These days, it’s not unusual to find in-ear monitors on a musician’s list of must-haves. After all, these powerful little devices could mean the difference between top-notch, consistent performances and cringe-worthy sessions an artist would rather forget.
In a nutshell, in-ear monitors, or IEMs, are earmolds that send sound from the mix engineer to the singer or musician on stage or in the studio. They not only allow performers to hear a customized mix of backup vocals, instrumentation, or other desired audio, but they also cancel out ambient sounds or other unwanted noise.
To get the most out of in-ear monitors customized for your specific needs, it’s important to start with ear impressions crafted professionally rather than DIY-style. Here’s why:
- Safety and Accuracy — Making ear impressions involves filling up the space around the outside of the ear and down into the ear canal — being careful not to touch the eardrum. Trained audiologists are not only better equipped to create a more accurate impression of your ear but can better protect your ear while performing the work.
- Cost and Efficiency — Though online or mail-order services may provide a DIY ear-impression kit, they’ll charge you for each earmold remake if you’re not satisfied with the final product manufactured from your homemade impressions. Between the cost of the initial earmolds, remakes, and back-and-forth shipping, those expenses can add up and still yield a potentially unsatisfactory result.
- Questions and Results — It takes a trained professional to craft an ear impression made with your specific listening needs in mind. A singer may require a longer impression based on his or her use of the device. Another musician may require a shorter impression. A trained doctor of audiology will ask key questions to create a product that meets your unique criteria.
At Hearing Solution Centers, our experienced audiologists — musicians and singers themselves — have created thousands of customized earmolds. We expertly craft your impressions in-house, send them to our manufacturing partner to produce the earmolds, handle all shipping, and back up our products with a warranty.
Contact us today to learn more about customized in-ear monitors or to schedule your fitting today. Our experts understand what it takes to ensure you hear every note just the way you want.