What are the Best In-Ear Monitors for Me?
You’ve probably already seen a set of them jammed into the ears of someone on stage. Live in-ear monitors are not your everyday ear buds. Often used in combination with a wireless system, in-ear monitors are specially made for playing live gigs. In this Buyer’s Guide, we take a look at what these in-ears can do and what you need to look for. If you can’t see the answer to your particular question here, feel free to contact us.
What are they? | Floor Monitors | Wireless/Cabled | Frequencies | Drivers | Plugs | Ohms | More
1. What Are In-Ear Monitors?
These special ear buds are actually a set of floor monitors for your ears. As an on-stage artist, they allow you to clearly hear yourself and the rest of the band without being interrupted by all the other noise that goes on during the show. An in-ear monitor system usually includes a set of in-ear headphones, a beltpack and a cable or a wireless transmitter. If you’re the vocalist, then the signal from your wireless in-ear monitoring system would go from your microphone – to the mixing desk – to the wireless transmitter – to your beltpack receiver which then sends the signal (sound) to your in-ear headphones.
In terms of appearance, in-ear monitors look much like normal ear bud headphones. In general, in-ears are fully inserted inside your ears and the connecting wire is looped over the back of your ear so that the bud is kept securely in place. In terms of sound, it’s not that much different to a standard set of headphones either, but in-ear monitors are designed to produce very high sound quality with more focus. Some models are also connected up using a different plug to the standard 3.5mm mini-jack you’d find on a normal set of headphones.
All In-Ear Monitors and Accessories
Normal Ear Bud Headphones
2. Is Wearing a Set of In-Ear Monitors Better Than Just Using a Floor Monitor?
By plugging your ears with a set of in-ear monitors, the stage is cleared of floor monitors leaving a lot more space, especially if you bring your own gear and set up the stage yourself. In-ears also offer a lot more freedom to move than a floor monitor, since you don’t have to stay in one spot to be able to hear what’s going on. Floor monitors also tend to only a offer a general mix that’s been put together for the entire band. With a set of in-ears, you can stand wherever you want and get a nicely balanced, personalised mix that means you hear exactly what you need to hear (a mix which you do have to ask the sound engineer nicely for). Since the sound is sent directly to your ears, everything sounds a little clearer and you don’t get any of the feedback problems you sometimes get using floor monitors. A combination of in-ears and floor monitors is also not unheard of and actually offers a pretty good set up.
3. What’s Better: Wireless or Cabled In-Ear Monitors?
This depends a lot on where you stand on the stage. If you’re the vocalist or guitarist and tend to move around a lot, then a wireless system makes sense for you. These systems include the in-ear headphones, a beltpack receiver, and a transmitter. The downside is that these systems can often be pricey. If several band members or members use in-ear monitors at the same time, then a cheaper solution is to couple several beltpack receivers to a single transmitter. The downside to this though is that every musician will get the same monitor mix.
If you tend to stay in the same spot on stage – so, if you’re the drummer or keyboard player – a cabled system will probably work just fine for you. In this case, your bodypack will be directly connected to the mixing desk. So, a full cabled system will include a set of in-ear monitor headphones, a bodypack and a cable. Since this is technically a little more straight forward, it’s usually also a little cheaper.
Tip: Check out our section of personal mixers. You’ll find a number of small mixers that can be used as the base of a cabled monitoring system. Just make sure to double check that the mixer you’re looking at comes with the right connections so you can hook up your gear.
4. The Wireless Frequencies of In-Ear Monitors: What Do I Need to Check?
In terms of frequencies, wireless in-ear monitoring systems all come with pre-programmed channels to avoid signal interference. These are often called ‘compatible frequencies’. Every transmitter sends its signal using its own channel, so that it doesn’t interfere with the signal of one of the other transmitters. When using a wireless microphone, you also need to make sure that any other wireless microphone on the same stage as you is using a different channel than yours so that the two signals don’t interfere with one another.
Since transmitters will almost always have adjustable frequency channels, if there is any signal interference, you can always flip to a different channel. This means that multiple in-ear systems, wireless microphones, and wireless guitar systems can be used on the same stage at the same time without any issues. The number of available channels, however, is not endless, so always check the specifications to see how many channels can be used at the same time and within which frequency band(s). Another thing to check is the country where the in-ear system can actually be used. In fact, there are specific frequency bands that have been designated to various European countries. More information about this can be found in our Wireless Microphone Buyer’s Guide.
Tip: When browsing the in-ear monitor systems on our site, you can use the filters included on the left to select which frequency band you need.
