The amp to have at home...

[levis76]

If you share a wall with a neighbor, then anything with a headphone out will suffice. Bass freq pass right thru walls and will annoy a non-bass player endlessly.

You -
Neighbor -
You, after the neighbor calls the fuzz -
You, after the fuzz give you a citation for disturbing the peace -

If you don't share a wall with your neighbors, go as big as the wife will allow and the structure of the building can handle.

No wife? No limits!

 

[xUptheIronsx]

TC Electronic RH450 Combo. It's a very small rig, has a 1/4" headphone jack right on the front panel so you can boom away in the privacy of your own ears, a built-in tuner, and aux input jacks on the rear to plug a laptop, Ipod, or other audio input device into so you can practice along. A bit pricey, but it rocks. For me, it's the "best" amp to use at home.

This sounds the best so far

It's interesting that for the past 25 years, i have never used an amp at home...bass in my lap unplugged has worked out just fine

 

[Staccato]

Roland Bass Cube 30...

 

[spaz21387]

heres my practice setup which is also my gig setup.

[Invalid or Expired Link Removed] by spaz21387, on Flickr

 

[Calaverasgrande]

the portaflex of course!
For those of us that haven't lucked into a portaflex at a comfortable pricepoint, I would posit that the Epiphone valve jr, plugged into a 1x12 or 1x10 is a very nice size for home plinkin.

 

[Warwick Qc418]

The best tone for small amp is mesa scout combo, the most expensive too!

 

[Eublet]

I've always preferred a small 1X10 combo amp at home for practicing since it minimizes vibration and boominess, resulting in a better tone at a volume I can manage. The GK Backline 110 combo is great but doesn't have a tweeter so the high end is fairly tame. For the last year or so, I've been using a Fender Bassman 100 that has a Neo 10" woofer and a piezo tweeter. The piezo can be turned off, run at half or full. I run it at the half-on setting, and it sounds great to me. This combo is quite full sounding, is light, has a good EQ, and has enough volume to even be used on acoustic or coffee house gigs. It's also relatively inexpensive. For home rehearsing, I prefer it over my TC Combo450 simply because it's less bass heavy in a small room. Highly recommended.

 

[marijn van gils]

Roland Bass Cube 30...

+1!

I have one permanently plugged in next to the couch in the living room. Small, inexpensive, sounds good, and it is ready to be played at all time. I just need to plug the bass in (hanging on the wall in the same room) and of I go!
Perfect for practice with the I-pod in the aux in and headphones if I risk annoying my wife.

Probably not the "best" amp to have, but a great practice solution that fits unobtrusively in a living room.

 

[Wadge]

I used to use a small Hartke Amp but since my time to practice is often after the wife and kid go to sleep (around 11.00pm or midnight) I found myself always using the headphone out - which meant I could not use the metronoe or MP3 player to practice with. Instead I purchased a cheap berhinger mixer so I now have my bass plugged into one channel, the metronome into another and the mp3 into another channel.

For practice I find it ideal as I can balance the the three in my phones individually and the tone is good enough for practice.

 

[Slackerprince]

I have a Warwick Blue Cab 30 that I really like. They don't make them anymore, but you might find one used. Great tone, as is, or use a VT Bass pedal for perfection.
Good luck.

S

 

[seamonkey]

A good PC, or iPad, and some good modeling software.
You can practice all kinds of amps from SS to Tube, and all kinds of cabinets, rooms, and effects.
GK, Ampeg, Fender, all have Officially Certified Models, and some private collection models have been gathered and modeled down to the component level.
IK
Line 6 Software Pod Farm
Native Instruments Guitar Rig
...
many choices.
And they all work to record with also.

Add a Peavey Impulse 12d, or QSC, or JBL powered cab and you set for home or the road.

 

[Robal]

A pre-Fender SWR Baby Blue I or II combo amp, if going for compact. It's not a current production model, but neither is the Deluxe Reverb that everyone loves. Used ones show up on craigslist list from time to time around $350 to $450.

 

[Kenner]

A pre-Fender SWR Baby Blue I or II combo amp, if going for compact. It's not a current production model, but neither is the Deluxe Reverb that everyone loves. Used ones show up on craigslist list from time to time around $350 to $450.

+1

SWR Baby Blue II without a doubt!

But, I just sold mine to finance a GK1001RB/210

So, I am currently using a GK700RB/112

 

[jumbodbassman]

+1 on the b15's