In-ear phones for live monitoring - Question.

DigMe · #1 03-07-2005, 08:16 AM

I've got some gigs booked with this guy over the next few months and if we gel then I'll probably play with him more. He's looking into getting the Shure PSM400 wireless monitor system and so if I want to use it I'd need to buy my own receiver. That's quite an expense for me at this time but if we do gel and I start playing more gigs with him then I'll probably end up getting the receiver. I'm just wondering something. Shure sells their E3 earphones with that system but I'm wondering if I bought, say, some Etymotic ER-6's for much cheaper would those come even close to working as well?

I previously used a wireless monitor system with the old band I was in but I didn't have to buy my own and I had the professional earphones that were matched to the system. I'd also appreciate any other suggestions you might have for a quality but cheaper solution to the E3s.

NJL · #2 03-07-2005, 08:55 AM

how much are the E3's?

keep in mind that Westone seems to make ear buds for Shure.... you can get a simple set from www.westone.com for $99....

as to the wireless system....IMHO, don't waste money on wireless anything.... go with a one of two Rolls boxes (from 60-80 each) for the IEM system....

during the day, i'll look for the Rolls units on the website, but if i forget, just PM me

DigMe · #3 03-07-2005, 11:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NJL

how much are the E3's?

keep in mind that Westone seems to make ear buds for Shure.... you can get a simple set from www.westone.com for $99....

as to the wireless system....IMHO, don't waste money on wireless anything.... go with a one of two Rolls boxes (from 60-80 each) for the IEM system....

during the day, i'll look for the Rolls units on the website, but if i forget, just PM me

I've used quality wireless before and I liked it. It worked well for many reasons.

brad cook

lefty · #4 03-08-2005, 08:33 PM

how do the ear monitors sound? does the bass come through there also? if so, how does that sound?

DigMe · #5 03-08-2005, 09:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lefty

how do the ear monitors sound? does the bass come through there also? if so, how does that sound?

It sounded really good with the ones I used in my old band. Every thing was very clear without being too loud. It started to make me wonder why I was even bringing my speaker cab to gigs!

brad cook

fastplant · #6 03-09-2005, 07:38 AM

I used SHure E2's in mine and they worked out fine. You could use almost any headphones that can handle a decent amount of power. As long as you don't expect awesome clarity you'll be fine. Even crappy headphones will sound better than floor monitors.

J.T · #7 03-09-2005, 12:25 PM

I used the psm-400 with the attached mixer. It was phenom! I know they are expensive, but it either the E1 or the E5 earphones with the dual speakers and in-line crossover are where its at. Bass and kick was super clear and did not distort anything else in the mix. It was like have full-on live sound in your ear! i would definaltly save or search the "bay" for a set of those!

msquared · #8 03-09-2005, 10:35 PM

I had the PSM400 a few bands ago. I ditched the awful E1 earbuds that usually came with it back then to upgrade to the ER-6 buds. It worked like a champ and sounded way better than the stock buds.

Later I moved up to the ER-4S buds, along with a Total Airhead headphone preamp to go with them. It was a lot of stuff to keep with me for a gig but was a lot easier than lugging a monitor wedge and separate amp to power it, and kept the stage volume down. With the right person at the boards it was almost like being in a studio.

I highly recommend in-ear monitors, and Shure's stuff is great for the price. The way they have it set up is quite useful for getting different mixes to you, and best of all: it's got an onboard compressor/limiter so you don't fry your ears.

DigMe · #9 03-10-2005, 06:53 AM

Thanks for the thoughts on this ya'll. Any more are welcome. Has anyone ever tried using Etymotic earphones for in-ear monitoring?

brad cook

ZonPlyr · #10 03-10-2005, 07:36 AM

I've tried the sure e1's, and e5's. Neither of them kept a good seal in my ear. Probably just my goofy ears, they seem to work very well for others. When I was at the namm show this year i visited the Westone booth. I ordered a set on the spot. They fit perfectly and didn't break the seal with singing, dancing, yelling, thrashing.... I love them, everything is clear and since they fit so well i get great kick and bass response out of them. If you are going to be using in-ears for a long time you may want to get a set of molds done that fit your ear.

ymmv
Rick

DigMe · #11 03-10-2005, 07:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ZonPlyr

When I was at the namm show this year i visited the Westone booth. I ordered a set on the spot.

I've been wondering about those too.

brad cook

ZonPlyr · #12 03-10-2005, 07:59 AM

Brad, they were the best i have tried to this point. I used the shures' and the er's and the westone's were the best. I had a set of musicians earplugs from them and loved them. The ie monitors are fantastic. I'm using them 3 to 5 times a week and can't stand to used floor monitors anymore.

DigMe · #13 03-10-2005, 09:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ZonPlyr

Brad, they were the best i have tried to this point. I used the shures' and the er's and the westone's were the best. I had a set of musicians earplugs from them and loved them. The ie monitors are fantastic. I'm using them 3 to 5 times a week and can't stand to used floor monitors anymore.

What model do you have?

brad cook

ZonPlyr · #14 03-10-2005, 09:25 AM

I have the es2's. I just couldn't swing the money for the es3's but i've heard they are phenomenal as well.

Rick

msquared · #15 03-10-2005, 11:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DigMe

Thanks for the thoughts on this ya'll. Any more are welcome. Has anyone ever tried using Etymotic earphones for in-ear monitoring?

See the post above yours.

Note: Etymotic makes the ER-6 and ER-4 series earphones. I still have the ER-4S set that I bought a couple years ago and use them all the time.

DigMe · #16 03-10-2005, 12:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by msquared

See the post above yours.

Note: Etymotic makes the ER-6 and ER-4 series earphones. I still have the ER-4S set that I bought a couple years ago and use them all the time.

Oh ok...I didn't realize.

brad cook

SteveC · #17 03-10-2005, 01:24 PM

The 9 piece funk band I played in used them. It was fantastic. We used the Shure PSM 400 system as well.

What made it even better (unfortunately I didn't do this until the last couple gigs) was when I had my own little "mini rack" set-up with the Shure Transmitter and a 2 channel EQ.

I took one mix from the board with (the whole band) and put that into channel 1 on the EQ, then into one channel of my IEM Transmitter. I took a signal from my bass DI into the 2nd channel of the EQ and into the other channel on the IEM Transmitter. I was then able to mix both using th elevels onth eEQ and the mix control on my IEM Reciever. I could EQ my bass so it sounded more full in my cheap earphones and I could get "more me" in my ears without effecting the rest of the guys mix.

Rane makes a single rack unit specifically for compressing and EQing IEM mixes.