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Headphones Amp Question
- Thread starter SterlingArcher
- Start date
Cheapest way is the Vox unit. I used one for years, then I found I needed a practice amp for when my rig was at a jam space or gig. I got an Acoustic B50c which gives me the option of an aux in and headphones. Although it's not powerful enough to play with a drummer, it's a great little practice amp for the money.
I've been using the 3 Leaf Audio " The Enabler" for headphone practicing/learning, it has 'Aux" input that is adjustable gain and has tone controls, for the bass, has enough, overall gain to drive most headphones, it also can be used as a direct box, and or can drive a powers amp, haven't used it for that purpose, I understand this product is out of production
I have also used my Mesa Boogie Subway 800+, I also have a Fender Rumble 500 head and it also has the ability to listen with headphones, along with an "Aux" in
I have also used my Mesa Boogie Subway 800+, I also have a Fender Rumble 500 head and it also has the ability to listen with headphones, along with an "Aux" in
Most solid state amps have a headphone out you can use plus quite a few have auxiliary inputs that allow you to play along with an mp3 player, CD player, etc. However, I think a better solution is to use an audio interface hooked up by USB into your computer or laptop. I've used the Behringer UMC 202HD before but dropped it off my desk a couple oyears back and now I have to hold the power cord in a particular spot to get power to the unit. So I replaced it with a Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 3rd Gen audio interface. Street price is $179 up to $249. You can usually find the $179 price somewhere.
The Behringer Euphoria UMC202HD that I had boasted Midas mic preamps which are well known and used on a lot of high-end sound boards, but the Focusrite had a better sound both on my bass and my desk mic (SM58). It's a 2-channel box and I use one channel for my bass with the selector for channel set to "instrument" and my mic on the other channel set to the mic side of the switch. They have different line levels so you want to be sure you have the correct selection on the switch. I've also used it with my Rode NT1-A Large diaphragm condenser mic, which requires phantom power. The Focusrite has 48v Phantom power switch that you can turn on for use with mics that need it.
Like most of the audio interfaces, it has a XLR combo jacks that take either and XLR or a 1/4" mono or stereo plug. With the mono plug (like from your bass) your bass shows up in one side of your headphones, which is actually helpful when playing with music. Outputs on the back are balanced TRS (tip, ring, sleeve) 1/4" outs with extremely low THD (<.002%). Very importantly, it has a direct monitor switch which is what allows you to play with the music you're hearing and also record sound on sound.
With 2 inputs you can record bass and lead vocal, each on their own track. Then you can go back and add guitar and a background vocal, again all on separate tracks. You can repeat this as many times as you want without every messing up the previous tracks with the new ones because, unlike tape (anyone remember those??), you are not limited to how many tracks you record.
One of the most useful features that it has though is a gain "halo" on each gain control. I REALLY like this because it shines up green as you play as long as you don't push the envelope. Then it will flash amber as you are reaching the limit, and if you exceed the limit and clip the gain, it will flash red. You can actually change those colors if you want but green amber, and red is the default. My previous Behringer audio interface just had a green light and a red light, so you were either OK or you were clipping. I really like this gain halo because it lights up amber when you're close to the upper limit instead of being green until it turns red. If you're watching it you can avoid clipping before it happens. You can't with a 2-light system like Behringer's.
The deal with seeing that red light is that when you see it, your recording has distorted...no ifs, ands, or buts, it's distorted and you will hear it on the playback. It's not a deal breaker if you are just playing along with the song for practice and it goes red while you are recording, it will drive you nuts because you'll have to do another take if you want a clear recording. Seeing that amber light flash warns you that you are close to clipping and you can ease up a bit to keep it from going into distortion. That can save you a LOT of time and frustration.
I use one because I live in an "in-laws" apartment underneath our landlady (and good friend). My desk is right under her bedroom so I can't even turn an amp on at home. But, I can put on my Bose headphones and play along with any music I have on my computer or can access over the internet and it is a far better "sound card" for my computer than the one it came with, so I use it for the sound on my computer too. Anyhow it's a great product and you can get superb recordings into your DAW with it. Plus it comes with a slew of downloadable plug-ins including light versions of two excellent DAW's - Ableton Live and Pro Tools First (lite version of Pro Tools). So you can use it just for practice plus recordings if that bug bites you.
Just checked with Amazon and they have it listed for $169 right now. If you're used to dealing with Sweetwater or one of those guys, they'll usually price match for you. Here's the Amazon link:
Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 3rd Generation
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forgot to attach the pic and all TB would do was publish an attachment link that didn't work. So here's a picture of it:
As an Amazon Associate, TalkBass may receive commissions from qualifying purchases made via links on this site.
I struggled with the problem of silent practice until I reached over into the hi-fi hobby for a solution.
The multi-effect boxes with headphone outputs can conjure up excellent tones into an amp, but the ones I've used have very crappy headphone outputs. Weak, flaccid, anemic. Limp and uninspiring.
I found that if you route the output of a multi-effect, even a cheap multi-effect, through a hi-fi headphone amp, even a cheap headphone amp, you can bump that signal up to where it needs to be. No more weasel headphone tone. The baby can sleep while you feel like you have a stadium rig at your fingertips! Watch your hearing!
