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IEM's vs the Back Line, my $0.019

#41
socialleper said:
I've worn ear plugs to every show and practice since I was about 17. I don't mess with that.
I've found that wedge monitors are useless for bass. (Assuming there are wedges.) My rig in my monitor. I follow the drummer, listen with my feet, and play to the memorized version of the song playing in my head. A little muscle memory helps too.
In an optimal world, I'd have a little mixing board I can set myself for some IEMs, but that is as unrealistic as using wireless for me. Too much gear, too much fuss, too much money.
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In my case I do backing vocals.. so the IEM's REALLY help with that.. We do 3-part.. so I put lead vox and I center - me at a lower level - with 3rd vox slightly left (his side of stage) and barely audible.. so it doesn't throw me off !! LOL
 
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#42
s0c9 said:
In my case I do backing vocals.. so the IEM's REALLY help with that.. We do 3-part.. so I put lead vox and I center - me at a lower level - with 3rd vox slightly left (his side of stage) and barely audible.. so it doesn't throw me off !! LOL
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I agree with that for sure. I'm not the best singer but the ears make it much easier. I'll be fine with a wedge if I have to but I don't even want to attempt it with ear plugs.
 
#44
Joe Nerve said:
Interesting.

Didn't have time to read the entire thread, BUT, my new band is wrestling right now with the in-between phase. And I'm determined to find a middle ground, or upgrade my IEMs. I'm using crap ones they gave me, and I'm reluctant to drop any cash on more expensive ones. I'm not completely sold on the IEM thing yet, and I won't be using them with any band other than this one. Considering we play 8 to 12 shows a month I may have to start accepting the reality though that there aren't going to be many performances any more with any other bands.

Anyhow, before I got into the band they made the complete transition. They reeled it in for me to get used to the IEMs, and it's causing all kinds of crap for everyone now.

There is something important you left out in your OP though, and something that my band realized not too long ago that's making them want to work more at a 50/50 thing. The way most houses are set up, when we go all IEM people right up against the stage (and everyone around it) hears nothing but drums. A loud rock band just doesn't cut it going IEM only. Weddings, it works fine. R&R gigs, sorry... but no dice.

I'm still not an IEM fan, but I'm working at it. I really think I have to just upgrade my IEMs. Originally the band said they'd spring for them. When I acted as though I adjusted quickly they seem to not be so quick to throw that money my way. I know they've been making a lot of other recent investments though, and I get paid and treated very well so I might have to move forward on my own.

Looking forward to reading the rest of this thread.
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I'm with you..I'm not an IEM fan, but I'm NOT working at it.

I personally do not like the "in my own little world" effect IEM's have on me. I also prefer to be able to hear the folks in attendance and even interact some while playing. That just is not possible with IEM's.
 
#45
socialleper said:
I've worn ear plugs to every show and practice since I was about 17. I don't mess with that.
I've found that wedge monitors are useless for bass. (Assuming there are wedges.) My rig in my monitor. I follow the drummer, listen with my feet, and play to the memorized version of the song playing in my head. A little muscle memory helps too.
In an optimal world, I'd have a little mixing board I can set myself for some IEMs, but that is as unrealistic as using wireless for me. Too much gear, too much fuss, too much money.
Click to expand...
Just an FYI: the x32 boards/racks that @s0c9 mentioned have an app for your phone, which does exactly what you described. Bonus: no extra gear, except your phone.
 
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#46
Hounddog409 said:
I personally do not like the "in my own little world" effect IEM's have on me. I also prefer to be able to hear the folks in attendance and even interact some while playing. That just is not possible with IEM's.
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I have to disagree.. !!
My customs have ADEL tech.. basically a diaphragm in each ear that equalizes pressure and acts much like an ambient port. With the volume low enough I can hear the audience, PA and band members quite easily.. like you often can with universals. I often leave them in between sets to cut out the crappy DJ music..I can hear folks talk quite happily.
Sure.. you can krank the IEM volume and obliterate all of that if you want.. but it is VERY possible with IEM's..
 
