strumminsix wrote:Dude, how about adding more info before the bump?
Define reasonably priced!
Wired or wireless?
Whole band?
Have you ever used one before to know if you like it?
I think that last one is the kicker...
To do it right you'll need:
1. Every instrument mic'd
2. A separate mix off your board to the stage
3. The band agreeing on the in-ear mix
4. Custom mold IEM for each member
5. Something like a Shure body pack for each member
On the cheap I see folks run a submix into a small mixer near their mic stand and out to whatever.
I've contemplated a proof-of-concept for myself by running a full band FOH AUX feed to my small mixer and then split my vocals and guitar into my mixer and FOH so I have some control over my levels in the mix I hear. Then use wired noise-cancelling ear buds.
My old lead singer used IEMs, and was the only one in the band who did so. Thank god she did, too.. before that her monitor alone was getting the biggest poweramp we had and was positively blistering.
My GF's current band is running IEMs also and they like it a lot. They're a Beatles tribute band so their vocals need to be spot on. If needed I'll see if I can find out exactly what they're using, but I know it's just a regular off-the-shelf SURE wireless system. She's feeding her own vocals and keys into her ears in addition to the FOH mix using a small mixing board, exactly as described above. Not sure how the rest of the band does it.
I don't believe any of them have cusom-moulded earplugs, they come stock with about a dozen different sizes and types of ear-plug so it's worth trying them out before assuming none of them will be comfortable.
Also - the receivers eat 9V batteries like crazy, like one per gig and a half. Everyone in her band except one have given up and changed to powering them with wall-warts.