It looks like you're new here. If you want to get involved, click one of these buttons!
Subscribe to our Patreon, and get image uploads with no ads on the site!
Base theme by DesignModo & ported to Powered by Vanilla by Chris Ireland, modified by the "theFB" team.
Comments
With our old desk the two singers each had their own mixes so that they could have their own voice a little louder than it was in FOH. The keys player and I used the lead singer’s mix, with a small backline speaker adding more of our own instrument.
With the new desk, and a much louder drummer, I’ve switched to isolating IEMs. I now have my own mix, and it’s a lot easier to hear. It’s also quieter.
We only had one transmitter, so the 5 of us in the band all bought compatible receiver packs.
We only used to put vocals through (1 lead and 2 backing vocals) the monitor mix. It worked to a certain extent, but it wasn't ideal and I really wouldn't recommend it.
Me and the other guitarist only used to have one earphone in (for me it was the one on the side of the drummer) so we could still hear the rest of the band.
We now have a digital desk with multiple Monitor mixes for each individual person, which everyone can control from an app on their phones. It's really the only way to do it correctly.
Edit; sorry, I didn’t read your question properly.. I would question the value in having shared mixes. Our drummer & bassist tried it for a time and it wasn’t ideal. If there’s seven of you, then spend the money on what you need to get individual mixes. The band will play far far better as a result.
Chips are "Plant-based" no matter how you cook them
Donald Trump needs kicking out of a helicopter
I'm personally responsible for all global warming
Sharing IEM mixes is barbaric, never really works out as the whole purpose of a good personal mix is it's generally a lot of someones vocal and instrument and then everything else in less amounts. You can't do that on a shared basis you need individual mixes
The amount of individual mixes you can get out of one mixer depends on it's routing and buses. Dedicated pre fader aux sends are ideal, you can use one per performer for basic mono but stereo needs 2 per performer meaning you need a lot of aux sends. Because of this most modern desks have digital splits on Cat 5 which basically pass all channels on to Cat 5 personal monitor mixers which can be daisy chained from one performer to another .... meaning you all get stereo without running out of aux sends and you can adjust your own mix in hardware.
I've been on IEM's for 8 years or so now. First of all I built a wired system to test if I could get on with it then I brought a wireless transmitter and pack. After trying a few different brands of IEM wireless systems I went back to being wired because wired quality is superior even to a £900 Sennheiser system and being wired means no batteries and immunity from interference. As a guitarist I was tied to the amp with a wire anyway so I just combined the signals into one cable and built a nice little headphone amp in a box with some ambient mics as well. It works like this
Another cheap way to achieve the same as the above is a dual cable and cheap Behringer or similar headphone amp .... some people lash their own cable together or you can buy a nice dual IEM \ instrument cable with volume control for £40 ish
Wired IEM's have become really popular recently amongst the pro wedding \ function circuit players because they don't get massive stages to run around on and they don't want the hassle of batteries going flat or radio interference .
So basically it all starts with your desk, look what that can do in terms of outs and if that's too limited (which it probably will be ) think about upgrading that before you get into IEM's
As Danny has said, there is an argument for saving money by going wired with guitarists/bassist if they're already tied to a cable anyway. Good wireless kit isn't cheap and cheap wireless kit often isn't good!
https://www.gear4music.com/PA-DJ-and-Lighting/Behringer-P2-Ultra-Compact-Personal-In-Ear-Monitor-Amplifier/26FN
Feedback
Although I'm a bassist I don't stray too far from my pedalboard.
I just need to settle on earphones now. Got a smartphone one from Poundland and the damned thing got stuck on the mic setting so I heard nothing! LOL.
Probably get SE215s.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07D5WHRG4/ref=pe_3187911_189395841_TE_dp_1
I’ve owned and used The Shure 215’s and the 425’s and the KZ earphones are streets ahead.
Band Stuff: https://navigationofficial.bandcamp.com/album/silhouette-ep
One thing to note is that the sensitivity of the IEMs are so high I can hear the noise floor of devices I'm listening on (my desktop computer and samsung phone). I will probably have a lower floor with my audio interface.
They didn't come with a case, but that's fine. Overall, really pleased.
Band Stuff: https://navigationofficial.bandcamp.com/album/silhouette-ep