In Ear Monitor (IEM) set up for YOUR ENTIRE BAND FOR UNDER $800

07Jan10

When I first started using IEM’s I was given a set of Shure IEM’s and hooked into a PSM700 (not cheep!) wireless system. To be honest, it was very cool… however I did run into frequency problems here and there as well as had batteries die rather sudden in the middle of a set.

So I was on the search for a hard-wired solution that was also extremely cost effective. I’m really happy to say that for the past year our band has been on a very simple, cost effective monitor system that has been far better than my expensive, wireless system ever was. Call me crazy, but it’s true. The best part is the basic set up is well under a grand ($1000), actually under $800!

Here’s the basic set up:

1) Rolls RA62c Headphone Amp $169.99

We have a Yamaha MC32/12 console for our FOH. We run 6 of the AUX sends from our board to the stage (via our snake). The sends are plugged directly into each Direct Input channel on the back of the headphone amp – which makes each channel on the headphone amp its own mix from the board. Set the dial on the front of the headphone amp to 100% direct input on each channel and use the volume for your overall mix volume. Our snake has both XLR and 1/4 options on the sends. So we just use a simple 1/4 snake ($35 at Guitar Center) to connect each send to the DI on the back of the headphone amp (NOTE: For a while we just left the cables “half clicked” into the back of the headphone amp so we got sound in both ears. Recently we picked up 6 Direct Out Adaptors from Livewire/Hosa ($7) that in effect do the “shorting” for you so you can just plug the cable in all the way.

2) M-Audio IE-10 Heaphones $99/each (x5 = $500)

I’ve used Shure’s singe and dual driver earphones, Ultimate Ears single, dual and triple driver eaphones (which are who make M-Audio IE series FYI), and OSP single driver earphones. To be honest, my favorite by far are my Ultimate Ear TripleFi 10. But they are a bit expensive. I also have a pair of M-Audio IE-10 that sound pretty amazing too. Sure they are single driver and my Triple Fi are, well… triple driver. But the IE-10 work just fine for me and our band! Seriously – they sound great for $99. DO NOT use the OSP earphones. I am actually a big OSP fan.. but their heaphones suck! We picked up a pair as a backup set for the band and they are pretty much worthless. I will say this… they are pretty comfortable. But the sound is tinny and extremely thin. Spend the extra $20 and get the IE-10.

3) Headphone Extension Cables $10/each (x5 = $50)

From the ROLLS headphone amp we run one of these to each musician across the stage. Pretty simple eh?

UPGRADES:

Above is was our basic starting point. Since then we have upgraded and made some additions, most of which are not very expensive. To give each band member control over their overall mix volume closer than where ever the headphone amp is located on the stage we’ve invested in some IXM and RXM body packs by Jump Audio. We had a couple small issues with the packs originally, but the guys at Jump Audio were super helpful and fixed the packs at no cost to us. Today they work perfect as a remote volume control and for our guitarists (who use the IXM) a simple solution to keep things tied into a single cable. Check them out at http://www.jumpaudio.net/ And if you purchase anything let them know that Greg from Cornerstone Rockwall refereed you (PS – I don’t get any thing back from them – I just think they will appreciate it).

Our big upgrade that is coming in the next couple months though is either a Hear Technologies Mixback or Allen and Heath MixWiz Mon board. We demoed the Mixback for about a month and fell in love with it! Seriously stereo mixes and the ability for the band to have control over their mixes is AMAZING.

So without our additional upgrades.

The basic set up should only cost you about $720 for a 5 piece band! Thats way under what my Shure PSM700 unit cost for a single wireless channel! Let me know if you have any questions.

Greg

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Filed under: General | 4 Comments

4 Responses to “In Ear Monitor (IEM) set up for YOUR ENTIRE BAND FOR UNDER $800”

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1 Paul on April 4, 2010 said:

Hello,
thanks for the detailed information above. One question though. You mention picking up 6 Direct Out Adaptors from Livewire/Hosa. Why exactly did you need them? Do you have the model or exact name of the adaptors? Thanks.

Reply
- 2 digitalworship on April 6, 2010 said:
  
  Hey Paul – The cable we used (since posting that we purchased a A&H monitor board for our set up – it’s not necessary, just gives our band the ability to create their own IEM mix from the stage) are Hosa DOC 106 Direct Out Insert Adaptors (http://www.fullcompass.com/product/251370.html).
  
  In short these are normally used to convert your insert jacks on your FOH board into Direct Out jacks for multitrack purposes. The adaptor in essence converts the stereo channel (your send and return on a insert jack for instance) into a mono send (like a Direct Out you’d use for multitrack recording). We used this because our mixes needed to be mono, since they were coming from our FOH board as mono mixes – where as the headphone amp was expecting a stereo signal. Those cables do that for you. Another option is to simply “half click” the 1/4 into the DI on the back of the headphone amp. We gave up on that method because it’s too easy for a half clicked 1/4 to come unplugged should someone step on the cable, etc.
  
  Hope that helps.
  
  Reply
3 TroyP on April 20, 2010 said:

Hey Greg,

Do you mic the audience when you use in-ears? If so, what are you using for that.
We have an Aviom setup right now, and one of our guys has in-ears, but the rest of us use wedges. Needless to say, our clicks have to be something other than a metronome, cowbell or woodblock. Sometimes they get buried. So, we’re thinking about going to IE for the band with one wedge for the 3 vocalists.

What advice do you have about that?

Troy

Reply
- 4 digitalworship on April 20, 2010 said:
  
  Troy, yes we currently use a simple pencil condenser mic (cardioid pickup pattern) sitting at the front of our stage pointed into the congregation. We have plans though in the next couple months to swap that out with a stereo pair of shotgun mics. I recently heard some in ear mixes utilizing shotgun mics and was really impressed with their ability to pick up the crowd.
  
  Hope that helps.
  
  Reply