Cleaning Up Your In-Ears Mix...And Your Ears

In this week’s Gig Gab, with guest cohost Daniel East returning to join Dave Hamilton, you dive into the essentials of managing your hearing and gear during and after gigs. Amanda’s question about affordable in-ear monitors (IEMs) leads to recommendations including the Sennheiser IE100 Pro and Juicy Earz, highlighting the importance of investing in quality gear without breaking the bank. Remember, the goal is to “Always Be Performing” at your best, and that includes protecting your most valuable asset – your hearing.

The discussion then moves to the finer points of creating the perfect IEM mix. They emphasize starting from zero, building your levels up gradually, and ensuring no two instruments occupy the same stereo space. Trust both your ears and eyes when adjusting your mix, and keep it simple by taking as little as possible from the main mix. Wrapping up, they provide practical tips on ear care, such as using ear bulb syringes and avoiding ear candling. Stay sharp, stay safe, and keep performing at your peak!

• 00:00:00 Gig Gab 432 – Monday, June 3rd, 2024
  • June 3rd: Old Time Player Piano Day (but Friday was National Save Your Hearing Day)
  • Guest Co-Host: Daniel East
• 00:01:58 Recent Gigs
  • Jay Bernedo
• 00:10:16 Let your ears rest after the gig
• 00:12:34 Amanda-Which IEMs for $300 or less?
• 00:16:15 Listen FIRST
• 00:17:34 Listen Advice
  • Human Voice
  • Decay of Reverb
  • Fingers on guitar strings
  • Thump of the low end
• 00:19:23 Fitting them in
• 00:19:38 Recommended Earphones
  • Sennheiser IE100 Pro – $98
  • Future Sonics G10 – $160 with code on site
  • Linsoul KZ ZS10 5-driver Universal fit – $49.99
  • Dunu Falcon Ultra – $220
  • Audix A10X – $229
  • WAVS Custom – Duals start at $199/ear – Ear molds with your iPhone
  • Juicy Earz – Starts at $298
  • Alclair Affordable Custom In-Ears on Gig Gab
• 00:30:03 Headphone Amps
  • Rolls PM55p
  • Albatros Audio PH9C (about $450, custom build)
  • Rupert Neve RNHP Headphone Amplifier – $599 on Amazon
  • RNDI DI Box – $299 on Amazon
• 00:43:24 When creating an IEM mix, trust both your eyes and ears
  • Allen & Heath ME-1
• 00:46:58 Creating the best IEM Mix
  • Start from Zero
  • Bring yourself up to 75%
  • Then bring everything else up
  • If stereo: nothing dead-center, no two instruments in the same “space”
  • Take as LITTLE as possible. Don’t just ask for “the mai