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Oh Yes Another Silent Practice Set Up Question. What Direction Should I Go In?

#61
I think I'm going to go with an audio interface after doing a bunch of reading. They all seem to come with some sort of DAW and I like the small form factor.
Now the question is which one. I may start a new post in the recording section. I watched a neat youtube video where a guy tested 7 different budget interfaces and I liked 4 of the 7.
I'm looking at the following.
Focusrite Scarlet Solo Gen 2 $149 and Gen 3 $159
M Audio Air 192 $149
Native Instruments Komplete Audio 1 $139
Presonus Audio Box 96 $139

Anyways as always thanks for all your input. It's much appreciated.

Cheers
 
#62
PJ Bassthumper said:
I think I'm going to go with an audio interface after doing a bunch of reading. They all seem to come with some sort of DAW and I like the small form factor.
Now the question is which one. I may start a new post in the recording section. I watched a neat youtube video where a guy tested 7 different budget interfaces and I liked 4 of the 7.
I'm looking at the following.
Focusrite Scarlet Solo Gen 2 $149 and Gen 3 $159
M Audio Air 192 $149
Native Instruments Komplete Audio 1 $139
Presonus Audio Box 96 $139

Anyways as always thanks for all your input. It's much appreciated.

Cheers
Click to expand...

They will all perform the same at that price range. I use a Scarlett Solo but I've used a Presonus before, I couldn't tell the difference. I kept the Scarlett because the headphones jack is located on the front. Other than that, the Presonus worked like a charm.

I would take a good look at a used interface, the market is flooded with them.
 
#64
Squeeze out a few more bones and grab this up.

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i've had one for a few years and it's the best headphone amp i've ever owned. This is the first used one i've ever seen for sale.
 
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#65
Blues Daddy said:
Get yourself one of these . . . .

View attachment 3736882

Victor (and I) recommend it for silent practice:

Cheers!
Click to expand...

I would definitely NOT get one of these VOXs. I purchased and returned two of them at about a year apart. When you have volume maxed on this device and on your bass, you can HARDLY hear the bass. You make make the audio in or the built in drum tracks 10 times as loud as the bass. Can't really practice with these. The only other explanation is that I had two defective ones. In the reviews of the Bass Vox some folks complained about the same issue, but most of the reviews were that it was a great item. You could try one, worse case is that you return it.
 
#67
UkeTruck said:
I would definitely NOT get one of these VOXs. I purchased and returned two of them at about a year apart. When you have volume maxed on this device and on your bass, you can HARDLY hear the bass. You make make the audio in or the built in drum tracks 10 times as loud as the bass. Can't really practice with these. The only other explanation is that I had two defective ones. In the reviews of the Bass Vox some folks complained about the same issue, but most of the reviews were that it was a great item. You could try one, worse case is that you return it.
Click to expand...

Why would you have the volume maxed on this? It's for headphone usage during practice. It doesn't need to be turned up loud at all.
 
#68
bassinplace said:
Why would you have the volume maxed on this? It's for headphone usage during practice. It doesn't need to be turned up loud at all.
Click to expand...
Anything under 50% volume, you cant hear the bass at all, at 100% volume, you can hear the bass enough that if you have your audio in (phone, computer, etc) set very low, you can hear the bass barely above the audio you are playing to.
 
#69
Why don't you get a good used Focusrite 2i2 or 2i4 audio interface and plug into your laptop? I just sold a 2i4 for like $80.

Then you can manage all of your practice songs using a free DAW like Audacity or a very cheap but very professional DAW called Reaper? It has a 60 day free trial period without limitations, only $60 to own.

This is what I'm doing for silent practice work.
 
#71
JZQuantum said:
Why don't you get a good used Focusrite 2i2 or 2i4 audio interface and plug into your laptop? I just sold a 2i4 for like $80.

Then you can manage all of your practice songs using a free DAW like Audacity or a very cheap but very professional DAW called Reaper? It has a 60 day free trial period without limitations, only $60 to own.

This is what I'm doing for silent practice work.
Click to expand...
+1 for the Reaper & Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 setup. Reaper is intuitive and fairly easy to learn. Plus they have great tutorials on Youtube.
 
#72
TeamScorpioRI said:
I am sure someone said this, but the GK Fusion 500 has an aux in and headphone out. Why not just use that? No need to buy anything except some cables to run it.
Click to expand...


As far as I can tell there is no aux in just a headphone out on this model.

upload_2020-3-9_14-46-23.png


upload_2020-3-9_14-47-33.png
 
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#74
PJ Bassthumper said:
As far as I can tell there is no aux in just a headphone out on this model.
Click to expand...

Sorry. I was mixing it up with the Fusion S 500 which has the aux in and headphone out.

I'd add my vote to a small mixer then. I used to use a small behringer 4 channel mixer to mix a line from my computer and my bass. I use active basses so I used to just plug directly into the mixer.

