IEM tactics - what do you feed?

[timwat]

Just finished a wedding gig that was a blast.

 

Both figuratively (dance floor never cleared) and literally (LOUD AZZ mix, as we were right by the mains by virtue of logistics and positioning). This band uses IEMs only (no floor wedges, no amps) and it really cleans up our sound for the client's sake.

 

For years I've used the inexpensive Carvin EM900 wireless IEM system - it's good enough for my usage, and it's half the cost of the big brands (Shure, Sennheiser...). It's got a little noise in it, but it's completely unnoticeable once the band starts playing.

 

Anyway, what I have always done is use a "more me" config. The system can be configured to take two independent channels and use the "pan" knob on the belt pack to balance between them. So I take one house feed with everything, and the other channel is just me. During sound check, I can set a balance between "more me" and everyone else.

 

What do you guys feed into your IEMs?

 

Of course I realize some of you have a dedicated monitor mix person, if so, you're gigging over my pay grade LOL We also didn't use a X-air or similar mixer with a personal "mix your own" monitor app on this gig.

[midinut]

We do use the X-Air and send 5 different mixes out of the Aux outs. Each person can control exactly what goes in their mix using the iPhone/Android app.

[EscapeRocks]

We do use the X-Air and send 5 different mixes out of the Aux outs. Each person can control exactly what goes in their mix using the iPhone/Android app.

 

This is what I do.

 

I also take it one step further. I use a Rolls PM351 My keys and Microphone go into it, then to FOH. FOH/Monitor just send me the rest of the band. We are still building our dedicated ear system. Until then, also as midinut does, we use the app on our iPhone or Ipads to control our mix.

 

The way mine is setup, having my keys and vox on two of the Rolls knobs give me instant access to adjust while playing. Same with the third knob that controls the rest of the band coming into my ears (that I've already set with my iPhone)

 

 

 

 

 

I have all the apps, so regardless of what gear the sound company is using, I can access my aux bus: Behringer/Midas, Allen&Heath (QU-24 app), Soundcraft. I mostly go with an app called My Monitor unless the house is running A&H, and I'll use the dedicated A&H board.

Our sound engineers love that we control our own monitor mixes

 

On a sitting gig, I just run my ears directly into the Rolls mixer output. A standing rock show, the headphone out goes to my wireless transmitter.

[CEB]

I run the transmitter in mono mix mode. I receive what I want but none of my instruments are in my monitor mix. I personally control the mix of my keys and guitars from the monitor bus on the mixer in my rack.

[wineandkeyz]

My main band relies on house or hired soundmen for FOH, but we carry our own IEM system using a a Soundcraft Ui24R digital mixer. It has eight aux sends: three of us (the guitarist, drummer, and I) use two each so we can have stereo mixes, while the singer and bass player are content with mono mixes from the last two. We each control our own mixes using our phones, iPads, etc.

 

I typically have a fairly balanced mix of everything in my ears, with my keys and vocals boosted slightly higher than they would be in a FOH mix.

[EscapeRocks]

My main band relies on house or hired soundmen for FOH, but we carry our own IEM system using a a Soundcraft Ui24R digital mixer. It has eight aux sends: three of us (the guitarist, drummer, and I) use two each so we can have stereo mixes, while the singer and bass player are content with mono mixes from the last two. We each control our own mixes using our phones, iPads, etc.

 

I typically have a fairly balanced mix of everything in my ears, with my keys and vocals boosted slightly higher than they would be in a FOH mix.

 

Very nice....

 

Are you using a split snake to feed your board and FOH?

[wineandkeyz]

My main band relies on house or hired soundmen for FOH, but we carry our own IEM system using a a Soundcraft Ui24R digital mixer. It has eight aux sends: three of us (the guitarist, drummer, and I) use two each so we can have stereo mixes, while the singer and bass player are content with mono mixes from the last two. We each control our own mixes using our phones, iPads, etc.

 

I typically have a fairly balanced mix of everything in my ears, with my keys and vocals boosted slightly higher than they would be in a FOH mix.

 

Very nice....

 

Are you using a split snake to feed your board and FOH?

 

Yes, we use two ART S8 splitters to feed our board and the house. Soundmen love it because we do all our own connections (except for our drummer) to the splitters and just hand them the FOH feeds with each connector labeled.

[ajstan]

We put together a stage box with a splitter snake, an XR-18 that we use for for a consistent monitor mix, and 4 wireless IEM transmitters (the drummer and I use wired units). One set of outs for the snake goes to the XR-18, the other set is for FOH. The sound company runs the outs from the mics/instruments to the input end of the snake.

 

It is nice to have our own control of monitors with few adjustments to be made from gig to gig, whether our regular sound guy is running FOH or the venue provides it. It also makes it a lot easier for the sound companies. Sound check goes much quicker too.

