I am new to in-ear monitors, having spent most of my musical career using floor wedges, fighting to get heard through the mix. Moving into the world of in-ear monitors is like going from black and white television to color! The best part? Being able to make your own mix. Now I can hear my guitar part above the rest of the mix and not have to worry about it being overpowering in the house mix. But, I have had that luxury with floor monitors too (personal mix). What makes these in-ears great is that not only does the stage look neater, but the sound is clearer and tighter - you're not hearing the reverb of the room conflicting with the monitor mix. These specific in-ears are great because they are customizable. They come with a bunch of different ear pieces for all sizes and shapes. I personally use the smallest size and they work great. They cut out extraneous noise - great at cancelling - and all I hear is sweet music. This is a great buy and I would definitely purchase this again if I were to lose them... excellent purchase. five stars.