[Harp-L] Personal Monitor

[Richard Trafford-Owen <richardtraffordowen@xxxxxxxxx>]

I play in quite a few small venues where the band does not use a PA and I have no monitoring other than my own amp. Even when we set up or use a PA, I have great trouble getting decent monitoring. Poor monitoring means I cannot hear myself and it makes me blow harder, which damages my harps that otherwise last a very long time. I've tried putting my amp at ear level or pointing it up at me. I've tried turning it up, of course, too.
 
Has anyone tried personal monitoring devices that they could critique? I have good in-ear phones that could be plugged into the appropriate device. I've seen the Rolls Personal Monitor Amp, which has been mentioned in passing on the list. Cheap, but any good? I worry about the pass-through quality. Galaxy and Nady make $200 models and offer wireless capability. They go up in price from there. Also, I've seen personal monitor speaker systems that may be preferable to in-ear. I play through two different amps, one is a tube amp that probably has to be miked to get an output but the other has an output that can be used directly. Sometimes I play through the PA.
 
In-ear v. speaker
Pass-through issues
Mix vs. just my sound
 
Thanks for any ensuing discussion!
 
Richard