In-Ear Monitors (IEMs)

Wireless in-ear monitors give each performer a controlled personal mix without the stage spill of a wedge. Learn the complete signal path from a pre-fader aux bus through the transmitter and beltpack to the performer’s earbuds.

Know the IEM signal path

Build the performer’s mix on a pre-fader aux bus, patch that output to the IEM transmitter, coordinate the transmitter and beltpack receiver on the same RF frequency, and begin with the beltpack volume low.

Choose stereo or mono intentionally

A stereo IEM mix uses two linked aux outputs and can provide space and positional cues. A mono mix uses one aux output, keeps every source in both ears, and is often the simpler choice for speech, corporate AV, and limited console outputs.

Protect the performer’s hearing

Enable the transmitter or beltpack limiter before the earbuds go in, start at a low listening level, and treat the limiter as protection from unexpected peaks—not permission to run the mix too loud.

Part of the Audio Tutorials series.