What to use for home practice? Amp or no amp?

[nono]

Hi!

My current home practice rig is, more or less, bass into SamsAmp VT Bass (v2 I think, not the DI) into mixer into studio monitors (KRK Rokit RP5).

It works good enough but the sound is somewhat clinical; good for hearing my mistakes but I kind of miss some grain here, I guess.

What would you do? Keep things as is, use different speakers (maybe a small stage monitor) or a small bass combo, and if an amp what kind of make and model?

Between the tiny room I use for practice and the fact I live in an apartment with neighbors, the most powerful I could realistically use is something like the Markbass Micromark 801 (which I tried and quite like, but it is quite expensive). I heard quite a lot of good reviews about the Phil Jones X4 but I wonder if it would bring me much more grain than the VT Bass. Or maybe a cheaper combo like one of the small Fender Rumbles?

Choices, choices...

 

[Nebadon2000]

If you live in Apartment be a good neighbor and continue to use headphones

I use headphones setup and have Family

 

[buldog5151bass]

Why not get a good 110 or similar cab, and use your regular head?

 

[jnewmark]

I use Bass into a Mackie 402VLZ4, from there to my PC with headphones. Allows me to play along with YouTube songs, or just play silently.

 

[Al Kraft]

I use Bass into a Mackie 402VLZ4, from there to my PC with headphones. Allows me to play along with YouTube songs, or just play silently.

I use the identical set-up to learn new songs and work out the bass lines.

 

[G On Bass]

Bass>my gigging pedalboard>USB inteface>Mac>Headphones. I dial in all my tones at home and it's ready to go in the wild.

 

[Redbrangus]

I'd keep doing what you're doing -- playing through your monitors. Even if you had a groovy new amp, it doesn't sound like you'd be able to turn up any louder than with what you're playing right now.

 

[babsobass]

I use headphones with a Tascam GB-10. Tons of controls that make learning songs by ear easy, including shifting key (in 1/2 step increments) without changing tempo and changing tempo without changing key. It also has looping of segments of songs (you choose start and end), recording, effects, etc. It works with MP3 files you put on an SD card. Highly recommended if learning music is a big goal.

 

[nono]

Thanks for your answers. I'm not used to playing with headphones but it could work very well.

Why not get a good 110 or similar cab, and use your regular head?

Because I don't own a head? :-D I'm not in a band at the moment but when I was we always played ampless, so no point in owning an amp.

 

[singlemalt]

An inexpensive multi and headphones. Something like a Zoom B3n runs about $125 used. Amp models, effects, beats, looper, tuner, di, usb and a onscreen editor so you can tweak sounds and swap effects on your computer instead of scrolling through menus on the unit. Even without the editor software, it’s a pretty quick learning curve.

Compact and built tough, it’s a portable practice space.

Apartments and bass amps aren’t a great combination.

 

[ebo]

Bass into multi effects pedal into head phones with iPad play along for me. Easy to get my volume and accompanying music set and never bothers anyone.

 

[Lucas Carioli]

I think a small bass combo would provide that mojo that you need. I would try a Fender Rumble.

 

[Auspuff]

Hi!

My current home practice rig is, more or less, bass into SamsAmp VT Bass (v2 I think, not the DI) into mixer into studio monitors (KRK Rokit RP5).

It works good enough but the sound is somewhat clinical; good for hearing my mistakes but I kind of miss some grain here, I guess.

What would you do? Keep things as is, use different speakers (maybe a small stage monitor) or a small bass combo, and if an amp what kind of make and model?

Between the tiny room I use for practice and the fact I live in an apartment with neighbors, the most powerful I could realistically use is something like the Markbass Micromark 801 (which I tried and quite like, but it is quite expensive). I heard quite a lot of good reviews about the Phil Jones X4 but I wonder if it would bring me much more grain than the VT Bass. Or maybe a cheaper combo like one of the small Fender Rumbles?

Choices, choices...

Gallien-Krueger Legacy 800, into a CX4X10, and CX210.

 

[Griendrr]

I use a rumble 40, and Bluetooth my phone to a set of cheap stereo speakers I bought on Amazon. If I don't want to make any noise (wife watching tv....) I plug everything into my GT-1B, using a good pair of sony noise canceling headphones. Not exactly the discovery of the century but I'm still soo pleased that I'm able to practice comfortably without bothering anyone else just using a small power pack for the effects unit.... personally not all that concerned about tone or sound quality when I'm just learning songs, as long as I can hear the song and myself clearly I'm good...

 

[charliethomas]

I like using a small combo at home. I don't like playing in front of my computer most of the time (or dealing with a mixer/audio interface) because it feels like work to me since that's where I work all week.

The physical sensation is so different when it's coming out of a 10" speaker compared to studio monitors or headphones. Headphones especially feel weird and closed in, though I have some nice open back headphones I use at night or when I need to be quiet. I would check out the Rumble 40. Boss Katana bass combos are also great since they have a 1W power mode (which I use almost exclusively) and tweeter that's super helpful when playing along with audio tracks.

 

[p12bassnut]

Prefer open air sound, low volume if needed out of my big rig or headphones if I absolutely have to.

 

[Manticore]

I use headphones and have since it became an option, because precisely no one wants to listen to anyone practice.

 

[DuluthDank]

I have a Zoom B3n I use with headphones and a Ampeg RB110 I use without headphones. I find that it's good to have both, as headphone only practice can get boring if that's the only thing I do. There's a character to actual bass cab speakers that brings life into the experience. I just wait until I'm home alone, or if I were in an apartment, on a weekday afternoon to practice with the ampeg.

 

[MaxSpinrun]

Depends on noise level that is practical. Through my amp, Mesa D800+, has aux in so I can play to or hear other source.
If I need to be quiet, I have a Genzler Magellan Pre/DI that has aux in and the headphone amp in it is very good. Happy to use it anytime.

 

[MRHaw]

I scooped up a Traynor Small block SB110 awhile back and love it. Its my main amp I use for practising, some rehearsals, and I bring it to a ton of small gigs where I can plug in to the FOH and keep stage volume nice and reasonable. It also has a headphone output and aux in to boot. Love this thing, its super versatile.