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DI box that doubles as a headphone amp?

tleeitsme

tleeitsme

Sep 8, 2017
113
137
#1
Many moons ago I had a korg pandora that was a nice little effects/amp modeling software packaged into a little DI box with proprietary software.

I would imagine something like that is a little outdated but I am looking for something a hair more sophisticated than my vox headphone amp for some late night noodling.

Thanks for any suggestions.
 
#6
I have a Zoom ms-100bt and am floored with everything this thing can do. I primarily use it for guitar effects, and I also use the guitar amp mods to play it straight into a pa without needing anything but my guitar and the pedal.

But interestingly, the BT is Bluetooth, which is pretty useless. The only good thing is there are a bunch of free effects/amps you can download and put on the pedal through Bluetooth and they’re now all free since the pedal is no longer supported. This includes a bunch of cool bass amps and cool bass preamps, including the venerable sansamp DI. And the output can double as a headphone out. Oh, and a built in tuner!

For what they cost they’re amazingly versatile. Take a look.
 
#8
The Ampeg SCR/DI is an excellent choice for use as a preamp, a DI, or a practice tool with headphones. It also works well as a pre-sweetener/toneshaper for recording into your DAW. Highly recommended.
 
#11
LexD said:
The Tone Hammer DI can power a set of headphones.
Click to expand...
I just tried that, didn’t work for me.

Another solution is to have a mixer in your room, and run a DI into that- the additional advantage being you can patch iPad/iPhone/ computer into the mixer, drum machine, as well as mics, etc, and not have to worry about how you will incorporate it all. IMO any musicians kit isn’t complete if they don’t have a mixer of some type, microphone(s), and practice aids such as metronome or drum machine.
 
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#13
Garret Graves said:
I just tried that, didn’t work for me.
Click to expand...

bongomania said:
Only preamps that actually have a headphone jack will work well as a headphone amp. A headphone jack is stereo and has different impedance than a mono pedal output jack. Technically there's nothing stopping you from plugging your headphones into the pedal output, but it will be mono, and probably sound crappy.
Click to expand...

Preamp (tone hammer) as Headphone amp?

No, it doesn't sound great. But works for practice and late night noodling as the OP requested.
 
#14
I use a Zoom B3 for that purpose. Discontinued, it was replaced by the B3n which DOESN'T have DI, unfortunately. That said, B3 can be found used at a good price...

What works for it, IMHO:
- Good DI
- Good set of effects, including usable pre-amp simulators
- Can be battery, adapter or USB powered
- Left 1/4" output (yes, it has stereo output) doubles as headphone amp
- Full fledged PC audio interface (more on that below)

While I do use it sometimes as a practice amp on it's own (B3+Bass+Headphones), my favorite setup is by far with my laptop connected through USB and headphones. B3 becomes USB powered audio interface, can play along music played through iTunes. If using a DAW, I can record myself and slow down pieces for transcribing...without annoying anybody. :-)
 

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