When I served more consistently on my church’s worship team, I invested in a pair of 64 Audio CIEMs (Custom In-Ear Monitors). They were a game-changer. I could hear my mix more clearly; they were more comfortable than universal earbuds. They also reduced the noise coming from the room. I learned how important an excellent in-ear mix is, and I have been talking about CIEMs to my creative team since then.
I started noticing a couple of artists talking about their new Bellos Audio CIEM, which piqued my interest. As more artists began to speak about the Bellos CIEMs, I decided it was high time I did more research to learn more about them. I contacted Vlad Belonozhko, the founder of Bellos, and learned more about this product. (You can see my whole conversation with Vlad below, but these are my takeaways from using the X4 CIEMs for a few months now.)
Gear Review: Bellos Audio X4 CIEM
One of the first things that Vlad will talk to you about is the In-Air Canals technology. Traditional CIEMs go relatively deep into the ear canal, and when you sing or move your mouth, the ear shape changes, and you can lose the seal. The Bellos ears have what looks like a universal IEM tip, but this makes the seal at the start of the ear canal instead of deeper in. This helps the Bellos ears keep the seal as your ear shape changes. The seal has remained consistent after using the X4s for a while. The In-Air Canals also help with the audio clarity: the extra air space gives more room for the sound to breathe.
The next thing is comfort. The more I use the Bellos IEMs, the more comfortable they become. Even after a couple of hours, I hardly notice them in my ears. Even as the volume increases, the pressure isn’t painful. The only thing I would add for comfort is a way to snug the cords behind the head. The cables from each ear are loose until they connect at the point of the Y.
So the ears are comfortable and keep their seal, but how is the quality? For the X4 model, the quality is incredible. I immediately noticed the difference between my 64 Audio ears (five-plus years old and three drivers) and the Bellos X4 (four drivers). Yes, time and technology make a difference, but I can hear the difference in the product's design. All the sounds across the frequencies are clear and blend very well, so I don’t need to crank the volume to hear everything. The clarity helps me listen to what I’m doing better and how I fit in with the rest of the band.
From a non-product or technical standpoint, one of the things I love about Bellos Audio is the organization itself. They aim to keep their product accessible for houses of worship and artists without huge budgets. No matter how you slice it, CIEMs will be more expensive than Amazon specials or universal options, but the difference in the experiences is undeniable. The price point is not the only way Bellos has kept the product accessible; the turnaround time and serviceability are also components. My order was processed and shipped out five business days after they received my ear molds. If the CIEMs ever need to be serviced, there are screws on the faceplate that allows the team to service them quickly, whereas other CIEMs have a more involved process for service.
I need to make a detour quickly and talk about the Bellos earplugs. They are molded and fit the same way the CIEMs do, providing either 17db or 20db volume reduction. The sound is still evident, just at lower volumes. My first outing with the Bellos earplugs was shooting photos at a concert at the Colorado-based Red Rocks Park and Amphitheatre, and by the end of the night, I forgot they were even there. I wear them even when attending a concert. My wife also got a pair, and while earplugs typically hurt her ears, she loves the comfort of the Bellos earplugs.
I get it. CIEMs aren’t the right fit for everybody. If you are looking to move into CIEMs or upgrade your existing pair, I would invite you to join me and a growing number of CCM artists in joining the Bellos family (learn more here). Use the code NRT10 to get 10 percent off your order.
Jake Frederick is the host of the NRT Now Podcast. He lives in Dallas, Texas, with his wife and their kids.
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