 2023 by WalMan

[dave_bass5]

1 hour ago, WalMan said:

Another good evening with the MercuryIEM’s and getting closer to a mix I’m happy with. Rolled the H6 ambient feed back and it helped a lot as that was getting ox & guitar bleed from the drummer’s monitor even if put behind the speaker.

 

Got hold of XAirMonitorMix from App Store which means I can’t accidentally select FOH and mess anything up. Seemed a no-brainier for £3.99

 

Still only used the P2 as everywhere has been tight on space, but that all seems fine running a 10M XLR from the stage box.

 

re the mono/stereo switch in the P2 I keep meaning to check but as I’m getting something in both plugs I’m presuming it must be set right, or just runs dual mono from the XLR in 🤷‍♂️

It will be dual mono. 
Mixing station also has a monitor mix only setting, which you can select when you start the app. Quite handy being able to keep unworthy fingers off the FOH mix. 

[EBS_freak]

*cough cough* RTFM.

 

Come Onnnnnnnnn

 

 

(It's cos it would seem to be deceptively simple... but it still gets ya!)

[dave_bass5]

I mean no disrespect to anyone, but when I was looking for one I read the description and it stated mono or stereo on a switch. Didn't even need to look at the manual. 

[Phil Starr]

10 hours ago, dave_bass5 said:

I’ve been asked by another band member to recommend some cheap IEM’s. 
budget is under £50. 
He doesn’t like the KZ ZS10 as they feel too bulky. They do slightly smaller ones. Anyone got any thoughts?

 

Still loving my IE400 pro. Singer now using the IE100 pro I originally brought. 
 

I'm using the IE100 pro. single driver but plenty of bass and to be honest a lot more detail in the bass due to the mids being more present. I couldn't get the sound I wanted out of the KZ10's. I sing as well as play bass and the huge midrange suckout of the KZ's just made my vocals sound horrible (well more horrible than even the reality) The IE 100's are much closer to my Sennheiser HD595's I use for personal practice. The lead vocals are much better too.

 

I want as much isolation as I can get and then I don't need extreme volume. I want to save what's left of my hearing. the IE100's go much louder than I can handle without distortion and have more bass than I really want, nothing below 80Hz suits me for monitoring. It's the harmonics I need to tell how well or badly I'm playing. The live monitoring sound is now really pretty damn good and getting better as I climb the learning curve. 

 

That doesn't mean the KZ's are bad, if I didn't need to monitor my own vocals I'd be completely content with them. 

 

If cheap really is your aim I found that the KZ ZSN's are really rather good, my drummer pinched them to use and I realised I preferred them to the ZS10's

 

 

[warwickhunt]

Those IE100s look significantly smaller/lower profile than the KZs, is that the case @Phil Starr?

 

Does anyone have a photo of them physically side by side?

Edited August 9, 2023 by warwickhunt

[dave_bass5]

15 minutes ago, warwickhunt said:

Those IE100s look significantly smaller/lower profile than the KZs, is that the case @Phil Starr?

 

Does anyone have a photo of them physically side by side?

I’ll get you a few tonight. 
Yes, they are very low profile and hook much better in my ears. Although I now have the IE400, which is the same Size, there are a slightly different shape and while more than comfortable, the IE100 os still a better fit. 
Id be happy with either, ive now found that the ear tip makes more difference. I’m now using large Comply Tsx400’s and these are just perfect. Shorter and fatter than standard foam tips, so give me a nice ear filling isolation. 

[warwickhunt]

Just now, dave_bass5 said:

I’ll get you a few tonight. 
Yes, they are very low profile and hook much better in my ears. Although I now have the IE400, which is the same Size, there are a slightly different shape and while more than comfortable, the IE100 os still a better fit. 
Id be happy with either, ive now found that the ear tip makes more difference. I’m now using large Comply Tsx400’s and these are just perfect. Shorter and fatter than standard foam tips, so give me a nice ear filling isolation. 

 

I'm using the Comply but the isolation is not good.  Could be my ear shape or that the KZs are quite large so pull/twist.  I'm less worried about nuances of 1 v 5 drivers and/or mid range availability; I need to get the isolation sorted otherwise I'm turning up the IE volume to offset the drum bleed through from the acoustic drums.    

[dave_bass5]

8 minutes ago, warwickhunt said:

 

I'm using the Comply but the isolation is not good.  Could be my ear shape or that the KZs are quite large so pull/twist.  I'm less worried about nuances of 1 v 5 drivers and/or mid range availability; I need to get the isolation sorted otherwise I'm turning up the IE volume to offset the drum bleed through from the acoustic drums.    

