In Ear Monitor Systems

[admin]

I would be interested in knowing who has used in ear monitor systems and what you have to say about them with regard to make, cost and usefulness.

[jimk]

The Euphoria String Band (in which I play fiddle) has just switched to an earphone monitor type system. We typically use this in playing for dances only. The string bass is the only instrument that is run direct into the board. The rest are micked using Sure SM-57s typically. We've been very happy with it. Each band member has his own little connector box that the earphones are plugged in to. The box is then connected to the monitor amplifier. On each box, there are two controll knobs which allow the individual to set the volumn for his individual instrument, and the overall band mix.

I wish I could tell you the make of the connector boxes, and the monitor amp. Obviously, it ain't wireless.

JimK

[admin]

Thanks, Jim.

[johneek]

Peter...the band I play in at church uses them, but was really forced into it by the location we meet (in a YMCA gym). Because of the horrible acoustics, no one can use an amp, and everyone plays through a modeling effects processor (POD XT Live, Boss GT-8) directly into a DI box and then to the board. We started with wedge monitors but, for the same reasons, they soon went the way of everyone's amps and we switched to in-ears (Shures...not sure which model, but I can look next time if you're interested). They took some getting used to, but I find them to work pretty well. The only big thing that I don't like about them is that no matter how well balanced all the channels are, you can't ever really "hear" the band. As a result, most of the people who play use a monitor in one ear, and either leave the other one out, or put it in loosely enough to get a bunch of ambient sound. The only other issue is that because of all the EMI they occasionally cut in and out. It's usually only for a brief time (less that a second), though the very first time I played with them (during a featured part no less), the thing cut out on me for at least 5 seconds...it was a panic filled moment. It's never happened since, but I know it happened to the bass player a couple of weeks ago too. Keeping one ear open mitigates that problem pretty well. We're about to put up our own building (with concert hall acoustics) and as far as I know, we haven't decided what we'll use there. Hope that helps.