Using headphones for Mixer

[ricola_pak]

I currently play keyboards in my church's worship team.

Because of several sound issues:
1) Can't hear everyone and myself at the same time because of a lack of monitor amps

2) We practice at home and could get too loud sometimes

We plan to get a small mixer board, plug in everything, and then plug in a couple of headphones, one for each person, and then play that way.

I'd imagine that by doing this, we'd be able to hear everyone hence easier to arrange music and adjusting volume levels etc would be easier.

I'm wondering if anyone has had experience with this kind of setup? Any advice you could give me?

Thanks!

-Ricky

 

[rickcr42]

use sealed headphones and a headphone distribution amp with a separate volume control for each performer on the mixer monitor output

 

[ricola_pak]

Thanks!

I have read an article from Headwize on this topic.

however, any pointers for which mixer/headphone monitor to look at? We are willing to spend around 200-400 bucks.

 

[Orpheus]

well, if you don't plan on using your setup for recording... then sound fidelity isn't as important. so, you can get away with using one of those cheap-o behringer mixers.... they don't cost much at all. maybe $100? for 8 channels.... that'll be enough for 4 stereo keyboards. then you need a headphone amp/distribution box. for a 4 channel version, you probably can again get a cheap-o behringer for $50-100. and then you need headphones............. the one i would normally recommend is the Sony 7506 (THE headphones for musician use.... bar NONE)... but they're $100 a pop at Guitar Center. so... you'll probably have to settle for something cheaper.

buy used, and you can save 50%.

oh forgot, you'll need cables.... again, HOSA will be fine for your needs. get the cheap stuff. don't even bother with monster cable. any cheap-o cable will be fine for you. i recommend getting 20ft or longer cables, otherwise you'll regret not having long cables later.

if you ever want to record though.... or do anything serious... then you'll have to dump the behringer stuff... they are CRAP. but be prepared to spend MUCH more than your current budget to get an adequate live recording setup for 4 keyboard players.

 

[rickcr42]

check out the Rolls gear , inexpensive , lot of choices to suit need and darn good quality for the price-the product cost is in performance and not in a pretty enclosure and aluminum knobs

mixers,headphone amps,headphone distribution amps,headphone monitor amps,equalizers,direct boxes

any thing you need is there

 

[rickcr42]

[=http://www.soundprofessionals.com/cgi-bin/gold/category.cgi?category=535&template=audio[/URL]

[=http://www.rolls.com/[/URL]

 

[Orpheus]

yeah... rolls makes your basic but nice quality gear. but i think to really fit his budget, he's gonna have to skimp on as much as possible. $200-400 is quite a small budget for 4 keyboard players. i think headphone amps and stuff can be sacrificed for better headphones, which i think make the most difference. i dunno if you agree.... but that's kinda how i view things.

behringer is THE leader in cheap-o stuff. they suck. but when you have such a small budget, you gotta compromise.

by the way... try checking out www.homerecording.com/bbs

they have a whole forum on low-mid range recording equipment. they don't have much in the way of real pro stuff... but you don't care about that do you?

 

[rickcr42]

just an example

$200

$50


for $250 you have a 5 inputs to four sets of headphones ,leaving $150 for cans : not too shabby !

 

[Orpheus]

i take it back, seems rick is right.... the behringer headphone amp is about $100 street price. it seems rolls is between $110-160 depending on model. if i were you, i'd rather pay $10 more to avoid behringer crap.

(the behringer model does have built in EQ and other stuff...... which you might like to play around with..... but don't expect good performance.)

rick, don't forget... he has to still buy cables and stupid little stuff. and you gotta figure in tax and shipping as well. also, $150 for 4 sets of headphones can't buy you the best stuff, even well used. i'd rather spend more on the headphones myself. that little rolls mixer looks pretty useful in his situation though... but it would be useful to have a full-fledged mini-mixer i think. i dunno... i guess either way would work fine, depending on how you like to work.

 

[ricola_pak]

Thanks a lot for your help, guys.

Sorry I didn't make it clear, we aren't 4 keyboard players, but only I play the keys. Theres 2 other guitar, one bass, one electric drumset, and probably one vocal.

So I guess about 8 channels is enough.

Thanks for the help!

Basically I will look for a cheap mixer and maybe a headphone amp/distributor and that looks set to go!

EDIT: Actually I think I can borrow some monitor speakers from my church, so maybe I don't even need the headphone distributor.

 

[Orpheus]

but i thought you said you wanted headphones cause monitors would be too loud?

heh he... well, whatever works. as you can see, there are many choices in equipment, and even in ways to hook things up. just gotta go by experience.

 

[rickcr42]

Quote:

$150 for 4 sets of headphones can't buy you the best stuff, even well used. i'd rather spend more on the headphones myself. that little rolls mixer looks pretty useful in his situation though... but it would be useful to have a full-fledged mini-mixer i think. i dunno... i guess either way would work fine, depending on how you like to work.

yeah but don't forget

the headphone requirements to reproduce music are way different than for producing music and need not be as accurate

a few pairs of lower end sealed AKG cans running at like $30will do in a pinch

as for the rest -looks like a couple of direct boxes are in order and I still would suggest the Rolls equipment when it is a question of little loot but long on performance

They seem to have pretty much any option covered at a reasonable price

BTW-another "option' can be a minimixer-distribution amp-personal monitor amps/headphones

most likely will add a bit to the cost but each member can then control his/her own mix

just a thought

rickmeister

 

[ricola_pak]

For the Rolls mixer you guys suggested, are they powered? Or would I need a seperate amp as well?

Do models such as Rolls MX902 9x2 Professional Mixer need a seperate amp?

Thanks for the help again!

 

[rickcr42]

you can download the manual with schematic for mosy rolls products fromthe main website

if by amp you mean power amp then no (but you said you needed headphonre distribution right ?) , headphone amp is included in some models

many choices but no way you can get mixer/headphone distribution amps/power a,ps/headphones in your price range