The IEM (in ear monitors) Bible thread

[Al Krow]

23 minutes ago, Phil Starr said:

I can and do John but as you know from speakers you can’t easily make a coloured sound uncoloured. Moulded in ears give you so much more though. I might be getting 18 db of isolation with the KZ’s when I put them in but they don’t stay put at a gig and the outside noise leaks in, once I get sweaty I’m pushing the things in every other song. They’ve been a great first step and are really good for bass but I’m ready to move up to customs so long as I can afford it. 30db of potential isolation means I can consistently reduce the monitor volumes and still hear clearly, perhaps by as much as 10db which is going to help preserve what is left of my hearing. I’m also singing a bit more so that becomes more important a factor.

 

Interestingly after about half a dozen gigs I no longer feel the isolation from the audience 

 

Phil are you using the plastic/rubber tips provided with the KZ 10s or have tried other tips with them?

[BigJHW]

Hi all,

 

i've tried reading through all the pages but i'm sure i've either missed it or oddly it's not been asked ... so here goes

 

I've been using my KZ10's with a B P2 now for a while with the band and it sounds great - but i'm starting to look at the "Wireless" idea to remove cables from the stage more than anything

problem i think i have is that i only have a single XLR feed coming from the desk with my mix
Looking at Wireless units - they all seem to have 2 xlr inputs on the back L & R (shocking huh) - Some units say Left/Mono and others just say Left / Right

 

Can i assume that the left input on a wireless IEM transmitter is always MONO or do some manufacturers seem to force you to have 2 monitor feeds coming from the mixed or at least a splitter cable to plug in to both inputs on the transmitter?

 

Hope that makes sense - this is all still very new to me so i'm kinda drowning in the world of WTF am i doing !!

thanks

 

Big J

Edited March 22, 2023 by BigJHW

[BigJHW]

2 minutes ago, Al Krow said:

 

Phil are you using the plastic/rubber tips provided with the KZ 10s or have tried other tips with them?

Sorry to jump on this also but i have KZ 10's and have the same issue as the OP there - constantly having to push em back in mid gig regardless of which "supplied" tip i use.
Can anyone recommend replacements that stay put better?

 

ta

 

[Al Krow]

3 minutes ago, BigJHW said:

Sorry to jump on this also but i have KZ 10's and have the same issue as the OP there - constantly having to push em back in mid gig regardless of which "supplied" tip i use.
Can anyone recommend replacements that stay put better?

 

ta

 

I've a similar issue with my KZ 10s - I think these tips have been recommended on this thread and I'm about to try them out: COMPLY T-400 Sports Isolation Earbud Tips 

[Chienmortbb]

15 minutes ago, Al Krow said:

 

I've a similar issue with my KZ 10s - I think these tips have been recommended on this thread and I'm about to try them out: COMPLY T-400 Sports Isolation Earbud Tips 

I have tried Comply tips and IMHO they are a cut above other tips, whether memory foam, silicon or rubber. whether the compete with a custom mould I cannot say. I seem to remembre buying a trial pack with S,M and L sizes. However I cannot remember which size I settled on.

[MichaelDean]

Once you've found a size of tip you like, I can recommend buying them a lot cheaper from AliExpress! I've had them from this seller 3 or 4 times now. Just as good as the Comply tips, but a hell of a lot cheaper!

 

https://a.aliexpress.com/_EQ2hbSP

[Chienmortbb]

10 minutes ago, MichaelDean said:

Once you've found a size of tip you like, I can recommend buying them a lot cheaper from AliExpress! I've had them from this seller 3 or 4 times now. Just as good as the Comply tips, but a hell of a lot cheaper!

 

https://a.aliexpress.com/_EQ2hbSP

Yes the Comply tips have a long recover time and are easy to fit. The video for the Aliexpress ones suggest a similar  slow return to sizw. I have ordered a mixed pack to try.

[EBS_freak]

49 minutes ago, BigJHW said:

 

Can i assume that the left input on a wireless IEM transmitter is always MONO or do some manufacturers seem to force you to have 2 monitor feeds coming from the mixed or at least a splitter cable to plug in to both inputs on the transmitter?

