Advice on In ear monitors

[Jimothey]

Hi eveyone

 

I've started playing in a Acoustic punk tribute band and I play my acoustic bass through a di box into the Pa as when I’ve tried playing through an amp it just feedbacks really badly but I haven’t got a monitor so I struggle to hear myself sometimes is there a way that I can add a headphone Jack to the bass and have kind of in ear monitors that way instead of spending hundreds of pounds getting transmitters and receivers? I thought maybe a little op amp circuit a bit like a Vox headphone amp might work but would that ettect the output to the di box? 

 

Thanks 👍🏻

Edited April 25 by Jimothey

[SlowlyButSurely]

I use a Behringer MA400 headphone amp. There are several videos on YouTube on how to set it up.

[ratman]

I have an MA400 that I use for pub gigs. Very handy little unit that can mix 2 audio signals so you can blend in the FOH mix with your bass signal. Get some KZ AS10 in ears, upgrade the tips to Sonic Foam SF1 for a way better seal & fit, and you'll need a short headphone extension cable. All in around maybe £80.

[Phil Starr]

I carry an MA400 as a get you out of trouble unit for the times when the babies forget to bring their own kit, You can also use pretty much any small mixer. I use either KZ ZS10 pro's (very similar to the AS10's) or Sennheiser IE100.

 

One problem you need to think about is how you will hear the rest of the band. You don't get good bass from in-ears unless you get a good seal. As @ratman says you could blend in the FOH mix from the desk but that only works well if everything is going FOH. A well fitting set of in-ears is going to cut the sound from the band as much as earplugs, that might be a bonus but the frequencies you hear will also change. One way round this is to use an ambient mic to pick up the on-stage sound. Also check if the mixer has a spare aux output.

[ratman]

Unless everything is going through the PA there will always be some compromises.
But even a modest outlay these days will help get you through a gig (and protect your hearing too).

[SlowlyButSurely]

I have KZ ZS10 Pro's which are great but for smaller pub/club gigs where we use the backline amps and it's mainly vocals going through the pa I use a pair of cheap earbuds which allow all the ambient sound through. This works very well and not having any wedge monitors improves the sound significantly.