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Bass and headphones

U

Uzziel

Sep 12, 2025
31
8
#1
I feel like there's got to be the "Ultimate headphone amplifier" but i don't know which one it is. I got a black star but it broke when I was sitting on my bed play with it. I had it plugged in and it broke the jack right off.

I'm currently using a Fender Mustang Micro headphone amplifier and I can't get the deepest bass tones with it. (I have a six string Glarry)

Please head me in the right direction; I want the deepest tones for my four string that I have tuned to a dropped "D" and my six string bass has nylon coated strings and they aren't as loud played through the Mustang Micro.

They're pretty cheap beginning/learning instruments but do you think pickups with batteries would be good? I need really deep tones!
 
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#2
I've been plugging phones into Orange micro terror which sounds too clean, garage band which sounds good but too much stuff to move around, and Spark 40 (the original big box) also has good tones but very finicky volume/gain every time you change amp models, was thinking of auditioning preamp pedals like darkglass, Walrus, EBS, sansamp into interface w/headphone jack.
 
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#3
I think maybe "clean" is what I want. Bass like you hear from car stereo bass...? How do you get that rap song Bass?
 

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#9
LowWay said:
Try the Fostex TH900 MK II headphones. I know it's probably out of your budget, but these are the kings of deep bass headphones.
Click to expand...
I just realized that I might not have the money for a headphone amplifier. The mustang Micro headphone amplifier was like $90 and I only get a third of that left over each month. I might have to get a cheaper one.
 
#10
Uzziel said:
I feel like there's got to be the "Ultimate headphone amplifier" but i don't know which one it is. I got a black star but it broke when I was sitting on my bed play with it. I had it plugged in and it broke the jack right off.

I'm currently using a Fender Mustang Micro headphone amplifier and I can't get the deepest bass tones with it. (I have a six string Glarry)

Please head me in the right direction; I want the deepest tones for my four string that I have tuned to a dropped "D" and my six string bass has nylon coated strings and they aren't as loud played through the Mustang Micro.

They're pretty cheap beginning/learning instruments but do you think pickups with batteries would be good? I need really deep tones!
Click to expand...
What I do is plug my basses into my Focusrite Scarlett Box (which goes into my laptop) as though I was recording a song. It's like having a headphone amp without actually having an amp.

If you want more bassy tones, I suggest getting some flats (preferably La Bella Deep Talking Flats) for your bass. Possibly tune to D Standard if you don't like all the tension from the strings. You can also get a preamp pedal and crank the bass and low mids on it. Sansamp and Aguilar are two great brands for that.
 
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#15
ddnidd1 said:
The response of the headphones may have a lot more to do with reproducing very low bass than the amp. Accurate low end extension (not hyped sub mud) in headphones is a premium.
Click to expand...

My bet is the headphones are at least 50% of the issue. Hard to know over the internet but that’s my guess. Not saying a good headphone amp can’t help or isn’t necessary.
 
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#16
The OP needs to purchase a reasonable quality, Dedicated headphone amp. There's zero reason why he should need a bass specific amp. Decent amps go lower than anything your headphones will ever reproduce.

The Fender Mustang Micro is really a relatively inexpensive all around audio device - effects etc.

Performance costs money.
 
#17
Have you considered an audio interface that you can also run (and power) through your computer? There are Focusrite Scarlett Solos on Reverb for $70. If you go that route, you’ll have access to a ton of plugins that will allow you all sorts of tone manipulation. There’s definitely a learning curve, but it’s absolutely worth it. I play at home almost exclusively through an interface and headphones.
 
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#18
I like these - good bang for the buck

pocket-rockit.myshopify.com

S1b Pocket Rock•it

The battery-powered Pocket Rock-It S1b is a bass headphone amp that allows you to practice silently in any location, and have great tones at your disposal. The rotating input plug has 90 degrees of motion, so the S1b headphone amp can plug into any bass guitar jack - no cable needed! With a...
pocket-rockit.myshopify.com pocket-rockit.myshopify.com
 
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#19
Uzziel said:
I feel like there's got to be the "Ultimate headphone amplifier" but i don't know which one it is. I got a black star but it broke when I was sitting on my bed play with it. I had it plugged in and it broke the jack right off.

I'm currently using a Fender Mustang Micro headphone amplifier and I can't get the deepest bass tones with it. (I have a six string Glarry)

Please head me in the right direction; I want the deepest tones for my four string that I have tuned to a dropped "D" and my six string bass has nylon coated strings and they aren't as loud played through the Mustang Micro.

They're pretty cheap beginning/learning instruments but do you think pickups with batteries would be good? I need really deep tones!
Click to expand...
I think your issue is your strings. If you want deep fundamentals and less harmonics you should try flats. I usually use Fender flats but for deep fundamentals I suggest GHS Precision Flats for your 4 string. I have an Ibanez that the Precision Flats helped me avoid swapping out the pickups.
I don't think GHS makes a 6 string set but La Bella does. If you don't want flats on your 6 string you could try DR Nickel Lo-Riders. I have them on my only 6 string and they're pretty good. But not as much low end fundamentals as flats.
 
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#20
I would really save some money for something like a preamp with aux and headphone jacks. There are a few really nice ones. Also if you can pull off a decent set of in ears or headphones you'll really get some great tones. I'd shoot for something like a kz as12 or anything with dual drivers. 50$ and you can get something that sounds great. I would start there and then see if you even need to upgrade to a preamp.
 

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