So, I normally jump in on the occasional 'headphones or in-ears?' topics, and have consistently favored phones for several reasons pertinent to my primary performing situation. So why did I suddenly change to in-ears?? Let me explain.
I've said that the durability and convenience of headphones is far superior to that of in-ears. With regard to durability, that's still true, in-ears need to be treated with care, and I will be doing so. But the convenience factor, for me, has shifted. With more wardrobe changes and the various things I wear on my head like glasses, hats, and a wig, having phones is sometimes less convenient and actually a detriment sound-wise when anything interrupts the seal of the earcups (glasses are the worst.) Also, each time I leave or return to my throne - a total of 24 times in the show! - I have to handle the phones and the cord. Sometimes it's a matter of 4 or 5 seconds, but in the case of dealing with extra costumery on my head, might take 15-20 seconds to work the phones under a wig, place the glasses, or situate a hat on the headband. With in-ears, there is no coordination necessary. I can jump on the throne without the handling of the phones, and I can jump off the throne immediately after the song. In terms of Al's show, that's important.
It's also true that proper in-ears (molds) require more than a few seconds to properly insert or remove, and this is a detriment as soon as you try to have an acoustic conversation, whereas with phones, you simply lift one earcup up and you can hear. That remains a bit of an issue, but so far I've managed to not engage in idle conversation between songs, which is fine with me.
In-ear molds need to be re-fitted periodically as you grow, and it's especially true for younger users. Well, I'm an older guy, and not likely to need another set in my career, so I'm regarding this move as cost-effective.
Comfort is subjective, and I will say that the newer molds made of hard plastic are more comfortable (non-abrasive) than the older 'rubber' ones. I used to use Neosporin on the old ones to combat chafing, and it was messy on my fingers, ears, and the molds. That's no longer necessary.
Sound quality had been an issue for me, but a lot has changed since I first used the two-element molds 15 years ago. With 8 elements in each mold, everything sounds great. Isolation is excellent, easily 3db better than my current phones!
A big concern was if there's a problem with the in-ears, the repair/replacement process can take 10 days or more, and will probably involve taking new impressions. With phones, you can have a replacement pair in your hands within a day. All still true, and as I said above, they'll need to be treated with care. One major improvement is the advent of cables that plug into the earpiece, as opposed to the older ones that are molded into the piece. Once the cable broke, there was a good chance you'd have to toss everything. Now, it's simple and smart to invest $30 in a spare cable.
Cost is still a factor, my in-ears are about $1150, compared to $220 for my UltraPhones. Is my experience with in-ears 5x better than the phones? Well, maybe only 3x better but it costs money to do things right, and I felt it was important to make the switch. I'm so glad I did.
Last, and actually least for me, is the vanity issue. If anyone on stage can get away with wearing phones and not looking weird, it's the drummer. I've got a bunch of great photos of me with phones, but from now on, I'll look more natural without any distraction on my head (except for the nun's coronet I wear during one song...)
I'll still use my UltraPhones in the studio, as I'll definitely need to remove them frequently. And I'll keep a pair on tour with me in case there's an emergency.
And I should add that all in-ear monitors are not alike, so choosing a particular model may not be the right solution for everyone or every gig, vs using phones.
Most importantly, I want to point out that although I have strong convictions about certain things, I keep my eyes and ears and mind open. I'm perfectly willing to make a change when a product improves and as my needs evolve... even though you'd have bet money that I wouldn't
Bermuda
PS - While I'm not necessarily endorsing the brand, I'll mention them anyway - it's JH Audio, Jerry Harvey's company. I believe that Jerry started Ultimate Ears, and I'm told his spin-off company does things even better than the other.
I've said that the durability and convenience of headphones is far superior to that of in-ears. With regard to durability, that's still true, in-ears need to be treated with care, and I will be doing so. But the convenience factor, for me, has shifted. With more wardrobe changes and the various things I wear on my head like glasses, hats, and a wig, having phones is sometimes less convenient and actually a detriment sound-wise when anything interrupts the seal of the earcups (glasses are the worst.) Also, each time I leave or return to my throne - a total of 24 times in the show! - I have to handle the phones and the cord. Sometimes it's a matter of 4 or 5 seconds, but in the case of dealing with extra costumery on my head, might take 15-20 seconds to work the phones under a wig, place the glasses, or situate a hat on the headband. With in-ears, there is no coordination necessary. I can jump on the throne without the handling of the phones, and I can jump off the throne immediately after the song. In terms of Al's show, that's important.
It's also true that proper in-ears (molds) require more than a few seconds to properly insert or remove, and this is a detriment as soon as you try to have an acoustic conversation, whereas with phones, you simply lift one earcup up and you can hear. That remains a bit of an issue, but so far I've managed to not engage in idle conversation between songs, which is fine with me.
In-ear molds need to be re-fitted periodically as you grow, and it's especially true for younger users. Well, I'm an older guy, and not likely to need another set in my career, so I'm regarding this move as cost-effective.
Comfort is subjective, and I will say that the newer molds made of hard plastic are more comfortable (non-abrasive) than the older 'rubber' ones. I used to use Neosporin on the old ones to combat chafing, and it was messy on my fingers, ears, and the molds. That's no longer necessary.
Sound quality had been an issue for me, but a lot has changed since I first used the two-element molds 15 years ago. With 8 elements in each mold, everything sounds great. Isolation is excellent, easily 3db better than my current phones!
A big concern was if there's a problem with the in-ears, the repair/replacement process can take 10 days or more, and will probably involve taking new impressions. With phones, you can have a replacement pair in your hands within a day. All still true, and as I said above, they'll need to be treated with care. One major improvement is the advent of cables that plug into the earpiece, as opposed to the older ones that are molded into the piece. Once the cable broke, there was a good chance you'd have to toss everything. Now, it's simple and smart to invest $30 in a spare cable.
Cost is still a factor, my in-ears are about $1150, compared to $220 for my UltraPhones. Is my experience with in-ears 5x better than the phones? Well, maybe only 3x better but it costs money to do things right, and I felt it was important to make the switch. I'm so glad I did.
Last, and actually least for me, is the vanity issue. If anyone on stage can get away with wearing phones and not looking weird, it's the drummer. I've got a bunch of great photos of me with phones, but from now on, I'll look more natural without any distraction on my head (except for the nun's coronet I wear during one song...)
I'll still use my UltraPhones in the studio, as I'll definitely need to remove them frequently. And I'll keep a pair on tour with me in case there's an emergency.
And I should add that all in-ear monitors are not alike, so choosing a particular model may not be the right solution for everyone or every gig, vs using phones.
Most importantly, I want to point out that although I have strong convictions about certain things, I keep my eyes and ears and mind open. I'm perfectly willing to make a change when a product improves and as my needs evolve... even though you'd have bet money that I wouldn't
Bermuda
PS - While I'm not necessarily endorsing the brand, I'll mention them anyway - it's JH Audio, Jerry Harvey's company. I believe that Jerry started Ultimate Ears, and I'm told his spin-off company does things even better than the other.
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