Why can't I use a small radio or speaker for practice???

[Jenra]

First of all, you need a power amp to bring volume up - and to control the output gain, Otherwise what you get is the sound of the strings vibrating near a magnet, and barely anything else than this. You should consider getting something like the Avalon U5 as a preamp, then it should tighten up significantly and play well through most speakers.
Do keep in mind that the smaller units may have trouble reproducing the lower frequencies, simply due to physical limitations.

 

[ahc]

In your case, use a low pass filter to remove all the low frequency energy. This helps with speaker over-extension and farting out. You'll hear the bass clearly through the harmonics.

Beans... wouldn't that be a high pass filter?

Back in the Jurassic period we had an old console radio/phonograph in the basement that was inherited from a grandparent. Mono Am/FM (before FM became a thing) and short wave receiver with a 12 or 15 inch speaker. No tweets. The turntable didn't work, but the cartridge did make noise if you ran your finger over the needle. I got a wild hair and disconnected the cartridge and jammed the wires from a 1/4" cable into the connections. Presto chango and I had my first bass amp. It was nothing special but by golly it worked and made bass guitar-like sounds!

 

[beans-on-toast]

Beans... wouldn't that be a high pass filter?

Back in the Jurassic period we had an old console radio/phonograph in the basement that was inherited from a grandparent. Mono Am/FM (before FM became a thing) and short wave receiver with a 12 or 15 inch speaker. No tweets. The turntable didn't work, but the cartridge did make noise if you ran your finger over the needle. I got a wild hair and disconnected the cartridge and jammed the wires from a 1/4" cable into the connections. Presto chango and I had my first bass amp. It was nothing special but by golly it worked and made bass guitar-like sounds!

Yes, I'm dyslexic. I'll edit the post. Thanks!

I did something very similar for my first bass amp. Those old consoles with the big speakers sounded pretty good.

 

[OptimalOptimus]

You need a preamp or DI box for it to work. You can't plug direct like that and expect it to work ... just like you can't plug headphones into the bass jack and expect it to work ...

I did it a few times when I had a BOSS multi effect and a nice sound system for my tv ... since the multi-effect is a preamp and DI it did work very well and sounded super nice.

But there yo got.

 

[mdogs]

I don't understand the opposition to headphones? For not much money, you can buy an interface to plug into your phone or tablet and go through that. Practicing without being able to hear clearly what is going on doesn't cut it. I am not going to pretend that the tone is the best, but it sure beats playing into a tiny little crappy speaker or playing without any amplification at all.

 

[Lobster11]

There's another alternative. It's perfectly possible to practice with no amp at all. I'm doing that since 1992 and it works wonderfully.

I don't think this is a good idea because it encourages you to pluck too hard in order to be heard. I suppose that's okay if you like to play that way anyway, but I'm a believer in turning up the amp and playing with a light touch -- and you just can't do that unplugged. I'll occasionally spend a few minutes practicing unplugged with a pick, but never fingerstyle.

 

[Scottgun]

Bass frequencies are diffuse. The moment the speaker cone moves the bass sound splatters all over the place. This is why when your rude neighbor is blaring his stereo at 1:30 in the morning, you mostly just hear the bass rattling the pictures off your wall.

Earbuds have good bass because you are essentially injecting bass directly into you ear canal. Heh. I guess bass is like heroin. Yeah you can snort it or smoke it, but it's more effective intravenous. No wonder why I love it.

 

[Kipp Harrington]

I don't understand the opposition to headphones? For not much much money, you can buy an interface to plug into your phone or tablet and go through that. Practicing without being able to hear clearly what is going on doesn't cut it. I am not going to pretend that the tone is the best, but it sure beats playing into a tiny little crappy speaker or playing without any amplification at all.

LOL. True. But I get where the OP is coming from. I had the VOX Amplug. I just got sick and tired of the damn wires getting tangled. It takes a bit of getting used to (balancing the bass input signal with the song)... but no biggie there. I sat on our couch one night to practice with the Amplug and it broke. I tried taping it back together. It worked for a little while after that, then kaput! That was my bad, of course. Talk me into getting a device that's a little more substantial but doesn't cost a king's ransom. $50 range.

 

[mdogs]

iRig 2. I wouldn't say that it is built like a tank, but it is well built. Plus, I believe that you can get a 2 year full replacement warranty from GC for like $5. Yes, wires get tangled and my headphone cord gets caught in the strap once in a while. But, the benefits far outweigh those issues. I can play anytime, anywhere and not disturb anyone else and I can hear exactly what I am playing.