Now I have a Fender Rumble 40 for a practice amp. It has aux in/headphone out, plus an XLR DI out. They are about $200 new and worth the money. Maybe trade int he TKO for that and cut the cost a bit.
 
#75
re: comments on the noise with the Vox Amplug

Mine does have a bit of hiss at high volumes / tone way up, but for < $50 it's nothing I can't tolerate.

Definitely don't have too low to be heard volume issues with the one I have though.

I was using my Subway D-800 head for headphone practice but after getting that little Vox I keep the Mesa boxed up and ready to gig. At some point when money isn't so tight I might spring for one of those cool Phil Jones units to replace the Vox. Seems like a sorta odd thing to GAS for, but I do.
 
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#76
PJ Bassthumper said:
Focusrite Scarlet Solo Gen 2 $149 and Gen 3 $159
M Audio Air 192 $149
Native Instruments Komplete Audio 1 $139
Presonus Audio Box 96 $139
Click to expand...

I've just upgraded from an older 4 input M Audio to a Focusrite Scarlet 18i20 gen 3 and the routing software of the Scarlet is so much easier to understand than the M Audio. The newer M Audio stuff may have a better routing software so I can't claim any expertise.

I've not used the other two at all.
 
#77
I currently use my laptop with a Scarlett interface and earphone amp with AKG closed earphones. I have access to You Tube which has a endless supply of backing tracks, tunes I need to learn and tutorials. I also use Audacity to hear how my progress is coming. I have a 100W practice amp, a 500W gig amp with 4x10 and 2x10 speaker cans. Those guys never get turned on in the house unless the wife is away shopping. I also have a VOX BASS plug in, in case I need a change of scenery (family room).
 
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#78
PJ Bassthumper said:
I think I'm going to go with an audio interface after doing a bunch of reading. They all seem to come with some sort of DAW and I like the small form factor.
Now the question is which one. I may start a new post in the recording section. I watched a neat youtube video where a guy tested 7 different budget interfaces and I liked 4 of the 7.
I'm looking at the following.
Focusrite Scarlet Solo Gen 2 $149 and Gen 3 $159
M Audio Air 192 $149
Native Instruments Komplete Audio 1 $139
Presonus Audio Box 96 $139

Anyways as always thanks for all your input. It's much appreciated.

Cheers
Click to expand...
FWIW
I have used a Focusrite Scarlet Solo for the last 6 years with no problem, I had the M Audio for about two years but it just died on me. Worked well when it worked and was disappointed that one day it just decided to stop working.
 
#80
PJ Bassthumper said:
Good day fellow TBers.

So I have bought a ton of gear this year, I bought a used head (GK Fusion 500) a new cab (GK Neo 410) a used bass (Aria Pro CSB Deluxe) 2 pedals (Broughton HPF + LPF and a Solidgold FX Beta DLX) and now I need to get a silent practice station setup. Now I've read a ton of threads hear on TB so I generally have an idea of what is out there but giving what equipment I already own, I don't know what makes the most sense and yes money is a little tight at the moment.

Here's what I'm considering. All prices are in Canadian currency.

Tascam GB 10 $199.99
Zoom B1X Four $139.99
Soundcraft Notepad 5 $159.99
Fender Rumble 25 $139.99

Here's what I own
Peavey TKO 75 (Practice amp headphones out but no aux)
GK Fusion 500w (Main gigging amp headphones out no aux)
HP laptop Ryzen 7 16GB RAM 512 SSD
Pedalboard with Boss TU-3, Solidgold FX Beta DLX, Ovnilab Smoothie, Broughton HPF+LPF.
Mackie MC-250 headphones

What I want to accomplish
I used to work 4-12 and so I would practice during the day playing music through my laptop and plugging into the Peavey as I was the only one home. Recently I started working 8-4 and I want to practice while my family watches their tv shows, usually between 8-9. It needs to be silent to I don't disturb them.
I want to be able to play mp3 or wav files from my laptop and hear it in my cans along with my bass also being in my cans. My bands principle song writer usually sends just rough vocal, guitar, and drums so that I can come up with my own basslines.

My concerns
Tascam though it's small it seems cumbersome transferring files to SD card kind of looking for plug it in and go.
Zoom B1X Four I already have a pedal board with effects I like. Wondering if this would be redundant.
Soundcraft Notepad 5 I don't have Daw on my computer and I never see myself doing recordings. Also do I need an audio interface? Potential cost of adding other equipment to make this work.
Fender Rumble 25 I already have a practice amp do I need another?

So there you have it.
I have been chasing my tail for about a month now and so any guidance in the most economical option that makes the most sense for my situation would be greatly appreciated.
Click to expand...
Hi there,
I'm using a Zoom B1 Four for that very purpose. Works very well. Aux in, headphone out, some decent sounding effects, plus a simple drum machine and looper. $79 and a set of headphones. You could run your pedals into it as well.
Good luck!
Brent
 

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