Please ensure Javascript is enabled for purposes of website accessibility Jump to content

Playing Live, Headphone Out, Wireless Earbuds, Bluetooth, Ideas Anyone?


The-Big-Diezel
 Share

Recommended Posts

Hey there, here's an idea I've had to help my live playing and not run an in ear system but possibly something easier and right out the Helix LT.

 

Headphone out, blue tooth receiver, BT ear buds??

 

Anything like this or something similar possible?

 

I'm just looking to get a quick and easy solution to stage playing volume issues and my old live in ear system was ok but needed an actual wire to run to a headphone amp in my back pocket then the earbuds which wasn't comfortable.

 

Thanks

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Way too much latency with BT. Even the rather expensive Sennheiser HD185 digital RF had too much latency. Tried the Galaxy Audio AS-900 ($200.00), but they were cheap plastic crap, noisy, with dropouts a compressed sound and really awful earbuds. Maybe the top of the line Galaxy stuff ($600) is better, but the bottom of the pro spectrum starts around $700.

 

Pro IEM systems are expensive because, well, they work!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks for the reply, I have an IEM that I could borrow from my singer but it's still not as fast to setup as I'd like when playing live and have to get all my BS ready. I found this post just 10 minutes ago and will try this...

 

I FOUND A COMBINATION THAT WORKS!

 

This Transmitter:  https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01B4W40VC/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o05_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

This Receiver: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B073DZMWD1/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

The transmitter is plugged into the "headphone out" of the Helix. Then I have a standard pair of wired headphones plugged into the receiver. I had to use a 3.5mm to 1/4" adapter to allow the transmitter to plug into the Helix.

 

There is still a very slight delay, but not enough to throw me off. I put my wired earbuds in, then put a generic pair of sound reducing cans over my ears when practicing w/ my band in the loud lollipop basement. 

 

Given the nature of Bluetooth, it's possible that YMMV but I'm tellin you guys.... I LOVE IT! 

 

ME SPEAKING

These faster BT systems seem to be close to 30ms, which having used for many years on my lead tone to thicken it up in the delay, is ridiculously fast. I'll see if this setup above works and is easy, hell maybe something is even faster now.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I use IEMs with a Behringer P2 headphone amp on my belt. I use a standard XLR cable with a Y adapter to get stereo out of our SD16 digital snake head. I have not found the wire to be a problem as I’m connected to my Helix with a VDI cable anyway. My advice is to get good noise isolating earphones and don’t worry about the cable.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

13 hours ago, The-Big-Diezel said:

Thanks for the reply, I have an IEM that I could borrow from my singer but it's still not as fast to setup as I'd like when playing live and have to get all my BS ready. I found this post just 10 minutes ago and will try this...

 

I FOUND A COMBINATION THAT WORKS!

 

This Transmitter:  https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01B4W40VC/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o05_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

This Receiver: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B073DZMWD1/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

The transmitter is plugged into the "headphone out" of the Helix. Then I have a standard pair of wired headphones plugged into the receiver. I had to use a 3.5mm to 1/4" adapter to allow the transmitter to plug into the Helix.

 

There is still a very slight delay, but not enough to throw me off. I put my wired earbuds in, then put a generic pair of sound reducing cans over my ears when practicing w/ my band in the loud lollipop basement. 

 

Given the nature of Bluetooth, it's possible that YMMV but I'm tellin you guys.... I LOVE IT! 

 

ME SPEAKING

These faster BT systems seem to be close to 30ms, which having used for many years on my lead tone to thicken it up in the delay, is ridiculously fast. I'll see if this setup above works and is easy, hell maybe something is even faster now.

 

Even if you find something with tolerable latency, you couldn't pay me to rely on BT connections for live performance...way too prone to drop outs. Half the time my damn phone can't stay connected for passive music listening in the car. There are already a thousand ways to have "Spinal Tap" moments on stage without bringing it on yourself. 

  • Haha 2
  • Upvote 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

6 hours ago, amsdenj said:

I use IEMs with a Behringer P2 headphone amp on my belt. I use a standard XLR cable with a Y adapter to get stereo out of our SD16 digital snake head. I have not found the wire to be a problem as I’m connected to my Helix with a VDI cable anyway. My advice is to get good noise isolating earphones and don’t worry about the cable.

^^^ this ^^^

I use a P1, mounted on my pedalboard. I made a headphone extension cord which I tied to my guitar cable. During rehearsal, I use stereo mode with both XLR outputs of the LT to the P1.

During a gig, I use mono mode, which allows me to make my own mix of mono monitor signal and mono signal from my LT.

I wouldn’t rely on bluetooth because of latency, range and dropouts. I’d be rather be tied to my cables.

Most acceptable IEM systems do cost a lot of money.

For ear phones you also want the types that block (most of) the stage sound. I found the KZ ZS10 are rather good, and cheap. They are a lot better than my Shure SE210. 

On the picture, you can see my setup, the P1 is in the right hand upper corner. 

5E115B05-01A4-4C44-9387-6B4D4D8744AD.jpeg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Similar to Marco.  Looked at wirelesss for ages then realised that with a Variax I'd always have a cable to the Helix any way.  Used some self closing cable management material and cable ties to make a custom combined 'cable' with a long tail Helix end, short guitar end and connect in ears (1964 V3s) direct to that.

 

Have used straight from the headphone out and they are loud with it on 5.

 

I wanted ambient and the ability to put vox in so now go Helix > headphone out > Posse (with ambient from that and Vox send from desk, sub mixed on the posse mic stand unit) > in ears.

 

I can control how much of what I want/need to hear and customise for the venue.

 

I have conductive deafness (-120db) and was concerned it wouldn't be loud enough, but I run the master on 5 and when I take the in ears out and put hearing aids back in the ambient from the posse is louder than my hearing aids and clearer.  The guit is louder than that and Vox loud too so.... yep it feels real, especially with a PowerCab on the floor behind me, for the band and FoH.

 

I went to proper in ears 3+years ago after being pissed off with poor fit, changing sound as they moved etc.  Cost me 800AU back then custom made in the states and shipped here, and 3 years later still going strong.  It might sound a lot, but I used to lug powered wedges, and could never hear exactly what I wanted and my full monitor set-up is now in a small flight case and works at any gig, and cost me less that a couple of good wedges - AND I can be silent on stage if thats what's needed, or any volume from that to filling a small bar from stage witht eh Powercab.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks for all the replies, I wish this was a problem but something more embarrassing is, I don't get any sound from the headphones out. I have the global setting for headphones on 1/4" and while using anything from ATM50, Sennheiser HD206 and even a headphone amp and ear buds =nothing. 

 

Gonna be hard to use any of the products above if I can't get a signal out. LOL

 

I'm using the Helix only in my amps FX loop and thought I'd hear that signal at the end of the chain in the Helix out the headphones, maybe not. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

 Share

×
×
  • Create New...