An in-ear monitor, in-ear, or colloquially earpiece is a listening device placed into the ear. More narrowly, the term in-ear monitor is defined as such a device used by musicians, audio engineers and
Elize Ryd wearing in-ear monitors during a concert in 2018
A case of in ear monitor receivers
A pair of universal IEM earpieces (Etymotic ER-4S)
A stage monitor system is a set of performer-facing loudspeakers called monitor speakers, stage monitors, floor monitors, wedges, or foldbacks on stage during live music performances in which a sound
In-ear monitor
…and a high level of noise reduction from ambient surroundings. Their origins as a tool in live music performance can be traced back to the mid-1980s. A stage monitor system is any system that provides a mix of audio sources to a performer on stage. Traditionally, loudspeakers, called floor wedges, were placed on the stage…
A JBL floor monitor speaker cabinet with a 12" woofer and a "bullet" tweeter. Typically, the speaker would be covered with a metal grille to protect it.
Stage monitors plugged with jack and XLR cables, receiving the sound from the main console. In the 2010s and 2020s, stage monitors are generally powered.
This small venue's stage shows an example of a typical monitor speaker set-up: there are three "wedge" monitors directed towards the area of the stage where singers and instrumentalists will be performing. The drummer has both a subwoofer cabinet (for monitoring the bass drum and the electric bass) and a "wedge"-style cabinet for monitoring vocals and mid- or high-frequency sounds.
A rock band stage clearly shows the stage monitors (Italy, 2013).