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[Fraser Moffatt]

Hey all - I did some searching/googling for this but didn't find a straightforward answer.

Looking to find out how to send a single mix to multiple IEMs.

I've got a digital board with six AUX outs for mixes.  Each of us are using IEMs (a couple wired, a couple wireless - Behringer P1 or Shure PSM300 systems and a Rolls PM50 for the drummer). But as a musician/singer running the PA from stage, I`m getting overwhelmed with managing everyones individual mixes and levels. The "Golidlocks Syndrome" -  multiplied by 5 musicians -  is driving me nuts and affecting my performance and sanity! . It also seems too much to expect each of the guys to manage thier own monitor mixes from a smartphone app, which my board is capable of. So, looking for the most dead simple alternative.

Before IEMs, we were OK with using a single mix thru the wedges daisy chained from a single AUX out and I would like to regress a bit back to that but use the IEMs as well - I just don`t see how that works at the moment!

Any suggestions as to how to accomplish this? My initial thought was a single wireless transmitter into multiple wireless IEM receivers. Is this doable? Suggestions on brands/models? Is there a non-wireless method that would accomplish the same?

[David Simpson]

This can technically be done with a single transmitter and multiple receivers, as you describe. Also, there are many hardwired headphone amps that have multiple channels, if movement is not too much of a concern in your particular situation.

That being said, I really think you are setting yourself up for failure. IEM's are great for getting a more percise mix for each band member. The second you try to make one mix fit all, I think you fail before you begin. I just do not think that is a practical set up. One mix per musician is the standard for a reason. People have different needs sonically depending on their hearing, where they are at on stage, and what they need to hear in their mix in order to play their best. To do this all while playing yourself, I think just makes it all the more impractical. 

~Dave

[TJ (Tom) Cornish]

Hey all - I did some searching/googling for this but didn't find a straightforward answer.

Looking to find out how to send a single mix to multiple IEMs.

I've got a digital board with six AUX outs for mixes.  Each of us are using IEMs (a couple wired, a couple wireless - Behringer P1 or Shure PSM300 systems and a Rolls PM50 for the drummer). But as a musician/singer running the PA from stage, I`m getting overwhelmed with managing everyones individual mixes and levels. The "Golidlocks Syndrome" -  multiplied by 5 musicians -  is driving me nuts and affecting my performance and sanity! . It also seems too much to expect each of the guys to manage thier own monitor mixes from a smartphone app, which my board is capable of. So, looking for the most dead simple alternative.

Before IEMs, we were OK with using a single mix thru the wedges daisy chained from a single AUX out and I would like to regress a bit back to that but use the IEMs as well - I just don`t see how that works at the moment!

Any suggestions as to how to accomplish this? My initial thought was a single wireless transmitter into multiple wireless IEM receivers. Is this doable? Suggestions on brands/models? Is there a non-wireless method that would accomplish the same?

I don't think downgrading to one mix will solve your problem, and it will probably make it worse, as now everybody has to agree with each other.  Also, sharing a mix is much harder to do with IEMs than with stage wedges, as you won't hear the stage wash which tends to already have a little "more me" based on the person being physically close to their own instrument.

This sounds like a musicianship issue to discuss with your band.

How do you have the auxes setup?  Are they pre-fader?  They should be.  Can you put your mixer in the middle of the stage and have each person adjust their own mix on the board?

[Debbie Dunkley]

Hey all - I did some searching/googling for this but didn't find a straightforward answer.

Looking to find out how to send a single mix to multiple IEMs.

I've got a digital board with six AUX outs for mixes.  Each of us are using IEMs (a couple wired, a couple wireless - Behringer P1 or Shure PSM300 systems and a Rolls PM50 for the drummer). But as a musician/singer running the PA from stage, I`m getting overwhelmed with managing everyones individual mixes and levels. The "Golidlocks Syndrome" -  multiplied by 5 musicians -  is driving me nuts and affecting my performance and sanity! . It also seems too much to expect each of the guys to manage thier own monitor mixes from a smartphone app, which my board is capable of. So, looking for the most dead simple alternative.

