- In the market for a pair of custom in-ear monitors?
- We round up 5 of the best brands who produce custom in-ear monitors.
- Learn the benefits of using custom IEMs onstage or in the studio.
- You may also want to check out our separate post on the best general in-ear monitors for live performance.
If you’re in a band or working as a sound engineer, you know how important it is to hear yourself onstage or at the venue during a live performance. With so many variables in sound systems, venue sizes, and musical styles, it can be hard to get the same results at every gig.
This is where ear monitors can come in handy. Thanks to their noise isolation, you’ll always be able to hear yourself and create your own mixes with better transparency.
What Are The Best Custom In-Ear Monitors?
The UltimateEars UE 11 Pro series has a three-way crossover and dual low-frequency drivers. It offers superb isolation and is a go-to choice for many performing artists.
The Inearz Audio FS250 series is affordable yet professional with various connection options.
The UltimateEars UE Live is great for performing musicians, with eight speakers and a frequency response from 5Hz to 40kHz.
If you’re unsure where to start, we’ve put together a list of the five best custom in-ear monitors for musicians and sound engineers.
- UltimateEars UE 11 Pro (Our Pick)
- Inearz Audio FS250 (Best Value)
- UltimateEars UE Live (Best Premium)
- Campfire Audio Equinox
- JH Audio JH11
1. UltimateEars UE 11 Pro (Our Pick)
With a three-way crossover for unparalleled clarity and dual low-frequency drivers for extra bass reinforcement, UE 11 Pro gives you the best of both worlds.
Features
- 5-way crossover
- IPX connection
- Subsonic filter
Review
UltimateEars has been at the top of the audio game for over 20 years when they first developed a custom IEM for Alex Van Halen. In 2008 they partnered with Logitech and have continued to make some of the best custom in-ear monitors for musicians. Their Pro series covers every type of musician, from drummers and bassists to guitarists and vocalists. Their Live series is primarily made for audio engineers and FOH mixers.
The UE 11 Pro is primarily intended for drummers but can be used by any musician or engineer who wants to be able to control what they hear and really feel the bass.
With a mid and low sonic filter, you’ll get a lot of clarity in the low and low-mid range. There’s also a high sonic filter, making for a balanced and accurate sound. All UltimateEARS IEMs block out 26 decibels of noise for a truly isolated listening experience.
As with any UltimateEars IEM, you can send in your own ear impression to shape it to your ear, and you can also customize your faceplates for some extra bling (or to differentiate your own IEMs from those of your bandmates).
Plus, the cable is waterproof and sweatproof, making it very durable for gigs and rehearsals. All UltimateEars IEMs connect with a 1/8″ headphone jack.
2. Inearz Audio FS250 (Best Value!)
Fusion SoftTM by InEarz Audio combines a soft silicone earmold with a hard acrylic strain relief face plate for the most comfortable in ear monitor in the world.
Features
- Single tweeter and a dedicated woofer
- -26dB of isolation
- Customizable faceplate
Review
Inearz Audio has a few different in-ear monitor systems, with the FS250 being the best cheap custom in-ear monitors out of their Fusion Soft series.
Not only can you customize the faceplates, but you can also choose from a variety of cables. The soft silicone makes them extremely comfortable and durable.
They have a single tweeter for high frequencies and two woofers for lows and mids.
With their affordable price, these in-ear monitors are great for beginner musicians and engineers, or for bands new to using in-ear monitor systems.
As with all InEarz Audio IEMs, the FS250 package includes a case, cable, carrying pouch, cord keeper, and cleaning tool.
3. UltimateEars UE Live (Best Premium!)
Eight precision-tuned drivers reproduce your music with maximum purity and power, while the tour-proof design guards against the rigors of the road.
Features
- 5-way crossover
- 6mm neodymium sub
- 8 balanced drivers: two lows, two low mids, two high mids, a subsonic filter, and one mid-high
Review
If you have more to spend, the UE Live series from UltimateEars is excellent for stage or studio use, with eight different drivers to give you the clearest sound, including a subsonic filter for super-low bass.
They use UltimateEars’ True Tone technology to clearly bring out harmonics and overtones in any environment, including stadiums and festivals. With frequency response up to 18KHz, you’ll hear things you can’t pick up on headphones.
These sound great, durable and easy to maintain, with an IPX cable rated waterproof and sweatproof for all the hardships of touring. The UltimateEars cable system allows you to easily swap out cables using a universal connector.
4. Campfire Audio Equinox
The Campfire Audio Equinox features a patent-pending solid body design custom engineered and optimized for you. Centered around their 10mm Full Range A.D.L.C. Diaphragm Dynamic Driver, Equinox is a reference tool for artists and audiophiles alike.
Features
- 10mm full-range dynamic driver
- Less than 1% total harmonic distortion
- Stainless steel driver enclosure for ultimate durability
Review
The Equinox is one of the best custom-molded in-ear monitors for under $2000. It comes in two different fits, the Artist fit and the Audiophile fit.
The Artist fit is slightly deeper and tighter to provide more isolation onstage, whereas the Audiophile fit is shallower and geared more towards comfort during long listening sessions.
In either case, you can choose from various cable styles depending on your needs.
These custom IEMs focus on midrange and vocals, which are sometimes neglected as many companies prioritize boosting bass.
5. JH Audio JH11
A touring staple since 2006. This quad-driver IEM provides a level of clarity and refinement far beyond most high-end earphones and is known for outstanding detail, tonal range, and stereo imaging.
Features
- Freqphase Waveguide technology detects and corrects phase issues
- 4-driver configuration: Dual Low, Single Mid, Single High
- -26dB noise isolation
Review
The JH11 from JH Audio is built for touring musicians who need something durable with clarity, especially in the low end, where things tend to get muddy.
Their FreqPhase Waveguide technology helps to prevent phase issues onstage by detecting and correcting them on the fly, so no matter where you’re playing, you’ll get the same audio experience.
They’re also sweatproof with their Acoustic Sound Chamber tubing system, so they don’t need to be cleaned as often, which is a huge plus if you’re on the road a lot. The JH11 package includes a bass adjustment tool and a wax removal tool.
FAQ
What are the benefits of IEMs as a performer?
One of the biggest benefits of using IEMs onstage is that you don’t have to blast the monitor volume to hear yourself sing or play.
Another is that you can better dial in the relative volume of your bandmates.
Depending on what size venues you play and what genre(s) of music, this can be a huge plus despite the learning curve for working with IEMs and getting used to wearing them.
Can you use in ear monitors to mix?
When you use in ear monitors in the studio to mix, you can easily correct any phase issues or masking issues when EQing tracks.
Since you can dial in a precise custom mix based on any listening environment, you can be sure that your reverb and other time-based effects are placed exactly how you want them.
If you’re using custom IEMs in a live mix setting, you have greater control over your mixes. You’ll have less volume on stage so it’s easier to hear what you’re doing and to know that the musicians are hearing what they’re supposed to.
And since the audience won’t hear what you’re hearing, you can add a click track for a drummer without it coming through in the monitor mix.