 

We all control our individual monitor mixes via phone/tablet apps. Like David (@Escape Rocks) I use a Rolls headphone mixer (the PM55P) so I can hear my keys in stereo (from the monitor outs on my Key Largo mixer - the main outs go to the stage box), get the rest of the band mono from the Aux send on the XR-18, and adjust the two feeds independently with the knobs on the PM55P.

 

Now that we've done it, I can't imagine going back to having our monitor mixes under someone else's control. If anyone is interested in doing something similar, feel free to contact me in a thread or via PM and I'll be happy to try to answer any questions.

[cphollis]

I could chime in, but it'd be the same thing. Unless you have control of the mix, "more me" is about as far as you get. The Behringer XR18 has become very popular for smaller groups that want aux mixes under their own control. Anyone who wants control of their mix has an app for that. I think @ajstan's solution is great for something that interfaces well with any FOH. It's a win for them -- less time spent (if any) on monitor mixes.

[eric]

Here's one version of my rack, including my IEM gear. I have a slimmer version I use most of the time, with a Key Largo feeding my keyboard mix.

 

 

I send keyboard channels in stereo plus stereo Vent into a mixer (Key Largo or Ashly), which then feeds stereo into my Shure P4M, which acts like an additional submixer where I control my stereo keyboard send separately from the stereo band mix. This goes to my Shure PSM900 wireless IEM rig and I use Ultimate Ears UE7 or UE18 custom molds.

 

Similar to others, my main band uses the Midas and Behringer boards that allows me (if I need) to dial in my mix on my iPhone app. Most of the time, our soundman runs around and makes adjustments for us during soundcheck and shows. We have "scenes" saved for popular venues and in most cases it is almost a "set it and forget it" scenario with maybe a small tweak needed.

 

I've been using some version of this system for over a decade and love it. I have not used a speaker at a gig in ages. It happens only when I have a pickup gig with a band that doesn't do IEMs.

[obxa]

Same as everyone else. I've got every possible app for the popular soundboards for any shows, pit band, and houses of worship I do. I use an older ipad mini dedicated just for that purpose.

 

However, if I run across a situation where the sound person can't provide a direct mix back to me, âI use a mixer that lets you remove sends to FOH output, but still feeds my ears, and then use a cheap stereo condensor mic and run that as my "Ambient band mix". Even if I get a dedicated monitor send, I still do a little bit of that ambient mic so I it maintains some of the live feel and don't feel so cut off.

 

Because life is too short for mono , I insist on hearing my keys in stereo. Even if they provide a wired/wireless pack or Aviom system; If it's mono, I'll turn off the keys in their mix, and then feed their pack or Aviom output into my mixer. (keep a supply of 1/8 inch to 1/4 cables)

 

As a cheap work around to pull off alternate mixes: since most mixers have at least a monitor/fx send, you can always use those for FOH, Then monitor everything through the mains or headphones. just remember to not send the mic or monitor mix back to them.

 

Good luck!

 

PS Also happy to answer any questions.

[ShadowMan]

For years I have sub-mixed two keyboards thru a Rolls MX28 mini-mixer. For a while I used the headphone out to feed my IEM"s. Wanting to get more PA monitor in my ears I added the PM351.

 

Now my boards go into the MX28, outs to Radial Stereo DI to FOH, headphone out to PM55 (more me) along with a PA monitor mix feeding into my IEM"s.

 

As both Rolls" are the same footprint I velcro-ed the mixer on my bottom keyboard and the PM351 is velcro-ed on top of it. It all works really well - but the key is to use better power supplies than the noisy ones the Rolls ship with.

 

One note- I am thinking of replacing the PM351 with the Roll PM55P (that has a limiter)â¦just to keep these aging ears safer.

[nursers]

Pretty similar to most: I use a Radial KL-8 to receive a FOH mix that I've discussed with our sound guy via the aux in which I can 'mix in' to my direct keys feed from my boards to the KL-8. Not perfect but a hell of a lot better than what I've had previously

[vonnor]

I use a Shure P9T (like in Eric's pic above) which has two inputs. Run mono-mix out to the ear bugs. Keys from my RME Fireface UC monitor out goes to input 1, monitor mix from the main board to input two. Relative mix by adjusting the keys send from the RME. In a pinch I can split my vocal and use another input on the RME to just mix my own voice in with the keys. Harder to hear the other instruments/vocals that way though.

 

~ vonnor

[Throbert]

I build my key mix in my interface, send a FOH from there as well, run the FOH mix, a separate key mix and ambient to my

Ashley to mix and monitor. I have MADI now on mu interface allowing for IP monitoring so I can create a personal mix but

every one else has to get on the same page.

[tunaman]

I have a Mackie DL16S dedicated to monitoring, and run AKG IVM4500 transmitters for IEM. I have three, and my bass player bought one also. The drummer gets a feed to his IEM body pack from my Mackie DL32S.

