Alclair Tour Triple IEMs: Anyone using them?

[BassAndReeds]

Hi,

I just won an audition for a Top 40/Wedding/Corporate/etc... band that doesn't use any onstage monitoring. Solely IEMs for everyone. I'm new to this. Anyone use the Alclair Tour Triple IEMs? They're marketing says they're what I need. Designed for Bass players (and Drummers). Also, for Vocals. I'll be doing Bass, background vocals, possibly lead on a song or two, and possibly saxophone on a medley.

Anyone use the Alclair Tour Triples? Happy? Unhappy?

(Note: I've looked into the '64 A4s ($900). They are much more expensive than the ($500) Alclairs. $900 is a lot at this point for a band that is working, but still building a client base)

 

[EastCoastThump]

Anyone use the Alclair Tour Triple IEMs? They're marketing says they're what I need. Designed for Bass players (and Drummers). Also, for Vocals. I'll be doing Bass, background vocals, possibly lead on a song or two, and possibly saxophone on a medley.

(Note: I've looked into the '64 A4s ($900). They are much more expensive than the ($500) Alclairs. $900 is a lot at this point for a band that is working, but still building a client base)

My personal preferences steer away from "bass boosted" earphones, and I also feel pretty happy with the sound of good 3- and 4-driver 'phones. But I don't imagine my prefs are universal. Some vendors will let you try out test versions (universal-fit) before you buy.I believe 64 Audio still does this; just get in touch and talk w/ them about what you want to hear, and they'll make some recommendations.

For good but less spendy customs, you might also have a look at InEarz.

 

[BassAndReeds]

My personal preferences steer away from "bass boosted" earphones, and I also feel pretty happy with the sound of good 3- and 4-driver 'phones. But I don't imagine my prefs are universal. Some vendors will let you try out test versions (universal-fit) before you buy.I believe 64 Audio still does this; just get in touch and talk w/ them about what you want to hear, and they'll make some recommendations.

For good but less spendy customs, you might also have a look at InEarz.

Alclairs Tours are custom fit. If you don't know about the product, please kindly just choose not to respond.

Thank you.

Update: my apologies to derrico, I did misunderstand the post. Probably cause I'm reading on a phone currently.

I am only interested in Alclair user posts please. I am aware we have a lot of '64 fans here. So please choose not to reference '64 here. I am not a worship bass player and they are very expensive.

 

[s0c9]

Alclairs Tours are custom fit. If you don't know about the product, please kindly just choose not to respond.

Thank you.

Seriously?
Did you READ the post before responding ?

 

[BassAndReeds]

My personal preferences steer away from "bass boosted" earphones, and I also feel pretty happy with the sound of good 3- and 4-driver 'phones. But I don't imagine my prefs are universal. Some vendors will let you try out test versions (universal-fit) before you buy.I believe 64 Audio still does this; just get in touch and talk w/ them about what you want to hear, and they'll make some recommendations.

For good but less spendy customs, you might also have a look at InEarz.

Seriously?
Did you READ the post before responding ?

Thank you for noting my error. My sincerest apologies if that came off too harsh. The input is appreciated.

I am currently just interested in Alclair users, if any exist here on TB. I am not a worship bass player, and the '64s are quite expensive without discount.

 

[BassAndReeds]

Well. Either I chased off any potential helpers or nobody uses these IEMs. I had a conversation with a Alclair rep today, who confirmed these IEMs are what I should get. The drivers are larger than their counterpart, making the bass headroom greater before distortion. I haven't seen a bad review of the product or company yet, so I guess I'm sold.

 

[s0c9]

Well. Either I chased off any potential helpers or nobody uses these IEMs. I had a conversation with a Alclair rep today, who confirmed these IEMs are what I should get. The drivers are larger than their counterpart, making the bass headroom greater before distortion. I haven't seen a bad review of the product or company yet, so I guess I'm sold.

To be fair, an Alclair rep's JOB is to SELL YOU on the product. Somebody must be using them 'cus they're still in business.. but judging from your received feedback... not too many bassists.
Keep in mind that the Alclair Trip's are 3-driver, but only TWO way.
For other 3-driver customs in the market:

• The 64 audio A3's are 3-driver , 3-way (better audio separation, less ear fatigue) ($699)
• The Ultimate Ears UE7's are 3-driver 2-way and more expensive than the others ($850)
• The JH Audio JH3xPro are 3-driver, don't say on crossover type. ($599)
• The Alien Ears AFR3 are 3-driver, but IIRC (no specs on their site) from prior research, their xover is 2-way. ($425)

The choice is yours, and budget is always a factor.. but there appears to be a clear winner. When I was making a decision and doing TONS of research I went with the buy-once-cry-once and you-get-what-you-pay for approach.
It's not just price and specs.. it's feedback, support, company rep, etc.
Check out the head-fi.org reviews on some of these units.
Let us know how you choice works out for you.

