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Headphone Practice Setup Recommendations

#21
I've been very happy with Fender's Mustang Micro, which allows me to play along with tracks from my phone. The built-in models and effects are more for guitar than bass, but I also play guitar so I use them occasionally. It's a little noisy, but sounds good enough for my purposes.

www.fender.com

Mustang® Micro

Mustang Micro is a complete personal guitar amplifier featuring a wide selection of tones from the wildly popular Mustang series amps. Plug Mustang Micro directly into your guitar, connect your favorite wired headphones, and choose your perfect amp and effect settings. It's ideal for any player...
www.fender.com www.fender.com
 
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#24
Severe overkill: Quilter V803. Why use something you won’t use when playing out? The FX in doubles as AUX in. All the stuff you need for headphone use is on the front for ease of connection.

Honorable mentions:
-Boss Katana Go
-Ampeg SCR-DI ( SGT-DI on my list to try)
-I’m evaluating DSM Humboldt Bass Master, OK so far.
 
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#26
Roland Go Mixer Pro X. I use pedals into this and a Warm Audio DI , with headphones to record playthroughs. It shows clipping and has a phone input also . You can use a laptop or just the phone for the track and the phone to record video simultaneously, if using a computer for the track. Its very plug and play simple. It just requires the Roland 4xcamera app, which is free.

There is no mixing or mastering, because you just play bass over a mastered track already, that is compressed and the bass just cuts right through, like butter.

You are basically by-passing the physical amp. If you get something like The Tech 21 SansAmp VT Bass DI It is widely celebrated in the bass community as an "Ampeg in a box" and really no need for a seperate DI. I have the older version without the DI, but you really don't even need a DI, it just sounds a little better and has the ability to pad. But, definately you would want some type of amp sim.
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#28
I wanted these things:

1. Completely wireless - both the bass and the headphones.
2. No perceptible latency.
3. Ability to record my practice sessions.

This unfortunately excludes the Katana go:bass which can’t do number 3. Bluetooth is excluded by number two.

So my setup is:

- AIAIAI TMA-2 Studio Wireless headphones - from Sweetwater
- NUX C-5RC wireless guitar set - from Gollihur.

And then whatever I choose to play through: Anagram, or a GK combo amp, etc. Lately I’m practicing along with apps on the iPad or laptop. Like Moises for isolating tracks. Or iReal Pro.

It’s more complex than the Go:Bass, but: I can practice and work on my actual bass rig and signal chain, instead of a walled off “toy” environment. That being said, sure I’d like a go:bass for the hell of it.
 

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#33
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Zoom B3n (this is a G3n)
iPad, headphones. The blue pedal is a Bluetooth Vidami video controller, a nice thing to have for starting stopping, looping a speed control of video.

Zoom was about $100 used. $30 headphones. iPad holder was $20.

This set up gets used many hours a day.

Get a comfortable chair.
 
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#34
I found a decent interface to be a good investment. I'm usually sitting at my computer practicing along with things on youtube or in my DAW. I'm always ready to record studio quality things and I can even stream to others. Plugins allow me to get sounds that I otherwise get from an amp or pedals. There's nothing like being able to do that all at night with headphones so the neighbors don't get angry :D
 
#35
I use a Mackie 402 mixer - mixes anything you want, has a couple 1/4 or xlr inputs, a stereo line in, and a tape input - you can either plug directly in, or put a pedalboard in front of it. Drives headphones well and has trs 1/4 inch outs - balanced or unbalanced. It's a Swiss army knife of useful things - can be used to record your band (steroe mic), or add a couple more inputs to a bigger console if needed (don't we always need one or two more inputs?).
 
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#36
Thank you everyone for the suggestions. Ill touch on a few of them:
I have the Fender Mustang Micro Pro, and its.... meh. I don't like it enough to use when I have the room for a more permanent solution.
The SGT-DI sounds pretty awesome, but I have a VT Bass Delux, so the "does something extra" part doesn't really sell it for me.
I have a small mixer, DIs, etc. but would like something with a bit more tone shaping and less cabling if can be.

I'm still liking the idea of the Micro VR, since it would look cool on my desk, has the tonal qualities I'm looking for, and I can always run a speaker cable down to one of my 210AVs if i want to practice loud.

I also came across the Mark Vintage Pre, which looks like it could be a cool option too.

By all means, keep em coming!
 
#38
iRig2 into my iPad, with JamOn app. To play along with anything not loaded on to your IOS, you have to futz with it a bit (YT, pick a playlist, then open the JamOn app) But, not a real pain. No external power needed, and sounds good to me.
 

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