1413Chapter 37
Personal Monitor Systems
by Gino Sigismondi
37.1 Background........................................................................... 1415
37.2 Personal Monitor System Advantages...................................................... 1416
37.3 Sound Quality......................................................................... 1416
37.3.1 Adequate Volume................................................................... 1416
37.3.2 Gain-Before-Feedback............................................................... 1417
37.3.3 Hearing Conservation................................................................ 1418
37.3.4 Portability......................................................................... 1418
37.3.5 Mobility........................................................................... 1418
37.3.6 Personal Control.................................................................... 1419
37.4 Choosing a System..................................................................... 1420
37.5 Configuring a Personal Monitor System..................................................... 1420
37.5.1 How Many Mixes Are Required?....................................................... 1420
37.5.2 Stereo or Mono?.................................................................... 1421
37.5.3 How Many Mixes Are Available from the Mixing Console?.................................. 1422
37.5.4 How Many Components Are Needed?................................................... 1422
37.6 Earphones............................................................................ 1422
37.6.1 Earphone Options................................................................... 1422
37.6.2 Earphone Transducers................................................................ 1424
37.6.3 The Occluded Ear................................................................... 1425
37.6.4 Ambient Earphones.................................................................. 1425
37.7 Applications for Personal Monitors........................................................ 1425
37.7.1 Rehearsals......................................................................... 1425
37.7.1.1 Performance, Club/Corporate/Wedding Bands—No Monitor Mixer........................ 1426
37.7.1.2 Club Level Bands—With Monitor Console........................................... 1427
37.7.1.3 Professional Touring System....................................................... 1427
37.7.2 Mixing for Personal Monitors.......................................................... 1427
37.7.3 Stereo Wireless Transmission.......................................................... 1428
37.7.4 Personal Monitors for Houses of Worship and Sound Contractors............................. 1429
37.8 Expanding the Personal Monitor System.................................................... 1430
37.8.1 Personal Monitor Mixers.............................................................. 1430
37.8.2 Distributed Mixing.................................................................. 1430
37.8.3 Supplementary Equipment............................................................ 1430
37.8.3.1 Drum Throne Shakers............................................................ 1430
37.8.3.2 Ambient Microphones............................................................ 1431
37.8.3.3 Effects Processing............................................................... 1431
37.8.4 Latency and Personal Monitoring....................................................... 1431
37.8.5 Safe Listening with Personal Monitors................................................... 1432
37.8.5.1 Use an Isolating Earphone......................................................... 1433
37.8.5.2 Use Both Earphones!............................................................. 1433