 

[walterw]

The Alien Ears AFR3 are 3-driver, but IIRC (no specs on their site) from prior research, their xover is 2-way.

really? they describe the AF3R as "1 Ported Low End/1 Mid /1 High Driver", while the AE3 is "2 Ported Low End/1 Full Range Driver".

 

[BassAndReeds]

InEarz was a bit alluded to. But I can't believe the InEarz P450 wasn't directly mentioned on this thread.

 

[EastCoastThump]

...yeah, it's crazy nobody suggested you look at those

 

[BassAndReeds]

...yeah, it's crazy nobody suggested you look at those

Haha, your mention of the company did lead me to name recognition in when Google searching. So thank you for that.

I guess since it seems other TBers have had success with them in a different thread, and they meet the requirements of a 3 way crossover, and have 4 drivers. Guess I'm just assuming the P450 should be the Mesa D800 answer of the In Ear Monitor conversation. Standard TB answer.

 

[s0c9]

really? they describe the AF3R as "1 Ported Low End/1 Mid /1 High Driver", while the AE3 is "2 Ported Low End/1 Full Range Driver".

The key "word" is ported.. I still think their xover is 2-way.. doesn't matter how many drivers you have.
This is VERY common in those dual-15" PA speakers. 3 speakers, 2-way crossover.

 

[Fun Size Nick]

I've heard plenty that's good about these (and other Alclair models) on other forums eg The Gear Page. Sounds like a pretty great price/performance offering. I'm considering a pair of their Dual XBs.

Head-fi reviews can be useful but do remember that a LOT of IEM reviews there and elsewhere are based on audiophile listening usage rather than as musician's monitors...these are very different usage scenarios and we require different things from our IEMs as we are interested more in hearing what is going on in a roughly mixed live music setting, rather than how nice/accurate/etc a meticulously mixed & mastered record sounds. I would search on drummer/guitarist/etc forums for opinions that relate to what you're using them for.

Yes @s0c9 it's a 2-way IEM but keep in mind that Alclair make three different 3-driver models, tuned differently for different usage scenarios - these have 2 LF drivers in part because the IEM is designed to have particularly strong bass (Alclair do actually make a much flatter 3-driver model that is $100 cheaper than the Tours). I notice that 64 Audio give the sound profile of the A3 as stronger in the midrange than the bass or treble, which is very different from the Alclair Tour and suggests quite a different design objective. Alclair's product differentiation is very different to 64 audio's, where each model has a different number of drivers.

Another thing to keep in mind is that 64 audio made their name when they were priced lower than their competition, and lots of the people who love them here bought theirs (or at least their first pair) back when they were less expensive (ie when they had non-ADEL/APEX models). There's no doubt that they are great monitors and they deserve their reputation but they are not aimed at the same market segment that they used to be, and companies like Alclair and Inearz are filling that gap.

 

[monkeyland]

Brands aside.

When I made this decision I tried to not let my wallet be the biggest factor. I wanted to ensure that I was going to get something that would be with me for a very long time. I would also echo the sentiment that you check with the manufacturers that you are considering and see if there is a way that you can audition the universal fit versions of their products, either through the mail or by visiting a dealer. In my case, I sat at the Jerry Harvey Audio lab with a tray full of universal fit versions of every product that they make. I tried everything from the bottom of what I wanted to spend to the top. I also tried a few that were above and below that range. Then I picked the set that I felt offered me the best sound and feature set for me.

 

[BassAndReeds]

Brands aside.

When I made this decision I tried to not let my wallet be the biggest factor. I wanted to ensure that I was going to get something that would be with me for a very long time. I would also echo the sentiment that you check with the manufacturers that you are considering and see if there is a way that you can audition the universal fit versions of their products, either through the mail or by visiting a dealer. In my case, I sat at the Jerry Harvey Audio lab with a tray full of universal fit versions of every product that they make. I tried everything from the bottom of what I wanted to spend to the top. I also tried a few that were above and below that range. Then I picked the set that I felt offered me the best sound and feature set for me.

