Aux compression enough for IEMs?

[Wynnd]

Thinking about wired IEM to deal with insane stage volume.  Is the Aux compressor enough to protect my hearing from transients?  Anybody doing this?

[RoadRanger]

Thinking about wired IEM to deal with insane stage volume.  Is the Aux compressor enough to protect my hearing from transients? 

If you trust your hearing to the Mackie firmware and all the hardware between it and your earbuds (and set it properly), sure. OTOH it's kinda reassuring to have the limiter be hardware right in the bodypack . I have a Galaxy AS900 wireless which only costs about $175 if you shop around.

[Wynnd]

That's a price that might be doable, when someone in the house finds another day job.  (Right now house income is mostly the band and in Denver, that's generally not making a living.  On the other hand, the band that doesn't have a NYE gig has 5 gigs in the the first two weeks of next year.  Thats a pace that helps a lot.)  Got a pretty good self made resume'.  Maybe I just think so.  We shall see.

[stevegarris]

I use the aux's every gig for IEM mix. It works excellent, but I don't know the models of IEM their using.
I set my vocal compression lightly, with a ratio from 2:1 to 3:1 and 3-6 db gain reduction (when activated).

There's also the compressor on the aux output, but i don't use it.

[WK154]

Thinking about wired IEM to deal with insane stage volume.  Is the Aux compressor enough to protect my hearing from transients? 

If you trust your hearing to the Mackie firmware and all the hardware between it and your earbuds (and set it properly), sure. OTOH it's kinda reassuring to have the limiter be hardware right in the bodypack . I have a Galaxy AS900 wireless which only costs about $175 if you shop around.

At this point in time with V2 quirks I certainly wouldn't go there.  How's that AS900 working out for you? With my luck I would end up with something on that single frequency and be SOL. I am a firm believer in IEM's or nothing since those nasty laws of physics always find a way to screw things up especially with stage monitors.

[WK154]

I use the aux's every gig for IEM mix. It works excellent, but I don't know the models of IEM their using.
I set my vocal compression lightly, with a ratio from 2:1 to 3:1 and 3-6 db gain reduction (when activated).

There's also the compressor on the aux output, but i don't use it.

That's the one (aux out) you should setup as a limiter at max ratio.

[Harpman]

Thinking about wired IEM to deal with insane stage volume.  Is the Aux compressor enough to protect my hearing from transients? 

If you trust your hearing to the Mackie firmware and all the hardware between it and your earbuds (and set it properly), sure. OTOH it's kinda reassuring to have the limiter be hardware right in the bodypack . I have a Galaxy AS900 wireless which only costs about $175 if you shop around.

At this point in time with V2 quirks I certainly wouldn't go there.  How's that AS900 working out for you? With my luck I would end up with something on that single frequency and be SOL. I am a firm believer in IEM's or nothing since those nasty laws of physics always find a way to screw things up especially with stage monitors.

A agree!  Looking to do the same.  Just invested in the Shure PSM200.  They are a bit pricy, but I chose Shure over the Galaxy.  Reviews were mixed on the Galaxy.  You can have up to 4 body pack receivers per transmitter.  As far as any musicians that don't need to move around on stage (i.e. drummer, keyboard and maybe bass player), I would just run a headphone amp wired.  No sense in spending the extra $$ if they don't require wireless. 

Shared a story with Bill (WK154) regarding a recent band (Gary Senise's "Lt. Dan Band") who played in Temecula a month ago.  A friend who is very critical when it comes to sound (although not technical) commended them on how clear the vocals were how they stood out.  I pointed out to her that "You don't see any stage monitors, do you?".  In addition to having a good sound person, no stage monitors, plexiglass in front of the drummer and of course the proper equipment, makes for a very pristine outcome.

The way musicians want the monitors cranked up on stage, sure wouldn't do that with IEM's unless they wanted to go deaf very fast! 

[RoadRanger]

How's that AS900 working out for you? With my luck I would end up with something on that single frequency and be SOL.

I've only had interference with one out of the four I have and that was in NYC (I loaned them to a friend). OTOH they are in the 600Mhz band so will be banned in 2015 - but will probably still work for quite a while if you aren't a fixed install and don't mind running outlaw .

[RoadRanger]

Just invested in the Shure PSM200.  They are a bit pricy, but I chose Shure over the Galaxy.  Reviews were mixed on the Galaxy.  You can have up to 4 body pack receivers per transmitter.

You can have thousands of receivers per transmitter if you want - what makes you believe otherwise?

  As far as any musicians that don't need to move around on stage (i.e. drummer, keyboard and maybe bass player), I would just run a headphone amp wired.  No sense in spending the extra $$ if they don't require wireless.

You kinda need the bodypacks for their limiters - unless they aren't your ears and you don't care if they get permanent hearing damage from an audio "accident" . There are some wired bodypacks available but they cost as much as the AS900...