Before IEMs, we were OK with using a single mix thru the wedges daisy chained from a single AUX out and I would like to regress a bit back to that but use the IEMs as well - I just don`t see how that works at the moment!

Any suggestions as to how to accomplish this? My initial thought was a single wireless transmitter into multiple wireless IEM receivers. Is this doable? Suggestions on brands/models? Is there a non-wireless method that would accomplish the same?

You say you think it is too much to expect each member to control their own mix yet you have been  expected  to do that for everyone else  - or at least you have been doing so.
When each member has only his own mix to control, things become quite easy actually as each person has only one mix to think about at any time. Most times, once each mix is dialed in, it stays that way because very little adjustment is necessary through the show and often from show to show. This is mostly due to the fact iems are not affected as much as wedges due to room acoustic changes etc (movement of audience members in and out) . Also, if someone turns their iem up, no-one else hears it so the 'more me' wedge monitor battle doesn't happen.
I agree with the others that you shouldn't use one mix for everyone - in iems, this would not work well. If you have the ability to let everyone mix themselves, which is sounds like you do - then I say use it.

[Fraser Moffatt]

Hmm - thanks so far, everyone. Much to consider here.

I'm running the AUXes pre-fader.

Most of the time we're running the Behringer XR stage box mixer with an iPad controller. Passing the iPad around for each member to tweak thier own mix sounds like it could be a disaster given that there has been reticence to even TRY the the smart phone personal mix option! Sometimes I run the Presonus 16.4.2 (original version) but is unstable when I invoke wireless control. I suppose I could train each guy to manipulate thier own mix but I bet they'd still lean on me to do it for them. Musicianship issue maybe. Technologically challenged, more likely!

Now, I've got a four channel headphone amp in my studio rack that I rarely use (Samson S-Phone). Could this be an analog alternative to the smartphone app since there's a "more-me" cue mixing capability on this amp that can be run in conjunction with the main mix input into each channel on the amp (main mix for all channel in plus individual AUX in on each channel of the headphone amp, controlled by PAN). Seems like I would need to set up each AUX mix only once on the board and then let each guy tweak the VOL and PAN control on the headphone amp to thier own liking when and if they want.

This solution would seem to keep some semblance of an individual mix for each guy, keeping it simple for the user and way easier to manage for me.

[Debbie Dunkley]

Hmm - thanks so far, everyone. Much to consider here.

I'm running the AUXes pre-fader.

Most of the time we're running the Behringer XR stage box mixer with an iPad controller. Passing the iPad around for each member to tweak thier own mix sounds like it could be a disaster given that there has been reticence to even TRY the the smart phone personal mix option! Sometimes I run the Presonus 16.4.2 (original version) but is unstable when I invoke wireless control. I suppose I could train each guy to manipulate thier own mix but I bet they'd still lean on me to do it for them. Musicianship issue maybe. Technologically challenged, more likely!

Now, I've got a four channel headphone amp in my studio rack that I rarely use (Samson S-Phone). Could this be an analog alternative to the smartphone app since there's a "more-me" cue mixing capability on this amp that can be run in conjunction with the main mix input into each channel on the amp (main mix for all channel in plus individual AUX in on each channel of the headphone amp, controlled by PAN). Seems like I would need to set up each AUX mix only once on the board and then let each guy tweak the VOL and PAN control on the headphone amp to thier own liking when and if they want.

This solution would seem to keep some semblance of an individual mix for each guy, keeping it simple for the user and way easier to manage for me.

The Samson might work for you. Of course the guys won't have as much control as with their own mix but try it if you already own it  Give it a go and see....

[TJ (Tom) Cornish]

Hmm - thanks so far, everyone. Much to consider here.

I'm running the AUXes pre-fader.

Most of the time we're running the Behringer XR stage box mixer with an iPad controller. Passing the iPad around for each member to tweak thier own mix sounds like it could be a disaster given that there has been reticence to even TRY the the smart phone personal mix option! Sometimes I run the Presonus 16.4.2 (original version) but is unstable when I invoke wireless control. I suppose I could train each guy to manipulate thier own mix but I bet they'd still lean on me to do it for them. Musicianship issue maybe. Technologically challenged, more likely!

