Generic IEMs? Custom IEMs?

[Geri O]

Actually I went from the A12s to the A6s because the A12s got stolen and I couldn't bear spending all that money for a second A12 set so I purchased the A6s.

The A6s are great also but now I wish I just saved up and purchased a new A12 set.

 

[elgecko]

...I've said this many times.. I've never understood musicians who literally spend MANY thousands of dollars on their gear, buy digital mixers and high-end PA speakers to make the band sound great.. yet want to put $50 buds in their ears and have them sound awesome.

DON'T CHEAP OUT ON BUDS...you'll blame the system for you poor decision.
That's my $0.02 advice. .be that universals or customs.

I've seen you say that many times before but when you really think about it, the audience hears the same thing whether you spend $50 or $1,500 on IEMs and ultimately, that's who I'm performing for. It might just be me but I don't groove any harder when I can savor every nuance of my tone versus just being able to hear myself.

 

[freedomryder]

I've been considering custom in-ears for a few years now. Other than the expense (which is pretty significant), its the fit that concerns me. I've had 2 different custom earplugs made for me over the years and I could never get them to seal properly. I'm always fiddling with them the get it right. I have the gift/curse of being able to move my ears easily and they always come unsealed. Maybe it was the audiologist that just wasn't great or it's me... not sure. I have not had that problem with comply foam tips on my little dual driver universals. I worry that it would end up being a waste of time and money to get customs.
Anyone else have issues with fit from custom in-ears?

 

[elgecko]

I've been considering custom in-ears for a few years now. Other than the expense (which is pretty significant), its the fit that concerns me. I've had 2 different custom earplugs made for me over the years and I could never get them to seal properly. I'm always fiddling with them the get it right. I have the gift/curse of being able to move my ears easily and they always come unsealed. Maybe it was the audiologist that just wasn't great or it's me... not sure. I have not had that problem with comply foam tips on my little dual driver universals. I worry that it would end up being a waste of time and money to get customs.
Anyone else have issues with fit from custom in-ears?

The process for custom earplugs and IEMs are identical so it's likely you'd have the same problem. Have you tried these with your earplugs? They might help.

Custom Wraps

I can make my custom IEMs break seal if I smile hard enough. That's actually a plus since I can have someone talk to me up close without have to take it out, something I used to have to do when I was using universals with Comply foam tips.

 

[freedomryder]

The process for custom earplugs and IEMs are identical so it's likely you'd have the same problem. Have you tried these with your earplugs? They might help.

Custom Wraps

I can make my custom IEMs break seal if I smile hard enough. That's actually a plus since I can have someone talk to me up close without have to take it out, something I used to have to do when I was using universals with Comply foam tips.

I haven't tried those wraps yet... those could be a good option!

Thanks for your input

 

[s0c9]

I've seen you say that many times before but when you really think about it, the audience hears the same thing whether you spend $50 or $1,500 on IEMs and ultimately, that's who I'm performing for. It might just be me but I don't groove any harder when I can savor every nuance of my tone versus just being able to hear myself.

No arguments with that at all.. very true. I generally don't worry about the audience.. that's what we pay FOH for!

However, I'm mostly targeting folks who are NOT IEM today and looking to go there.
If you are an experienced musician and gig frequently, I get the "just being able to hear myself" aspect vs hearing every nuance. Most I know, want to be able to get CD quality audio in THEIR mix, the blend THEY want to hear, with EVERYONE IN IT, and exactly the same every time. So yes, all the nuances. I played for many years with wedges, and monitoring quality varied with stage material, humidity, indoor/out, temp, venue size, etc. You dealt with it and what you got if you moved around the stage was.. well a crap-shoot based on what Fred wanted in his mix..

If you are coming from wedges to IEM's for the first time.. I'm not suggesting one spend $2K on a set of custom IEM's, anymore than I'd recommend a beginner bassist go buy a $5K bass. I'm suggesting one start with a decent set (read: not cheap junk like most that arrive with an IEM system) and once you are comfortable using them.. THEN get the best you can afford.. much like you would with any other piece of gear.

I'm saying this because I know too many (and read about a LOT more) who have not made the move to IEM's because of cheaping out on a system and buds... then blaming the system for it. I have 2 in my current band that have that issue...

 

[pglaser01]

I played for many years with wedges, and monitoring quality varied with stage material, humidity, indoor/out, temp, venue size, etc. You dealt with it and what you got if you moved around the stage was.. well a crap-shoot based on what Fred wanted in his mix..

If you are coming from wedges to IEM's for the first time.. I'm not suggesting one spend $2K on a set of custom IEM's, anymore than I'd recommend a beginner bassist go buy a $5K bass. I'm suggesting one start with a decent set (read: not cheap junk like most that arrive with an IEM system) and once you are comfortable using them.. THEN get the best you can afford.. much like you would with any other piece of gear.

I'm saying this because I know too many (and read about a LOT more) who have not made the move to IEM's because of cheaping out on a system and buds... then blaming the system for it. I have 2 in my current band that have that issue...

I agree and that's why I'm slowly moving up levels when I can. I did decide to go stereo capable transmitter FIRST to see if that made more of a difference. Which it definitely does. I'm on dual drivers now, hopefully moving to A6's sometime in the future. But I also worry about custom seals as my main gig I'm not actually playing bass but singing lead in a very LOUD cover group. So the ability to separate instruments but still hear everything is the goal

 

[mrufino1]

I've seen you say that many times before but when you really think about it, the audience hears the same thing whether you spend $50 or $1,500 on IEMs and ultimately, that's who I'm performing for. It might just be me but I don't groove any harder when I can savor every nuance of my tone versus just being able to hear myself.

I've heard many people say this. But when you get custom ones, suddenly you realize that you're heading yourself with a much lower volume needed than generic plugs.

With that being said, mine only have 2 drivers and I hear just fine, at a comfortable volume.

One great thing about in ears is that you hear everything. One terrible thing about in ears is that you hear everything.

 

[elgecko]

I've heard many people say this. But when you get custom ones, suddenly you realize that you're heading yourself with a much lower volume needed than generic plugs.

With that being said, mine only have 2 drivers and I hear just fine, at a comfortable volume.

One great thing about in ears is that you hear everything. One terrible thing about in ears is that you hear everything.

I have triple-driver customs.

In a similar vein to what someone posted upthread, do they sound better than my single-driver universals? Yes.

Do they provide more isolation than my universals with Comply Isolation tips? Yes.

Are they more secure and harder to accidentally pull out than universals? Yes.

Are those improvements proportional to the increase in cost. That's highly debatable.

Does they improve how I play or what people in the audience experience? Absolutely not.

 

[mrufino1]

I have triple-driver customs.

In a similar vein to what someone posted upthread, do they sound better than my single-driver universals? Yes.

Do they provide more isolation than my universals with Comply Isolation tips? Yes.

Are they more secure and harder to accidentally pull out than universals? Yes.

Are those improvements proportional to the increase in cost. That's highly debatable.

Does they improve how I play or what people in the audience experience? Absolutely not.

I definitely understand what you're saying. I would add though that if a person were to ruin their hearing, then it absolutely affects how they play. There are other ways to ruin hearing too, but blasting music straight at eardrums because the headphones don't fit right is a great way to do it. Anyway, I know I'm happier at and after gigs with customs, although mine are breaking and either need repair or I need new ones.