 

Theres normally a setting on the receiver that sets it to mono or stereo. What this is doing, is take the L channel and put it on the right also. On some units, theres a focus mode, where you have two feeds in (via L and R) and you hear them both in mono - but you can blend the mix of the source coming in. (so you could your bass on L and the band mix on R... and then you could say put your bass as 60 % and the band at 40%. (the mix would be mono and being delivered to both your left and right ear)

[BigJHW]

50 minutes ago, EBS_freak said:

Theres normally a setting on the receiver that sets it to mono or stereo. What this is doing, is take the L channel and put it on the right also. On some units, theres a focus mode, where you have two feeds in (via L and R) and you hear them both in mono - but you can blend the mix of the source coming in. (so you could your bass on L and the band mix on R... and then you could say put your bass as 60 % and the band at 40%. (the mix would be mono and being delivered to both your left and right ear)

Awesome - i think that means this will work then - it's the LD Systems U508 IEM - so in theory i can just smash the single XLR in to the left or right channel (i'd prob put it in the wrong hole - sorry not sorry) and i'd be good to go
yes?

thanks for the help

[dave_bass5]

I’ve been using  Comply foam tips for a few years, but recently started using these. They are much cheaper, and the shape seems to fit my ears better. These are rock solid as far as fit goes for me. They feel quite similar to the Comply’s, but don’t have a wax guard. 
 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B09L7F73YC?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title

[EBS_freak]

13 minutes ago, BigJHW said:

Awesome - i think that means this will work then - it's the LD Systems U508 IEM - so in theory i can just smash the single XLR in to the left or right channel (i'd prob put it in the wrong hole - sorry not sorry) and i'd be good to go
yes?

thanks for the help

If you did that and put the XLR into the R, you would have to run the pack in focus mode and select 100% R.

[BigJHW]

1 hour ago, EBS_freak said:

Theres normally a setting on the receiver that sets it to mono or stereo. What this is doing, is take the L channel and put it on the right also. On some units, theres a focus mode, where you have two feeds in (via L and R) and you hear them both in mono - but you can blend the mix of the source coming in. (so you could your bass on L and the band mix on R... and then you could say put your bass as 60 % and the band at 40%. (the mix would be mono and being delivered to both your left and right ear)

Sorry was the LD Systems U308 i was looking at (a little cheaper than the 508)

Front of the unit has a Stereo/Mono switch

 

Receiver just seem to have channel select buttons + Volume

[EBS_freak]

3 minutes ago, BigJHW said:

Sorry was the LD Systems U308 i was looking at (a little cheaper than the 508)

Front of the unit has a Stereo/Mono switch

 

Receiver just seem to have channel select buttons + Volume

Just had a quick look at the manual for it. There is no focus mode on this. So yeah, the stereo and mono switch sums the L and R to mono. So if you are plugged into R, it should still sum so it comes out of both ears at the receiver. The receiver is pretty low on features in that it's channel select and volume.... but that's all you need really!

[tonyf]

https://www.nuxefx.com/b7psm.html

 

What do you all think about these? Been using the Xvive U4 for a little while and it's been really good but the idea about running on 5.8Ghz out the way of the crowded 2.4Ghz sounds appealing. 

[EBS_freak]

13 minutes ago, tonyf said:

https://www.nuxefx.com/b7psm.html

 

What do you all think about these? Been using the Xvive U4 for a little while and it's been really good but the idea about running on 5.8Ghz out the way of the crowded 2.4Ghz sounds appealing. 

I been watching a few reviews of these.

 

There's only a couple of things I dont like - the 5.5ms latency (depending upon your signal chain, this could be OK... or not) - and making up a cable dual XLR to jack socket cable as it is a bit of a niche use cable! (I'd probably use a coupler adapter so I'm onto more normal cables)

Edited March 26, 2023 by EBS_freak

[EBS_freak]

Uh oh - these reviews made for interesting reading -

 

J***S

Amazing idea and format, if it only it sounded good.

Yes its too good to be true, this compact portable nicely packed piece of tech sounded awful. What do i mean by that? There is a grainy/staticy/distortion sound that blankets all of the audio that it transmits. Especially with tones that are of higher graininess already like distorted guitars, or metal music. Tried my kemper profiler, live mixer phones output, cell phone headphone out, all of them plagued by the same problem with this unit. This is not for critical listening expieriences, the sound quality itself i would say is on the budgetary side, if you just want low latency audio despite being pretty low quality sound this is for you. Yes the latency was very low, almost imperceptible, unless of course you are using a digital mixer with 1-3ms latency, kemper profiler with 5.5ms latency, and this unit with 5.5ms latency added. Then you notice a slight difference. But hope this helps. Show less

L***E

Great idea but a total fail!

First off I was totally excited to use this product, but buyers beware you will be totally disappointed that you wasted $200 on this item. When I plugged this unit into my Focusrite interface and got a constant fuzzy static and distortion sound while playing guitar. I tried different audio sources with all displaying the same results. I would not recommend this product to anyone and I will be returning this product. Show less

F***C

Avoid this

There is distortion and static in the high frequencies that I could not get rid of. I tried multiple
headphones and it never would go away. I emailed support several days ago and have not
gotten a response. This is the last NUX product I will purchase.

B***R

Garbage!!