 

[Kipp Harrington]

iRig 2. I wouldn't say that it is built like a tank, but it is well built. Plus, I believe that you can get a 2 year full replacement warranty from GC for like $5. Yes, wires get tangled and my headphone cord gets caught in the strap once in a while. But, the benefits far outweigh those issues. I can play anytime, anywhere and not disturb anyone else and I can hear exactly what I am playing.

Thanks mdogs... I'll check it out

P.S. Do you use earbuds or phones? I tried both and my Sony earbuds sounded better than these Tascam headphones I purchased. Granted, those Tascams weren't anywhere near top of the line. I just don't want to spend another $60-70 on cans. Thanks again.

 

[Leo Thunder]

I don't understand the opposition to headphones?

I have listened to music on headphones all my life. It's fine. I hate using them when playing guitar because the bloody wire keeps getting in the way and I can't move ever so slightly without having to worry about the silly thing. I suppose Bluetooth could solve that. It's yet another system to add and yet another battery to charge.

 

[mdogs]

Thanks mdogs... I'll check it out

P.S. Do you use earbuds or phones? I tried both and my Sony earbuds sounded better than these Tascam headphones I purchased. Granted, those Tascams weren't anywhere near top of the line. I just don't want to spend another $60-70 on cans. Thanks again.

I use headphones, I have never really tried my earbuds to practice with, not sure why. My headphones are Sol Republic, they sound excellent and the bass response is very good.

 

[gln1955]

I don't understand the opposition to headphones? For not much money, you can buy an interface to plug into your phone or tablet and go through that. Practicing without being able to hear clearly what is going on doesn't cut it. I am not going to pretend that the tone is the best, but it sure beats playing into a tiny little crappy speaker or playing without any amplification at all.

I started practicing through a small mixer and headphones years ago and would never go back to any kind of amp as long as there are other people living in the house with me. I can play as loud as I like with the grandbaby sleeping next to me.

 

[Kipp Harrington]

I use headphones, I have never really tried my earbuds to practice with, not sure why. My headphones are Sol Republic, they sound excellent and the bass response is very good.

I'll check these out. Gracias!

 

[Kipp Harrington]

I have listened to music on headphones all my life. It's fine. I hate using them when playing guitar because the bloody wire keeps getting in the way and I can't move ever so slightly without having to worry about the silly thing. I suppose Bluetooth could solve that. It's yet another system to add and yet another battery to charge.

I was thinking the same thing (Bluetooth). However, I have heard that with Bluetooh, you can be dealing with some latency issues.

 

[two fingers]

1) Get good headphones and revisit that.

2) Get a tiny HPF. Broughton Always On is what I use. Velcro it to whatever you're using and get a short signal cable with 1/4 on one end and 1/8 on the other. Dial out the fundamental and rock out.

 

[basscapes]

At the very basics/physics of sound, bass (in general) requires one of two things (besides amplifier power, and HOW the amplifier handles the signal, which is a whole other issue!) to be heard-

1. A big speaker that can move enough air (driver excursion) for a required sound pressure level (ie, a 2x15 cabinet).

OR

2. Many small speakers that don't move as much air (individually), but when working in unison, provide a total sum that is equal to or more than a single, large speaker's ability (think 8x10 cabinet).

There are many tricks that are done in the mixing and mastering process of recorded music that can make the ear think something sounds "bigger", "deeper" or simply "louder" that it really is. Most of these tricks have nothing to do with how a bass (or guitar) amplifier/speaker combination works/sounds.

 

[Relayer71]

There's another alternative. It's perfectly possible to practice with no amp at all. I'm doing that since 1992 and it works wonderfully.

That's what I often do. It's practice, after all. If you only need to hear yourself, this is perfectly adequate. Helps if you have an instrument that has good natural resonance.

Not sure how strings factor, I practice on both flats (that are years old) and rounds with no problem. Obviously, fresh rounds go a long way. But again, for practicing scales and doing fingering exercises you don't need to be amplified.

That being said, I sometimes plug my headphones right into my active basses and get a good sound, but they're decent headphones (Sennheiser HD600 & HD598).

 

[vickerekes]

I found this little amp somewhere for $15 and put a $20 8" full range coax speaker in it that goes down to 45hz (mostly for a little acoustic guitar amp).
With the Sans amp preamp it makes a great tiny practice amp rather than headphones for when the wife is sleeping.

 

[MultiScaleMale]

Just get a smaller combo, like a 12” Markbass and make a wooden cover for so that it looks and functions as a footstool when covered. Take the cover off and you can sit on it while you play the combo.