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[Ferd Regier]

So a few weeks ago I ordered the Hearback Fourpack system for our small church.  Here's a brief review of our experience to date:

Hardware:
The basic package included the controller, four mixers, and cabling required, as well as documentation / instructions.  In addition, I purchased four mounting brackets for mic stands, and six packs of their fitted ear bud adapters (actual buds are not included).  I picked up some fairly inexpensive (wired) earbuds for preliminary use.

Setup:
Ridiculously easy.  I unpacked and set the system up without actually looking at the manual.  Just before powering up, I reviewed the hook-up diagram and checklist and then was on my way.

Use:
This is the best part - all I did was instruct the performers that the number one rule was to look at the limiter setting before you do anything - the rest is up to them.  At full limiting, volume levels are not great, but by reducing the limiting down a bit, they've been getting plenty loud.  Over the course of the first practice, the performers figured out channels, adjustments to volume and limiting, etc.  There are several worship teams, each will use the system.  One common thread (the leader) is the guy I spent the most time with, making sure he understood everything, since he's going to explain things whenever I'm not around.

Impressions:
I ran a few songs that I am familiar with through the system to see how it sounded.  Very clear.  I would guess that the limit to the clarity is in the ear buds used, not in the hearback hardware.  So far, no complaints.  In fact, everyone is very excited about the upgrade.  The guitarist, particularly, is happy to now move his amp off the stage and into a separate room, since he can run it wide open now.  Overall sound is better, since we've reduced the stage volume to virtually nil.  Drums are still something we've got to work with - oh well.  Oh, yeah, the mixers are a bit bigger than I expected.

One more thing:
I had heard that a house mic is necessary for in ear monitors.  This is absolutely correct.  During the first practice, the performers figured this out on their own, so I patched a house mic in as one of the channels.  This helped a lot with the 'feel' of the room.  Over the next few weeks I'm looking to set up a more long-term solution for this input (proper mic selection and placement).

Overall:
Very satisfied with the system based on initial impressions.  I had been directed to seriously consider the aviom system.  Since it was beyond the budget I could rationalize, and the hearback system did all I needed it to, I cut that dream loose.  While I am sure the aviom is a great product, I am not dissapointed.  We rarely have more than four vocalists, piano, guitar, drums and violin.  When we do, some sharing will be required (beyond the current extent).  The mixers each allow multiple outputs, so four mixers will be plenty for us in the near future.  If or when we get further along, another four mixers can be added (and more with an extra hub).

Summary:
Very good product for the money in our application.

Let me know if anyone wants to know anything more specific.
Ferd Regier

[Roy Richards]

Thanks for the information. I had looked into the Hearback, but we needed more sources and outputs than it would allow, so we are getting the Aviom. However, this still sounds like a viable option for the youth priase band. I didn't want to spend the Aviom price for 4 pieces. so this will be great.

I hope you enjoy it. I am considering the Hearback earplugs for $ reasons, have you tried those as well?  My source has those for about a third of the Shure price.

[Ferd Regier]

I'm embarrassed to say that I thought I had ordered six pair of the earbuds, but when I received the shipment found that I had ordered only the bits that go over the buds (to fit into various ear shapes).  We're using them with other ear buds, so I have no experience with Hearback buds.  The fittings do occlude the ear canal, though, so you might want to look into them if the buds you are going to use are not that type.

The ones we've treid so far are cheap Philips and Koss versions (and I mean cheap).  Over time we may upgrade, but I wanted the performers to get used to the in-ear concept before we go big into costlier ones.

When I was still looking at wireless IEM's, I heard that many of the low end buds included with cheap systems were useless.  Somewhere I saw suggestions to use $40-$50 Koss buds as acceptable substitutes.

Good luck

Ferd

[Justin Philip]

how many inputs can you have?

also don't you have to give up your insert jack on you mixer. how would you use it with effects and compressors? on the aviom it's relatively simple.

[Ferd Regier]

There are six straight inputs (distinct control on each mixer for each) plus two more that are left and right (one control for both on each mixer).  I think there is also an aux in over ride of the stereo channels for on-stage plug ins.
Yes, that does somewhat limit things, but consider that you could use the left / right pair as an aux out mix from the board, and supplement as necessary with specific inputs on the rest.  We're OK with the number of inputs (of course more is almost always better).
Yes, we've given up the insert jacks on those channels.  If / when we need to add channel effects / processing, I guess I'll have to split the signal from the snake for each affected channel.
Both of these are limitations, but ones we are willing to live with.

[David Haile]

Ferd Regier wrote on Tue, 31 January 2006 16:56

I'm embarrassed to say that I thought I had ordered six pair of the earbuds, but when I received the shipment found that I had ordered only the bits that go over the buds (to fit into various ear shapes).  We're using them with other ear buds, so I have no experience with Hearback buds.  The fittings do occlude the ear canal, though, so you might want to look into them if the buds you are going to use are not that type. The ones we've treid so far are cheap Philips and Koss versions (and I mean cheap).  Over time we may upgrade, but I wanted the performers to get used to the in-ear concept before we go big into costlier ones. When I was still looking at wireless IEM's, I heard that many of the low end buds included with cheap systems were useless.  Somewhere I saw suggestions to use $40-$50 Koss buds as acceptable substitutes. Good luck Ferd

I tried one set of Hearback buds and was not impressed.  They were not anywhere near as good as my $20 Sony headphones.  They missed lots of the details.  It could be that doesn't matter so much in live sound.  I have yet to hear any buds that sound as good as $20 Sony headphones.  Haven't tried the Shure's yet.

David Haile
Fort Collins, CO

[Brian Morgan]

Ferd Regier wrote on Mon, 30 January 2006 13:33

... One more thing: I had heard that a house mic is necessary for in ear monitors.  This is absolutely correct.  During the first practice, the performers figured this out on their own, so I patched a house mic in as one of the channels.  This helped a lot with the 'feel' of the room.  Over the next few weeks I'm looking to set up a more long-term solution for this input (proper mic selection and placement). ...

Just curious about the house mic.  What we are doing is, since we run our board in mono, sending one side of the house mix into one channel of our Hearback system and the other side to the house amp. (Actually, since we have two separate L/R outs we also are sending one of them to our recording mixer).  

Is there any difference really in what we are doing as opposed to an additional mic?  I do realize a house mic would give additional feedback as far as what the mix sounds like to the audience, as opposed to what is coming out of the speakers.  Is that the reason for a house mic?  Just a preference for a feed of the live sound?

[Ferd Regier]

Yup, the worship band feels 'separate' from the worship without the room sound.  If they were professionals, this might not be such an issue (probably has to do with being a bit self-conscious), but they need to feel where their own part is within the whole and what the congregation is doing (ie-is everyone getting into it?).
Without their own naked ears to rely on, the room mic is the next best thing.  Of course, some performers use only one side of the buds to accomplish this...
Ferd

[Mark Malacavage]

Justin,

As far as giving up inserts... If I remember correctly when we set up our Avioms a couple of years back we had a similar challenge with a channel that we wanted to insert an outboard EQ on. I believe I came out of the console with a regular insert cable into the EQ. I then took the out from the EQ to a 1/4" "Y" splitter. Plugged the return side of the insert cable into one side of the "Y". Then I just ran another 1/4" cable from the other side of the "Y" splitter to the input of the Aviom system. Seems to work for us. Hope this helps.

Mark

[Ferd Regier]

Good idea - I'll try that when I need / want an effect on the same channel.
Thanks

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