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Very Personal IEMs

FretlessOwl

FretlessOwl

Apr 9, 2021
162
297
#1
I - like probably most of us- am too often the victim of situations in which I can't hear myself in the mix. Obviously the bass is rarely the center of the universe, so the priority is low. I 100% get that the important thing is what the audience hears, so I usually just settle for whatever I get (once it sounds good out there) because I don't want to further complicate things for the soundguy(s). Can I take matters into my own hands? Is there some kind of personal IEM system I can utilize that is completely removed from everyone else?
 
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#2
FretlessOwl said:
I - like probably most of us- am too often the victim of situations in which I can't hear myself in the mix. Obviously the bass is rarely the center of the universe, so the priority is low. I 100% get that the important thing is what the audience hears, so I usually just settle for whatever I get (once it sounds good out there) because I don't want to further complicate things for the soundguy(s). Can I take matters into my own hands? Is there some kind of personal IEM system I can utilize that is completely removed from everyone else?
Click to expand...
I use a headphone amp like this, and KZ IEMs. You just run an XLR from your wedge into the belt pack
 

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#3
I either use a two channel headphone amp or a two channel /stereo wireless IEM. Switch to mono mix mode and then I use one input for bass (from my board) and one for everything else (wedge mix) Doesn’t solve the problem if other things are unbalanced but at least you can get it so you can hear yourself. (When playing fretless this is even more critical).

If the whole crew is using modern IEM system then there’s likely an easier way to set that better for you. My experience is if you aren’t working with pros or your aren’t bringing an IEM, then you get what you get and the above works for me.
 
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#4
Cheap option is a rolls two input channel personal monitor box on your board with your processed bass signal ready in one channel and access to plug in the wedge xlr. And an extra long headphone cable for your IEMs. If you don’t need it great. If you do, it’s there.
The PM 351 has an instrument level input and a line level input as well as XLR so covers a lot. Only wish it had a limiter like some of their other models (that seem to only have a line level input).
 
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#6
klattman said:
Cheap option is a rolls two input channel personal monitor box on your board with your processed bass signal ready in one channel and access to plug in the wedge xlr. And an extra long headphone cable for your IEMs. If you don’t need it great. If you do, it’s there.
The PM 351 has an instrument level input and a line level input as well as XLR so covers a lot. Only wish it had a limiter like some of their other models (that seem to only have a line level input).
Click to expand...
This is what I do, and I am very happy with the setup.
 
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#10
Many (all?) of the 7 bands I’ve played/subbed in since Jan 2024 are 99.9999% IEM.
Every one has an on-stage mixer for their IEM mix - be that X32R, DL1608, Ui24R, XR18, QU or TM series or other digital mixer.
Depending on the venue - most I play have house-provided PA - one might need to send a feed to the House mixer, so a splitter snake might be required if the house doesn’t send you a feed after you plug into their stage boxes.
With the splitter, one side goes to your IEM mixer, the other hooks into the House stage box. You ALWAYS plug into YOUR splitter.
With an external router, you connect to the IEM mixer and run your own mix. The other band members do the same.
If you bring your own PA, THE ONLY change is L/R (main outs) go to the PA.
This lets you take the monitor mix OUT of the FOH hands and lets them focus on FOH so you don’t need frantic hand signals while trying to get their attention.
 
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#11
When you do what s0c9 describes, you are doing the sound engineer a favor, and making the job easier. Splitter snake, an 18 channel digital mixer and an app on your phone to your IEMs. Unfortunately, splitter snakes are not inexpensive. I assume the fact that it is labor intensive to make one is why. You can make a monitor setup with all the parts in a rack that makes it easy to set up.

See this thread: https://www.talkbass.com/threads/iem-transmitter-xr18-snake-splitter-setup.1536343/
 
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#12
Hoochie Coochie Man said:
When you do what s0c9 describes, you are doing the sound engineer a favor, and making the job easier. Splitter snake, an 18 channel digital mixer and an app on your phone to your IEMs. Unfortunately, splitter snakes are not inexpensive. I assume the fact that it is labor intensive to make one is why. You can make a monitor setup with all the parts in a rack that makes it easy to set up.

See this thread: https://www.talkbass.com/threads/iem-transmitter-xr18-snake-splitter-setup.1536343/
Click to expand...
Yes, that thread has a lot of detail on how to use such a system.
I’d forgotten about it as that was 4 yrs ago.. I’ve slept since then! ;)
 
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#15
Fiddle player in my band uses an inexpensive xvive IEM off the back of her amp as she wants an easy monitor for only her instrument. The drivers she uses are not isolating, so she can still hear everything else.
 
#16
FretlessOwl said:
Obviously the bass is rarely the center of the universe, so the priority is low. I 100% get that the important thing is what the audience hears, so I usually just settle
Click to expand...
Don’t sell yourself short. It’s the center of YOUR universe. And yes, what the audience hears is important, but if you can’t hear what you are playing, that will have a negative impact on your playing, and hence what the audience hears. Also, don’t tell anyone I said this, but most audience members wouldn’t even be able to tell you if the bass was turned on or not. Make it sound good for you first.
 
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#17
FretlessOwl said:
Is there some kind of personal IEM system I can utilize that is completely removed from everyone else?
Click to expand...
If your IEM approach doesn't include personal mixing, then it is not an IEM System. I've been doing some form of IEM for over 20 years and all of them gave each person the minimum ability to turn themselves up or down in relation to the rest of a mix.
 
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#20
Guitarodeo said:
I was rocking the Rolls PM351, and it works fine as stated above for a wired solution. I switched over to https://cloudvocal.com/products/eversync-wireless-iem about five gigs ago to go completely wireless to give me more mobility, and it has been great so far.
Click to expand...
This is close to what I want in a smaller form factor than my larger wireless.

I’d like to see a pedalboard IEM system like this combined with an instrument link in one unit. Then you could have one board unit and one belt pack. Of course it should have a built in tuner like the shure instrument system.

Right now if I’m not using the wired rolls I’ve got two body packs and stuff separate from the board.
 

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