• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

Double Bass Anyone Run In Ears monitors off your amp?

Robin Ruscio

Robin Ruscio

Supporting Member
Dec 15, 2003
1,836
373
47
Denver, CO, USA
robinruscio.com
#1
I’m about to pickup some new super nice custom fit IEM from Westone for my main pop electric gig, which is all in ear. (My current pair are falling apart after 6 years of hard gigging!)

I also use in ears when I do paperwork for traveling Broadway tour shows.

Maybe I’m trying to rationalize the high-priced monitors, but I’m wondering if anybody here ever plugs into the headphone jack or other sources and uses it in ear monitors in one of their ears in live situations? Seems like it might help with the pitch and clarity, especially in this jazz casual situations where there’s background noise, or maybe you’re competing with the big band.

I have a Genzler Magellan head, so not sure if the headphone out will drive my IEMs. Might need to Purchase a headphone preamp, which is why I’m trying to figure this out before I spend any money or create unnecessary hassle. I was trying to find a Radial ENgineering H- amp, But they’ve been discontinued.

All experiences would be helpful here, and I thought other people might want to consider this if it’s a cool idea. Or not.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: Peter Brendler
#2
My guess is you shouldn't need a headphone amplifier to drive your IEM's from the Magellan, but Westone can answer that for certain. I have IEM's from Alclair and I can listen to any headphone output with them (phone, ipad, etc). With the IEM's I can hear instrument parts I don't normally hear on speakers or regular ear buds!

BTW, you're on the double bass side of TB, in case you meant to post on the electric bass side.
 
#6
s0707 said:
My guess is you shouldn't need a headphone amplifier to drive your IEM's from the Magellan, but Westone can answer that for certain. I have IEM's from Alclair and I can listen to any headphone output with them (phone, ipad, etc). With the IEM's I can hear instrument parts I don't normally hear on speakers or regular ear buds!

BTW, you're on the double bass side of TB, in case you meant to post on the electric bass side.
Click to expand...

Thanks! No, DB side. I struggle mostly to hear pitch over background wallpaper type jazz gigs. My electric stuff is almost all in ears anyway and amp less!
 
#9
delta7fred said:
Our drummer uses a Behringer MA400 to drive his IEMs.

It mixes a line level and an XLR mic input but you could use it with just the line level from an effects loop or AUX output without a mic.
Click to expand...

Yeah, those pop up pretty quick when I was looking for headphone amps. Looked a little bigger than I wanted.

I heard the ART headphone amp was an option from Gollihur , but he thought the Radial H was better built.
 
#11
I tried my amp headphone jack into my IEMs. It works, but not a lot of signal. You can still run the cabinets at the same time, so no problem on that front. Once I turned my amp volume up, however, it drowned out the IEMs. Good for practicing but not this application.


I just found this after some time on Google, the ART product that Gollihur recommended:

ART HeadTAP 2-Ch Headphone Tap

It's passive which is great. Taps into the speaker chain for power.

I think it would work if I took one of the 1/4" parallel outs from speaker cabinet into the ART amp parallel in, then set the volume and sent the 1/4" out to that to my ears. My cabinet has both speakon and 1/4" jacks, so I think it would be fine. That way I don't have to take an adaptor.

What do you think? I hope I'm understanding the premise here. I think I could also use it to take off a mixer to use my IEMs exclusively in a situation where they don't have a headphone setup if I'm willing to take their FOH mix.

There's one used for only $35 from Guitar Center so I think it's worth a try, if I only use it selectively.
 
#12
Robin Ruscio said:
I tried my amp headphone jack into my IEMs. It works, but not a lot of signal. You can still run the cabinets at the same time, so no problem on that front. Once I turned my amp volume up, however, it drowned out the IEMs. Good for practicing but not this application.


I just found this after some time on Google, the ART product that Gollihur recommended:

ART HeadTAP 2-Ch Headphone Tap

It's passive which is great. Taps into the speaker chain for power.

I think it would work if I took one of the 1/4" parallel outs from speaker cabinet into the ART amp parallel in, then set the volume and sent the 1/4" out to that to my ears. My cabinet has both speakon and 1/4" jacks, so I think it would be fine. That way I don't have to take an adaptor.

What do you think? I hope I'm understanding the premise here. I think I could also use it to take off a mixer to use my IEMs exclusively in a situation where they don't have a headphone setup if I'm willing to take their FOH mix.

There's one used for only $35 from Guitar Center so I think it's worth a try, if I only use it selectively.
Click to expand...
Yes it will work if you take a feed from the 1/4 jack on your speaker cab because the sockets are wired in parallel.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Robin Ruscio
#15
Well, YMMV, my only analogous experience is in the studio (since I seldom use an amp on a gig), but I tend to keep myself low in the mix. Live I so seldom play in situations that are so loud I can't hear my intonation, I'm not sure I would take those gigs...
 
#16
Their are so many different kinds of gigs we play. My bass isn't really loud enough to play jazz gigs, without an amp or great FOH and independent monitor sends. It's got a
beautiful bowed sound and actually sounds better in a Chamber Orchestra or solo. If I were to go the "sans amp" route I'd have to buy a new instrument and then there's
the drum thing.
 
#18
Ed Fuqua said:
Well, YMMV, my only analogous experience is in the studio (since I seldom use an amp on a gig), but I tend to keep myself low in the mix. Live I so seldom play in situations that are so loud I can't hear my intonation, I'm not sure I would take those gigs...
Click to expand...

It’s the High pay wallpaper gigs where you have to keep the volume down, not the band playing too loud.

I have never enjoyed an ampless gig but I’m the opposite end of old school in my sound and playing.

But I hear you!
 
#19
Ric Vice said:
Their are so many different kinds of gigs we play. My bass isn't really loud enough to play jazz gigs, without an amp or great FOH and independent monitor sends. It's got a
beautiful bowed sound and actually sounds better in a Chamber Orchestra or solo. If I were to go the "sans amp" route I'd have to buy a new instrument and then there's
the drum thing.
Click to expand...


I actually parted with my previous two loud basses for a compact Pollman that’s pretty quiet, but sounds amazing though an amp!
 
  • Like
Reactions: Ric Vice

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back