YOUR Headphone Practicing Setup

[Tupac]

Why bother using a computer?

Acoustic B10 + Aux cable + iPod + Sennheiser HD201. Nice long cable on the Sennheisers, and they sound fantastic.

[Epitaph04]

Because for some it's already there and you can record right then and there from the get-go?

[Luke19Boarder]

Originally Posted by jallenbass

M-Audio Fast Track Pro. USB connection to the computer. Very good sound. Not too expensive.

Same. It's what I use for recording, or when I just want to jam/practice.

[wallydoesbass]

Another vote for Cafe Walter.

[pfschim]

I have a couple of methods that work well.


Most Portable option
Bass > Apogee Jam > iPhone 4S > GK, Gibson or iRealbook apps > Sennheiser 280HD pro or Shure E4 headphones (depending on what I am practicing or trying to accomplish).

Flexible option
Bass > Focusrite Scarlett 18i6 > Laptop > Ableton > Senn 280's

both sound great and offer incredible options as far as playing solo, with tracks, with a metronome or drum machine, recording ect etc.

it's so cool that we have these (relatively inexpensive) rig options to work with.

Lots of ways to go. Personally I think the hardest part it making a choice between the available options. Once you settle down with this gear, it's just a very cool experience. At least IMO/IME.

good luck

[Staccato]

Important: No wires on headphones aka wireless.

This is my set, and the cost is affordable!

RCA WHP 141.

[scottfeldstein]

Originally Posted by Staccato

Important: No wires on headphones aka wireless.

This is my set, and the cost is affordable!

RCA WHP 141.

Tempting! Even if just for doing dishes, etc. But the Amazon reviews seem pretty...mixed.

[KhzDonut]

Line 6 POD HD.

They added an Ampeg Portaflex model awhile back, and I find it suitable for noodling with. Not the amp sound I'd usually go for, but it serves its purpose.

You could also find a used POD X3, there's a lot more bass amp models in that, so you have more choice in basic sound character, but I find myself preferring to just add a few pedal models in the POD HD to get something more gritty or whatever.

Bass -> Pod -> Sennheisers
-or-
Bass -> Pod -> Audiofire4 -> Sennheisers (using Ableton Live 8)

[mpdd]

sb-2 into korg electribe drum machine out to sony mdr v6

pretty fun, but kind of expensive and bulky for goofing around, you can't beat the two little tubes for easy drive options

[mizu]

Bass -> PJB Bass Buddy -> Sony MDR7506. Drums and tracks from the laptop into aux input.
I have tried digital solutions like Korg Pandora PX5D or software emulation and effects and found them lacking, mostly because they are masking my technical mistakes. Delay in the software variant was quite noticeable, too, due to the USB interface, even in ASIO mode.

[Rip Topaz]

My living room practice setup:

Bass-> Apogee Jam-> iPhone 4S running Jamup XT w/ bass expansion-> UE Triplefi 10's.

Live setup:

Bass->Apogee Jam-> iPhone 4S running Jamup XT w/ bass expansion-> DI box-> PA

Recording setup:
Same as practice setup, but iPhone running JamupXT, Audiobus, and MTDAW (plus several other iOS apps). This setup actually sounds better than my dedicated Roland DAW.

[nubs]

i use a LINE6 floor POD. plug my tascam into the aux. and pedal board into input (rather than amp) headphones on of POD and good to go!

[mdjuszyn]

Bass>Eden WTDI>Behringer Xenyx 802 mixer. Computer or ipod or digital recorder/player connected to mixer, headphones to listen. Works great.

[workhard]

My current practise set up is

Line 6 BackTrack+Mic digital recorder + Thomann t.bone HD 990D closed back headphones.

Needs no mains power and the BackTrack+Mic unit is about the size of a pack of cigarettes and comes with a belt clip, which I clip to the bass' strap, and a very short jack-jack lead.

[slagbass]

Bass > Tascam CD BT2 > Sennheiser T40 Wireless headphones

Old and simple - just like me! That said, it seems like there are a LOT of options out there.....

[SquierJazz72]

Lots of options, but mine is dirt simple.

Since my practice amp has a headphone jack, I use that.

One thing I did do, though, was buy the best headphones I could.

Even with a limited equipment budget, two things I won't skimp on are headphones or mics. Just not worth it.

[aasti3000]

I use my headphone output in the back of my bass amp, run it to the mic in on my Mac laptop and open either of my DAW's. I like how it sounds with this setup more than running thru the console. But that's just me.

[Megas3300]

Bass->Korg "Pandora" PX5D->Bose computer Speakers->Sennheiser HD555 headphones.

The Bose speakers have multiple inputs so I can get audio from the Pandora and my PC. The Bose speakers have some sort of frequency contour that makes the bass sound warm through the headphones, I kinda like it.

[bassgod0dmw]

Bass->REDDI or Avalon U5->Focusrite Saffire Pro 24 DSP->Computer

This way I can record, play along to anything on my computer, play along to anything on the internet, whatever. I've also got Transcribe! installed on my machine which I use when learning new songs.

[scottfeldstein]

Originally Posted by aasti3000

I use my headphone output in the back of my bass amp, run it to the mic in on my Mac laptop and open either of my DAW's. I like how it sounds with this setup more than running thru the console. But that's just me.

Hey, that's a good point. I don't need to run

bass > effects board > amp > mixer > macbook pro > DAW

I can use either the mixer or the amp. I don't need both at all.