Fighting Perspiration
Perhaps the most overlooked archenemy of your in-ear
musicians' monitors is perspiration. Moisture inside your monitors is
never a good thing and can cause them to temporarily malfunction. In
rare instances, your monitors can even sustain permanent damage.
So
what can you do to keep your monitors safe? Unfortunately, there's
really no way to fight perspiration during a performance. If you sweat,
you will sweat. The physical exertion of your performance combined with
the inevitable heat of stage lighting isn't going to help matters and
can really cause you to lose your cool.
There is good news,
however. We human beings do not perspire inside our ears. Therefore, if
you're getting a good seal with your monitors, you shouldn't have any
perspiration problems until you remove the monitors from your ears.
There
is one thing you can do before removing your monitors that can help
decrease your chances of harming them with perspiration. Before
removing your monitors, use a towel to wipe off your ears, the sides of
your face and your hair above your ears.
After removing your
monitors, don't keep them hanging around your neck where they can be
exposed to additional moisture. Put them back in the case they came in,
preferably one that utilizes a desiccant. Used frequently and
correctly, a desiccant will help remove whatever moisture may have been
trapped inside the monitors.
If you have Elite Series custom fit
monitors, they should have come with a watertight, crush-proof case
that includes a desiccant. We recommend that you make use of that
desiccant just in case you get some perspiration inside. The desiccant
pillow can be recharged with a microwave oven. Instructions should have
been included with the case.
For UM1 or UM2 users, we offer this
case separately or you can pick up a Monitor Saver (an inexpensive
polycon desiccant) to store your monitors in. There are also many other
desiccating products available from hearing care providers. Although
more expensive than the previously mentioned options, these will also
work with your in ear musicians' monitors.