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#47
s0c9 said:
I have to disagree.. !!
My customs have ADEL tech.. basically a diaphragm in each ear that equalizes pressure and acts much like an ambient port. With the volume low enough I can hear the audience, PA and band members quite easily.. like you often can with universals. I often leave them in between sets to cut out the crappy DJ music..I can hear folks talk quite happily.
Sure.. you can krank the IEM volume and obliterate all of that if you want.. but it is VERY possible with IEM's..
Click to expand...

wait....what? i keep mine cranked at 11 just like the amp. There's other settings?

maybe i need newer IEM's.
 
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#51
s0c9 said:
I've never really played much R&R using IEM's.. it's all been country for the last 5 yrs.
I've been ampless since last year (and wireless + IEM) bringing a small pedalboard to gigs.. Simple load in/out.
We WERE all IEM (briefly) but still have guitars and pedal-steel who INSIST on the pant-flapping amp-in-the-room sound for "modern" Country.
So much so, that the BL asked me to bring my OLD amp/cab rig to our gig tomorrow night because - even tho' we provide the PA and have TWO 18" EV EKX18SP subs at 1300w EACH - the pedal-steel player who sits about 3 feet from the sub (at this venue) complains that he CAN'T HEAR THE BASS!! :eek:
I would have suggested that he turn down his amp so he can hear other things, but that wouldn't be nice.
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We're all on IEMs except our guitar player - so he's got the loud amp and now runs his own monitor with more guitar in it! Gahhh! My bass needs aren't too demanding - we play straight ahead country as well and going ampless the last few gigs has worked just fine. Mind you, I was hauling a full PA plus bass rig and now I'm hauling a streamlined PA and a SansAmp RBI and it's great! Only a couple of trips to the car to load in. And I just bought a half size road trunk on casters so I will likely be able to haul everything but guitars in one trip.
 
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#56
baxter_x said:
True but the natural tone of an amp can't be replaced by IEM to me.
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Each to their own, but are you playing live or sitting back listening to a CD?
I put into my IEM mix what I need to hear to do my job on stage. I let FOH worry about the "tone" in the PA.
But that's just me.. :)
 
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#57
morgan138 said:
I get what you're saying but you gotta admit it's kind of funny.

Ditch all your amps...and then replace them with a set of dedicated front-fill monitors (with dedicated mixing board so that you can run a dedicated front-fill drumless mix). o_O
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yeah, that's why i still use an actual bass amp in the bars and such i play in; it's as loud as the drummer (no need to be louder) so the stage sound is at least balanced. it also gives me a bit of the "buttkicker" feel when i'm in front of it, plus if something goes south i can yank my ears out and still keep going.
hopwheels said:
Best anecdotal evidence for no IEMs for us is...we cannot free jam with them. For some reason we need that out in the air still.
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that just means you have bad mixes. done right, in-ears lets you all hear each other better and musically connect better.
 
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#59
baxter_x said:
Playing live only on pretty big stages. I use them only because sing, and I want to mainly hear my voice and the singer's voice in my IEM.
My bass sound comes 100% from my amp. As I mentioned I tried once everything into IEM and it was a weird and "poor" experience.
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as @walterw stated above "that just means you have bad mixes. done right, in-ears lets you all hear each other better and musically connect better."
Based on literally 100's of gigs over the last 5 yrs fully IEM .. I have to agree with Walterw. My IEM mixes are FAR, FAR better than ANYTHING I have EVER had in a wedge... and I don't have to worry about cymbal crashes nor hearing a completely different mix on one side of the stage versus the other..
But again YMMV.

PS: you're not going to jump into IEM's overnight. They ARE different, and if you ARE used to the "amp in the room" sound, then it might take more than a few tries to get it right.
 

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