[WK154]

I agree!  Looking to do the same.  Just invested in the Shure PSM200.  They are a bit pricy, but I chose Shure over the Galaxy.  Reviews were mixed on the Galaxy.  You can have up to 4 body pack receivers per transmitter.  As far as any musicians that don't need to move around on stage (i.e. drummer, keyboard and maybe bass player), I would just run a headphone amp wired.  No sense in spending the extra $$ if they don't require wireless.

Shared a story with Bill (WK154) regarding a recent band (Gary Senise's "Lt. Dan Band") who played in Temecula a month ago.  A friend who is very critical when it comes to sound (although not technical) commended them on how clear the vocals were how they stood out.  I pointed out to her that "You don't see any stage monitors, do you?".  In addition to having a good sound person, no stage monitors, plexiglass in front of the drummer and of course the proper equipment, makes for a very pristine outcome.
The way musicians want the monitors cranked up on stage, sure wouldn't do that with IEM's unless they wanted to go deaf very fast! 


Can't leave you alone for a couple of day's and you're out spending $ like it was Christmas. I was going to suggest that you look at the Beh P16i/P16m setup wired for most of you since you have the Focusrite dual. Just need to know if you can run them separately via two USB's for recording to the PC freeing up the ADAT's. Manual as usual is no help. This would give you up to 6 Vox initially.

[WK154]

How's that AS900 working out for you? With my luck I would end up with something on that single frequency and be SOL.

I've only had interference with one out of the four I have and that was in NYC (I loaned them to a friend). OTOH they are in the 600Mhz band so will be banned in 2015 - but will probably still work for quite a while if you aren't a fixed install and don't mind running outlaw .

Gee ask me about my AKG fixed frequency wireless that I still use. The Beltway Bandits don't go out looking for you they're all Lawyers. 

[Harpman]

I agree!  Looking to do the same.  Just invested in the Shure PSM200.  They are a bit pricy, but I chose Shure over the Galaxy.  Reviews were mixed on the Galaxy.  You can have up to 4 body pack receivers per transmitter.  As far as any musicians that don't need to move around on stage (i.e. drummer, keyboard and maybe bass player), I would just run a headphone amp wired.  No sense in spending the extra $$ if they don't require wireless.

Shared a story with Bill (WK154) regarding a recent band (Gary Senise's "Lt. Dan Band") who played in Temecula a month ago.  A friend who is very critical when it comes to sound (although not technical) commended them on how clear the vocals were how they stood out.  I pointed out to her that "You don't see any stage monitors, do you?".  In addition to having a good sound person, no stage monitors, plexiglass in front of the drummer and of course the proper equipment, makes for a very pristine outcome.
The way musicians want the monitors cranked up on stage, sure wouldn't do that with IEM's unless they wanted to go deaf very fast! 


Can't leave you alone for a couple of day's and you're out spending $ like it was Christmas. I was going to suggest that you look at the Beh P16i/P16m setup wired for most of you since you have the Focusrite dual. Just need to know if you can run them separately via two USB's for recording to the PC freeing up the ADAT's. Manual as usual is no help. This would give you up to 6 Vox initially.

Actually had the PSM 200 at the Fazeli gig. Just didn't hook it up.  Over kill for the trio

Sent from my SM-N900V using Tapatalk

[WK154]

I bet Kelly would have traded the K12 for a Shure in a heartbeat. The K12 is a little extreme for an in-ear even for a bass but I know the Shure has Kepi written all over it.

[walterw]

I use the aux's every gig for IEM mix. It works excellent, but I don't know the models of IEM their using.
I set my vocal compression lightly, with a ratio from 2:1 to 3:1 and 3-6 db gain reduction (when activated).

There's also the compressor on the aux output, but i don't use it.

that's exactly backwards!

you don't want to compress the individual vocals in their monitors, that's what leads to over-singing and blown-out voices. that's what the big hullabaloo over V2.0 was about, the option to take that channel comp off the auxes.

you do want to use the aux comp, set up more like a limiter; fastest attack, very high ratio (to where the top of the green "mountain" graph is pretty much chopped off flat), and the threshold is just high enough that it doesn't get reached with normal levels.

that way, there's no squash in the ears with normal use (preserving the singer's dynamics and their voices) but any "accidents" will hit the threshold limit and not blow anybody up.

[bdaprile]

I am also getting IEMs for the band. But I'm a bit of a newbie with regards to sound engineering. Where are the gate and compressor for the auxes on the DL? All I see is the GEQ for the aux out. So in order to protect the musicians' ears do you have to so the DSP on each channel or am I missing something on the DL's aux channel? Thanks.


Brian
DL1608, Bose L1S with B2 Bass Module, iPad 3