Future Sonics Atrio Series m5
Stage sound is one of the most confounding aspects of performing. Our best intentions, signaled by the attention we pay to our gear and musicianship, can be utterly sabotaged by bad onstage sound. This gets especially annoying on tour, when each night brings a different room, monitor mix, and sound-guy to deal with. There’s a way around it: in-ear monitors, as developed and popularized by Future Sonics (although they’ve got competition now). Basically high-end headphones, in-ears can bring remarkable clarity and consistency back to the stage. The m5’s are Future Sonics latest in-ear monitors, and they’re marketed as capable of basic headphone duties (iPod listening, mixing) and onstage monitoring, thanks to their excellent ambient noise rejection.
I found the m5’s to be clear, clean, and capable. They seemed balanced top to bottom and were well suited to low frequencies, although they didn’t have the hypey (but occasionally desirable) low-end bump of some bass-heavy alternatives. Future Sonics ships the m5’s with a cool carrying case and a variety of foam and silicon sleeves, as well as a grotty earwax-cleaning pick. I also had a chance to use the Future Sonics with some custom-fit sleeves, made via a mold of my ear. If you want ultimate performance and fit, factor in the extra cost of custom sleeves (prices vary, but it’s in the $100 range).
In-ears have their disadvantages, to be sure. There’s something disconcerting about feeling aurally disconnected from the speakers on stage, and the setup and management can be complicated for bigger bands. Nevertheless, in-ears are worth exploring if you’re fed up with lame stage sound, and the Future Sonics m5’s are an excellent entry point.
Street $199
Pros Hi-fi, balanced sound with accurate bass response
Cons None
Bottom line Worth a splurge if you’re interested in in-ear monitors that double as super-nice headphones.
Made in Korea
Warranty Two-year limited
Contact 877-374-3277 www.futuresonics.com
