• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join freeLog in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

Preamp (tone hammer) as Headphone amp?

Only preamps that actually have a headphone jack will work well as a headphone amp. A headphone jack is stereo and has different impedance than a mono pedal output jack. Technically there's nothing stopping you from plugging your headphones into the pedal output, but it will be mono, and probably sound crappy.
 
A large percentage of pedal/floorboard-style digital multifx and digital modelers are also set up to be all-in-one practice boxes. So if you wanted something with more features than just headphone amp, then a cheap Zoom or Boss etc. multifx is a fine choice. The Jacques Fat Burner (a compressor) and the Exar Ibex (a preamp/DI) are both good-quality small, not too expensive pedals that can be used as headphone amps.
 
It's probably more expensive in the States than here in Europe, but the EBS MicroBass II is a fantastic 2 channel pre-amp/headphone amp/fx loop/overdrive/DI..

The sound quality is amazing and the flexibility of this thing is unmatched..