in ear monitors

SFT_Wolves

Junior Member
Hey guys!
I am looking to buy some in ear monitors! but not sure where to start, molded, non molded, more basic and so on.
Any help would be awesome

Thanks
 
First off you need to decide on your budget. Also what are you using them for? Live playing, just practicing, playing along to your ipod?

Custom in ears are going to run you $700 plus easily, you will need to find an audiologist and have an exam and to take the impressions to send to the company you want to assemble your monitors. So you have the expense of the audiologist to add to it.

There are a ton of universal fit ear monitors out there by Sure, Westone and many others that have interchangeable tips to "customize" the fit of the monitor to your ear. Any thing from foam inserts to rubber to hard plastic normally come with the nicer ones.

I've owned a set of Sure EC2's and this past summer purchased a set of Westone UM2's, I like the fit and sound of the Westone's much better.
 
Custom Mold in-ears will be the best option…They are expensive, but several companies are now making them, so the price has come down some..one company, 1964 Ears makes a really nice product that are more reasonable than some others..dual drivers start at $350, triple drivers at $425…I know several fellow musicians that use them and are very happy with the product…I plan on getting a pair of 1964's very soon; however, currently I'm using westone UM-3XRC's, also a very good in-ear..they can be found on sale at times for $300 (bought mine on sale at earphonesolutions.com)…if I had to do it over again though, I'd just get custom molds (i.e., 1964's)..good luck whichever way you go...
 
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I use the Shure SE215's, brilliant for the price (£80).

+1 I would say near impossible to beat for the price. They come with a bunch of different sized ear pieces so you can really get them to fit well.
 
One thing I will say quickly for us "weekend warrior" types who may likely wind up mixing our own monitors, etc, this is what's worked for me:

Get a mixer for your monitors (a simple 4-channel mixer is fine)

Into one channel plug whatever mix you can from the board (usually vocals and maybe some kick drum — I usually try to get the *main* mix and not the monitor mix, but... you may not have a choice!)

Into the other channel plug a microphone that you hang over your kit facing slightly outward. This is to get ambient sound, allow you to hear that which is NOT running through the main board, and allow you to hear between-song chatter on-stage, etc. It also keeps you from feeling like you're trapped in your head. Lastly, it allows you to hear your own drums in your ears as you're used to hearing them.

As always, watch volume on this stuff. In-ears only protect your hearing to the extent that you don't turn them up. If you're not already used to hearing at low volumes when you play (i.e. unless you've worn earplugs for years and are now switching to IEMs) it will take a significant adjustment period before you start to get comfortable with the lower levels that IEMs can allow.
 
Get a Shure P6HW and whatever IEMs you want and youre all set.

F
 
I've been seriously considering getting some IEMs, I didn't realise there were such cheap options. Now I've got no excuse not to splash out on a set.
Once I've got some and put them through their paces I'll post a review.
 
Another vote for the Shure SE215. Great fit and sound. I couple mine with a rockonaudio.com tasty blender personal monitor mixer. Less than $300 for the whole setup.
 
Whatever you do, make sure YOU take the responsibility for the sound levels - do not leave it up to the live sound engineer, especially if he is local and you don't know him. Make sure the monitoring can be adjusted by you on stage.
Make sure there is a limiter in the chain. In ear monitors are brilliant, but they have the potential to damage your ears forever. I personally know a great drum teacher who would attest to this, and his experience is the main reason for my cautionary disposition.
If you can't afford to do it properly then don't do it at all.
 
Whatever you do, make sure YOU take the responsibility for the sound levels - do not leave it up to the live sound engineer, especially if he is local and you don't know him. Make sure the monitoring can be adjusted by you on stage.
Make sure there is a limiter in the chain. In ear monitors are brilliant, but they have the potential to damage your ears forever. I personally know a great drum teacher who would attest to this, and his experience is the main reason for my cautionary disposition.
If you can't afford to do it properly then don't do it at all.

100% agree with this. All it takes is one careless person pulling an instrument cable out and the POP ruins your hearing. That's what appealed to me about the rockonaudio.com products. Built in limiters and the ability to adjust the levels myself to make my own mix and not bother anyone else. Sorry to sound like a commercial here, but the unit I use has three channels with individual levels and adjustable limiters. All for less than $200.
 
I use Audio Technia M2 wireless with Shure SE215's, limiter ON! We generally handle our own sound, but even when we don't I don't worry about feedback issues or the large pops when something gets unplugged while the channel is on.

I was using a mixer to run my SE215's, but started thinking about how much I value my long term hearing.

I really like the M2 set up, but the stock ear buds are junk!
 
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