Need IEMs?

[backin82]

I’m not a fan of any IEMs as I don’t think having that much volume in your ears is healthy for your hearing. But I’m interested in the KZ brand for when I have to work with them.

This comment makes no sense. The purpose of IEMs is to cut down stage volume and give a lot LESS volume to the ears while still being able to hear everything. I'm not a huge fan of them in general, but if used correctly, they should reduce volume in your ears, not increase it.

 

[4dog]

Churches are flush with cash. Make them pay for it.

not all of them.

 

[Geri O]

Churches are flush with cash. Make them pay for it.

Don't believe everything you read about churches. And you didn't need to make a comment dangerously close to being off-topic....

 

[Geri O]

Take my advice on this one. Do not listen to anyone else here.....

I’ve owned Sure 425’s and Westones. I currently own an $800 set of custom mold Alclairs. They are incredible sounding but they’ve broken down several times. They’ve sat on my desk for 3 months to send back to get fixed and the reason I haven’t gotten it done because my $25 KZ ZSN’s made from China off of Amazon are INCREDIBLE! Don’t believe me, go YouTube KZ’s for IEM’s.

I’m the MD at my church, and I’ve played conferences with 8000 thousand people. Trust me when I tell you these things are super legit. KZ makes about 10 different models so you can even get more for your money if you want to spend more than $25.

Take my word for it, and if I’m wrong, you’re only out $25. One small tip, buy the foam tips for them (also on Amazon). And also make sure you don’t get the ones with a mic.

Hit me up and let me know how you like them.

For several reasons, any post that starts with "don't listen to anyone else" needs to be avoided like the plague.

Not only will you find better and more accurate information elsewhere, but that information coming from a humble soul will be way better.

 

[TinIndian]

I'm happy with my Shure SE215's (single driver but still plenty of bass IMO) for the occasional time I use IEM's. But they are worth investing in if you are using them all the time.

+1 I use the regular old SE215's. They work just fine and have plenty of bass response. The goal is to hear yourself and whatever else you need in the mix, not a high end high fidelity stereo. I'm sure the higher end multi driver IEM's sound better and all but what the heck do I need all that for?

I'd actually consider looking at the KZ's these guys are talking about. SE215's run about 100.00 and those seem way under that.

 

[TinIndian]

This comment makes no sense. The purpose of IEMs is to cut down stage volume and give a lot LESS volume to the ears while still being able to hear everything. I'm not a huge fan of them in general, but if used correctly, they should reduce volume in your ears, not increase it.

This. I remember distinctly the 1st time I used IEM's. We finished the 1st set and I took them out and immediately the volume from the room almost took my head off and the music from the PA hadn't even started yet.

Used correctly they should be way easier on your ears.

 

[Fun Size Nick]

Personally, I thought the SE425’s were terrible. After getting custom-fitting IEM’s, I cringe if I ever have to use the SE425’s as backups.

If I were on a budget, I’d get one of these custom IEM’s:

Dual Driver Stage IEM - Dual XB Custom In-ear Monitor - Alclair Audio
Link Removed
No affiliation.

I have these - they're brilliant. To me, they show that the number of drivers is a lot less important than the choice of drivers. Yes, at lower driver counts there will be more compromises, but the compromises built into the Dual XB are geared specifically at making them a great bass & drum IEM at an accessible price. They are unbalanced, but in a way that works for people who need lots of headroom in the lower frequencies (at the expense of being a great singer's IEM, for example).

 

[backin82]

This. I remember distinctly the 1st time I used IEM's. We finished the 1st set and I took them out and immediately the volume from the room almost took my head off and the music from the PA hadn't even started yet.

Used correctly they should be way easier on your ears.

It took me a while to build up to using both ears in. I always did one ear out, but recently switched to both in. I was amazed at just how much quieter I could get the levels to my ears, and we don't even have amps on stage. You don't realize it until you get all the stage sound out, use the IEMs to cancel the loudness, then take them out. The IEMs seem to cut the overall levels in half. I've gotten to the point that I'm either both IEMs in or wearing earplugs for ANY rehearsal or gig.

 

[Smooth_bass88]

Churches are flush with cash. Make them pay for it.

indeed!

 

[morgansterne]

I used to have the Shure 215s and now I have the KZ Zs10s. The shures seem to have a very limited bandwidth -- they're bass heavy but kinda boomy. There's very little high end extension to them.
I bought the KZzs10s which sound much better, but they're a bit less comfortable. The earpiece itself -- not the tips but the whole thing that goes in the ear -- is awfully big. It took me a while to get used to.

 

[DanGroove]

Ideally for bass get 3 drivers or more if you can. The other key element is fit. At your budget custom molds are out but there a lot of included and after market tips you can try and it’s worth to experiment to find the best fit for your ears. A good seal will really improve the low end response.
I’d like at Shure or Westone for quality earbuds in that price range and the more drivers the better.
The further you the chain you can stretch your budget the better the sound & quality only hurts once.

I LOVE the sound of my custom mol Westone IEM’s ($1,200) & I’m super bummed in the ultra rare occasion I’ve forgotten them or something stupid and have to use my $150 backup pair.
IEMs is one of those things where you really do get what you pay for and it keeps getting better the further you go. Diminishing returns at some point for sure but not until well after the $1,000 price point.

I agree with this. You should be able to get a set of 3 driver Westone around your price point and they will come with an assortment of tips to try for best fit. I had a pair and was very fond of them. Like Hbabels I also upgraded to a set of 5 driver Westone custom molds and couldn't be happier. It's definietely worth it to spend a little more now than to go with too few drivers and end up spending twice.

