In-ear monitors have seen an increase in popularity in recent years, not just for big-name tours but also for smaller musical groups and church worship bands. The reason is simple—in-ear monitors offer several advantages over traditional floor wedges and sidefills.
For churches, the first and most significant benefit is the dramatic reduction in stage volume. As floor wedges are banished to the closet or youth center, indirect sound from the stage all but disappears. The mix becomes more controllable, clarity improves and house levels no longer have to be high to compete with the monitors.
In monitor systems where every musician and performer has a beltpack or stand-mounted controller, individuals have much more control over the volume—and sometimes even the mix—of their earphone signal. That means musicians that play and sing better than when they’re struggling to hear themselves in a cluttered stage monitor mix. Musicians can also choose a much lower overall volume level than they might be subjected to on a stage, reducing the potential for hearing damage.
Disadvantages exist, but most can be overcome with the proper equipment and expertise.
The Westone UM1
Westone’s UM1 “Universal” in-ear headphones aim to provide
the benefits of in-ear monitoring without the drawbacks. These affordable earphones
use reusable, disposable foam mounts to offer a firm fit without the cost of
custom molds. The same pair of in-ear monitors can also be used by multiple
people, with each person keeping their own foam earpieces.
The UM1 monitors use a single, balanced-armature driver to produce a frequency range of 40 Hz to 16 kHz. Dual-driver models are also available at a higher cost, offering an extended treble response. Even modest headphone amps can drive the UM1s to adequately high output levels.
The drivers themselves are small metal boxes (about the size of a wooden match head). A small tube carries the sound out of the driver, and the whole assembly is encased in sturdy clear plastic. The Westone earpieces feel almost indestructible, and the thin, braided metal cable that attaches each earpiece to a beltpack or headphone amp is much stronger than it looks.
The UM-1’s cable terminates in a standard 1/8-inch stereo plug.
The foam earpieces sit around the small sound-carrying tubes, and they’re easily replaced if they get dirty or torn. The system includes two extra pairs of foam earpieces and a small cleaning tool for the sound hole. You can order extra foam earpieces from Westone at a very reasonable cost. A compact soft carrying case keeps the UM1s safe, and foam earpieces intact, when not in use.
In Use
Placing the UM1 monitors into your ears is as easy as compacting the foam earpieces
by rolling them between your fingers and inserting the monitors into your ears.
The foam expands to create a tight seal, blocking outside sounds with almost
unnerving effectiveness. I pressed the UM-1s into service on a flight, plugging
them into my laptop for music playback. The reduction in ambient noise from
the plane was impressive.
Performers will want to know three things about the UM-1s: how they feel, how they sound, and how they look. First off, the UM-1s score very high in the comfort area. The expanding foam proves itself to be a viable alternative to expensive custom ear molds.
Sonically, the UM-1s take a little getting used to. Though they generate surprisingly good bass, their high-end frequency response rolls off pretty quickly. The sound of the UM-1s is adequately clear and detailed, they just have very little “air” in the highest octave.
It’s important to consider the purpose of the UM-1s before knocking their sound. The UM-1s aren’t designed to be high-fidelity, open-ear headphones used by audiophiles for casual listening. These are stage monitors first and foremost, and they deliver more than adequate fidelity with noise rejection most headphones can’t match.
Visually, the UM-1s all but disappear from a distance of more than about 10 feet. Their braided silver cable blends in nicely with skin and clothing alike, and the silver ear pieces are not at all obtrusive. Though the documentation mentions looping the individual earpiece cables up, over and behind the ear, I was never able to get them to stay in that position. Not a show-stopper by any means—the cables simply hung straight down from the earpieces.
Starter Ears
Because they’re affordable and offer a “universal” fit, the
UM-1s are a great choice for churches interested in giving in-ear monitors a
first try. This isn’t to say a church would then be ditching the UM- 1s
in favor of other earpieces—these monitors offer sound quality and noise
rejection that’s more than adequate for the long haul.
For many churches, moving from traditional floor wedges to in-ear monitors will require more resources both in staffing and equipment. In-ear monitoring done right usually involves a dedicated monitor engineer, power amps, effects units and limiters (for hearing protection). For the extra investment in resources, however, most churches will reap an unmistakable improvement in their house sound.
If your church is ready to try in-ear monitors, Westone’s UM-1s are definitely worth a listen.
