Mic levels into IEM transmitter?

[dnp41]

Hi Guys,

Short question. I want to change from my wired IEM setup to a wireless IEM setting. Since I don't want to depend 100% on the venues we are playing, I want to make sure I can get my own "mix" when needed. When needed I would not require a full band mix, just my vocals, and a hint of my bass. The stage volume of the drums is loud enough, and the bleed from the guitar amp should also be fine.

So here is my signal chain:

Vocal Mic > splitter > FOH & IEM input A
and Bass DI > splitter > FOH & IEM input B

However, since I don't have the IEM system yet, I'm wondering if most of the systems can work with Mic level inputs?

Else my signal chain will be:
Vocal Mic > splitter > to FOH and one to mic preamp and then to IEM input A (and so on, you get the picture)

Basically my question is, do I need a preamp?

Thanks!

 

[Geri O]

Of all the IEM systems I'm aware of, all of them are made to take line-level signals, but someone might be aware of a unit that can take a mic-level.

An easy solution is to get a small 3 or 4-channel mixer (I bought an Alto 5-channel mixer for around $40 from GC) and mix your bass and vocal with it. It will adequately drive your IEM system. You are on the right track with the splitter part. I made some hard-wired splits (one female XLR to two male XLRs), but they can be bought at GC, too.

I actually bought a 6-channel Alto unit later ($125 or so) and I split bass, kick, a snare/hihat mic (a mic placed between the snare and hit, which gets enough drums for me), some kind of feed from whatever main mixer is being used (usually has vocals only), and a keyboard line, if possible. There's usually enough guitars bleeding through the vocal miss to hear as much of the guitars as I care to hear. There's even FX on the 8-channel unit that can gussy up the vocals and snare, if you like.

This is my small set-up for playing small clubs where very little is mic'ed past the vocals.

And even more lately, I've been using my XR18 as my IEM mixer on these small gigs. It sits better on the top of my amp and sometimes, another player or two wants to run their own ear mix, which I can easily do with the XR. I've parked the two Alto mixers, the 8-channel on my practice desk, and the 5-channel at my girlfriend's house when I take a bass and practice there (hey, it happens...))

 

[s0c9]

You should not need a pre-amp and most wireless systems should handle mic level inputs - but to be honest, I haven't tried - so theoretically your original (first) approach above should work fine.
One side to L in, the other to R in on transmitter. You will need to run it mono or blend L/R channels to taste.

 

[tbirdsp]

Yeah - I'm sure my PSM200 would handle a mic level input - it has tons of gain available. When using line signals the knobs are barely turned up.

Personally - I'd never be able to run my IEM like this. Just not enough bleed through - either around my ear buds or picked up by other mics on stage - to be able to hear the other instruments/singers adequately. I make sure I have a very tight seal with my Westone UM30 Pro buds. If something isn't pumped through my IEM mix - it isn't loud enough to be useful once I start playing and singing. Maybe just me though - I know our singer doesn't have much more than her vocal in her IEM. I think she has a bad seal and she has her mic cranked so loud it picks up everything else, especially the drums (which she is standing right in front of).

 

[walterw]

yeah, as bass players it's either a good seal and thus a good bass sound or hearing bleed-through from the stage.

 

[dnp41]

I already use this kind of setup currently, only with wired in ears. I use the shure 215's, and they work more or less like my ear plugs, but it's not that tight of a seal that I don't hear anything. The band is pretty loud and we are still doing the amps on stage thingie. I just use the in ear mix to lift out my own vocals, and add a little notch of bass if I'm not really hearing my amp that well, although that has only happened once I believe. With the 215's or my krk studio headphones I'm not really a fan of bass on my ears.. it getting a little to much...