 

[the baint]

I got my old church setup with a team account at Alclair and with our discount I was able to get a set of Dual XB for under that price point. Looks like they've gone up in price a little over the past few years, but at $350 for a set of dual driver customs, I highly recommend.

 

[Ethereal Thorn]

I used to have the Shure 215s and now I have the KZ Zs10s. The shures seem to have a very limited bandwidth -- they're bass heavy but kinda boomy. There's very little high end extension to them.
I bought the KZzs10s which sound much better, but they're a bit less comfortable. The earpiece itself -- not the tips but the whole thing that goes in the ear -- is awfully big. It took me a while to get used to.

The kz zs10 have one of the most awkward large shells of the kz line imho and they are the most mid scooped sounding set in their line I've tried to date I'm personally not a fan the kz zs10 pro model shell and tuning is much improved in comparison.

 

[backin82]

For what it's worth, the best musician at our church (who has done multiple world tours with various worship artists and is now a producer, writer, and professor) has started using $10 Monoprice headphones for a lot of his live performances at our church. Said they do the job just as well, and don't cost $1,000. I'm sure he still would use his high-end ones for the stadium performances, but for local stuff and church, he sticks with the Monoprice cheap-o sets.

 

[FunWithBass]

I started with Shure SE215s as that was what my church provided. I bought my own pair and used those for a long time. They are my backup pair now. I like the isolation that the Shure 'black olive' foam tips provide. I have a pair of KZs including the ZS10 Pro and I like them (with the Comply tips and upgraded cables). My main IEMs at the moment are the first generation Westone UM Pro 30s (triple drivers). They work well for the stage and are tuned to remove some of the frequencies that would would not be helpful in a live situation. I enjoy the KZs for their sound but I prefer the Westone tips for their seal and longevity. The Comply tips tear after a while and have to be replaced more frequently than the Westone or Shure tips. You can clean the Shure and Westone tips.

 

[s0c9]

I’m not a fan of any IEMs as I don’t think having that much volume in your ears is healthy for your hearing. But I’m interested in the KZ brand for when I have to work with them.

The whole premise behind IEM's is REDUCING the volume in one's ears to SAVE the hearing!
Of course you can krank up the volume with IEM's but that's a) irresponsible and b) likely to do more damage than wedges do!

The volume in my A8's are so low that I can hear people talk (between songs) and hear the subs at FOH (for most gigs).

 

[dmas81]

I own a pair of the KZs & while I’ll agree that they sound way way better than their cost would suggest & you can get a decent fit from them with the right tips. They don’t come even remotely close in sound quality to my custom mold Westones.
Their build quality makes me think they wouldn’t survive a lot of heavy use/ touring etc theyll probably hold up ok for church / chill gigs. That’ll all said they do sound amazing for the $. Better than Shure 215’s for sure

also better than Shure 425’s. I own both. Had the Westone ambience IEM’s....would still take the $25 KZ’s over those. Wouldn’t take them over my custom in ear Alclairs but as I said I’m not dying without them (Alclairs) either as they need repaired.

 

[SLO Surfer]

Hello,

I'm starting out with our church band, and today I was told I'd need a set of IEMs to plug into the MyMix system boxes.

The current bass player recommended I go with a dual driver IEM so that I could hear my bass well enough.

So, I'm looking for recommendations on the best IEMs for under $300 (at least dual driver(?)).

I've read lots of reviews on the web, and of course lots of folks like the IEMs that other don't at all like. I've had good experience with TalkBass recommendations, so I'm back to the well for help!

I have no experience with IEMs. I don't think I hear well enough to ever be an audiophile. I want something that is comfortable and helps me hear my bass as well as possible.

Thank you in advance for your recommendations!

buzz

KZ AS10 recommend here. 5 drivers, sound ridiculously awesome for Bass, at only $50-60!!! Get a variety pack of comply foam tips to find a good seal. I need a medium size in one ear and large in the other. I’ve tried the Shure 3-drivers, and Wedtone 2-drivers, and they both sound like monaural crap compared to these much cheaper IEMs.

I own a pair of custom molded, 6 driver, top of the line 64 Audio IEM that cost $1,200. The KZ AS10 actually compete well against them, sound nearly as good!

At $50-60 you’d be silly to try anything else first.

 

[dbsfgyd1]

Hello,

I'm starting out with our church band, and today I was told I'd need a set of IEMs to plug into the MyMix system boxes.

The current bass player recommended I go with a dual driver IEM so that I could hear my bass well enough.

So, I'm looking for recommendations on the best IEMs for under $300 (at least dual driver(?)).

I've read lots of reviews on the web, and of course lots of folks like the IEMs that other don't at all like. I've had good experience with TalkBass recommendations, so I'm back to the well for help!

I have no experience with IEMs. I don't think I hear well enough to ever be an audiophile. I want something that is comfortable and helps me hear my bass as well as possible.

Thank you in advance for your recommendations!

buzz

I use Shure 235 ear Buds which are a lot cheaper than $300, more like well under $200. This series is not going to be the highest fidelity sound which you can get from multiple driver Buds. The reality is what will be sent from your monitor system to your ear Buds is not likely going to be a high fidelity mix. Heaven knows, what I was getting at my church wasn’t close to high fidelity.

I spent about 45 minutes with a Rep from Shure talking about the change from playing abiently to IEM and wanting a good bass response. He suggested having the multiple drivers will reduce the net amount of bass you perceive. Dog gone if he wasn’t right.

Are you getting avioms (individual mixers)? A Buttkicker (vibrating platform)?

 

[SLO Surfer]

I’m not a fan of any IEMs as I don’t think having that much volume in your ears is healthy for your hearing.

You’re doing it wrong.