What are you using with IEM's

[wmdye]

Our whole band went in-ear this week. We purchased Shure PSM 900's. We are getting molded this weekend. Now that I will not be using a cab, what are you bassists using out there to ensure a quality sound or enhance your sound? Any pre-amp must haves? EQ's? I have a Bartolini pre in my 5 string M bass. The only other thing I have is a tonebone and H2o pedal.

 

[makaspar]

As a sound engineer for a band that has run IEMs for years, I'd say start with a Comp/Limiter - emphasis on the limiter part. If something pops or feeds back really bad, it will save your in-ears, and your ear-ears.

The comp will help to smooth out the overall sound, so you can hear a more of a full mix..

Then, add an eq. We use 15 band eqs, and they work great..

I don't remember the exact models, but they're both dbxs.. Two stereo sets, running two mono IEMs a piece.

Fun stuff, good luck!

 

[steve_rolfeca]

I'm using a redneck jerry-rigged IEM setup, that fits nicely in a small backpack:

A Behringer Xenyx 802 mini mixer, receiving 3 feeds:
- my monitor mix from FOH
- an SM57 placed sidestage, facing the audience
- a post-EQ line out from my Genz-Benz Streamliner 900

I back-feed the monitor mix up an idle channel on the snake, using a pair of cheap Hosa XLR gender-changers. The mic at the edge of the stage picks up a bit of the FOH mix, and audience reactions.

The reason I use the mixer, is that it gives me 3-band EQ and pan controls for each monitor feed. If something happens to mess up my main monitor mix part-way through the set, I can dial in more or less of the room sound to compensate, take the bass out of a heavy-handed keyboard player, etc.

I like having control over my in-ear mix, having stereo separation for the 3 feeds, and not having to try and get the soundman's attention when things go wrong.

Also, the headphone amp in the Behringer, combined with a hardwired, balanced monitor feed, sounds a lot better than what I was getting from a Sennheiser 300-series wireless rig. When I was using the wireless, I was constantly trying out different headphones. Now that I have the mixer, I'm perfectly happy with an $80 pair of Klipsch iPhone ear canal buds.

If I regularly worked with pro sound people, none of this stuff would be necessary. For the small charity gigs and church dates that make up about 50% of what I do, it's a real Godsend.

 

[musicman7722]

I started out almost the same way as Steve Rolfeca writes just above this post. Inexp. Senn buds for a IPod not IEM grade. If that is what you need (all) then you can't beat the simplicity and portability. My band has since all gone to IEM (cept one GTRD). We have a splitter snake with 1 send to FOH and 1 to a racked Presonus 16.0.2 mixer. Bought the Presonus for the memory feature. No fussing to recall the levels from gig to gig. We use a Senn. G3 unit and 3 of us use the same mix into Westron UM2 buds. Drummer uses Shure PSM200 body pack (wired) and has his own mix. One peice of advice I will give is this. If you are sharing a mix with anybody else you should all be using the same make and model buds so you are all hearing the same quality as a starting point to mix. Enjoy, I for one can never go back to wdges now

 

[F-Clef-Jef]

Line6 Podxt Live has been working well for me.

 

[fokof]

Depends on your band's setup.

Do you guys always have the same board or use local stuff ?

If it's a digital board you will already have plenty of EQing , comp/limit.

If you have a good sounding bass and use a good sound board , just get a good quality DI.

 

[Bredian]

used IEMs for the first time last night at practice. Drummer has a sound company also. Higher end Shure, $400-500 each. Ours were 2 way, his 3 way. He says he was trying to save a few bucks years ago when he made the mass purchase, but the 3 ways were worth it and would recommend.

Our practices are in a residential living room, evenings, weekdays, drummer on an electric kit. Using an ancient throwaway mixer, the drums sound real through the buds, everything is clear. The direct out from the back of my GK MB 115 must be EQd differently than I would normally.


Guitarist mentioned than the "feel" of the bass was missing. I must agree. And of course, the sound engineer/drummer is bringing the set with the 24" bass drum for our Saturday live practice session, so I'll know he'll understand what that comment means.