. to quote the song.. "I'm old fashioned".. the look of IEMs, especially for a solo performer just doesn't do it for me as a musician or as an member of the audience ... I think it gives a sense that the performer has seperated him/her self from the rest of us ... don't seem to have the same sense with headset mics, or with IEMs being used in a larger group .... just this old man's opinion .....
t.

I agree with Tony... appearance is so critical, espically when doing a single. The only time I used an IEM was several years ago when the Buckeyes were playing UCLA on the west coast. I'll have to say, when your team scores a go ahead touchdown during your vocal, it adds a new dynamic (good thing it was an upbeat song!) of unknown source.

Recently, I've been using a Carvin spot monitor. I have it mounted on a mike stand and positioned about keyboard height aimed right at my face. It's very unobtrusive and workes well.

Glenn

Tony & Glenn: Thanks for your insightful comments. Your concerns re: iem's are the same I've been having. As a solo entertainer, an essential element to my show is the back & forth repoire I develop with my audience, so I cannot afford to feel 'removed' or seperated from them.

Is this the Carvin Spot monitor model you use?: http://www.carvin.com/cgi-bin/Isearch.exe?CFG=2&P2=PM5-B&P1=MON

How good is the Carvin Spot's bass response?

I'd like to know how the sound quality compares to the 'built in speakers' on my Yamaha PSR2000. I realize the Carvin Monitor signal would be mono (unless you utilize two Spot monitors), but it appears that both the volume & clarity of the Carvin Spots may be better than the speakers in the PSR2000 because though both the Carvin & Yamaha built ins are both 2 way 5" and include a tuned bass port to increase bass response, the Carvin offers 125 watts of power while the built in Yamaha's are only provide 12 watts a piece. I would expect that using ONE Carvin Spot monitor would produce more volume and at equal sound quality to the ones in the PSR2000. At only 5 lbs, the Carvin Spot Monitor sounds like a good solution for monitoring purposes when gigging with an arranger kb without speakers.

Thanks in advance for additional comments and feedback about going this route.

Scott

I agree that it looks better without the headphones. However, I didn't get any negative feedback, I suppose because the speakers actually are inside the ear, the wire runs up behind, and is virtually invisible to the audience.
Don

DonM ... earpiece inside ear, wire hidden away, I guess there's nothing that would look unsightly, and therefore no problem ....
t.

Using a corded head mic I am wired enough. Another one and they might as well start tube feeding me. LOL
Eddie

Scott, I used similar monitors in the worship band at church..they were not this brand, and I found on the larger stage (big church) I needed 2 of them in my face (actually in front of me, vertical stand a half an inch or so from the piano). I placed one on the right edge and left, angled in at 45 degrees or so, facing directly at me. The sound was excellent, bass response was not outstanding in our models. I eventually went to a floor wegde for more sound, because the piano was mixed on to the band, and I needed more volume to break out my parts and vocals. They probably would be great for your venues though. I have been looking into the same thing for my gigs as I won't be using the psr speakers as monitors. IMO, I'd either do this, or go the extra mile and buy personal, ear fitted, color tinted, shure or some top line model and go wireless. Bigger bucks..but you wouldn't get that isolated feeling I don't think because they are almost transparent. I tried Don's setup, but they kept falling out, and I could never secure them well enough to get comfortable...I probably have a wierd shaped ear or something. These monitors are a great option for your prospective keyboard. Good Luck Brian

Okay, this is going to get a little weird but it's a thought: remember the Bone Phone in the '70s? It worked by vibrating your collarbone, and then there are those lollipop holders that play music by vibrating your teeth. These all work by something called bone conduction. There are some new headphones by Vonia that work by sending sound through your skull rather than through your ears. I have no idea if this would work as a monitor but if did then it would have the advantage of allowing you to hear all other room ambient sounds while hearing what comes through the headphones at the same time. Great for listening to music at your next Star Trek convention with! In case you want to read more:
http://grabit.co.za/vonia/index.html

Althought I do not like the idea of being too "far away" from my audiences using one of these IEM, I confess that I see some advantages in using such a system. I do not like to carry aditional weight so I end up bringing only the main PA to my gigs (no monitors). In very noisy environments (ex: small bars where the people almost sit on my lap) I have troubles hearing myself, specially when playing romantic ballads. I feel that this affects my performance quite a bit. So, in these cases, a IEM could provide excellent quality monitoring and a little bit of "distance" from my audience, just enough to allow me to concentrate much better in a good and expressive interpretation. What has been keeping me from using these "earbuds" is the poor quality of the typical walkman headphones and, now that I read about IEMs, the huge price of these professional monitoring systems. So, in conclusion, I do not find these IEMs totally uninteresting; something to look up in a near future...

-- José.

Scott

Yep, the PM5-B is what I've been using. Bass response isn't all that great, but about as good as it gets for the size. There's always trade-offs, and at 5 lbs and $80, its worth missing some low end... at least for me it is.

Glenn

[This message has been edited by Glenn01 (edited 10-07-2002).]