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wintremute
mediocrity at its finest
- Oct 16, 2014
- 6,942
- 29,551
- Disclosures
- Endorsing Artist: Langstrom Carrot Farms
I went to the local music store to check it out. Was ok but can't get too loud. Had to have it up near ear height to get a good listen.
- Oct 7, 2000
- 18,619
- 38,939
- Disclosures
- Endorsing artist: Musicman basses
Anytune. I think I might like it even better, but I like using a mouse and a PC.
Go ahead and spring for the extension cab. If you stack it will get up around ankle high and fill an entire bathroom.
There is no way anyone needs a full stack just for practice.
I love Anytune! I use it on my Mac mostly, but have used it on occasion on the iPad as well.
(I am a headphone guy too. I wouldn't have it any other way!)
(I am a headphone guy too. I wouldn't have it any other way!)
I'm quoting this post as it has worked for me no phones, cool the headphone amp into computer speakers for 10-20 bucks new or a couple bucks at a second hand shop. Job done and no waiting on shipping
I came here to say:
The Vox Amplug has changed my life and saved my marriage by allowing me to practice silently at all hours."
Buuuuut since you're not a headphones guy....
The Vox Amplug has changed my life and saved my marriage by allowing me to practice silently at all hours."
Buuuuut since you're not a headphones guy....
- Oct 7, 2000
- 18,619
- 38,939
- Disclosures
- Endorsing artist: Musicman basses
Any of you headphones guys ever try playing at low volumes? It works great. Even at 3 AM with a nasty light sleeping neighbor directly beneath me. And my wife sleeping in the next room. You'd be amazed! You put the amp on a desk, chair, or whatever - and put the volume down around 1 or 2. You'd be astounded. No pesky wires to get tangled in. No mixers and even more wires to plug everything in. Just a cable to plug your bass in. It's amazing! Ya'll oughta try it. There are some suggestions in this thread for good little amps to get started with, too.
The amps cost less than most decent headsets too!
The amps cost less than most decent headsets too!
I bought one of these when they first hit the stores - sent it back for a refund the next day. I could NOT get a clean tone out of it - pure fuzz bass & nothing like the video demo. Maybe I got a bad one, so I'm anxious to hear about how your purchase works out.
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mmI have a Vox Amplug and I think it sounds less than optimal through headphones. It's also a cheap chunk of plastic and is just waiting for the day it gets bumped and breaks off in the bass output jack.
I also have the little powered speaker cabinet they make for it. It sounds better than headphones, but it's very quiet and I feel like if I turn it up and play too heavy I'll wind up blowing the speaker in it.
I also get those Vox Amphones for Xmas a year ago. They are cool in a pinch as they plug right into the bass and when you turn them off they also double as plain old headphones, but to be honest they don't sound much better than the Amplug. I'm sure it's the same little amplifier circuit. It is handy, though.
I have played the Amplug through computer speakers and while it's not ideal it can work in a pinch. Using the Danelectro Honeytone as low volumes works, but also feels like you're going to blow the speaker. As a headphone amp the Honeytone works fine but Joe isn't looking for a headphone amp anyway.
An option though, is to play the Honeytone's phone out through computer speakers; I'll need to give that a shot.
That Blackbird Fly 3 looks cool, but I'd like to try one out before buying, as you can never get a good read on tone and volume from youtube vids when it comes to these things. As the above sentences describe, I've been down this road before.
I thought about getting one of those Vox Apache basses a couple of years ago but I can't justify getting another bass, and when I practice I really want to practice on one of my "real" basses. To me my Squier Jaguar and a compact battery-powered practice amp that fits in the gig bag pocket would be a good travel bass setup.
I also have the little powered speaker cabinet they make for it. It sounds better than headphones, but it's very quiet and I feel like if I turn it up and play too heavy I'll wind up blowing the speaker in it.
I also get those Vox Amphones for Xmas a year ago. They are cool in a pinch as they plug right into the bass and when you turn them off they also double as plain old headphones, but to be honest they don't sound much better than the Amplug. I'm sure it's the same little amplifier circuit. It is handy, though.
I have played the Amplug through computer speakers and while it's not ideal it can work in a pinch. Using the Danelectro Honeytone as low volumes works, but also feels like you're going to blow the speaker. As a headphone amp the Honeytone works fine but Joe isn't looking for a headphone amp anyway.
An option though, is to play the Honeytone's phone out through computer speakers; I'll need to give that a shot.
That Blackbird Fly 3 looks cool, but I'd like to try one out before buying, as you can never get a good read on tone and volume from youtube vids when it comes to these things. As the above sentences describe, I've been down this road before.
I thought about getting one of those Vox Apache basses a couple of years ago but I can't justify getting another bass, and when I practice I really want to practice on one of my "real" basses. To me my Squier Jaguar and a compact battery-powered practice amp that fits in the gig bag pocket would be a good travel bass setup.
My travel practice rig fits in a plastic sandwich bag, and has the ability to drown out screaming children standing directly behind me. (Field tested) Plus it was great touring in hotel rooms.
Too bad you wouldn't have liked it.
Too bad you wouldn't have liked it.
The Raven Labs PHA-1 works really well for that. Three-band EQ, stereo aux levels.I was never a headphones guy, and don't get how YOU guys do it with headphones.
When I'm learning songs my preferred method is with my PC, Transcribe, and a Roland Bass Microcube. I can EQ the song with Transcribe to get the bass to jump out, and levels with my bass are a no-brainer.
I need an alternative now because I'll be spending a lot of time at my folks (don't remember if I mentioned that or not). What I'll wind up doing is either plugging my phone or ipad into the amp, or I'll use a travel speaker I bought not too long ago if that sounds like crap. I have an app that does the same stuff Transcribe does on my Apple devices. Seems a lot easier to me than trying to EQ and mix everything to best hear and learn bass parts with headphones on. I actually wouldn't even know where to start.
I once had a Tascam bass trainer. I tried several times to work with that and headphones and it was just frustrating to me. I know many people have headphones on throughout the day, so I guess it's second nature to them. To me it's really uncomfortable, I feel like I lose touch with everything around me, and I get tangled up, too
Betcha weren't expecting that in depth a response
Couldda just left it at, "I'm not a headphones kinda guy."
my favorite bedroom practice amp ever, i gotta add because i got it for $40, a Kalamazoo model 2 its like a tiny svt for an arena of one. so my vote is for random thrift shop scores !
its like a tiny svt for an arena of one. so my vote is for random thrift shop scores !
This amp has a cool feature, you can plug headphones into it to practice silently. It's awesome !
Haven't read all replies Joe but if you already have something similar to the Zoom B1on, you can take a line out from it and actually get semi decent sound from just about any battery powered portable speaker or mains system with an aux input. As an added bonus you can plug in your phone/tablet/mp3 player to play along with.
Mine arrived yesterday afternoon. I spent a few minutes with it last night. So, my first impressions:
It isn't very loud (but I didn't expect it to be) but is plenty loud for practicing alone. It overdrives pretty easy, somewhere around 1:00 it starts, but the overdrive isn't terrible. The sound is clear - not small and tinny as you might expect. Overall, it is a keeper.
It isn't very loud (but I didn't expect it to be) but is plenty loud for practicing alone. It overdrives pretty easy, somewhere around 1:00 it starts, but the overdrive isn't terrible. The sound is clear - not small and tinny as you might expect. Overall, it is a keeper.
