Stage monitor setup

[jazzcat88]

I was having trouble finding the answer to this so quick noob question:
Everyone talks about having a pair of qsc’s or iem’s for stage monitoring; how do you set it up? Y-cable from the headphones out or do you have to carry a small mixer with monitor outs?

[jazzcat88]

You could use either solution, but small mixer is imho always the best option, since the headphones output doesn't have a separate volume, unless you put something between (stereo volume pedal or monitor knob) to overcome that, but at that point why not a small mixer? That would also enable you to get a mix of the rest of the band (from the main mixer) to blend with your own sound in the monitors, btw.

[jazzcat88]

There are different options - at least for non professional use.

I still don't use a mixer as I have only one stereo out to get monitored.
1. Instead, I first used my monitor boxes with a thru jack (not all monitors have that). You should do this only if you know what happens: Changing the volume of the monitors shouldn't change the sound or the volume of the main sound.
2. Now, I use a DI box to forward the sound to FoH - and have a monitor thru jack on it (not all DI boxes have that). Which will help separate the monitor sound from the rest. Of course, you can use a mixer with balanced outputs instead.

Both solutions are only necessary if you want to have exclusively your own sound on the monitors. If you want to get a monitor mix back from FoH, you won't need to split your sound: You forward it to the main mixer and get a monitor mix back for IEMs or monitors.

[MarkJames]

I've built a setup with my Nords (and other outbound gear) going to a Behringer XR-18, which then outputs to FoH as well as 2 QSC CP12 monitors (and also an IEM system so I can choose).

This is NOT required, but I prefer to do a submix myself and then send stereo out to FoH.

[wtibbit]

I was having trouble finding the answer to this so quick noob question:
Everyone talks about having a pair of qsc’s or iem’s for stage monitoring; how do you set it up? Y-cable from the headphones out or do you have to carry a small mixer with monitor outs?

My policy is to simplify my set up whenever possible. That includes avoiding a mixer if I don't need one.

A mixer is probably required only if you have more than two (or maybe three) keyboards. Otherwise the mixer is just one more thing that you can misconfigure or can break when you need it the most. To monitor keyboards using a stage monitor setup you probably only need passive direct boxes and maybe not even those if you have a good pro keyboard amp or powered speakers.

If you only have one or two keyboards, use a decent DI box with two ¼ TS input/output connectors and a low impedance XLR output to send each of your signals to both a stage monitor (from one of the ¼ I/Os and to the FoH mixer (from the XLR out). Use a DI for each channel you're sending to the FoH. The Radial Stagebug SB-2 will work fine for this; I found the slightly cheaper Whirlwind IMP-2 sounds just fine.

Or, look at your stage monitor amp setup; they may have DI's or the equivalent built in and you may need no additional equipment at all. My stereo keyboard amp (a Counterpoint Stereo Spacestation XL) has built in DI-type outputs for left, right and summed L/R channels, and both ¼" and XLR for all three outputs. I just plug my two keyboards into my stage monitor and ask the sound person if I need to send stereo or mono to the FoH. My Spacestation XL has two "stereo" channels, so this works for my two keyboards. Some other keyboard amps have more than two.

If you're using powered speakers, many of of those, including the QSCs that I favor, have pre-gain loop-through XLR outputs. These loop-through outputs will work as DI-type outputs to send your signal or signals to the FoH mixer.

Simple is almost always better... as long as it works.

[DJKeys]

I use two K8.2s on stage with a KL-8 stereo mixer. The L/R monitor out goes stereo to the K8.2s, and the Main Out goes to the FOH. The beauty of this mixer is that the Main Out can be set to stereo or mono with a single switch (mono signal is sent to both outputs as well). So, the sound person just has to tell me what they want. In addition, the Outputs are isolated and balanced XLRs, so no direct box is needed.

-dj

[cphollis]

You'll want a small mixer if you want full power from your speakers. If you're OK with somewhat less, no mixer needed.