IEMs - One In One Out - Bad?

[Craig_S]

I do this all the time.

Please explain why it is harmful. If there are articles available, please provide links.

 

[Nick Kay]

Stage volume = loud.

IEM = should be quiet.

Loud IEM = hearing damage.

Stage volume in one ear + IEM in the other = turning up the IEM to match stage volume = hearing damage.

There's nothing inherently wrong with it, other than the volume issues. If you can find a band that plays quietly enough to balance with IEMs set to reasonable volumes, you're good to go. I have yet to find such a band.

 

[AndyLES]

Search the other In-Ear monitor threads here - plenty of sources and articles about why this is bad (as described above).

 

[Lazylion]

I wind up with one in, one out a lot of the time. That's because one will fall out. But then the other one falls out, so it's OK.

Not.

 

[walterw]

I do this all the time.

Please explain why it is harmful. If there are articles available, please provide links.

your ears would be better off getting blasted with a floor wedge!

the whole point of IEMs is to be able to turn everything down (including the cymbals and snare drum blaring away right beside you), and then just have what you need to hear, and to be able to hear it at a quiet, safe volume.

like nick said, one in + one out = eventual hearing damage.

 

[Craig_S]

Search the other In-Ear monitor threads here - plenty of sources and articles about why this is bad (as described above).

You're so smart! Mensa is waiting for you. Hurry now... Hurry! You'll be late!



The problem I face is one of the band not using a set list. We fly by the seat of our pants. I need to hear voices on stage, to hear what song is next--unless it has a guitar or drum intro, of course.

I don't crank the in ears at all. I just get them to a comfortable level, where I can hear my vocal, bass, and the guitar, well enough to hit pitch (which is pretty much to the ambient level on the stage, so...). I also have the kick in there.

I understand what you guys are getting at. I really should keep them both in, to get the volume down more. We're not a loud band, though, honestly. Everyone considers their stage volume, as much as possible.

 

[Justice]

my band that uses IEMs runs everything direct..there is no stage volume, so if I go one out, its just to hear what the PA is doing.

 

[OrionManMatt]

You're soThe problem I face is one of the band not using a set list. We fly by the seat of our pants. I need to hear voices on stage, to hear what song is next--unless it has a guitar or drum intro, of course.

Why not have a mic set apart for band-only communication? That is, why not set up a mic that is only sent to the ears so that someone can direct the song, tempo, or whatever else you need? I've done a number of gigs where one of the musicians would head that up. Worked well for us.

 

[OrionManMatt]

Also, I think what you need to keep in mind is the reality concerning human hearing, decibels, and the sensitivity to certain frequencies. At lower decibels the typical hearing sensitivity is fairly even around the human vocal range. As decibels increase our perception evens out across the audible spectrum of 20Hz-20kHz. And as decibels increase, our exposure to damaging levels increases. Instead of having that wonderful thing that is our ears, and the way they're shaped and all of that beautiful stuff, you're putting that frequency spectrum directly into your eyes, without any buffer, at high levels. That's dangerous. If you only have one ear in and one ear out, you're tricking your ears into trying to make sense of what's going on.

Link Removed


Side note:
So, contrary to the triple-driver super hi-fi approach that a lot of people take with IEMs ... you ready? ... I'm finding more and more that the important frequency range for IEMs (not for personal listening or whatever) is to find those with fantastic midrange reproduction. Of course, I should include bass in there. So, maybe focus on 100Hz-6kHz?

 

[walterw]

Also, I think what you need to keep in mind is the reality concerning human hearing, decibels, and the sensitivity to certain frequencies. At lower decibels the typical hearing sensitivity is fairly even around the human vocal range. As decibels increase our perception evens out across the audible spectrum of 20Hz-20kHz. And as decibels increase, our exposure to damaging levels increases.

this.

...you're putting that frequency spectrum directly into your eyes, without any buffer, at high levels.

your eyes?

 

[OrionManMatt]

HAHAHAHA. So I was listening to Peter Gabriel this morning??


Edit:
...you're putting that frequency spectrum directly into your EARS, without any buffer, at high levels.

 

[Craig_S]

What? I can't hear you...

 

[AndyLES]

You're so smart! Mensa is waiting for you. Hurry now... Hurry! You'll be late!

Sorry if I came off douchey, but sometimes a topic only needs one thread and not, like, 15.

Anyway...

The problem I face is one of the band not using a set list. We fly by the seat of our pants. I need to hear voices on stage, to hear what song is next--unless it has a guitar or drum intro, of course.

I don't crank the in ears at all. I just get them to a comfortable level, where I can hear my vocal, bass, and the guitar, well enough to hit pitch (which is pretty much to the ambient level on the stage, so...). I also have the kick in there.

I understand what you guys are getting at. I really should keep them both in, to get the volume down more. We're not a loud band, though, honestly. Everyone considers their stage volume, as much as possible.

Try (as someone else expected) a band mic, or hand signals. Most guys I know who use in-ears are expert lip readers. Besides, it's not like these things make you TOTALLY locked out...get close to the person you're talking to and have them speak up. This isn't too hard. What IS hard, however, is tinnitus. Just ask the one guitarist I know who did the one-ear thing...