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Balance control for mono IEMs?

Bonecat

Bonecat

Supporting Member
Oct 22, 2005
1,188
2,162
Michigan
#1
About 3 years ago I suffered sudden total sensorineural hearing loss in my left ear. Saw an ENT and he put me on a massive prednisone burst. He told me this happens when a viral infection damages the microscopic hairs in the inner ear. My hearing recovered but only partially, leaving me with a significant difference in sensitivity between my right and left ears. My left ear is about 60% as "good" as my right. My band uses mono IEMs and as a result what I hear is "lopsided", being noticeably louder in my right ear. As you might imagine this is a bit disorienting.

While I could easily compensate for this lopsidedness by going to a stereo IEM mix, thats not really an option as we split 3 stereo IEM transmitters into 6 mono feeds for each band member and theres no inputs left. Because I'm not really getting a true L/R signal anyway, I'm wondering if there's some sort of device I could place between the IEM receiver and my earbuds that would let me offset the signal and balance what I'm hearing. I know nothing about electronics really, but this seems like it should be simple. But I think that a lot of things should be...

Can anyone lend any insight or ideas to help with this?

Many thanks!

Phil
 
#2
You could "possibly" use something like a PM50 for that.
I have never tried it, but with a single mono source in your receiver, AFAIK, it can't be done.
Other than that you need a stereo image to have panning.
I know some P2 devices have a mono/stereo button, but they don't usually allow panning, just a volume control.. it's basically a dual mono feed to your buds and your also wired!
 
#5
I use a Sennheiser G4 as well in mono but I don’t know how t set it up pan in that mode. I also have a Carvin EM900 system that has a pan knob on the receiver ad it work in mono or stereo. I was going t suggest a “Y” adapter so you could run in stereo with both channels driven but I still don’t know how you could pan.
 
#6
Pep said:
I use a Sennheiser G4 as well in mono but I don’t know how t set it up pan in that mode. I also have a Carvin EM900 system that has a pan knob on the receiver ad it work in mono or stereo. I was going t suggest a “Y” adapter so you could run in stereo with both channels driven but I still don’t know how you could pan.
Click to expand...
On the G4 series the pan / balance is in the menu. On the G3 it was the rocker bar on the front of the pack.
 
#9
Mike Caldwell said:
Not sure what model system your using but my Sennheiser EW IEM packs do allow panning / balance while operating the system in mono mode.
Click to expand...
Thanks, Mike. We use EW G4 systems - where would I find that setting? Pack? Transmitter? There are “balance” buttons on the front of the pack, but if I try to use those, I get some of another person’s mix…
 
#10
Bonecat said:
Thanks, Mike. We use EW G4 systems - where would I find that setting? Pack? Transmitter? There are “balance” buttons on the front of the pack, but if I try to use those, I get some of another person’s mix…
Click to expand...
It sounds your system is set up for focus mode, normally that is where one channel on transmitter is a mix of what you want with the exception of your instrument, voice, ect. you then use the balance function to mix between the two inputs. The hack to that set up is using one transmitter sending two individual mixes and then at the body pack when in focus mode you shift the balance to the mix that is yours. That trick save buying some transmitters.
 
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#11
Yeah, we have 3 transmitters and six receivers. Each pack is shifted L or R to get the player’s specific mono mix. My challenge is in altering the balance of my mono mix so that I can send a slightly louder signal to my left ear to compensate for the hearing loss on that side. I’ve ordered a small headphone balance control from Amazon and I’ll try that first…. I’ll update with result after this weekend’s gigs…. Thanks
 
#12
Bonecat said:
Yeah, we have 3 transmitters and six receivers. Each pack is shifted L or R to get the player’s specific mono mix. My challenge is in altering the balance of my mono mix so that I can send a slightly louder signal to my left ear to compensate for the hearing loss on that side. I’ve ordered a small headphone balance control from Amazon and I’ll try that first…. I’ll update with result after this weekend’s gigs…. Thanks
Click to expand...
Yes in that operating mode you will need an external control to adjust the balance.
 
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#13
Found a simple balance control on Amazon and tried it out last night. Noticed volume loss and a degradation of audio quality. Not surprised as it was a whopping $20 and made of the finest chineseum available. But having a sense of equal volume on both sides of my head was nice. I’d be a bit more excited about it, but when I took my Shure SE425s out at the end of the show, the left one came out in 4 pieces. They’re long out of warranty, so no cheap replacement for me. Involuntary gear shopping is less satisfying than voluntary GAS…
 
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