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Best Pre-Amp Headphone Amp?

#21
I had the same question, I've been using a Tascam MP-BT1 bass trainer, but it's getting a little long in the tooth, and I now have a small mixer in my setup. I just bought a used PJB Bighead off of reverb.
 
#23
I bought a Yamaha THR10C to allow me to play geetar or bass when my firstborn came along.... not bad, but not great -- much better suited for guitar. Currently I'm using an Ampeg PF800 as my headphone amp. It's pretty nice, and very overkill for headphone usage. But, I like the head with other cabs and it's plus for me was the headphone jack. (I paid $350 used, but it's a nice head with headphone feature, not just headphone specific)
 
#25
Since i got a PJB Bighead i’ve got rid of all the small headphone/MP3 amps i had. I had a few of those amps because i was looking for one that sounded worth poopie but four amps in i was still looking. I decided to try a Cafe Walter but couldn’t find one available anywhere and was about to head out for a couple months away from home so i ordered up the Bighead and it was everything i’d been looking for and some things i needed i didn’t even know i needed when i bought it.
It’s some of the best money i’ve ever spent on bass gear.
 
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#26
Another vote for the PJ Bighead. I've learned countless cover tunes with the Bighead, connected to my computer running Song Surgeon software with a 3.5mm cable, my bass, and a set of headphones. Fantastic fidelity, portability, and tone control. I also use a 3Leaf Enabler which has even more tone and aux mixing control, and doubles as a top shelf pedal board preamp and DI, but these are next to impossible to find. But it looks like that TC Electronics SpectraDrive would be a worthy alternative.
 
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#34
BassBeginer64 said:
Thank you all for your input, I went with the Phil Jones BigHead due to its size, and built in battery with the USB charging and supposed to last up to 8 hours, now I can just sit on the couch and practice and drive the wife nuts without making much noise.
Click to expand...
You won’t regret it.

EDIT: I don’t know if the battery lasts for 8 hours or not, but I’ve used it close to that without it running out. Oh, as a bonus you can use this as a digital interface for recording into your DAW.
 
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#35
BassBeginer64 said:
Its just damn that Phil Jones Big Head is 250 bucks , the Vox Bass mini Amp just seems too cheap to work long time.
Click to expand...

It really depends on what you're willing to spend and what you're going to use it for. You linked a headphone amp and then a bass preamp that has the feature of a headphone amp. While you can get the same things out of both in a way, one if not like the other in many ways.

I've used this for years and it's never let me down:
https://www.amazon.com/Tech-Pocket-Rock-Standard-Headphone/dp/B003LJJOJA

It handles just about everything I've thrown at it. I use it when I can't plug into an amp and need to be silent.

Then you have things like the GK you linked. Or the newer ver of Darkglass preamps mostly have headphone amps too. But these have a lot more on them, EQ, DI, some have tuners...they are mainly used and designed to be used on a pedal board. Not always. You can use them by themselves or in a studio too. But they aren't just "headphone amps". I would def get that distinction down first to figure out exactly what you want and need. You could end up saving yourself a ton of money once you decide exactly what it is you want/need.

But as far as pretty simple straight forward headphone amps go, the Phil Jones stuff is pretty stellar. Expensive. But stellar.
 
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#37
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#40
I use a Tascam GT-R1. You can store up to 1,000 songs on an SD card. It has a built in tuner, effects, amp models, you can change the tempo without changing the key, change the key without changing the tempo, loop parts of songs, create playlists and record. They are discontinued but there are some used ones online. Tascam also has other similar products.
Tascam GT-R1.jpg
 

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