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suppaboy228 t1_irxqz7b wrote

Reply to comment by HongKong_Bussy_Lmao in IEM’s just hit different by Cameri-

They're IE, but not M.

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WatchAndEatPopcorn t1_irxrwrf wrote

Define M though... I think IEM for casual listening or even audiophile purposes has coopted the term used to monitor ones live performance... so I would argue that all these aren't really M.

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suppaboy228 t1_irxsnfr wrote

Monitoring means being able to hear yourself through the recording/live performance equipment. That's not the case with wireless headphones of any sort as of now.

The first issue is latency, especially on instruments

Then there's quality.

And finally, you can't connect bluetooth headphones to the interface/radio system with no additional gear which can be an issue

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Oscillus t1_irxvu0p wrote

I'm sure it's semantics at this point but ...

Airpods Pro in transparency mode most definitely let you hear yourself ;)

I'll let myself out now

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suppaboy228 t1_irxwjhv wrote

There's more to that than just hearing your voice.

I'm talking about listening to stuff that's being recorded or performed.

For example, you are tracking vocals and you are too forward and the proximity effect is giving you too much lower frequencies. You won't hear that with transparency mode.

Or you are tracking the guitar and need it to have an instant response (up to 10 ms latency is fine). You won't be able to play to the click if the latency is too big.

Hope you get my point.

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WatchAndEatPopcorn t1_irxujjr wrote

I agree, but I do feel like the term has already been repurposed. How many people on this subreddit are using an IEM for monitoring performances vs listening to music?
In practical modern internet usage, the earbuds that insert into the canal are IEMs, so the AirPods Pro 2.0 is just as much an "IEM" as the Moondrop Chu. Even if the later has more potential utility as an actual IEM.

For the record, I hate that and feel like "IEM" shouldn't be used in this context. But if we're already abusing it, and that ship has already sailed, I don't see much issue applying it to bluetooth sets.

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suppaboy228 t1_irxuvhr wrote

For me, the last border is them being wired.

If the earbuds are wired and are of higher quality, they can be called iem in my book.

As long as they're wireless, they're tws buds.

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rodaphilia t1_iryru4k wrote

But stage monitors would just connect to a wireless pack, anyway.

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suppaboy228 t1_irzw2lx wrote

Wireless pack isn't bluetooth. It's radio.

Attaching a bluetooth transmitter to a radio receiver doesn't seem practical for me considering the latency and quality issues

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AshravenPB t1_iry629a wrote

Bluetooth headphones could be used as monitors based on that definition of monitoring. Sure they’d do the job poorly but they could still fill that role meaning the could still be considered monitors

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suppaboy228 t1_iry787l wrote

This is the wrong tool for the wrong job.

As my grandpa said, you can hit the nail with a microscope. But if you can, it doesn't mean you should.

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icantfindfree t1_irzxb4d wrote

I'm a drummer and I used my galaxy buds pro as monitors for the backing track literally every other day.

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suppaboy228 t1_irzxzp8 wrote

This is not monitoring.

It would be monitoring if you were to play electronic drums through those earbuds.

Monitoring is being able to hear what the recording equipment is "hearing".

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Dougmw1337 t1_is616ul wrote

I mean they have a reasonably flat measurement, which is what the M is all about. Compare to those new Bose which looks like a mountain range.

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suppaboy228 t1_is6evz9 wrote

As it was discussed, monitoring means being able to hear yourself when recording the performance.

Monitoring headphones should not be flat at all. Ones of the best monitoring headphones are 770's and m50x's.

Their spikes are intentional to make the singer record the vocals so that sibilants occur less and for better upper detail retrieval. Narrow soundstage also helps with that.

I don't know if it was designed with that in mind, but we use them for that specific reason as well as many other recording engineers.

And yes, no one is seriously mixing with those.

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