Distributor: Syntec | RRP: $199
In-ear monitors are an increasingly accessible and affordable option for musicians, sound engineers, producers and concert tech staff, thanks to companies like beyerdynamic. In years gone by, the systems that facilitated an in-ear mix were expensive and cumbersome, relegating the benefits to mostly top-tier artists who could afford it.
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Following the release of the DT IE series – the DT 70, 71, 72 and 73 in-ears, tuned specifically for engineers, drum and bass players, guitarists and singers, and orchestral players respectively – the DT 30 IE is here, with specs and quality trickling down to an even more affordable price point. With a 1.4m detachable cable, the DT 30 IE is a stereo pair of in-ear monitors designed for general use to suit every user. Dynamic transducers provide nuance, detail and volume where needed, all the while delivering a very flat response and accurate sound.
The DT 30 IE is an in-ear monitor and, of course, is a closed-back design, weighing just 2.7g per earbud. The comfortable shape, design and weight serve to help them integrate into your setup with a secure fit, providing up to 39dB of isolation for use on loud stages, concerts and soundchecks. The DT 30 IE comes with six sets of eartips, including three sets of ComplyTM Tx-500 foam eartips for the best fit and isolation for you. The over-ear design also prevents the in-ear monitors from coming loose during a performance or movement, potentially rendering both your earplugs and monitors useless.
Better isolation prevents the need for high volume, though the DT 30 IE has a maximum sound pressure level of 137dB.
An IP54 outdoor weather rating means the in-ear monitors are both dust and water resistant, and can handle just about anything a gigging musician might throw at them, including hair, sweat, pub grime and more. Though durable, DT 30 IE are also assembled from easily replaceable parts for years of continued trust and use.
Sonically, the dynamic element transducers offer superb sound reproduction for the best possible results in an in-ear monitor mix. The DT 30 IE will obviously serve as your monitoring solution, so pristine sound across the entire frequency spectrum is essential so you can hear whatever you desire in your mix. The DT 30 IE reproduces everything from 5Hz to 20kHz with ease, reporting only 0.08% at 500 Hz and 0.09% at 1 kHz total harmonic distortion (T.H.D.).
In use, the DT 30 IE are very comfortable, once you’ve selected either the foam or rubber eartips in your size. The main assembly itself nestles right into the ear, its lightweight and small form factor keeping the monitor out of the way while preventing it from shifting too much during movement. The ergonomic fit of the driver itself was developed with hundreds of ear impressions in mind, so it’s built to fit everyone.
The detachable cables exit the main bulk of the monitor and are designed to follow the top of the ear, the first few inches of cable being housed in memory wire to help shape and customise the curve to your ear. The cable follows around the neck to your back, to keep it entirely out of your way. The cable is reinforced with Kevlar for strength, ensuring they’ll continue to perform at their best, gig after gig.
Sonically, the tiny monitors produce an impressive amount of low end, all the while retaining headroom and detail in the mids and highs. The low end isn’t bombastic, boomy or overblown; it’s accurate and punchy, perfect for focusing in on a kick drum or bass on a stage filled with noise, rumble and the sound of screaming fans. The high end is articulate, and the mids are present, ensuring you don’t need to crank the DT 30 IE to hear things clearly. The accurate sound is a staple of beyerdynamic’s legacy.
This accurate sound also makes them a great solution for live sound engineers who need a controlled listening environment for mixing a live act. Venues, PA systems and bands can vary sound wildly, but the beyerdynamic DT 30 IE can serve as a constant in that changing environment, all the while protecting your hearing with a great fit and the aforementioned 39dB of isolation. Sound checking in a new room can leave you mixing blind, learning what is and isn’t a resonance of a room, and the DT 30 IE can easily act as a way to check mixes on an isolated, balanced source before returning to main monitors for the mix. As we’ve discussed, the superb isolation of the monitors makes them a great solution even as earplugs without sound, but you’d be doing yourself a disservice by using them only for that.
The DT 30 IE is one of the latest in a long line of monitoring solutions from beyerdynamic. Be it the open and closed back design of their studio headphones from the DT 770 and 990, through to the flagship DT 1770 and DT 1990 PRO. The range extends past the growing DT IE series and now into some of the more accessible in the DT 30 IE – beyerdynamic are dedicated to accurate playback, supreme comfort and forward-thinking design.
The new DT 30 IE ties all of this together in a focused design, bringing a small, lightweight form factor together with hugely impressive sound at an attractive price point. Priced at $199 AUD including GST, the DT 30 IE joins the beyerdynamic family as a solution for everyone making music.
The DT 30 IE is available now. Head here to learn more.