Would be nice. In our online world, it is just not possible to demo specific things like in ear monitors, even in the big city of Philadelphia.

 

[monkeyland]

Would be nice. In our online world, it is just not possible to demo specific things like in ear monitors, even in the big city of Philadelphia.

Have you tried?

I bet a phone call would get a couple of test sets delivered from the major manufacturers. Future Sonics is in PA. I'm not saying that Jerry Harvey was around the corner. I drove 3 hours to Orlando but it was a cool experience and they did my molds for free while I was there, which saved me more than I spent on gas

 

[BassAndReeds]

Have you tried?

I bet a phone call would get a couple of test sets delivered from the major manufacturers. Future Sonics is in PA. I'm not saying that Jerry Harvey was around the corner. I drove 3 hours to Orlando but it was a cool experience and they did my molds for free while I was there, which saved me more than I spent on gas

Future Sonic starts at $825 for their lowest pair. I could drive to MN or Nashville for Alclair, but I may as well just buy their most expensive model considering the price of gas and travel. Same goes for InEarz in Florida.

Do the people that claim, I try not to consider price all own $8,000 Fodera basses? I think I can find something to do with $400 I didn't put into my In Ear monitors.

 

[monkeyland]

Future Sonic starts at $825 for their lowest pair. I could drive to MN or Nashville for Alclair, but I may as well just buy their most expensive model considering the price of gas and travel. Same goes for InEarz in Florida.

Do the people that claim, I try not to consider price all own $8,000 Fodera basses? I think I can find something to do with $400 I didn't put into my In Ear monitors.

Fair enough, didn't mean to ruffle your feathers. My main bass is an AmSt Jazz that cost me 750 used. I have chronic tinnitus and I made the decision about a year ago to protect my ears in every way that I can. The result of that is that I have not played a gig since March of this year without ears. I probably have played at least 150 gigs since that time and I figured that if I'm going to spend that much time in them, I want to get something that won't leave me wanting for more. I realize that that is more gigs than a lot of people will play in years, but sometimes it's easy to lose sight of that when making recommendations.

It does however seem that you missed part of my point. If it were me, and there was nothing within driving distance, I'd call the company that I'm interested in and request that they send me a test set to try. If they ever go to conventions then they most likely have universal fit versions of their custom products.

 

[EastCoastThump]

It does however seem that you missed part of my point. If it were me, and there was nothing within driving distance, I'd call the company that I'm interested in and request that they send me a test set to try. If they ever go to conventions then they most likely have universal fit versions of their custom products.

Yes. After writing post #2, I checked with a drummer I sometimes work with who just bought IEMs from 64 Audio within the last few months. He confirms that he just called the company, talked with a rep, and they sent out a selection of their earphones that were in the ballpark of the model he thought he was most interested in. Based on being able to hear the different models, he ended up getting a 6-driver set instead of the 8-driver he originally wanted.

So, yes: it is still possible, if you ask. But don't ask, don't get.

 

[BassAndReeds]

Fair enough, didn't mean to ruffle your feathers. My main bass is an AmSt Jazz that cost me 750 used. I have chronic tinnitus and I made the decision about a year ago to protect my ears in every way that I can. The result of that is that I have not played a gig since March of this year without ears. I probably have played at least 150 gigs since that time and I figured that if I'm going to spend that much time in them, I want to get something that won't leave me wanting for more. I realize that that is more gigs than a lot of people will play in years, but sometimes it's easy to lose sight of that when making recommendations.

It does however seem that you missed part of my point. If it were me, and there was nothing within driving distance, I'd call the company that I'm interested in and request that they send me a test set to try. If they ever go to conventions then they most likely have universal fit versions of their custom products.

Feathers not Ruffled. People seem to be enjoying their in ear monitors. And I appreciate that and am happy for them. Many happen to have 64 audio monitors, which are $900 for the A4s. I just joined this band that I'll be using In Ear Monitors. I haven't had a gig with them. I expect after 2 gigs I'll have paid for the monitors, assuming I also factor in gas/tolls/etc... But how much will we work? I dunno, we got a few weddings next year, some in limbo. So we're still building.

I have high pitched tinnitus as well. I feel your pain.

I talked with both Alclair and In Earz on the phone. They both recommended a pair by my explanation of my music situation, but did not offer a universal trial option. I didn't ask, they didn't offer. I assume cost savings of these two brands factors in the fact they don't have trial monitors to send to clients. Or they just didn't care to provide the best customer service they could have. I don't want to charge them with the latter.