inexpensive or some kind of DIY in-ear monitor system?

Hmmm,
I'd really like to get an in-ear monitor system for my live band setup. Thing is I'd need seven :shock: monitors. probably only need two mixes though, so any of you guys that are smarter than me know an affordable way to do this?

:guinness:

Maybe like this?

Have two power amps feed two arrays of several "volume boxes" and each player can choose there volume. 1K resisters are duel audio taper pot's.

One stereo amp could feed several players.

1K pots should be 2W or more. These are going to be the most expensive parts. 100ohm's fireproof 5W-ish...

Clairostat (?) has them maybe?

Probably won't be the best solution; but it worked wonders for my band last time around! (when we were kicking ass in high school)

Get a cheap headphone amp; and do extension cables for everyone. Then each band member just hook up their in-ear monitors or whatnots to the extension cables!

But over time, I'd reckon you guys should invest in a proper in-ear monitoring system; make it a personal thing, so everyone chips in a bit.

Worth every single cent of it!

Cheers
Robin

sonicmook56, 100Ohms to ground??? both legs of the pots are to ground.

[quote author="12afael"]sonicmook56, 100Ohms to ground??? both legs of the pots are to ground.[/quote]

Your right!

I was drunk, what was I thinking?

the 100 ohm resistor should be connected straight to one leg of the 1K pot.

I was looking at in-ear monitors the other day and noticing the hefty prices. Why couldn't you use a low-power stereo FM transmitter and some cheap Walkman clone FM receivers to do this? Like this Ramsey kit:



http://www.hobbytron.com/Synthesized-FM-Stereo-Transmitter-Kit.html

Fixed drawing.

I like that DIY transmitter.

I'm wondering if I'd need better receivers co compensate for stage volume. Hmmm....so a couple of those transmitters and seven good receivers and headphones.

Thing is, we don't have any wedges right now, and that's the next needed purchase, so if I figure I'm doing this INSTEAD of buying the wedges, it helps me rationalize the cost.

I've been chewing on an idea like this for quite a while with the expat audio thang.

Question is - do you want an analog system or a digital system?

Analog system could be nice - if quality isn't critical and while the cable is cheap, try using cat5 to transmit multichannel audio and let each of the musicians make a custom mix.

While your at it, use a simple NE5532 for a basic headphone amp, or if you are a deaf drummer, try a TPA6120A2... there's a schematic in this months nuts 'n volts magazine.


cheers

R

The musicians mover from instrument to instrument. Wired wouldn't work so well.

As far as receivers go, I would try one before committing to buying a bunch of them.

I think the secret to good in-ear monitoring for either wired or wireless systems is to get an earphone that will seal in the ear canal to prevent ambient sound from getting around the earphone. The type with an inflated cushion at the tip seems to be the most promising but are a little more expensive. The Radio Shack site has a number of headphones listed if you want to get an idea of what's available. Again, I think I would test them in an actual situation before buying in bulk. Here is one made by JVC (model HA-FX66R) that costs around $25:

[quote author="Mbira"] so any of you guys that are smarter than me know an affordable way to do this?[/quote]

Iam not sure if iam smarter than you but at least my diy inear system was cheap. :grin:

THE CHEAP IN EAR SOLUTION:
Years ago I bought an expensive inear system for about 600€. It worked but it sounded damn bad. The earphones are expensive and sounds like shit.

Then I bought cheap earphones "KOSS - THE PLUG". They sound soo good and have a great bass response. A local Hearing Aid Audiologist made an Otoplasty for me which fit into my ear and into the koss plugs.

Price for the phones 10€, otoplastic 60€.



THE CHEAP MIXER SOLUTION
I play keyboards and need to submix 3 stereo signals for the foh-mix. And I want to make my own in ear mix from the foh monitor signal (drums, bass, guitar, vocals), my keyboard signals and an extra guitar mic.

So I needed a mixer with 3 stereo and 2 mono signals, a headphone amp and aux with pre fader.
I bought a cheap behringer mixer. The problem is that I wanted to be able to switch off any monitor signals (monitor from foh mix and guitar mic) from the main mix. Some modifications were needed.

1. I replaced the panorama pots with switches. This will seperate my monitor signals to the main output. (I could just set the potentiometer to zero, but who knows... its just cheap behringer panasonic pots) :wink:

2. I changed the aux post fader to pre fader.

3. I installed another switch which mutes the main output. I can check the volumes and if I have choosen the right sounds for the next song/solo. And... more important... I can check If I can play the next solo correctly. :green: (psssssst) :roll:

I can adjust the volume of the headphones with the aux send pot and make my own in ear mix with the aux pots.
Because don't have the same volume I have a 2x60LED peakmeter plugged into the monitor output (Left) and the other input (right) is connected with the DI-box. So I can check the levels and see if the mute switch is not switched off.

It works fantastic since years!
I ever wanted to have a FM transmitter for the inear and tried to use those cheap home-fm transmitters... but either I bought a very bad one or they are generally not very useful for the stage.

Frank.



Some pics:

That's an inspiring story!