Motu M4 for in-ear monitoring

[bealdrid]

I have a bit of an "out-there" use case that I'm wondering if the M4 interface will work for. I am a church guitar player and our monitoring setup isn't great. We run in-ears, but we have a limitation with our Aviom systems (only 16 channels) and cannot run the guitars stereo because of the lack of channels. (The Aviom system IS stereo, we just can't tie up an additional channel, so the guitar only gets one). The Aviom also degrades the guitar sound a fair bit IMO. So I'm looking to see if I can use the M4 as a way to get a direct tap from my pedal board and also patch in the Aviom so I can hear the click track and other instruments/band members from our Aviom system. I would essentially "mute" my own guitar in the Aviom so there's no doubling or phase cancellation there.

What I'm thinking:
My pedalboard amp sim has multiple output options. I run (2) stereo XLR to the stage box which gets sent to the FOH console. My pedalboard also has (2) TS 1/4 outputs for stereo which I would like to run into inputs 1 and 2 on the M4. I wondered if I could then take the stereo Aviom output into inputs 3 and 4 on the back of the M4. I would enable direct hardware monitoring for all inputs. From there I would drive my in-ears from the headphone output of the M4, all while retaining the stereo image from both my guitar as well as the Aviom system. Can anyone confirm that inputs 3 and 4 will do direct/hardware monitoring in stereo?

So this is a bit weird probably but would it work? I would power the M4 with a USB power connection that my pedalboard has. I've heard the M4 has a solid headphone amp on it so that is one reason I'm looking at this.

Also if anyone knows of another way I can do for $200 or less, let me know. Upgrading the church monitoring system is on the list, but not quite feasible yet. Thank you all.

[HCMarkus]

https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail ... pact-mixer

This is what I use to drive my In-Ears. Great headphone amp. You could use the stereo inputs for your Guitar and Aviom returns. $70.00

[bealdrid]

Hi Thanks! So yes technically speaking that would definitely get the job done. I think the other thing was I knew I could easily attach the M4 to my pedalboard and power it with my existing Cioks power supply, which has 5V USB power. That little Mackie mixer, isn't quite as compact, but more importantly requires 1A 18V DC, center-positive, which I can't really easily get out of my power supply; so while this would work, just isn't quite as clean of a setup as I'm hoping for.

[mikehalloran]

It depends. Without knowing the output levels of your devices, it’s hard to say.

[daniel.sneed]

In case it may help someone, I use this as a wired belt inear amp.
https://www.behringer.com/product.html?modelCode=P0CH4
IMOE, low budget, small size, good output level and good sound too.

[HCMarkus]

while this would work, just isn't quite as clean of a setup as I'm hoping for.

Makes sense. In my case, I'm a keyboardist, and the little Mackie Mixer sits on the left-hand side of my 88-key controller, within easy reach for level adjustment. Sounds so much better than wireless units, and I never have to worry about batteries.

When the band runs all in-ears (which is most of the time), I just return the stereo monitor signal, including keys, to the Mackie. On occasions we are stuck with stage monitors, I ask for a mono monitor send, XLR into the Mackie, and return my keys to a stereo input (parallel thru from my DI), giving me much better sound and freedom from loud stages. I need to hear good full-range sound to properly balance my parts against the rest of the band.