Wedges vs. In-Ear Monitors: Choosing a Monitor Setup for Your Show

Performers need to hear themselves. How they do it — loudspeakers on the floor or earphones in their ears — shapes the whole stage. Here's how floor wedges and in-ear monitors compare, and how to pick the right setup for a show.

Floor wedges

A wedge is a monitor speaker on the floor, angled up at the performer. Each wedge (or group of wedges) gets its own mix.

Strengths

• Natural feel: performers hear the room and each other through the air
• No RF: no frequencies to coordinate
• Simple: performers just walk on and play
• Comfortable for performers who don't like earphones

Trade-offs

• Stage volume: wedges add sound to the stage, which bleeds into vocal mics and the audience mix
• Feedback risk: loud wedges and open mics can ring
• Inconsistent: the sound changes with every room and every step away from the wedge
• Stage space and sightlines: wedges take floor space and can be visible on camera

In-ear monitors

An IEM system sends a mix to earphones, usually wirelessly, with a bodypack receiver on each performer. Systems like the Sennheiser EW IEM G4 are common on riders.

Strengths

• Consistency: the same mix in every venue
• Lower stage volume: cleaner vocal mics, clearer FOH mix
• Hearing protection: good earphones seal out loud stage sound, allowing lower listening levels
• Freedom to move: the mix follows the performer
• Stereo mixes, click and cues delivered privately

Trade-offs

• Isolation: performers can feel cut off from the crowd without ambient mics
• RF coordination is needed, especially in busy cities (frequency coordination)
• Batteries and packs to manage (battery management)
• Earphones: custom molds are best; universals need hygiene planning

Hybrid setups

Many shows mix both approaches:

• The lead vocalist and band on in-ears, with side-fills for energy on stage
• A drummer on a wired in-ear amp plus a drum fill sub for feel
• Guests or presenters on wedges while the band uses in-ears
• Background vocalists sharing an in-ear mix, each with their own pack

Corporate presenters

Presenters often need a confidence monitor wedge for program audio, or a discreet in-ear for producer cues. For panels and keynotes, a small wedge at low level is usually enough. For hosts taking cues from a producer, an IEM bodypack with a single earpiece works well.

How to decide

Planning the order

For wedges: number of mixes, number of wedges per mix, and amplifiers or powered wedges.

For IEMs: number of mixes, stereo or mono, number of packs per mix (plus a spare), earphones, antenna and combiner needs, and the venue address for frequency planning. Our EW IEM G4 setup guide covers the details.

For both: a console with enough mix buses for every monitor mix — see M32R vs. M32C + DL32 and dLive C1500 + CDM48.

Need in-ears for a show in Los Angeles? We rent Sennheiser EW IEM G4 systems across Greater LA. Send us your monitor needs.