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Headphone Practice Rig?

What would you choose for small footprint bass practice with headphones

  • Phil Jones Bighead

  • Ampeg SCR-DI

  • Line 6 HX Stomp

  • Palmer Pepampbass

  • GK Plex Preamp

  • Something else (please explain below)

  • Carrots

Results are only viewable after voting.
#61
How small is small? I've used the old Genz Benz Shuttle 3.0 head as a headphone/practice amp while traveling. It's pretty small, has aux in and headphone out, and works great as an amp, when coupled with appropriate small speakers (I have the Shuttle 10" and 8" cabinets on hand - bought the 8" long ago, when edging into resumption of bass, and will never sell it). For nighttime headphone/home practice, I'm very happy with the Mesa Subway 800+. Disconnect the speakon, plug in the phones and my iPad loaded with play-along materials, and practice away.
 
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#63
I used computer (Line6 PodFarm), iPhone (Amplitube with iRig) and Eleven Rack.
When I practice with headphones and want to do it anywhere, a unit working on batteries is essential. I bought an Ampeg SCR-DI for bass practice and really like it. For Christmas I got a Zoom G1 Four for guitar practice. Really like the small form factor, easy to use (don't need manual) and can work on 4 AA batteries, USB powered or 9V DC and sounds good with headphones (I even connected to my home stereo with great results). Since you are doubling on guitar, I suggest the G1 Four instead of B1 Four and you can install bass models using the software. This single unit for both guitar and bass that fits in your gigbag and can be a backup for direct to FOH.
 
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#64
So Anyway, many moons ago I bought a new 506 Zoom multi-effects bass box. Never found a use for it at a gig. But I used it at home to practice in silence using the headphone jack. This was very handy when the kids were small and keeping the house quiet was essential. I could also see it for apartment dwellers.
Don't overlook something like this... a used one is dirt cheap.
And it still works! I keep it at my bench for string changes and minor adjustments.
Good Luck with your search.
IMG_20200122_122307.jpg
 
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#65
"...something else..."
personally I practice mostly unplugged, and always have. Even though i have a bunch of different headphones type amps, i also have amps allover the house and i don't have to worry about making noise I still do most of my practice unplugged. I haven't given much thought to it, but I kind of feel like this way I'm getting whatever sound i'm going after out of my fingers. Anyway, just my humble 0.02 cents
 
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#67
kjp360 said:
I wasn't sure whether to put this in Effects or Amps and Cabs..my apologies if this is the wrong sub forum.
I am looking at options for headphone practice and can't seem to make up my mind.
Background: I already have a decent set of cans (ATH-M40x) but don't have a small footprint way to practice through them. I do have an older combo amp with a headphone output but no aux or bluetooth input. Ideally, I would find something with a smallish footprint that had a headphone amp with enough juice, an aux input and/or bluetooth (independent aux volume ideally). I also play 6 string guitar so something that did double duty bass and guitar would be a plus but not required as I have other ways to deal with guitar practice if need be.

My sonic preferences: I often use the 'just right' size tube amp for bass (and always do for guitar) so that I can live on the edge of breakup. If I dig in I can OD or if I roll back the volume I can clean up a bit into warm Stax-Volt-Motown land. I have recently come to appreciate the sound of the GK RB series. The GK's and an old Traynor Monoblock are the only non tube rigs that I have truly vibed with, but in all fairness I have no experience with modern higher end class D rigs such as Mesa, Aguilar etc.

Solutions I have considered:
1. Phil Jones Bighead - I worry that this will be a one trick pony and that I won't like the trick. In my limited experience with Phil Jones (4B cab and Briefcase Combo) the tone was very modern (for lack of a better word). Both products were good quality (and surprisingly loud and clear) but not really to my taste.
2. Ampeg SCR-DI - I like me some Ampeg tube amps and the Ampeg tone in general but the only modern Ampeg product that I have mucked about with is the Scrambler OD pedal. There was nothing wrong with the pedal but it was an overdrive that I didn't really care for and took back to the store immediately. As affordable as the SCR-DI is, I am not sure I want to pay for and carry something that I know I will only use a portion of...I can't image ever engaging the OD function.
3. Line 6 HX Stomp - This probably makes the most sense (the most control, will do double duty guitar and bass)...but at almost twice the price of the second most expensive option here (Plex). I also worry that I will spend some time mucking about with menus vs. practicing. I also worry that like all modelling products that it will depreciate very quickly until it is eventually worthless (I bought an AXE-SYS 212 when it was first released).
4. Palmer Pepampbass Portable Bass Preamp - I have never heard of this maker or heard any demos but it seems to hit all the check boxes, has a nice form factor and decent price. I wish I knew more about it, the maker and its tone.
5. GK Plex Preamp - Kinda expensive for what it is but if it can make my cans sound anything like the 400RB through an EV loaded 2x15 it might be worth it. If it could make a crappy backline rig sound like that as well then even better.

