Monitor integrated into mic stand?
 

Anyone tried something like this?

Any problems with feedback caused by the mic being too close to the monitor?

I am thinking of building something like this with a 5.25 or 6.5 inch mid driver. Many times I have run into problems where vocal monitoring has been subpar and I'd love to have something portable like this.... even to just drop onto a mic stand at a rehearsal studio.

Sound quality is not extremely important to me as long as its passable and doesnt sound like cat's nails on a chalkboard. :D

Since the monitor would be so close to head, how many watts should the driver be able to handle?

Wondering if anyone has experience with something like this and how it worked out.

I remember something similar back in the day called the "Hotspot", or something like that. The name kinda reminded me of a skin issue my now deceased poodle named Lady (God rest her poor soul), had some years ago. Anyways, a guy I gigged with years ago was always a sucker for the "unusual" (and, not to mention useless) gear that would hit the market. If I recall, the sounds that came out of it kinda reminded me of this dude's recordings....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PIaj7FNHnjQ

But, who knows with today's technology? I mean, who'd ever thunk we'd be playin' through the small bass cabs we're playin' thru? Personally, I think it'd be something you'd actually have to let your own ears try out.

Hotspots are still being made, they work well (for voice). Mackie, and Behringer still make monitors like this. With onboard mixers to allow you to get your own monitor mix. And onboard EQ.

Close seems better than on the floor, but it seems like everthing is going IEM these days. IEM works good for me because it blocks out what I don't want to hear, and only what I want to hear is louder. No feedback issues with IEM

IEM only works if the entire band does it too, no?

Not a battle I am willing to take on.

Ha.Ha. Well, I did a little test and plugged a sm58 into a mixer > one speaker of a boom box (6 inch speaker). The sound was not too bad. However, I guess the real test would come at band level volumes. I'd definitely need better gear for that. That said, its enough to know the endeavour is worthy of more effort and has some merits.

I used a TC Helicon unit exactly like the one pictured for a few gigs. It didn't help much and wouldn't produce enough volume gain to make much difference. I ended up selling it.

You can do it yourself

Rolls PM351 or PM55

Same idea, but you use earbuds or IEMs instead of a speaker.

Mackie srm150
Behringer has a similar copy of the Mackie. Or hotspot.

I wouldn't run bass thru it.
How well it works depends on stage volume. A small KRK rp5/rp6 studio monitor would sound much better.

DI box thru to monitor and XLR to FOH

I have been looking at the Rolls solution with Shure 3way earbuds myself. Takes your mike signal right back to you, then thru to the PA as normal. Can also take monitor in as well, but I don't care about that for my situation. I can already hear everything else just fine.

I've been on gigs using both those TC Helicons and Hotspots, and they're okay for quiet-to-moderate volume stages. Placed so close to your vocal mic, the monitor's sound quality is actually crucial. The peakier your monitor is, the more likely it will feedback before you get it to a level you like.

I prefer wired or wireless IEMs. The Rolls PM351 works fine for most rehearsal rooms. If, like pfschim, you don't want to blend in an aux feed from the band, then running earbuds from the 351 might work for you, depending on how loud your band rehearsals get. Unlike earbuds, custom IEMs would block so much of the stage sound, that you'd almost need to run an aux feed into the PM351 (it's designed for this, BTW). In contrast, earbuds will let in considerable bleed; but if your rehearsals are super loud, getting your vocal and bass to ride over the bleed in earbuds could either require more gain than the PM351 has to give and/or deafen you.

These things kinda stink. If the band is even moderately loud on stage, the thing squeals.

I see lots of bands that use a mixture of stage monitors and in-ears, which seem particularly well suited to folks, like vocalists, for whom it isn't practical to remain planted in front of a monitor while performing. Tower of Power is but one conspicuous example.

While the Rolls type of IEM is a great idea I want to keep things really simple. I'd like to keep the monitors passive... no power cable, no extension cord per monitor... just one speaker cable and the monitor itself.

I came across this pic and the idea is intriguing since I'm a cheap SOB. :p



Their thoughts...

Those little JBLs will sound better than a Hotspot. I tried a Hotspot out once and the quality was bad. I won't ever buy Behringer either. The Mackie one is decent and it has 150w.

I had the 150 Watt Mackie on order for vocals when they first came out but it was taking the retailer too long to get it so i when with a standard powered wedge ....i've always been curious too!