I get more isolation with the Comfort Comply’s than I do with any of the other shapes. 
I get the KZ’s we’re always heading to the floor when I had them. No part was ever hooked in my ear, so it was always just the tip holing them in. 

[warwickhunt]

2 minutes ago, dave_bass5 said:

I get more isolation with the Comfort Comply’s than I do with any of the other shapes. 
I get the KZ’s we’re always heading to the floor when I had them. No part was ever hooked in my ear, so it was always just the tip holing them in. 

 

I think that is pretty much my findings.  Not got a problem using the KZs as listening devices for a laptop etc when there is no ambient noise but gigs... hmmmm

 

[Phil Starr]

1 hour ago, warwickhunt said:

Those IE100s look significantly smaller/lower profile than the KZs, is that the case @Phil Starr?

 

Does anyone have a photo of them physically side by side?

 

1 hour ago, dave_bass5 said:

I’ll get you a few tonight. 
Yes, they are very low profile and hook much better in my ears. Although I now have the IE400, which is the same Size, there are a slightly different shape and while more than comfortable, the IE100 os still a better fit. 
Id be happy with either, ive now found that the ear tip makes more difference. I’m now using large Comply Tsx400’s and these are just perfect. Shorter and fatter than standard foam tips, so give me a nice ear filling isolation. 

 

There you go, they are obviously different depths but the profile is ear shaped so similar, you can see that the plug goes off at a more acute angle on the zx10's, whether that is a good thing depends upon the angle your ear canal leaves your ears. For me the ZX10's are probably a better match but there's not a lot in it. All of us are different and the obvious solution is to get proper fitted custom in-ears. You can see I use the triple flange buds, they are a bit surgical in insertion and from time to time I can leave them behind in my ears but the seal is really good, the little flange goes right into my ears.

 

Dave is right though; the buds are the real problem, and getting a good fit is all importan. I've tried dozens but unfortunately my two ears are completely different sizes and shapes

Edited August 9, 2023 by Phil Starr

[dave_bass5]

1 hour ago, Phil Starr said:

I'm using the IE100 pro. single driver but plenty of bass and to be honest a lot more detail in the bass due to the mids being more present. I couldn't get the sound I wanted out of the KZ10's. I sing as well as play bass and the huge midrange suckout of the KZ's just made my vocals sound horrible (well more horrible than even the reality) The IE 100's are much closer to my Sennheiser HD595's I use for personal practice. The lead vocals are much better too.

 

I want as much isolation as I can get and then I don't need extreme volume. I want to save what's left of my hearing. the IE100's go much louder than I can handle without distortion and have more bass than I really want, nothing below 80Hz suits me for monitoring. It's the harmonics I need to tell how well or badly I'm playing. The live monitoring sound is now really pretty damn good and getting better as I climb the learning curve. 

 

That doesn't mean the KZ's are bad, if I didn't need to monitor my own vocals I'd be completely content with them. 

 

If cheap really is your aim I found that the KZ ZSN's are really rather good, my drummer pinched them to use and I realised I preferred them to the ZS10's

 

 

Funny you mention your singing is better. We had our first rehearsal with our singer using her IE100 on Monday. There has always been this thing that she sings slightly out of tune, but it doesnt sound out of tune most of the time. Just something not quite right. This rehearsal sounded different. She seemed to be pitching better, and afterwards even she said ‘I hope it sounded as good out in the rooms as it did in my ears’. She said compared to her KZ’s the sound seemed more balanced and natural. She could hear more of my keyboards (which she tend to follow) and it was much easier to pitch her vocals. She has never really complained about the KZ’s, other than the size and the brightness, but she was blown away how much of a difference the IE100’s made. 

 

Ive never used high end IEMS, but all the ones i have tried have had multiple drivers in them, until now, and i found the more drivers the more i didnt like them. I had all 3 of the MEE Pros at one point, and really didn't like the 4 driver version as much as the 3.

 

My approach is, if my Pianos and Brass sound good, the rest fall in to place.  

[Phil Starr]

8 minutes ago, dave_bass5 said:

She said compared to her KZ’s the sound seemed more balanced and natural. She could hear more of my keyboards (which she tend to follow) and it was much easier to pitch her vocals. She has never really complained about the KZ’s, other than the size and the brightness, but she was blown away how much of a difference the IE100’s made. 

Damn you  

 

Now I'm going to have to lend mine to our singer, she's already commandeered my radio mic, now I'm going to lose my in-ears.😂😂

 

 

Edited August 9, 2023 by Phil Starr