IEM misconceptions?

[Greg Edwards69]

On 15/05/2024 at 21:34, Chienmortbb said:

I have to admit this thread is  breath of fresh air. I mistrust evangelists, except myself that is. The  from loud onstage sound to silent stage/full IEM is too big to achieve in one step. My band of dinosaurs are unlikely to go full silent stage anytime soon so I am trying to change them very gradually. Reading  other people's experiences,

+1. We went from vocal only PA and loud backline filling the room to silent stage (except for drums) with IEM over the course of about 18 months.

[TRB5]

I gig with a big power amp, preamp and 2 Greenboy 12 cabs.

Gigs are generally pubs of various sizes, the odd hall or stage and a few outside gigs.

 PA is heavy 3 channel power amp, a pair of hysis 2 cabs and a Sub.  This covers 80 % of our work?   Ish? Sounds great.

A few changes with big or small gigs ( eg. Only one PA cab in a small pub; 2 no Cerwin  vega 1 x18   Subs from the back of the van, when playing outside).

My gear handles all this type of stuff so no PA help needed.

If we are lucky, we play on a big stage, with a big PA and then my gear is my monitor and we are in the hands of the soundguy.

 

My problem with changing, is that I run the sound, tweeked over many years and it would Be a massive change in working practice for everybody, to change the onstage/ floor, sound. Also, most of our gigs are pubs and I can’t imagine communicating with band members and the punter standing next to me, trying to talk to me in the middle of ( insert song of choice) while using in ear monitors. It was bad enough when  a drummer/ guitarist combination we had, made ear plugs a good idea .

im sure a big stage would be no problem to adjust,  with practice, but we are talking, maybe,a gig twice a year, in the real world.

 

I’m possibly a Luddite but, is it just me or am I missing something.

[Phil Starr]

8 hours ago, TRB5 said:

I gig with a big power amp, preamp and 2 Greenboy 12 cabs.

Gigs are generally pubs of various sizes, the odd hall or stage and a few outside gigs.

 PA is heavy 3 channel power amp, a pair of hysis 2 cabs and a Sub.  This covers 80 % of our work?   Ish? Sounds great.

A few changes with big or small gigs ( eg. Only one PA cab in a small pub; 2 no Cerwin  vega 1 x18   Subs from the back of the van, when playing outside).

My gear handles all this type of stuff so no PA help needed.

If we are lucky, we play on a big stage, with a big PA and then my gear is my monitor and we are in the hands of the soundguy.

 

My problem with changing, is that I run the sound, tweeked over many years and it would Be a massive change in working practice for everybody, to change the onstage/ floor, sound. Also, most of our gigs are pubs and I can’t imagine communicating with band members and the punter standing next to me, trying to talk to me in the middle of ( insert song of choice) while using in ear monitors. It was bad enough when  a drummer/ guitarist combination we had, made ear plugs a good idea .

im sure a big stage would be no problem to adjust,  with practice, but we are talking, maybe,a gig twice a year, in the real world.

 

I’m possibly a Luddite but, is it just me or am I missing something.

Your hearing maybe 😂

 

Sorry, that was meant to be a joke, but that little lot are going to be loud. You do mention ear plugs. I'm with you really despite going the other route. If I was gigging twice a year and had a sorted system I was happy with then I'd just get on with it and make music. I gig maybe 30 gigs a year and probably spend too much on gear. I spent my youth doing sound for people and I designed and built speakers and the technical side of things is as much of a passion for me as playing. I love this stuff! However a lifetime of amplified music has taken a toll on my hearing and there is a better way on offer. Better for the musicians, better for the audience and probably cheaper if you were starting from scratch. Sticking with what you know and love when there isn't a lot of money in it and you prefer just playing and not worrying about it is perfectly sensible. I drive old cars and keep them until they fall apart. I'm always amazed when I drive something newer but cars aren't important to me so long as they work.

 

The Luddites get a bad press, they weren't fighting to stop progress, they were fighting to keep their jobs and feed their families.

[TRB5]

Hi Phil, thanks for the reply.  Right, on all counts. Hearing has suffered from 50 odd years gigging, the 2 gigs a year refers to big stages, since lockdown I would estimate 30 normal gigs a year. I’ve always built speakers ( mostly other people’s designs) and have always loved doing it ( the only cab I bought in the last 20  ish years was a Euphonic Audio Vl 210, which I loved). I love hard disk recording, mixing etc and the technical side of things. Money isn’t the issue it’s purely that this system has taken many years to fine tune( it doesn’t need to be loud) and I really don’t know who would keep a naked ear on things if we are all making music with monitors in our ears.

Anyway, this has been an interesting thread, as are most on Basschat, if I played big stages I can see the merit of iem , in small pubs I can’t at the moment

cheers, rick

[Phil Starr]

Enjoy your gigging Rick, those Greenboys were a great design. Lovely sound

[lemmywinks]

15 hours ago, TRB5 said:

I gig with a big power amp, preamp and 2 Greenboy 12 cabs.

Gigs are generally pubs of various sizes, the odd hall or stage and a few outside gigs.

 PA is heavy 3 channel power amp, a pair of hysis 2 cabs and a Sub.  This covers 80 % of our work?   Ish? Sounds great.

A few changes with big or small gigs ( eg. Only one PA cab in a small pub; 2 no Cerwin  vega 1 x18   Subs from the back of the van, when playing outside).

My gear handles all this type of stuff so no PA help needed.

If we are lucky, we play on a big stage, with a big PA and then my gear is my monitor and we are in the hands of the soundguy.

 

My problem with changing, is that I run the sound, tweeked over many years and it would Be a massive change in working practice for everybody, to change the onstage/ floor, sound. Also, most of our gigs are pubs and I can’t imagine communicating with band members and the punter standing next to me, trying to talk to me in the middle of ( insert song of choice) while using in ear monitors. It was bad enough when  a drummer/ guitarist combination we had, made ear plugs a good idea .

im sure a big stage would be no problem to adjust,  with practice, but we are talking, maybe,a gig twice a year, in the real world.

 

I’m possibly a Luddite but, is it just me or am I missing something.

 

 

Yeah, you don't have to carry all that big heavy stuff!