I've used these cheap tube (maybe!) headphone amps with the Zoom B1n and with better pedals as well, and this is the only solution I have found that gets a useable tone, for me. The amps cost less than $100 and if you are not constantly unplugging them they last. I use Sennheiser Urbanite phones, which have an aggressive, bass-heavy response.
It's never going to be the same as using an amp, but wives and babies don't care about that.
The multi-effect boxes with headphone outputs can conjure up excellent tones into an amp, but the ones I've used have very crappy headphone outputs. Weak, flaccid, anemic. Limp and uninspiring.
I found that if you route the output of a multi-effect, even a cheap multi-effect, through a hi-fi headphone amp, even a cheap headphone amp, you can bump that signal up to where it needs to be. No more weasel headphone tone. The baby can sleep while you feel like you have a stadium rig at your fingertips! Watch your hearing!
I've used these cheap tube (maybe!) headphone amps with the Zoom B1n and with better pedals as well, and this is the only solution I have found that gets a useable tone, for me. The amps cost less than $100 and if you are not constantly unplugging them they last. I use Sennheiser Urbanite phones, which have an aggressive, bass-heavy response.
It's never going to be the same as using an amp, but wives and babies don't care about that.
Fortunately for me, I bought a couple of Bass Headphone Amplifiers before they disappeared from circulation. Fodera sold a "Private Practice Amplifier, that's ideal for
practice as it has all the inputs and controls for mixing Play-Alongs or recordings with the bass it even has bass and treble controls. Even better was the 3Leaf Audio
Enabler which was also set up as a fully functional Pre Amp and DI for bass. Unfortunately, neither of these little gems are currently available now.
practice as it has all the inputs and controls for mixing Play-Alongs or recordings with the bass it even has bass and treble controls. Even better was the 3Leaf Audio
Enabler which was also set up as a fully functional Pre Amp and DI for bass. Unfortunately, neither of these little gems are currently available now.
"Otherwise there are bass amps that have headphone outputs and auxiliary music inputs..."
Yes! ~Nowadays almost every amp head or combo (small or large) that's been well thought out has a headphone jack in and either an Effects loop or an Aux in {or both!}. ~Especially many of the newer small 'beginner's' combos; they seem almost specifically designed for the kind of practice you mention...
Yes! ~Nowadays almost every amp head or combo (small or large) that's been well thought out has a headphone jack in and either an Effects loop or an Aux in {or both!}. ~Especially many of the newer small 'beginner's' combos; they seem almost specifically designed for the kind of practice you mention...
I have used the $40 Vox, which has a second input. This works well on a budget. But my favorite now is the $380 Phil Jones Bighead Pro, which has an analog second input, along with a USB to computer second input, using a Savitech SA9227 USB controller supporting sample rates up to 32‑bit, 384kHz followed by an ESS ES9018K2M DAC with 32‑bit HyperStream DAC architecture and their Time Domain Jitter Eliminator. The analog instrument amp has a lot of bandwidth, and 10Hz low at +-3dB. The PJB is really unique in its quality a versatility. I have the Squire CV 60s Jazz as well, which is $450 ... why wouldn't you buy a PJB to go with it?
Show me the measurements that show me any of this makes an audible difference and not just a bunch of audiophile buzzwords and marketing hype. I'm an EE.
Big deal, it makes no audible difference and the LF corner will be determined by the DC blocking cap.
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There are several reasons to pay attention to the specs of the DAC. First and foremost, you will definitely hear the difference in going from, say, 16-bit to 32-bit encoding. You would demand 32-bit encoding from (digitally pre-converted) CD playback. It is even more important for real-time conversion from analog to digital with a complex waveform (bass, piano).
Second, bass players seem especially picky about strings, pickups, body materials, and so forth, and even the logo (Fender vs. Squire). Yet these will impact your sound less than going from analog circuits to 32-bit digital, where the accuracy and S-to-N are so much better.
Lastly, the USB and DAC chip choice is testimony to the general overall quality of the PJB Bighead Pro component choices.
Sorry if I waxed technical, but it does matter.
Second, bass players seem especially picky about strings, pickups, body materials, and so forth, and even the logo (Fender vs. Squire). Yet these will impact your sound less than going from analog circuits to 32-bit digital, where the accuracy and S-to-N are so much better.
Lastly, the USB and DAC chip choice is testimony to the general overall quality of the PJB Bighead Pro component choices.
Sorry if I waxed technical, but it does matter.
- Feb 12, 2006
- 61,010
- 5
- 220,847
- Disclosures
- Development Engineer-Mesa Boogie, Development Engineer-Genzler (pedals), Product Support-Genz Benz
Sometimes it matters but sometimes the differences are way to the right of the decimal point except to the marketing guys.
This may be true, but not in the assessment of the HA-2. Even with the impressive specs on the PJB HA-2, the amp is not sufficient for a digital piano, and you can hear the difference of the HA-2 compared to any other mini-amp (besides the other PJBs). The HA-2 is just sufficient for a bass because of the limited range of overtones. But pianos are enharmonic, have a huge range compared to a bass, are more complex, and you can definitely hear the limitations of the HA-2 (tones sound a bit metallic). I don't think the HA-2's electronics are overkill.
- Feb 12, 2006
- 61,010
- 5
- 220,847
- Disclosures
- Development Engineer-Mesa Boogie, Development Engineer-Genzler (pedals), Product Support-Genz Benz
i have the pocket rockit & it has held up well for years. one drop of the vox on a rug and it was dead!