I'm sure there are solutions that I am unaware of and I am happy to hear them. I would be especially interested in suggestions of common used gear that is similar to the above. I do not have a set budget but do not need to hear about products that cost more than the HX Stomp (799 Canadian). Thanks in advance for your help.
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Well there are a lot of options ,Darkglass preamps are one of the best .
Then for cheaper price zoomB(B3n).
Line 6 is good too .



*Actually about plex ,I do not own it but few friends had it and they all face problems with them in different stage of use .So i wont recommend it because I don't think it was bad usage that cause that problems .
 
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#71
lermgalieu said:
Even tho this thread happens alot, I always enjoy it because there always seems to be new stuff. I love my PJ bighead, but based upon the OP, I see why he doesn't think he would. It's pretty clean/sterile, but IMO it sounds awesome and that tone is really helpful when you are playing along with something that already has a bass track.
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You bring up an interesting point about wanting a clean sound when playing along with stuff that already has bass guitar on it. Since I rarely do that except with the stereo going and amp in room (until I get the setup we are discussing) it might make sense to hook up my DAW setup and play along to a dirty track through an amp sim and clean to see how I feel about clean/sterile vs dirty/amp sound when playing along using cans. Thanks for that.
 
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#73
kjp360 said:
You bring up an interesting point about wanting a clean sound when playing along with stuff that already has bass guitar on it. Since I rarely do that except with the stereo going and amp in room (until I get the setup we are discussing) it might make sense to hook up my DAW setup and play along to a dirty track through an amp sim and clean to see how I feel about clean/sterile vs dirty/amp sound when playing along using cans. Thanks for that.
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Yep - and that's basically ALL I used my bighead for. Although I am interested to try it as a preamp. I've tried it as a basic A/D interface, but since I already have a dedicated one, that was more of an experiment.
 
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#74
I had one of those Rockman Bass Ace's as a kid, it was terrible, but I did use it a bit for late night practice. Now I have the Vox Amplug, which is a fine, cheap practice tool that I continue to use for nighttime practice. I am aaallmmosstt tempted to buy something nicer - it would be ideal to have something like iRig for my android phone, that I could use with my bluetooth headphones, while simultaneously cuing up music to play along with on that same phone (I don't know if iRig does this).
 
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#75
I selected something else - I use the iRig HD. It suffices but I'm not real happy with it. It allows me to learn songs silently at my computer, but the Amplitube software is wonky and the sound is so so. Plus, I have to unplug it and re-plug it every damn time I use it, dunno why. Will be getting something else one of these days...
EDIT: I have tried Garage Band with it and cared for that even less...:cool:
 
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#76
I have the BigHead pro and love it. I use it with Audeze audiophile headphones and can tell you it's a great, clean amp. Maybe too clean for your liking.

And I agree on the clean tone helping separate bass from recorded. I tried the iRig approach but had difficulty distinguishing myself from Pino Palladino ;).
 
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#77
I voted other. Based on your preferences, I’d recommend the GK Legacy heads.

They offer lightweight, small footprint, headphone out with aux in.

Also can be used as a nice DI with tone and volume controls (or just like a pedal preamp).

Also can be used to power speaker cabinets in the traditional sense, but that goes without saying.

Simple, yet powerful EQ allows basically any kind of tone you want.
 
#78
My headphones practice rig is:

Bass going into:
TC Spectracomp 1/4" Input
Android Tablet going into:
TC Spectracomp AUX 1/8" Input

TC Spectracomp mixes bass/android device together (I play along with the songs)

TC Spectracomp going out to 1/8" headphones output

The only minor deficiency is that there isn't a 'blend' control between the Bass and AUX Input. Mixing has to be done at the device end with the volume. I even built a little tray to put the tablet and Spectracomp together with wire management.

Wasn't clear to me if you were looking for a bass AMP with this option or just a completely separate setup for just headphones practice.
 
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#80
My headphone/practice/rehearsal/stage amp is an Ampeg PF500. I keep a cab at the rehearsal space so all I have to lug around is a bass and a compact, lightweight head. You could go with most any class D head with the features you want; I like the Ampeg sound and got a good deal on a factory refurb.
I use Shure SE215 for my stage IEM and just got some decent Sony cans for home practicing.
 
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