Rolls PM55
I have a bag full of tricks for just about anything, but one item in particular in my Audio bag of tricks are Rolls PM55.
These little boxes make In-Ear monitoring in reach for tons of people who do not want to use wireless systems.
Out of your analog or digital console, come out of an Aux send and use an XLR-TRS adapter. This will keep the signal balanced as it travels down the snake to the stage. Here is a great link to these adapters:
AudioPile Link: XLR TRS MALE Adapters
(by the way, I love these people, so much)
That will adapt your 1/4" balanced TRS signal coming from the board into a usable XLR cable. Run XLR cable to wherever you want the PM55 box to live, usually directly behind or in front of your performer, their preference. Once you're there, you'll need to convert the signal BACK into a TRS signal, so that the PM55 will see it at LINE level, NOT MIC level.
AudioPile Link: XLR TRS FEMALE Adapters
Now your signal has arrived at your PM55.
I'd like to pause for a second and make an important note. The PM55's are less than $70. This is an incredible value. Please don't stop there. Budget $130 per pack, so that you can outfit your packs with the accessories you need to actually pull this off, and pull it off well.
An important product to get at this point is going to be headphone extension cables. With wireless IEM packs, the pack sits on your belt, so your in-ears go right up your shirt. With these packs living on the floor, you'll want at least a 10ft extension cable to get the signal run back up to your belt area. Here is a link to some headphone extension cables that, after much searching, we have found to love:
CablesToGo Link: 12ft Headphone Extensions
The last thing to grab to complete your setup for each pack is going to be a OneSpot Power Adapter. In the past, Rolls has shipped Power Supplies with each PM55, but they are usually massive "Wall Warts" that take up half a power strip, and their cables are only about 5ft long, which won't get you far on stage unless you have power drops perfectly placed at each performer. These OneSpot power adapters from VisualSound are designed to not dominate power strip space, and they have longer reaching cables, so you can get to your performer's position, no matter where they place their pack.
So, here are our totals:
$70 - Rolls PM55
$10 - TRS-XLR Male Adapter
$10 - TRS-XLR Female Adapter
$20 - Headphone Extension Cable
$20 - OneSpot Power Adapter
So, with these accessories, and the amazing PM55 from Rolls, you can have in-ear monitoring for a 4-piece worship band at about the price of one wireless in-ear monitoring system.
We have had a lot of success with these. I'd be happy to answer any questions on these, so feel free to get a hold of me. :)
