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Looking for a preamp for headphone practice with a USB out for recording

#21
My Boss GT-1B pedal is the best single solution unit for me. Aux In for headphone practice, multiple effects, amp/cab sims, USB recording interface. I practice, gig, and record with it on a regular basis. Small and light enough to travel in a gig bag or backpack.
 
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#22
DuluthDank said:
Bonus points if it has some amp modeling or overdrive capabilities. I'm currently looking at the GK Plex, but I'm wondering what else is out there.

I'm currently using the Zoom B3n for headphone practice, but find the amp models and overdrive just a bit uninspiring. And of course this model has no USB out.
Click to expand...

I personally use the older B3 and am perfectly happy with it using the svt model for headphone practice and just as an effects unit live. YMMV.
The Zoom GCE-3 will solve your no usb out problem and models the B3n so your patches transfer straight to the pedal. It won't solve your uninspiring sounds problem though. I now use the GCE because it takes up much less space and I don't need to keep connecting my B3 to the computer. I find the B3n patches just as usable as the B3's for me.
 
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#25
If you need the absolute portability, phil jones Bighead Pro. You charge it with the usb that you can use for throwing it into your computer.

If you don't, I would look into some darkglass pedals like the photon, infinity or similar.
 
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#26
Why not do the modeling in the DAW in the computer? I play everyday with headphones into a audio interface and have a ton of great amp and pedal models on the computer. Currently I run a Presonis Audiobox which has a direct blend that sound very good as a dry signal or I run Amplitude 4 for Amp modeling and pedals. Even the basic program gives you a crazy amount of options where a single pedal is just that.
 
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#29
The NuX Melvin Lee Davis preamp is the simplest device that will meet all of your requirements.
I think the Palmer Pocket Bass would be similar, but without the digital flexibility.

The Line 6 HX Stomp can do a lot more than either of those- but you can ignore all those extra features and just keep your patches simple...until you need some of those extras.

Half way in between is the Line 6 POD Go; a simplified Line 6 product in a larger format.
(I'm selling mine, but only because I've spent way too much time building my own pedals to retire my analog pedalboard)
 
#30
DuluthDank said:
Bonus points if it has some amp modeling or overdrive capabilities. I'm currently looking at the GK Plex, but I'm wondering what else is out there.

I'm currently using the Zoom B3n for headphone practice, but find the amp models and overdrive just a bit uninspiring. And of course this model has no USB out.
Click to expand...

crazyBassClown said:
I personally use the older B3 and am perfectly happy with it using the svt model for headphone practice and just as an effects unit live. YMMV.
The Zoom GCE-3 will solve your no usb out problem and models the B3n so your patches transfer straight to the pedal. It won't solve your uninspiring sounds problem though. I now use the GCE because it takes up much less space and I don't need to keep connecting my B3 to the computer. I find the B3n patches just as usable as the B3's for me.
Click to expand...

I vote older Zoom B3 too if budget is an issue. I used my B3 live for a long time until I got the HX Stomp. I still carry the B3 in my bag as a backup with a One-Spot in case my power supply or Stomp fail live.

I also still use the B3 for headphone practice because it stays in my bag and can be used in the van or hotel without needing the whole pedal board!

That said, I love my HX Stomp and will probably upgrade to Helix Floor in 2023. The whole platform just makes sense to me.
 
#31
MVE said:
NuX mighty plug is best headphone practice option out there right now.
Click to expand...

It's very good for practice, and can be used as a USB interface, althought I've not tried this beyond plugging it into my ipad to use the iStroboSoft tuner app (nux mighty plug doesn't have a tuner!).

However, I'm tempted to replace mine with the Mooer Prime P1. It really does look like a superior product all round. A much better practice tool, with proper bass-orientated features and a better USB interface.

That said, if I had the spare cash, I'd just get an HX Stomp.
 
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#32
David A. Davis said:
I have used this for a few years. Great if you are an Apple user
IK Multimedia - iRig HD 2
Click to expand...

I had one of those too. A neat little interface but I just found it a little too noisy with every bass I tried, even after updating the firmware. It certainly wasn't viable as a backup rig with that level of hiss.

I was quite annoyed to discover earlier this year when I decided to sell mine that I had to buy a £20 "licence transfer credit". Every other company's hardware I've owned just lets you deauthorise the hardware when you want to sell it. IK Multimedia seemingly wants to milk a little more money out of you. Obviously, I included this in the asking price, but that's not the point.
 
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#33
Bodeeni said:
Why not do the modeling in the DAW in the computer? I play everyday with headphones into a audio interface and have a ton of great amp and pedal models on the computer. Currently I run a Presonis Audiobox which has a direct blend that sound very good as a dry signal or I run Amplitude 4 for Amp modeling and pedals. Even the basic program gives you a crazy amount of options where a single pedal is just that.
Click to expand...


This. I fought it for a while. But it's easiest.

I don't even use an audio interface unless I'm recording the band. I use $30 rocksmith USB->1/4 cable for input. And then you can have whatever the world of plugins likes for tones.

Also if I want to do a sketch of a song- it's fall out of bed easy.

If you have to have pedals, you can use them before the cable, but I rarely do that even. In the box is easier.
 
#34
ga_edwards said:
It's very good for practice, and can be used as a USB interface, althought I've not tried this beyond plugging it into my ipad to use the iStroboSoft tuner app (nux mighty plug doesn't have a tuner!).

However, I'm tempted to replace mine with the Mooer Prime P1. It really does look like a superior product all round. A much better practice tool, with proper bass-orientated features and a better USB interface.

That said, if I had the spare cash, I'd just get an HX Stomp.
Click to expand...
The Mooer does look cool.
 
#35
DuluthDank said:
Bonus points if it has some amp modeling or overdrive capabilities. I'm currently looking at the GK Plex, but I'm wondering what else is out there.

I'm currently using the Zoom B3n for headphone practice, but find the amp models and overdrive just a bit uninspiring. And of course this model has no USB out.
Click to expand...
I just got a Zoom B6 and I've already used a few of its patches at a gig. I'm liking the drum tracks that I can dial up for practice, too. It has a USB connection that I don't need right now - nice that the interface is there if I need it at some point down the road. I was as you put it "uninspired" by a Boss GT-1B a little while ago, but even practicing on the headphones with the B6 has been much fun for me so far.

Lots going on with amp/cab models as well as overdrives and decent sounding fuzz that are all remarkably easy for me to tweak. Although I'm going to work on learning how to manage a couple of more intricate functions, there's enough of an intuitive design going on with this gizmo between the knobs and touch screen that I haven't needed a semester at "Zoom U" to get me up and running with many fundamentals.

I did a little tweaking on a slap patch, an SVT model with the gain set just short of breakup (sounds VERY good), and also a funky-synthy patch. All of these were useful at my most recent gig (we do jumpin' rock and dance material).

Tough to know exactly what's your speed, but this unit seems to be just what I'm wanting right now. I also grabbed a Line 6 Pod Go a couple months ago thinking that I could use that one thing for bass stuff as well as noodling on guitar here and there, but the learning curve with the Pod Go has been more steep for me. I may take another dive into that one when I have the time in a month or two (it seems to be pretty nice), but my B6 was ready to get me rockin' right out of the box.
 

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