Wife says I need headphones/headphone amp...

Sony MDR headphones get consistently high marks for sound and value/price ratio. Mine are the MDR 7506 -- got 'em through Amazon. When I first tried them I thought they were tinny and too loud. Then I realized that I was listening to tracks I'd recorded with my other headphones: I had made them tinny by compensating for the inferior response! Once I did some A/B with third-party material, I realized Sony was clearly better. They were a bit more expensive than my others, but not by much. They were under $100, and it looks like price has dropped since I got 'em a couple/few years ago.

Fortunately for me, my little home rehearsal combo (a Fender Rumble 40) has a headphone out, and so does my Darkglass 900v2 amp head. Because of all that I haven't needed a headphone pedal, so I can't help you there.

P.S. You have some sweet gear!

 

It's not a pedal, but I just use a basic mixer. Got one used on craigslist years ago for pretty cheap...

Another option... Recently I got a Zoom R8 digital 8-track. I mostly use this just for practicing headphones, but it's nice to be able to quickly switch from 'shed' mode to record mode Headphone monitoring, plus recording tool!

 

Hi there,
I'm using a Zoom B1 Four? Works well for silent practice. Amp/cab sims, effects, aux in,headphone out drum machine, etc

 

Get these for your wife:


Bose 700 Noice-cancelling headphones.





I'm like you, I maintain ...odd... hours.

For yourself, I recommend AKG 240. Mine were comfortable for more than a few hours, sealed well, and I had an extra-long cable with them so I never felt fettered, and they lasted seemingly forever.



I tried a few others such as Sennheiser, Sony and a few more but its been so long ago I don't recall. There might be better headphones out now, the K240s are a couple decades old at least (that's when I got my first pair), but I'm planning on getting another pair.
Naturally, YMMV, as your ears/noggin/circumstances/preferences etc will likely differ from mine.

If you were considering getting a Beat Buddy drum machine, now is the time to get it — stick it at the end of your chain and plug the K240s into the Beat Buddy. You can still get something like the Omnicab-sim or whatever and stick it 2nd last in the chain.

 

DSM Omnicabsim Deluxe ticks all the boxes and will add speaker simulations to your setup. Very easy to dial a great tone.

 

The question is do you want sealed or open headphones. Sealed you do not hear the outside world, open you do. I prefer open so when the spouse's lips are moving you can hear her, also if you are watching tv and playing the open are nice. You can hang with the family and not be isolated. If you are playing say in the living room and the tv is on and you are trying to play along with aux then that is too much and you will want sealed. Or go n another room. I also use the AKG K240's, have a pair of lower price Beyerdynamic DT231's but after 5-6 years of bass they are ragged and distort. For an amp I use either a Fender Rumble 150 head or a Bronco 40 combo. You can use any small combo that you can find chap. I also have a Vox Amplug but am not thrilled with the toan.

 

If you have a computer already, you might just get an interface with headphone out. I’ve heard good things about Motu M4. I use Universal audio Solo, which also has DSP.
I’ve tried many headphones over the years... K240, Sennheiser 280, KRK, some higher end AKG and others, and never could get into the sound. Lots of boom and lots of sizzle, but somehow couldn’t get the bass to sound right. Other folks really like them so might just be me.

Someone recommended me the Focal Listen Pro, which is not the most expensive but by far the best sounding one I’ve tried. I can happily use them for hours on end, although I still prefer monitors or an amp.

 

I ordered the Mesa TT800 for this exact purpose.

 

I practice this way all the time. I used the DSM for a long time and it was awesome. