Owner's Manual

A QUICK GUIDE TO PERSONAL MONITOR SYSTEMS
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Hearing Health
Repeated exposure to high sound pressure levels from wedges
can cause hearing loss. Earplugs help some performers, but
even the best plugs alter frequency response enough to make
the audio sound muffled. When performers use them properly
at appropriate volume levels, in-ear monitors offer as much
hearing protection as earplugs while simultaneously deliver-
ing to performers only the sounds they need to hear. With the
controls in their hands, performers can adjust the volume as
needed. It’s the best-case scenario in hearing health.
Reduced Vocal Strain
The most powerful singer is no match for an amplified guitar
turned way up, or even a drum kit as-is. When singers can’t
hear themselves over the stage mix—which often happens
with wedge monitors—they push their voices too hard. The
voice is a body part and subject to strain, which can dam-
age vocal chords and shorten singing careers. In-ear personal
monitors allow singers to hear themselves clearly, without
having to scream over guitar amps and wedges. In addition to
their own vocals, singers can include in their mixes as much
or as little of the other instruments as they like.
Stereo Monitoring
A distinct advantage of most in-ear monitor systems over
wedges is the ability to listen in stereo. Our ears are made
for stereo listening, so a stereo mix more accurately resem-
bles a natural listening environment. When performers are
able to listen to a natural-sounding mix, they are more likely
to listen at a lower volume. This means healthier ears over
the long term.
Clean Audience Mix
Wedge monitors are directional at high frequencies,
but they become omnidirectional at low frequencies.
Low frequency bleed from the backs of the wedges can
muddy the house mix and make vocals unintelligible
to the audience, especially in smaller venues. When
performers use in-ear monitors, the front-of-house en-
gineer can concentrate on delivering the best possible
mix to the audience without having to compensate for
bleed from the stage mix. So, performers aren’t the only
ones who benefit from in-ear monitoring. The audience
benefits too.
Portability
A traditional floor monitor system includes at least
three wedges weighing roughly 45 pounds each,
plus at least one amplifier at 55 pounds each. Tour-
ing bands that haul all that gear from gig to gig need
larger vehicles, which cost more in fuel. Likewise, for
stage crews working at venues that require a nightly set
strike, that’s a lot to lug. Not so with in-ear monitors.
A QUICK GUIDE TO PERSONAL MONITOR SYSTEMS
5
A complete in-ear monitor system fits in a briefcase, which
means greater fuel economy, and less time wasted on setup
and teardown, not to mention less muscle strain. Addition-
ally, eliminating the clutter of wedges and speaker cables
gives the stage a cleaner, more professional look, which mat-
ters for bands performing at weddings, worship services, and
corporate events with different aesthetic standards than the
average night club.
Mobility
When you use wedge monitors, you’re limited to a sweet spot
onstage where the mix sounds as good as it gets. Move a
little to the right or left, and things go downhill. The direc-
tional nature of loudspeakers, especially at high frequencies,
accounts for this effect. Using in-ear monitors is like using
headphones: the sound goes where you go. So, if the lead
singer wants to play to the crowd on either side of the stage,
she hears the same mix wherever she goes.
The mobility benefit extends from stage to stage, too. Be-
cause in-ear monitors form a seal that blocks ambient noise,
your mix isn’t affected by individual room acoustics. No mat-
ter where you’re performing, you’ll hear the same mix. That
makes it much easier to deliver a consistently strong perfor-
mance night after night.
most personal monitor systems are capable of producing
very high sound pressure levels, which could cause hearing damage
during periods of prolonged use. So, while personal monitors can pro-
vide a benefit to hearing health, they must be used responsibly. If you
experience ringing in your ears or temporary loss of hearing sensitivity
(temporary threshold shift), please discontinue use immediately and
contact a licensed audiologist or seek appropriate medical help.
Please note: