UPDATE JAN 2012 - I cancelled my order for Custom In Ear Monitors from the Melbourne Based supplier listed in Part 1 of this review  and have removed their company name from the blog because I am petty and snippy, so there.

Funny thing happened to me at the Dave Stewart/Stevie Nicks concert I was at last night - Dave Stewart's In Ear Monitor and wireless guitar transmitter went haywire and he had to complain to the audience that he couldn't hear...watching the poor old Soundo running back and forth from side of stage to Dave to try and fix it and then give up and run a cable should be a lesson that Technology Has Its Perils!

With that warning in mind, it's time to write up my initial results on my own investigations of In Ear Monitoring. For those who didn't read the first part, take a moment and read it here before continuing.

Ok, up to speed? Right, so to briefly recap (for people who don't click on links), I picked up an entry level PSM 200 In Ear Monitor kit, including a transmitter, belt receiver and default Shure 115 IEM earpieces and tried them out at 3 gigs on the weekend

Ok, whats the result?

I fricking loved them.

Ok, time for Pro's and Cons of the particular setup I used which was:

Vocal Mike and Harmonica Mike to PSM200 Transmitter, direct pass through to PA, monitoring Vox/Harp mike directly from the front inputs on the PSM200 transmitter (not a desk mix), no Desk mix  return (I didnt bother with a return signal from PA mix), default Shure 115 earpieces (came with the kit).

BTW - for the record, any pricing references here are based on Australian dollar figures as at 30 Nov  2011, with the $AUD at roughly parity with the US Dollar (AUD $1 = US97c), for overseas reader reference

PRO's

*Fast to deploy. Took minutes to setup

* Easy - the instruction manual is not long and with good reason, it was quick.

* Could hear my vocals and harp better than ever before, which gave me greater confidence and also showed where I was nervous in singing, which were obviously notes that I couldn't hear as well (from the upper and lower ends of my vocal range).

* With greater confidence I could hit the notes with certainty. It means I am going to adjust my singing.

*Put less air through the harp, which meant not jamming the reeds from inadvertent overblow/draw, will let you know if that means less maintenance after a while.

* Some degree of sound isolation with the Shure 115s, but not as much as I'd like, looks like the custom fit earpieces are the way to go.

Con's

* Scares PA operators who are not used to them. Thankfully, the PSM200's are a direct pass through, so I can just give the operator two plugs and say dude, these re just the straight forward normal mike inputs.

* Sound isolation wasn't as good as I wanted, as above, when I get the custom earpieces I'll test and post the results.

*Reduction in situational awareness of the bands live sound - people warned me about this, 'you wont be able to hear the rest of the band, wont feel like you're part of it' etc etc and I get it, but given that I've been wearing attenuating earpieces for 4 years anyway, it wasn't a problem, in fact it was better.

However, if you don't usually wear Musicians Earplugs, it might weird you out for a bit, so I acknowledge that this is a fair point, just wasn't a problem for me.

Also, I could still hear the band because my open Vocal Mike was picking them up anyway.

Sidenote: Shure offers a Lapel Mike add-on so you can feed sound from around you into the mixer (or transmitter), I hear that other bands run ambient mikes and feed it into the monitor/mix to compensate for the sound isolation.

* Big reduction in Bass - I couldn't hear the Bass player as well as I normally do, even when I'm wearing my normal sound dampening (attenuating) earplugs.

This might be why The Phantom (Bass player) recommended the 3 driver earpieces, they give you much better bass reproduction. but yikes $$ out of my budget range.

* The Shure 115 earpieces don't have a loop that goes over your ear, so you need a clip to keep it on your shirt, or the damn things get pulled out from your ears when you move, which is rather disconcerting.

* $$$$ - I was lucky and got the kit + custom earpieces for under $1200, - (UPDATE JAN 2012 - I am looking for another, alternate supplier and will update it when I get the new one's in)

but that's still a bunch of cash and I did not get top of the range stuff. I get the feeling that to pickup a 3 driver earpiece and the latest and greatest transmitter/receiver, I'd be spending somewhere between $3-$5K, as at today's prices, and although it might be worth it, you'll only do it if you're mad, keen, or have a definite need of them.

* Fitting a whole band out with these is going to be pricey

* if you're fitting a whole band out with them and want separation, you will need a desk that issues multiple feeds (1 aux send per instrument), although in the case of the PMS200 it had 2 inputs, so one could be Desk and the other Instrument, but it starts to get more complex  if you're singing as well, etc etc omg..I'm overthinking this.

Ok, lets just say the solution I tested worked well for 1 dude, vox and harp, still hearing the ambient sound of the band because they are close to me, but its gonna get more complex and expensive when you start adding multiple people into the monitoring equation. -  I should note that if you find yourself playing a bigger stage, with instrument amplifiers miked into the PA, you will probably have a full sound crew and Gold Plated Roadies, just like Dave Stewart, LOL! Beware!

Summary:

I feel like I got a good value option here that fit my objectives and so far, has worked well. I don't feel like I've overspent, or that I have been chasing technology just because I Geek Out occasionally.

Conceptually they work well, and given my stated objectives, seem like a practical solution to keeping my hearing, hearing what I'm singing and playing, and reducing my harmonica reed busting abilities (hey those little suckers add up!) 

As a buyer, I'm still careful on any tech spend - too little and you buy stuff that falls apart or is cheap because its crap, too much and you're paying Audiophile Sucker prices (solid gold leads with Yttrium Connectors and Flux Free Capacitors for your ipod! I can hear into the future!!).

My results and comments must be considered within the context of the gear I picked, my stated reasons and objectives, budget and date. If you're considering this sort of stuff yourself, look at the process as well as the results - Decide what you want, why, use that to set your measurable objectives, research, price, ask, get opinions from Them What Know Better, Google Your Ass Off, hmm and haw about the cost and then go for it.

For my part, I'll post up another report after I get the custom earplugs from --- -------- --------- (UPDATE JAN 2012 - Name removed after order cancelled, I'll repost when I get a new supplier)

- Note - no financial benefit has been received by the author of this article for his opinions - yet.... but I am given to understand he can be bought. Seriously, I know a guy, gimme a call, we can discuss it over lunch. Your treat.

MJEB