The IEM (in ear monitors) Bible thread

[Chienmortbb]

11 hours ago, MartinB said:

Integrated current limit protects your ears and headphone

Probably just a resistor in line, standard fare to limit current and reduce RF interference. It will do flip all to limit loudness.   

[Chienmortbb]

On 08/12/2024 at 13:55, EBS_freak said:

The links are all in the opening posts - but admittedly, this one was out of date.

 

If you are handy with soldering, heres the cable you need - https://www.sommercable.com/en-gb/Instrument-Cable-TRICONE-SYMASYM-1-x-2-x-0-14-mm2-PVC-11.3-x-11.3-mm-black/301-1101#neonCfg=pulength::pu100

Sorry for the delay in my reply but, if anyone wants these cables, I can get them as I have a trade account with Sommer, however they are almost €12 before VAT and shipment and the extra customs and handling charges that good old Brexit has resulted in. ( I was looking at retail price, I can sell it at £7/metre). So you are sailing close to £16 per metre plus connectors and connection charges.

Edited December 18 by Chienmortbb
Quoted RRP rather than sell price.

[dave_bass5]

11 hours ago, MartinB said:

I've got both the Behringer P2 and the Aliexpress version now. The Behringer claims

but both units will turn up to unholy volumes with no suggestion of any kind of limiting. I saw a post elsewhere suggesting that this is really more about protecting the amplifier from being damaged by short circuited headphones than protecting the user's hearing.

So a no-score draw there. The battery access, belt clip and mono-stereo are definitely better on the Aliexpress job, though to be fair Behringer "inherited" their design from Fischer so it's not strictly their fault 😆. Weights are very similar. Behringer is slightly smaller in cross-section. The locking input on both applies only to XLR cables - a TRS will pull right out of there.

I wonder if the Aliexpress version is like the Gear4music version. I spent ages trying to  get the stereo in on XLR working, brought new cables, even sent the first one back and got a replacement (actual they said to keep the first one as it wasn't worth the cost of sending it back). Neither seems to be wired, or at least working, for stereo XLR. The middle 1/4 works fine in both modes. SameXLR cables on the P2 work as expected.

[Al Krow]

Back to KZ ZARs - still loving mine. However...

 

I bought a set with the built-in mic in the earphone cable and found I was only getting output through one ear piece.

Replacement cable ordered for £9 inc P&P and IEMs working perfectly again.

[MartinB]

8 hours ago, dave_bass5 said:

I wonder if the Aliexpress version is like the Gear4music version. I spent ages trying to  get the stereo in on XLR working, brought new cables, even sent the first one back and got a replacement (actual they said to keep the first one as it wasn't worth the cost of sending it back). Neither seems to be wired, or at least working, for stereo XLR. The middle 1/4 works fine in both modes. SameXLR cables on the P2 work as expected.

 

Here's what I found:

Source		Connector	Mode	Output
======		=========	====	======

Stereo		XLR		Mono	Mono
Stereo		XLR		Stereo	Stereo
Stereo		TRS		Mono	Mono
Steroo		TRS		Stereo	Stereo

Balanced mono	XLR		Mono	Mono
Balanced mono	XLR		Stereo	???
Balanced mono	TRS		Mono	Mono
Balanced mono	TRS		Stereo	???

 

Not sure what's going on with a balanced mono source on the Stereo setting. It's doesn't sound the same as Mono - it's quieter but "wider". Possibly it's panning one signal to each side, which then results in weirdness because each ear is out of phase with the other?

[Buddster]

Had an interesting experience with my inears at Saturdays gig. 

Sound checked, all fine, as normal. 

1st set, sounded great and really happy. Few adjustments on the pad to my aux send (using Soundcraft ui24 system). Great 1st set. 

 

Start of 2nd set. Quick check, make sure it's working. Hmm, sounds a bit less bassy than it did. Checked the volume pedal. Ok. Checked the plugs. Ok. Checked the jack wasn't 1/2 out. Nope. Ah, maybe the FoH isn't up yet. That'll be it. 

Start the set. Better, but still not as before. A bit treblely than before too. And more ambient. 

Ah well, carry on. 

 

Gig went very well, and at the end took off my iem's and turned to pick up my hearing aids and couldn't find the dammed things. Had they dropped on the floor? 

Nope, I'd left the stupid things in my ears and put the iam's in as well! 

 

Dooh! 

[acidbass]

Just received a pair of Ultimate Ears UE Live phones to replace a pair of JH Audio Roxannes (see my comments above for reasons behind this change!)

 

First impressions (pun very much intended):

 

- They are a lot smaller than the HUGE Roxannes which protruded quite a bit past my outer ear. UE Live are more flush and natural looking - as much as is possible anyway. They are super lightweight also.

 

- I don't like the IPX cable. It's very tangly. Already spent way longer untangling than I ever did with JH 7 pin cable which was a beast to be fair. Also no memory wire on UE which might be interesting

 

- I don't like the case - it's a bit small, would have preferred a larger option with hooks to attach the wound cable to

 

- The sound is awesome! The Live model has a dynamic driver for the lows as well as the usual armatures (a bit similar to KZ!) Certainly not as much sub bass as the Roxannes but a lot of focused low end. Reminds me quite a bit of the UE11 which I used up until around 2019. There is a lot of detail in the mids and the highs are crisp but not overpowering.

 

First gig with these babies is starting in around an hour! So will report back.

 

Danny

[mrtcat]

On 20/12/2024 at 20:46, acidbass said:

- I don't like the IPX cable. It's very tangly. Already spent way longer untangling than I ever did with JH 7 pin cable which was a beast to be fair. Also no memory wire on UE which might be interesting

Completely agree. The ipx cable is rubbish. I went through 2 in 4 months before sending my UE6s off to Lugs for him to replace the connector to allow me to use a better (and far more sensibly priced) cable. The IPX cable is just overpriced rubbish.