 

With the Mackie setup, everyone has control of their own mix. I myself solo my keys in one ear, and a house mix in the other so I can tell where my keys sit in the overall mix. I emphasize the bass, kick/snare and vocals, and turn down the guitar(s)

[Tom Williams]

My band uses a Behringer X-32 for house mix, so I bought myself a P16-M 16 channel monitor mixer. Hook it into the Ultranet jack, and I get volume and pan for 16 sources. That in turn goes into a no-name stereo radio rig, thence into my Westone isolating earplugs.

 

When others do the sound, I request a monitor feed of my own, which then goes into the radio -> earplugs.

 

My mix is mostly me (vocals and keys), plus lead singer, snare drum, and lesser amounts of other instruments and vocals.

[Stokely]

When we were using a QSC Touchmix, I relied completely on the monitor mix and ended up with stereo, it was great.

 

Now the band leaders switched to a Behringer xr18 and there aren't enough to go stereo, so I'm using my submixer that has a pre-fader aux send. I send that aux to FOH, I get back everything but keyboards mono, and those mix together for my listening with stereo keys. I might just say screw stereo and I'll use mono but for whatever reason I don't like the sound of the Behringer's monitor feed. I've looked for any processing or compression and don't see any. At this point it just doesn't sound as good as the QSC and that is unfortunate.

 

I use wired IEMs so any wired pack or mixer will work. I'd prefer one with a limiter, as it turns out I've been using the Behringer P2 for many gigs and didn't realize it didn't have one.... I have the P1 which does so I may go back to using that.

 

If our band is not running sound it means they are providing wedges and I just use those. I've tried a couple times to use IEMs with random sound people and it has never gone well. Fortunately these gigs are almost all outdoors so you don't get the nasty sound reflection that led me to IEMs in the first place.

[RudyS]

My old setup was using 2 mixers. One mixer was mixing down my keyboards sent it to a DI. the link outputs of the DI went to the other mixer as input to hear myself. I then requested a downmix of the band WITHOUT KEYBOARDS (obviously this went wrong couple of times), to send into that mixer as well. I could blend the rest with myself as you do with the pan Tim.

 

Now we have a sophisticated setup with an Allen&Heath digital mixer. Everything is split and sent to the A&H and FOH. We all get a stereo send from the A&H mixer. I can make a mix of the entire band with and app on my phone. It did cost a few gigs to get it right, but now it is really a bliss. I am in control of everything. Setting up is really fast. And the mix is always quite good from the start (it's always better than the wedges days). Also a big plus, I can directly check if I have sound and if everything works, so I don't have to wait for the sound engineers. And when I have sound, and the FOH engineers say "you are not coming in", I know it is their fault (because the chance the splitter fails is almost zero I think). This makes setting up so much more relaxed.

[Chris Link]

Upper and lower KBs to Radial ProD2 direct box. (I"ve never had an overwhelming need for stereo.) Individual monitor mix controlled with iPad to Rolls PM55P. I like that is has a volume limiter built in.

 

Westone AM Pro 30 with the -13 dB ports. I typically get enough drums, bass and lead guitar without adding them to my mix. Keys, vocals and non-amped acoustic guitar and fiddle adjusted as needed. I gotta say it"s a little unnerving the first time playing without an amp, (IIRC, I brought one along) but it certainly streamlines set up and minimizes carrying stuff.

 

The ambient ports help with that 'in a box' feeling that I used to get with more complete sound isolation. It also helps to not have to pull a earpiece out to converse. I"m out on one end and seated so people with requests and such seem to find me pretty often. The drummer and lead singer use IEMs in stereo and say that helps a lot with the boxed in sensation.

 

If I weren"t using this Rolls, I would use a limited such as this. I got one when I was thinking of using the same mixer to send keys and receive my monitor feed. I decided it was too easy to screw up and changed to my current set up.

 

https://preservear.com/

 

I"m about paranoid enough about tinnitus and hearing damage that I might use it with the limiter on the Rolls.

[obxa]

" I got one when I was thinking of using the same mixer to send keys and receive my monitor feed. I decided it was too easy to screw up and changed to my current set up."

 

 

I'm paranoid too I'm really curious about that Preservear. Saw it when it first came out; and thought it was a great simple idea. The price has come down since then, but still kinda high for what it does. Did it work well?

 

I used to just use my Shure wired pack that has built in limiting and then plug that into my mixer to feed my IEM. Then started getting lazy because there was too much to gain stage between it and the mixer, and adding to all the other stuff I have to set up.

 

The Rolls is half the price, & needs a power supply- but sounds like most folks here are having good luck with it.

[Chris Link]

I'm paranoid too I'm really curious about that Preservear. Saw it when it first came out; and thought it was a great simple idea. The price has come down since then, but still kinda high for what it does. Did it work well?

 

 

The Rolls is half the price, & needs a power supply- but sounds like most folks here are having good luck with it.

 

I"m sure someone who understands this stuff could tell us how to see if the preservears (or the built-in limiter for that matter) is functioning correctly. I"m just assuming that it is doing it"s job to protect from feedback or other loud noises like a mic being dropped.

 

The Rolls I have has a power supply but also runs off a 9V battery.