In-Ear Monitors for Musicians

On stage, a monitor has one job: to let you hear yourself and the band clearly, at a level your ears can live with for years. A good in-ear seals out the backline and the room, so the mix can sit lower and stay the same from soundcheck to the last song. We fit singers, bands and engineers at our studio in Singapore, and build for musicians overseas from impressions or a 3D scan.

Which monitor for which seat

Singers: A3H+ LUX, a three-driver hybrid with a switch for four voicings; Vocal brings the midrange forward for vocal monitors, and Vocal+ adds presence without sharpness. Z06 puts vocals further forward over a deep sub-bass. More in in-ear monitors for singers.
Drummers and bassists: ATH, a six-driver hybrid whose sub-bass hits hard and stays natural, with four settings on two small switches: Reference, Bass, Live and Classic. ASH has seven drivers and a 13 mm graphene woofer, for a deep, full low end without losing the voice and treble.
Guitar and keys: AXH, a balanced five-driver hybrid with a natural low end and clear detail in the voice and treble. AAW recommends the single-driver A1D for vocals, guitar, keyboard and bass.
A first pair: M20, an all-armature monitor with real weight in the low end, and A2H, a two-driver hybrid with a deep, natural low end.
Engineers and critical listening: ATH and M20 are built for engineers as well as performers. At the top of the line, Mockingbird and Canary Pro are recommended to vocalists, guitarists, bassists, drummers and engineers alike.

The frequency-response graphs for each model are on IEM measurements, and custom vs universal explains the trade-offs between the two kinds. A higher driver count isn't the measure of a monitor: see are more drivers better?

Custom or universal

A custom IEM is cast from your ear impressions, so it seals the same way every time and stays put through a whole set. That seal is the isolation that lets the mix come down. Universals fit with ear tips, ship from stock and suit a first pair, a spare, or a dep who joins for one tour. Z06, ATH, A3H+ LUX, M20, AXH and ASH all come in both. A custom Z06 can carry your band's logo.

Ear impressions

In Singapore, book a visit: impressions take 10 to 20 minutes at our studio, for SGD 50, and you can listen to the universals while you are here. For a whole band, we can come to your rehearsal space and take everyone's impressions in one session. Overseas, an audiologist can take them, or you can send a 3D scan; ear impressions explains what to ask for.

Cables for the stage

Every custom comes with a 1.2 m detachable cable. On stage the cable is what wears first, so we build replacements for most in-ear monitors, from 50 cm to 3 m, with the connector and plug your bodypack takes. For long runs and heavy use we suggest a four-braid cable such as Lune.

Before a tour or a release

Custom IEMs take 6 to 8 weeks from when your impressions or scan reach us. If you have a date, the Express service brings it to about 3 weeks for USD 150; email sales@null-audio.com before you order so we can confirm a slot. It isn't available over Chinese New Year. Universals in stock ship straight from Singapore. How long do custom IEMs take? plans it back from a date.

Protect your hearing off stage too

For rehearsals, gigs you play without in-ears and nights in the audience, Noise Guard custom earplugs are moulded to your ears. Their BASS filter is made for music: it softens the high end, up to 36 dB at 8 kHz, while the music stays clear. Custom earplugs vs foam compares the two.

Bands and group orders

For a band, a school or a studio ordering together, we quote the whole order: see group orders.

After you have them

Every monitor has a 1-year warranty, and a custom IEM includes a free refit within 30 days if the fit isn't right. If something is damaged later, our Lifetime Replacement Program replaces it new at half price.

Tell us what you play and where: email sales@null-audio.com, or book a visit to the studio.