In-Ear Monitor Systems with Adjustable Frequency Band
All In-Ear Monitors and Accessories
Wireless Microphone Buyer’s Guide
5. What Does ‘System’ Mean When it Comes to In-Ear Monitors?
You’re likely to see the term ‘system’ mentioned a lot when it comes to sets of in-ear monitors, but what does it actually mean? The system refers to the drivers: the componant that reproduces the audio. A 1, 2, 3, 4-way system refers to the number of drivers fitted per ear-piece. The rule generally applies that, the more drivers you have per ear piece, the more detailed the sound. In fact, if you have two drivers, one takes care of the high-end while the other takes care of the low-end. In the case of a 3-way system, the third driver takes care of the mid-range. This enhances the ‘understandability’ of the different instruments in the mix. So, if you’re in a big band with a lot of members, a set of in-ear monitors with a higher number of drivers would make a lot of sense for you.
1-Way In-Ear Monitors
2-Way In-ear Monitors
3-Way In-Ear Monitors
4-Way In-Ear Monitors
6. What Kind of Plug Should My In-Ear Monitors Have?
At the end of the cable, you’re likely to find a jack plug fitted. With a set of in-ears, this will usually be a small, 3.5mm mini-jack plug – exactly the kind you find fitted to a normal set of headphones. Sometimes, you’ll also have a kind of screw-ring fitted so that the plug can be screwed in and secured to your beltpack. Since the headphones are stereo, you’ll also see that there are two small black rings around the plug. This is known as a ‘TRS’ (tip-ring-sleeve) connection. At the other end of the cable, you might also find that it can be unscrewed or detached from the ear pieces themselves. This is to make replacing the cable much easier if it happens to get broken.
7. What Does Impedance Mean When it Comes to In-Ear Monitors?
You don’t need to worry too much about this when it comes to in-ear monitors. The impedance (resistance) of the headphones is measured in Ohms, and the higher this number gets, the greater the resistance. Fitted to studio and PA equipment, you’ll often get a headphone output with a high output, which works really well with a set of heapdhones with a high impedance. However, this doesn’t apply when it comes to your latptop and phone. What happens when you hook up some headphones with a really high impedance (say, 250 Ohms) to a smartphone? Basically, you can turn the volume all the way up on your phone and you’ll still barely hear anything since the signal is too weak. Since the signal sent to your in-ear monitors usually has a long way to travel, the resistance won’t be too high.
8. How Important is the SPL and Frequency Response of In-Ear Monitors?
The higher the sensitivity of your in-ears (the SPL, or Sound Pressure Level measured in decibels), the more sound they can produce. So you could say, in-ears with a high SPL will be able to make more sound than a set of in-ears with a lower SPL, even when they’re connected to the same beltpack.
What’s less important, but something that manufacturers tend to make a fuss about, is the frequency response. Human hearing can generally only detect frequencies within the 20Hz and 20kHz range, so anything that lies outside of this range, is not actually relevant. Also, it could easily be the case that a set of headphones at 20Hz performs brillaintly, while another set actually sounds mediocre at the same frequency. So, try not to get blinded by these numbers. Have a good look at what other users are saying and in the end, just let your own ears decide.
9. What Else Do I Need with My In-Ear Monitors?
- If you’re just about to experience your first set of in-ear monitors, then a ready-to-go system is the easiest choice. If it’s a wireless system, this will include a transmitter, receiver (beltpack), and a set of in-ear monitors. However, this might mean quite a big investment on your part, but it’ll definitely pay off in the end! Please note: Not all systems come with a set of in-ears included, so make sure to double check.
- Two XLR or jack cables will be needed to connect up the transmitter (depending on the connections) to the mixing desk. Always check if these are included as standard.
- A rack-mount for your transmitter(s) can also be useful if you want to install them in something like a flightcase. Check the product page to see if a rack-mount comes included or which rack-mount you might need to buy separately.
- Most bodypacks are powered by one or more batteries, which also may not com included, so don’t forget to pick some up, along with some spares!
In-Ear Monitor Systems
In-Ear Monitor Headphones
Separate In-Ear Monitor Transmitters & Receivers
Batteries
Rack-Mounts
Flight Cases
Jack Cables
XLR Cables
10. Are There In-Ear Monitors Made Specifically for Singers?
We recommend that vocalists always pick a set of in-ear monitors fitted with cables that can be hooked around the back of the ears. Since vocalists tend to move around a lot on stage, it’s best to get a set that are more secure and less likely to fall out. In-ears with an internal, flexible steel wire tend to sit in the ear more securely.
11. What Size of In-Ear Monitors Can I Get?
Most in-ear monitors are one-size-fits-all and – will actually almost always fit. Often, you’ll get a few extra set of ear buds included in various sizes – so, small, medium, and large. More expensive in-ears can actually be made to measure according to your specific ear shape. As you’d expect, these are even more comfortable and close the ear, shutting out ambient noise more efficiently.
Links & More Information
Product Categories
In-Ear Monitor Systems
In-Ear Monitor Headphones
Separate In-Ear Monitor Transmitters & Receivers
All In-Ear Monitors and Accessories
Floor Monitors
Normal Ear Bud Headphones Batteries
Rack-Mounts
Flight Cases
Jack Cables
XLR Cables
Buyer’s Guides & Blogs
In-Ear Monitors: On Stage and in the Rehearsal Space?
Wireless Microphone Buyer’s Guide
