The Brand’s New Pearl™ Tri Amp Micro Speaker Management System Provided Clarity and Ease-of-use for In-ear Monitoring While on the Road
GADSDEN, AL ― Inspired by the likes of Lynyrd Skynyrd and Hank Williams, brothers James (lead vocals) and Frank Ford (drummer) started Them Dirty Roses in their hometown of Gadsden, Alabama, with their childhood friends Andrew Davis (lead guitar) and Ben Crain (bassist). Since moving to Nashville and releasing a self-titled album in 2014, the group has established themselves in the southern rock circuit. Earlier this year, the band released its latest EP ― Lost in the Valley of Hate & Love Vol. 1 and subsequently set out on the “Lost in the Valley” tour across the United States.
Them Dirty Roses using JH Audio live in Dothan Alabama
With a style that combines gritty blues-rock with a soulful southern sound, Them Dirty Roses can rock hard ― and loud. To help alleviate the effects that loud stages can have on a performer’s ears, all four band members rely on in-ear monitors. Though the group initially utilized an off-the-shelf IEM system, they upgraded to JH Audio in-ear solutions, which they further enhanced recently with the addition of the new Pearl™ Tri Amp Micro Speaker Management System.
“I have never discovered anything quite like this before, so we just jumped right into using it,” says Davis, who wears two hats for Them Dirty Roses, as both production manager and lead guitarist. “With a JH Audio receiver/transmitter setup, it’s like you’re listening to a really good recording of something. When you add the Pearl system, it feels like you’re in the middle of that recording. You become fully immersed in the music in a way that wasn’t previously able to be done.”
Touted as the latest innovation in IEM audio technology, the Pearl system includes the brand’s PC-based Pearl Control Software and Pearl Loader program, which offer functions that allow users to precisely control gain, phase, time and equalization of low, mid and high frequencies of an in-ear monitor. “If you are an audiophile and enjoy great sound, this is definitely going to excite you,” adds Davis. “I’ve never been able to hear much low-end from an earbud, but now it comes through so clearly, which is really nice.”
As one of the first touring groups to get their hands on the system, Them Dirty Roses had the unique privilege of getting a one-on-one rundown on Pearl from JH Audio Owner Jerry Harvey. “Jerry programmed it for us and knocked it out of the park; we’re really happy with the way he set it up, so all we have to do is remember to charge the system,” continues Davis. “Despite being such a groundbreaking tool, it’s so simple to use — it just does what it does. I’m excited to have some down time after all our shows wrap, to take time to really dig into it and see what else it can do.”
Davis says the system is also beneficial to Them Dirty Roses performances, which are truly live experiences. “We don’t play to a click track or anything, it’s just the four of us on stage playing our hearts out,” he says. “Being able to now hear all the little inflections that the instruments are making allows us to all collectively lock together and have our sound be tighter. If you’re in a band that has space to improv in your set, Pearl will make it a lot easier to play off other people because you can hear all the nuances of the music. Using the JH Audio Pearl system makes it possible to become fully immersed in the sound around you. It also just sounds amazing in general.”
Pearl utilizes an actively controlled passive crossover (ACPX), keeping the latency low ― between .60 and .80 milliseconds. This is especially important to live performers, who require a latency of less than five milliseconds. Pearl processing provides unparalleled control to shape and optimize the audio and performance of any in-ear monitor solution, and offers active control over the low, mid and high speaker circuits, where each has its own amplifier and processing. “I haven’t noticed any sort of latency, at least none that is discernable to the human ear,” muses Davis.
Despite this sophisticated processing, the simple design of Pearl ensures that it will live up to the demands of life on the road. “The packs are made of metal, so it’s pretty hard to break,” continues Davis. “Since there’s only one button, there’s nothing to knock off or damage. Even the belt clip is rugged. As far as in-ears go, JH Audio is pretty durable as well.”
Pearl is currently available exclusively with JH Audio Ruby in-ear monitors. The JH Audio Ruby in-ear monitors that come with the system are available as either custom- or universal-fit earpieces. Both options offer unlimited frequency response curves and feature quad low, mid and high drivers. Instead of the traditional tubes used for in-ear monitor phase correction, the Ruby IEMs correct the delay between the low, mid and high drivers using the Pearl software, resulting in a much smaller earpiece.
“Before we encountered JH Audio, we were all using standard, consumer-level monitors, which lacked so many points of EQ,” adds Davis. “Once we received the JH Audio in-ears, we were completely blown away. Each time we add something from JH Audio, the sound just keeps getting better.”
The Pearl + Ruby system is currently available. More information can be found at https://jhaudio.com/iem/JHA-UIEM-RPB.