IEM

geepers0677

now I am just guitar - pod hd500x - FOH I am finding it hard to hear myself unless the venue or practice room has decent foldback - so I am considering in ear monitoring...

Anyone got any experience of this? Is it going to cost me millions? I already have moulded ear pieces with the cable so need the transmitter with the receiver. I am guessing I want dual inputs maybe - one from my pod and one from the desk to hear the rest of the band?

cheers

johnnyurq

@geepers0667

Thomann have a few decent ones for sub £200 but be sure to get one that is legal and offer the correct bandwidth for the UK, You see them on EvilBay too for much cheapness too and buying on t'bay is painless, mostly anyway.

As I have used VG systems and Variax tech for a while and I tried IEM for the very reasons you give here, in my case i did not like the disconnect but the bass player loves and still uses them. Guitars do sound a bit sterile in them IME but less so if you are using guitar and amp modelling.

Of course YMMV as it is subjective but if I was revisiting IEM I would buy 2nd hand so not to lose too much if I hated it and had to punt it on.

In our case we got one set and a few earbuds so even if some band members did not like them then someone will get the use of them.

If I was still gigging I would use one or more of these below (FRFR) which were pretty cheap new and cheaper online 2nd hand, I find them fairly transparent for modelling duties plus you can buss your vox to them for foldback too.

The advantage for me is the clarity and wen you use acoustic tones they sound really clear as well as for the POD electric guitar and synthy sounds.

Just tap off one XLR output to the powered speaker.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Alto-Professional-TS115W-Truesonic-ACTIVE-800W-15-SPEAKER-x1-Wireless-New-/331021621048?pt=UK_ConElec_SpeakersPASystems_RL&hash=item4d126d1738

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Alto-Professional-TS115A-Truesonic-ACTIVE-800-WATT-15-SPEAKER-New-boxed-/331025229719?pt=UK_ConElec_SpeakersPASystems_RL&hash=item4d12a42797

They also have 12" speaker versions to save bulk and weight, although the 15's are nice and light due to class D amps etc. In fact they are considerably lighter than the bands FOH 12" Celestion FR tops

The idea was to use one as a backline and one for monitoring but if you are fully in FOH then one for foldback would be fine.

Sadly due to ill health meaning packing in gigging for now, I never got to use them live only at home. But I am keeping them for now and if/when I get back gigging (I hope).

This is the review that made me GAS on them BTW.

http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/dec11/articles/ato-truesonic-115a.htm

I had tried a few better known makes prior but these are the only ones that stuck, a Peavey KB5 was good too but expensive and nearly 48 Kg ouch.

ESBlonde

On the subject of disconnect or feeling isolated from the band or audience. Have a spare mic onstage through the desk but only Aux out to your monitors with the main fader off. This picks up the band voices and audience response to feed into your ears. You have to balance it though else you just get the stage wash fed back at you.

johnnyurq

@ESBlonde

That technique works for some folks but in small-ish pubs and clubs it ends up in a general reverby (not added BTW just there) wash so didn't work for me I am afraid.

But I can see in bigger venues that being a great solution for most people so great tip nonetheless.

John_P

I use a sennheiser ew300 iem setup -  I've run it from a di out on an  modelling rig (x3live) and from various amps mic'd.  

I've always run it from an aux out on the desk - so I can add as much of each instrument/band member as I need - I should add that I mainly use it for vocal monitoring but it feeds my guitar mix to me as well.

I always have an ambient mic near the desk feeding the iem as well - the amount I add does depend on the venue but i find it helps.

fretmeister

Or you could get a small personal monitor like the Mackie SM150.

Awesome things. I use them as vocal only PA for magic shows too.

geepers0677

thanks all, lots to think about - I have got hold of a mackie VRM 450 for now, but it's big and heavy.

Will investigate the preowned end of the market too I think - it's quite a pandora's box!

geepers0677

After much thought, I am headed towards the dt25 head and cab, with a FRFR for acoustic sounds. That way I can still be heard on stage and the  rig is a little more flexible than IEM for about the same price. Thanks all!