Headphone amp vs. Small combo

[RxFunk]

Originally Posted by Luckydog

Get a bass micro head. My GB shuttle 9 has aux in, headphone out. Very light small head, fits in my bass case side pocket. Works great for quiet practice. Does not require speaker load. Hook up your iphone, ipod, mp3 player to aux in, get decent headphones, and practice away. If you decide to gig out, all you need to buy is speaker cab.

My headphone amp has gotten very little use, and is just collecting dust.

Any recommendations on a particular one?

[RxFunk]

Originally Posted by Jeff Scott

+1 on a small mixer; you will have some EQ for the bass and you can plug other music sources into it for practicing along to.

This seems to be the general consensus of the group, I'll try one out. How do I plug into it though?

[romwarrior88]

Originally Posted by RxFunk

This seems to be the general consensus of the group, I'll try one out. How do I plug into it though?

Just plug into the mixer using your instrument cable. Easy. If you want to plug an MP3 player to play along with, you'll need a Y-cable like this one.

[Kmonk]

If you are never going to use a small combo on a gig, get a headphone amp. You will be able to play as late as you want to without bothering anyone.

[RxFunk]

Originally Posted by romwarrior88

Just plug into the mixer using your instrument cable. Easy. If you want to plug an MP3 player to play along with, you'll need a Y-cable like this one.

Awesome, I'll most likely get one of these next paycheck, they look great! They do take headphones too right?

[Jeff Scott]

Most compact mixers will have a 1/4" line/instrument input on one or two channels that your bass will plug into using a standard instrument cable. They also usually have a stereo pair of RCA inputs for your CD/MP3/etc. player to plug into. Then you can set the levels to your liking. Let us know what you are looking at to buy so we can check it out and give more precise advice on use of it.

We do not know your budget, but here are some possible units to consider (no affiliation with Sweetwater just using them as a source for choices, although I have been a longtime satisfied customer):

http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/502/
http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/X302USB/
http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/402VLZ3/
http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/MultiMix4USB/
http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/802/

I use a long discontinued Raven Labs PHA-1 headphone amp/preamp almost every day; I only use my amp when rehearsing with the band or jamming with other musicians (non band members). It is very small and simple, but with useful features that make it pretty versatile, but if I had to replace it I'd get one of the mixers in the links above.

[RxFunk]

Originally Posted by Jeff Scott

Most compact mixers will have a 1/4" line/instrument input on one or two channels that your bass will plug into using a standard instrument cable. They also usually have a stereo pair of RCA inputs for your CD/MP3/etc. player to plug into. Then you can set the levels to your liking. Let us know what you are looking at to buy so we can check it out and give more precise advice on use of it.

We do not know your budget, but here are some possible units to consider (no affiliation with Sweetwater just using them as a source for choices, although I have been a longtime satisfied customer):

http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/502/
http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/X302USB/
http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/402VLZ3/
http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/MultiMix4USB/
http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/802/

I use a long discontinued Raven Labs PHA-1 headphone amp/preamp almost every day; I only use my amp when rehearsing with the band or jamming with other musicians (non band members). It is very small and simple, but with useful features that make it pretty versatile, but if I had to replace it I'd get one of the mixers in the links above.

Wow, thanks for all the great suggestions!! I think I've decided on one of the Behringer ones(Xenyx I think). It's the $50 one if that's the correct model. I never even knew these things existed until today! Everyone's been super helpful here, thanks to everybody for all your feedback and ideas!

[bucephylus]

I recently found myself living during the work week in an apartment. Can't very well use a regular amp there. Bought the Cafe Walter headphone amp from Bass Northwest, and can strongly recommend that piece of gear. Outstanding. Just get a good set of phones.

I like it so much that I plan on getting a second to keep at home for use on the weekends. Doubt I will ever use a regular amp at home for practice in the future.

[JxBass]

Originally Posted by bucephylus

I recently found myself living during the work week in an apartment. Can't very well use a regular amp there. Bought the Cafe Walter headphone amp from Bass Northwest, and can strongly recommend that piece of gear. Outstanding. Just get a good set of phones.

I like it so much that I plan on getting a second to keep at home for use on the weekends. Doubt I will ever use a regular amp at home for practice in the future.

+1 on the Cafe Walter, the best headphone amp on the market IMO.

I still stand by my earlier comment that a small combo amp with a decent headphone out is a good idea. For years I existed on a Fender Bassman 25, a nice little combo for home use and equally as good through headphones.

I have two great headphone amps, the Walter and a Pandora, and they sit in the drawer 99% of the time. There's something about the interaction of a bass and speaker that can't be matched - IMHO.

[RxFunk]

Originally Posted by bucephylus

I recently found myself living during the work week in an apartment. Can't very well use a regular amp there. Bought the Cafe Walter headphone amp from Bass Northwest, and can strongly recommend that piece of gear. Outstanding. Just get a good set of phones.

I like it so much that I plan on getting a second to keep at home for use on the weekends. Doubt I will ever use a regular amp at home for practice in the future.

Looks great, especially cool that they are handmade! Except I'm nowhere near Bass Northwest.. Thanks for the suggestion though

[RxFunk]

Does a mixer(i.e. Berhinger Eurorack502, Berhinger Xenyx 502) HAVE to be plugged into a computer to be used?

[tbirdsp]

No

[Mojo-Man]

Originally Posted by JxBass

I suggest a small combo with a headphone out, that way you have both bases covered.

+1.
If not get a Cafe Walter headphone amp. Around $180.00

[TJBass]

I have the vox amplug for bass, love it, take it on the truck when Im on the road. At home I plug it in to the end of my effects chain so I can use my effects. I can also plug my laptop into it to jam to downloaded music annnnd, I can split it off to my computer to record to audacity and not have to worry about the delay the soundcard causes when I record.

[RxFunk]

Originally Posted by Mojo-Man

+1.
If not get a Cafe Walter headphone amp. Around $180.00

Hmm..I don't think I could get one of those here, plus it's a bit more than I'm looking to spend right now, since I just spent all my money on a bass. It looks awesome though.

[::::BASSIST::::]

I use the Behringer 502 mixer as a practice tool and it works very well. Plus you can use it for other applications... which I do alot. However, I will say that sometimes I like to practice 'outloud'. Sometimes your parents won't be home and you can do that. At some point you may change your mind about playing out and a small combo would be good to have for living room jams. Then again the 502 is only $40 so its not like its going to break the bank.

[bucephylus]

Originally Posted by RxFunk

Looks great, especially cool that they are handmade! Except I'm nowhere near Bass Northwest.. Thanks for the suggestion though

I am also in AZ but Albuquerque during the week. I just had the Cafe Walter shipped. The other options can work as well. But, a micro head is more expensive. For example, I surely could have used my GB Shuttle. The CF is simply made just for this use and is not too expensive. Plus, it just works. Anyhow, GL.

[JimmyM]

Originally Posted by Mehve

Furthermore, even a tube-based headphone amp still has the goal of accurate reproduction, whereas a tube-based instrument amplifier leans towards the option of careful distortion.

Myth.

[Duke21]

Originally Posted by JimmyM

Myth.

Agree.

[Luckydog]

Originally Posted by RxFunk

Any recommendations on a particular one?

Any micro head that-
Does not require speaker load,
Has aux in,
Has headphone out,
And is small and light enough for you.

Genz Benz shuttles work great for this, and you're not spending money on extraneous pieces of gear that you may rarely ever use.