Now, I've got a four channel headphone amp in my studio rack that I rarely use (Samson S-Phone). Could this be an analog alternative to the smartphone app since there's a "more-me" cue mixing capability on this amp that can be run in conjunction with the main mix input into each channel on the amp (main mix for all channel in plus individual AUX in on each channel of the headphone amp, controlled by PAN). Seems like I would need to set up each AUX mix only once on the board and then let each guy tweak the VOL and PAN control on the headphone amp to thier own liking when and if they want.

This solution would seem to keep some semblance of an individual mix for each guy, keeping it simple for the user and way easier to manage for me.

Put the ipad on a music stand in the middle of the stage.  When somebody needs something, you point and say "there you go". 

If your musicians are unwilling to learn 2 button presses, maybe they deserve to share a mix.  At the very least when that doesn't work, they'll be more open to the ipad. 

[Trevor Jalla]

If you must babysit every single mix, try adding a monitor engineer fee to your cut from the band takings - and see how quick they learn to DIY their own mixes. Either on their own devices, or a master ipad as described above.

I too am a guitarist/singer, often on IEMs. IMO a shared mix between different musicians potentially creates as many problems as its solves.

[brian maddox]

Hmm - thanks so far, everyone. Much to consider here.

I'm running the AUXes pre-fader.

Most of the time we're running the Behringer XR stage box mixer with an iPad controller. Passing the iPad around for each member to tweak thier own mix sounds like it could be a disaster given that there has been reticence to even TRY the the smart phone personal mix option! Sometimes I run the Presonus 16.4.2 (original version) but is unstable when I invoke wireless control. I suppose I could train each guy to manipulate thier own mix but I bet they'd still lean on me to do it for them. Musicianship issue maybe. Technologically challenged, more likely!

Now, I've got a four channel headphone amp in my studio rack that I rarely use (Samson S-Phone). Could this be an analog alternative to the smartphone app since there's a "more-me" cue mixing capability on this amp that can be run in conjunction with the main mix input into each channel on the amp (main mix for all channel in plus individual AUX in on each channel of the headphone amp, controlled by PAN). Seems like I would need to set up each AUX mix only once on the board and then let each guy tweak the VOL and PAN control on the headphone amp to thier own liking when and if they want.

This solution would seem to keep some semblance of an individual mix for each guy, keeping it simple for the user and way easier to manage for me.

The X32-q app for the X32 series gives you the ability to set up an individual mix and then group channels in up to 4 groups for very simplified 'more me' mixing.  I'm not sure the app for the x16 has this feature, but if it does it really is the best of both worlds. You dial in the basic mix for them, and they tweak the critical stuff as the show goes on.

If they aren't willing to do even that, then I don't know what to tell you.  I know I'd tell them to pound sand, but that's just me,  😀

[Fraser Moffatt]

haha - some good "social engineering" suggestions here. 

I really have given the personal mixing via mobile device serious consideration.

Presonus has a great personal mixer (QMix) app but my 1st gen SL16.4.2 is just too unstable to trust with a wireless connection in live use (plus, needs a laptop AND external WiFi router to work). Too bulky. I'm not really interested in upgrading to AI or moving up to the RM series (cost).

The Behringer XR series does not seem to have a personal mixing app (that I could find). Not crazy about the tablet app either, let alone having my guys try to use this on thier own! I'm dealing with guys who have problems figuring out which end of an XLR to plug into the board! Great musicians, terrible technical people! I'm the band techie by default....

Thinking Mackie DL might be the way to go - OK form factor, wireless support, decent tablet app and apparently there's a personal mix app (haven't seen it or played with it, though).

If I could have the form factor of the XR, the tablet app of the DL and the personal mixer app of the SL, I think I'd be heading towards a solution I could live with!

I will tinker around with the Samson headphone amp setup and see how that works in the wild - or at rehearsal, anways - and attempt to strike a balance between simplicity and utility.

[ProSoundWeb Community]