LightSoundJournal.com: Sennheiser is launching a new series of professional in-ears, beginning with the IE 40 PRO entry model which will be available towards the end of this month. The IE 40 PRO ensures “impeccable audio reproduction with warmth, great detail and natural clarity”, thus improving the artist’s focus and performance control even in difficult stage situations.
2 comments:
Sennheiser In-Ear Monitors are very high quality, and it is always interesting to see what they do with their technology. However, opposed to most of their lineup, these IEMs are relatively affordable (starting at $100). One thing that is interesting to notice is that these headphones are still made with a ⅛” headphone jack. Despite Apple’s efforts, this is still the preferred method for major professional audio companies. While Bluetooth technology is progressing, it still does not compare to traditional analog technology. These traditional IEMs house high-quality Sennheiser drivers, have very good clarity and very low distortion. Unfortunately, there are not very many applications in the theatre. However, sound technology is always important to stay on top of in our industry, as there are many different uses and fields within sound design, and developments in other areas could very well bleed into the realm of theatre, as well as vice-versa.
These appear to be pretty good quality especially for the price range. The incremental sound quality and isolation improvements are to be expected, but what I would be most interested in is the claim that they’re more resistant to cable breakage than other IEMs. I do have to disagree with Willem that they have limited use in live theatre though. At least in my experience, the most frustrating part of a show (at least when working with live musicians) can be adjusting monitors to find a place that the band and I can agree on. When the budget is available, IEMs are invaluable both in giving musicians more individual control of their levels and mixes as well as keeping noisy (and sometimes ugly) monitors running. Depending on the stage setup, I would argue that IEMs could be useful for actors, especially as they become smaller and more discreet. It would open up options while saving time if the designer can focus all of their loudspeakers in providing the best audio to the audience.
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