Complete loss of low end. Returned after one use. Do not recommend

 

(from https://www.desertcart.co.uk/products/502867751-nux-b-7psm-5-8-ghz-wireless-in-ear-monitoring-system-charging-case-included-stereo-audio-transmitting?gclid=Cj0KCQjw2v-gBhC1ARIsAOQdKY1v6dK26QUr00TArm1UtwhaUT81yiZQVjkcVutNbUJsZ0T_qREUpGIaAl1TEALw_wcB)

This line in the description rang alarm bells with me -

 

Stereo audio for live shows and band rehearsals. Not recommended for quiet, solo practice..

 

- is this because of the distortion/static that people have referenced in these reviews I wonder?

[Phil Starr]

On 22/03/2023 at 12:15, Al Krow said:

 

Phil are you using the plastic/rubber tips provided with the KZ 10s or have tried other tips with them?

 

On 22/03/2023 at 12:17, BigJHW said:

Hi all,

 

i've tried reading through all the pages but i'm sure i've either missed it or oddly it's not been asked ... so here goes

 

I've been using my KZ10's with a B P2 now for a while with the band and it sounds great - but i'm starting to look at the "Wireless" idea to remove cables from the stage more than anything

problem i think i have is that i only have a single XLR feed coming from the desk with my mix
Looking at Wireless units - they all seem to have 2 xlr inputs on the back L & R (shocking huh) - Some units say Left/Mono and others just say Left / Right

 

Can i assume that the left input on a wireless IEM transmitter is always MONO or do some manufacturers seem to force you to have 2 monitor feeds coming from the mixed or at least a splitter cable to plug in to both inputs on the transmitter?

 

Hope that makes sense - this is all still very new to me so i'm kinda drowning in the world of WTF am i doing !!

thanks

 

Big J

I've used pretty much all the tips available and they make a huge difference to the sound. Because of my anal nature (wonder if that passes the profanity filter) I've looked at and measured the various tips and its about diameter of course but also the length/depth of the tips and the angle  of the 'exit' tube compared to the angle of your ear'ole   As we are all different there isn't a universal tip which fits all of us. I've settled on small triple flange ones which go deep into my ear which work well with ZS10 pro but comply with the original ZS10. I've also realised that my left and right ears are different shapes! Who knew?

 

Obviously custom in-ears would solve all the issues of fit and I'm happy to pay £2-300 for them, after all you'd pay that for a floor monitor but the £700-1000 they seem to cost is just completely beyond my budget.

 

Edited March 26, 2023 by Phil Starr

[Al Krow]

8 hours ago, tonyf said:

https://www.nuxefx.com/b7psm.html

 

What do you all think about these? Been using the Xvive U4 for a little while and it's been really good but the idea about running on 5.8Ghz out the way of the crowded 2.4Ghz sounds appealing. 

 

"Been using the Xvive U4 for a little while and it's been really good" - good to come across another encouraging recommendation for the Xvive U4s. Seems like most folk who've tried them as a decent quality affordable wireless option are pretty happy with them.

[Jakester]

10 hours ago, Phil Starr said:

I've settled on small triple flange ones which go deep into my ear which work well with ZS10 pro but comply with the original ZS10. I've also realised that my left and right ears are different shapes! Who knew?

 

What triple flanged tips do you use, just out of interest?

[Phil Starr]

13 hours ago, Jakester said:

 

What triple flanged tips do you use, just out of interest?

Generic Chinese ones off Ebay in the smallest size they do. 

[LOGO1010]

Hi all.  Looking to invest in my first IEM's.  The guitarist in my band uses Xvive U4, which seem to work well.  Seen some recent posts referring to KZ 10's.  Would these be a good pairing to start with?

Apologies in advance for the newb post 😁

[Woodinblack]

1 hour ago, LOGO1010 said:

Hi all.  Looking to invest in my first IEM's.  The guitarist in my band uses Xvive U4, which seem to work well.  Seen some recent posts referring to KZ 10's.  Would these be a good pairing to start with?

 

Its what I have and am happy with - but it is all back on this thread.

[tauzero]

This may or may not be of interest. Because I wanted to practice using headphones with no wires into or out of the Tascam GB-10 I use, I finished up buying a Lekato MS-1 IEM system from AliExpress (this is the item in question). 3.5mm stereo input, 3.5mm stereo output, charged via USB, you supply the earphones. Receiver has volume up/down, transmitter can pair with up to 8 receivers. Costs £30. Not exactly sophisticated but perhaps an easy and cheap way to go from wired IEMs to wireless.

[Woodinblack]

10 hours ago, tauzero said:

I finished up buying a Lekato MS-1 IEM system from AliExpress (this is the item in question).

 

Have the same thing from ebay. It works, not sure I would want to use it live, but it is good in the house

[BigRedX]

"Less than 12ms latency". Not ideal and may well be unusable once the cumulative effect of all the other latencies in your signal chain have been taken into account.