Hardwired IEM feed with level control

Hi,

I'm currently using some ASI 3DME IEMs which apart from being a 2 driver IEM, have built in mics to allow you to control how much ambient sound is transmitted through.  There's a mobile app to set the levels, the limiter threshold and the eq.

Dur to the limiter, which I am using due to recent tinnitus, there are occasions where the overall volume gets squashed due to ambient noise, and I can't hear my guitar clearly.  So, I'm feeding a bit of my guitar sound through as you would with a standard IEM.  I use a CaptorX so I have an XLR that I can EQ and dedicated to the IEM feed.

Wireless IEM set ups are pricey so I've been playing with wired.

The 3DMEs have their own small control box with a 3.5mm socket intended for you to plug in your feed from your IEM receiver.

It would actually be ideal to take a 3.5mm stereo cable alongside my guitar cable to the 3DME box.  One advantage is that that cable is much lighter than an XLR cable, so doesn't really add any bulk or weight to my guitar cable.

I'm thinking Amp > CaptorX > XLR out to pedalboard > headphone amp (MA400 or something you guys might recommend) 3.5mm cable > 3DME.

However, I'd like to tweak my IEM feed on the fly, which would mean a small volume control on my belt to tweak the volume.

And of course, a combined cable for both guitar and the stereo IEM feed - terminating in a male 3.5mm stereo jack at each end, would be even better, if that exists?

Does that sound like a reasonable set up?  I'm sure there are thinks I haven't thought of that you guys could school me on.

Thanks,
Andy

I modded a Behringer passive volume control:
https://thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/270863/combined-iem-and-guitar-cable-will-this-work

Also you'll see that @Danny1969 is the expert on this.

Jonathangus said:

I modded a Behringer passive volume control:
https://thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/270863/combined-iem-and-guitar-cable-will-this-work

Also you'll see that @Danny1969 is the expert on this.

Ah, clever,   My soldering is shoddy, I couldn't do that. 

However, I could trial it simply using a 3.5mm to (quarter inch) 6.35mm stereo adapter into that P2. 

If that works well, I could ask someone like @Danny1969  perhaps for the cost to create a lead that has a standard guitar jack at each end, and a 3.5mm stereo jack.

Btw, how long does the batteries in the P2 last?  There seems to be a Donner rip off of the P2 that is rechargeable, but no idea of the quality.

Thanks,
Andy

I change the batteries in my P2 every four or five gigs just out of caution - I've never actually had the warning light come on since I started using it in 2018. It doesn't drain much at all. 

Just checking....it's a headphone amp, so surely that's active rather than passive?

P2 is active, the PM1 is the passive volume control and doesn't take batteries at all. Looks like that what the other thread was using. 

Basically you need to wire the volume control in the same way as a guitar volume but with a stereo (dual gang) pot .... so viewing the pot from the back it would be signal in on the left lug, signal out from the middle and the end lug is ground. Do that on both pots of the dual gang, one pot for each channel of the stereo signal. 

A typical value pot  for a line level signal would be 10K 

You can get in line volume controls which may be a quick and easier way of doing it. But you really want one for line level, a lot of them are intended to go directly between a headphone output and headphones so contain a very low value pot, like 500 Ohms or so which wouldn't be ideal in this application. 

I normally use multucore cable to send IEM stereo signal and guitar up the same cable, that's a more elegant way of doing it. 

andyg_prs said:

There seems to be a Donner rip off of the P2 that is rechargeable, but no idea of the quality.

Ooh, the irony!

I have a few Donner bits and they’ve all lasted long enough for me to think well of them.

shufflebeat said:

andyg_prs said:

There seems to be a Donner rip off of the P2 that is rechargeable, but no idea of the quality.

Ooh, the irony!

I have a few Donner bits and they’ve all lasted long enough for me to think well of them.

I have the Donner...  150 gigs and going strong.. I also use one of Danny's multicore leads...

bloodandtears said:

shufflebeat said:

andyg_prs said:

There seems to be a Donner rip off of the P2 that is rechargeable, but no idea of the quality.

Ooh, the irony!

I have a few Donner bits and they’ve all lasted long enough for me to think well of them.

I have the Donner...  150 gigs and going strong.. I also use one of Danny's multicore leads...

What your set up including that lead please?

andyg_prs said:

bloodandtears said:

shufflebeat said:

andyg_prs said:

There seems to be a Donner rip off of the P2 that is rechargeable, but no idea of the quality.

Ooh, the irony!

I have a few Donner bits and they’ve all lasted long enough for me to think well of them.

I have the Donner...  150 gigs and going strong.. I also use one of Danny's multicore leads...

What your set up including that lead please?

bloodandtears said:

Diago floorboard that houses a Helix, a 4 way power lead and the Donner.. all secured in place..

Assuming you are familiar with Danny's cable - 

at the guitar end....   jack into guitar socket / IEMs into breakout box.

at ground level...  jack into Helix gtr in / 3.5mm jack into Donner headphone out.

All that is required then is an XLR lead with a monitor feed from the mixing desk to plug into the Donner.

Does that make sense @andyg_prs ?

Thanks - it does.  I'm not familiar with the cables though.  Does the breakout box at the guitar end have a level control?

andyg_prs said:

bloodandtears said:

Diago floorboard that houses a Helix, a 4 way power lead and the Donner.. all secured in place..

Assuming you are familiar with Danny's cable - 

at the guitar end....   jack into guitar socket / IEMs into breakout box.

at ground level...  jack into Helix gtr in / 3.5mm jack into Donner headphone out.

All that is required then is an XLR lead with a monitor feed from the mixing desk to plug into the Donner.

Does that make sense @andyg_prs ;;?

Thanks - it does.  I'm not familiar with the cables though.  Does the breakout box at the guitar end have a level control?

@Danny1969  PM incoming

andyg_prs said:

@Danny1969  PM incoming

get in the queue!