Westone Audio AM Pro X 30 In-Ear Monitors
Westone Laboratories has been creating earpieces, hearing protection and audiology products for hearing health since 1959, and later pioneered the custom in-ear monitor market in the 1980s. Various collaborations in the pro audio market followed with companies such as Jerry Harvey, Ultimate Ears and Shure, before launching its own Westone-branded IEMs in 2002. In 2020, the parent company sold the Westone Audio music/pro audio IEM division to Lucid Audio.
Recently, Westone Audio unveiled its AM Pro X universal-fit IEMs, available in single, dual and triple balanced-armature configurations, combined with a StageSense filter system. The latter provides users with a balanced mix of audio and feedback from the audience and fellow performers on stage via an acoustic port on the rear of the earpiece.
By blending the direct monitor mix feed with ambient stage sounds, performers get a better sense of the house/stage environment. For monitor engineers, a key benefit is they can converse with someone at monitor world without constantly having to remove their in-ears.
I reviewed the three-driver AM Pro X 30 ($479/list), which includes the earpieces, cleaning tool, carrying case, 10 foam and 10 silicon tips in various sizes and a replaceable cable. The latter is a 52” Danish-made Estron Linum Bax T2 model with ultra-low resistance 84-strand, silver-plated copper litz wires. A 64” cable is an available option — the extra length being a plus when working on larger consoles.
The tough, molded “monitor vault” case locks tight with a waterproof seal and has a pressure relief valve to compensate for air pressure differences when opening it. No TRS 1/8”-to-¼” adapter is included; you’ll have to supply your own if you’re connecting to most pro consoles.
I began listening to the AM Pro X 30s with some medium-sized foam ear tips on some dynamic 24-bit program material from mixes I had done. These IEMs really deliver, especially in the HF detail, which was surprising, considering their affordable pricing. The mids were nicely balanced and LF response was spot-on — not exaggerated or flabby. Next, I switched to listening from an ATW-R3250 beltpack of an Audio-Technica ATW-3255 IEM system. With a sensitivity of 124 dB @ 1mW, the results were clean and capable of handling some very high SPLs — no issues with headroom here!
The ambience port offers a good balance of being able to communicate with other people, without losing a sense of the mix. I do wish there was some means of slightly tweaking the ambience/program levels or sometimes even switching to a sealed operation to block the environment entirely, but a bit of gaff tape over the ports can accomplish that objective. The musicians who tried the AM Pro X 30 really liked both the ambience feature and the overall sound of the earpieces. I could definitely agree with that.
For more info, visit Westone Audio at www.westoneaudio.com.
Sound Reinforcement for Audio Engineers
When anyone mentions texts on live sound, the first title to come up is the Yamaha Sound Reinforcement Handbook. Decades after its publication, it still remains a classic and a trusted reference on the basics. However, that book is lacking when it comes to topics such as networking, acoustic modeling, system design, DSP, audio analysis/prediction, optimization and modern loudspeaker designs.
With this in mind, Walters-Storyk Design Group (WSDG) has released Sound Reinforcement for Audio Engineers, a comprehensive reference that explores acoustic design and electroacoustic engineering theory as applied to real-world applications in the field. And rather than rely on a single author, editors Dr. Wolfgang Ahnert and WSDG’s Dirk Noy assembled a team of noted experts presenting the technologies and hands-on approaches involved, exploring the intersection between room acoustics and electroacoustics through a variety of real-world (historic and modern) applications, including sports arenas, performance venues, houses of worship and corporate environments.
Besides Anhert and Noy, the contributors to this in-depth — and profusely illustrated — 450-page work include: Gabriel Hauser of WSDG (commissioning of sound systems), Stefan Ledergerber of Simplexity (digital audio networks), Stefan Feistel of AFMG (acoustical simulations), Peter Mapp (speech intelligibility) and Gottfried Behler (loudspeakers and microphones). The result is a relevant, up-to-date and authoritative resource that’s invaluable to anyone looking to increase their knowledge of modern practices and techniques.
Available online, in paperback ($51.96), hardback ($136) or eBook ($51.96) formats, Sound Reinforcement for Audio Engineers may be one of the best investments any live audio professional could make.
For more info, visit Routledge Publishing at www.routledge.com.
The Beat in My Head
Childrens’ books with stories about different career choices — whether as doctors, teachers, farmers, firefighters, explorers or hundreds of other professions — are nothing new. However, one employment direction that has never been so spotlighted is as a live sound engineer, and The Beat in My Head is designed to do just that.
Written by Ariel and Brandon Blackwell, and delightfully illustrated by Sam Onche, the book is autobiographical story of a boy named Brandon who is continually hearing beats in his head, being made by ordinary objects in his life — ranging from classroom chalkboards and pencils, to birds, to kicks and hits in sports. Concerned about his “beats,” Brandon is sent to a therapist, where he hears yet more sounds, and later, his mother takes him to a concert, where he is fascinated by the FOH engineer controlling the show. Soon after, he meets the audio engineer at his church, who also hears beats in everyday things, and he begins teaching Brandon how to use the audio gear and from there on to a successful career in audio.
The real Brandon developed his passion for audio, after seeing a Sade concert at age 12. He honed his skills in church mixing and moved on to Full Sail University, earning a Bachelor’s Degree in Show Production and Touring. He dove into the industry headfirst, doing monitors for Chaka Khan, Jennifer Hudson, The Isley Brothers, Angie Stone, Ne-Yo, TLC, Alicia Keyes — among others — and has mixed FOH for Kendrick Lamar and Lizzo.
The book makes a powerful statement in introducing children to the live sound industry, helping provide validation that young people can aspire to a career in live production, while helping spark the interests of the next generations of live production professionals. Bravo!
The Beat in My Head ($17.99 / hardcover) is available at www.thebeatinmyhead.com.
