In-ear monitoring rental

What is in-ear monitoring?

In-ear monitoring is a system that lets performers and speakers on stage hear their own sound directly in the ear via earpieces, instead of via monitor speakers standing on the floor facing the stage. Each person wears a transmitter and earpieces, and receives wirelessly a mix put together especially for them. That way everyone hears exactly what they need to perform well, without the stage having to be full of loud speakers.

That solves a classic problem. Traditional monitor speakers turn the stage into a noisy place where sounds run into each other, and that noise also leaks into the room and disrupts the mix there. They also increase the chance of feedback. In-ear monitoring removes all that stage sound: the stage is quiet, while everyone has a crystal-clear, personal mix in the ear. The result is a cleaner sound in the room and more control for everyone. HuurAV uses in-ear monitoring when a performance or presentation calls for precision and a quiet stage.

What do you use in-ear monitoring for?

In-ear monitoring is most common with music. At a party or company party with a live band, the musicians want to hear each other and themselves well, and that works better with a separate mix per person than with a forest of monitor speakers. The singer hears their own voice clearly above the band, the other musicians each hear what matters for their playing, and the stage stays quiet.

Beyond music, in-ear monitoring is valuable too. At a large corporate event or conference with a tight running order, a host can hear through an earpiece not only their own sound, but also cues from the production or the countdown to the next part. That helps a programme run smoothly and on time. At a wedding with a live performance or a musical moment, in-ear monitoring ensures the performers are at their best without the stage disrupting the atmosphere in the room. It is always about people on stage who need their own sound clearly and reliably in the ear.

A quieter stage

One of the biggest advantages is what happens to the stage itself. Without monitor speakers shouting against each other, the stage is a quiet, controlled place. That is not only more pleasant for the performers, but it also improves the sound reaching the room, because no stage sound leaks over it anymore. The sound technician thereby keeps a far better grip on the total mix in the room.

The technology behind in-ear monitoring

The heart of in-ear monitoring lies in putting together the individual mixes. From the mixing desk a separate mix is built for each person that contains exactly what they want to hear, in the right balance. Sending several independent mixes at once calls for a desk and a system that can handle it, and for someone who understands what each performer needs. HuurAV puts those mixes together in consultation with the performers and adjusts them during the soundcheck.

The wireless transfer is crucial too. Each in-ear set works on its own frequency, and those channels must not interfere with each other or with the other wireless traffic. In a busy urban environment that is a skill in its own right. We coordinate the frequencies carefully, check them at the location and provide fresh batteries with spares. That way the performer hears a stable, uninterrupted mix throughout the whole show. You can read more about our wider approach on the page about sound.

Comfort and hearing protection

In-ear monitoring has another pleasant side effect: it protects hearing. Because the earpieces close off ambient noise and the performer gets a controlled volume in the ear, there is no need to work against a wall of stage sound. That is more comfortable and healthier over a long evening. We provide well-fitting earpieces and set the level so it is clear but not unnecessarily loud.

Keeping contact with the audience

A point to watch with in-ear monitoring is that the earpieces can close the performer off from the atmosphere in the room. Anyone hearing only their own mix misses the applause, the singing along and the reaction of the audience, and it is exactly that contact that makes a performance come alive. That is why we often add one or more microphones to the personal mix that capture the sound of the room, so the performer still picks up the reaction of the audience. How much room sound someone wants in the ear differs per person and per moment, and we tune that during the soundcheck. Some performers also deliberately wear one earpiece loose to stay connected to the space. HuurAV discusses these wishes in advance and makes sure the mix is not only technically right, but also helps the performer keep contact with the room and perform at their best.

Setup, tuning and operation by HuurAV

At HuurAV you rent in-ear monitoring with the support it requires, because putting together personal mixes and coordinating frequencies is a delicate matter. We discuss in advance who is on stage and what each person needs, and tune the system to that. On the day itself we set up, coordinate the frequencies and test every set during a soundcheck, fine-tuning the mixes per person until everyone is satisfied.

Because in-ear monitoring calls for live management, we recommend a technician who watches the mixes during the show and adjusts them at the performers’ request. If you still choose individual equipment that you collect yourself, that is possible through SpeakerVerhuur.nl. That way HuurAV handles the advice, the setup, the testing and the operation, while rental without support is possible through SpeakerVerhuur.nl. HuurAV is part of Speaker Verhuur Amsterdam. Request a no-obligation quote.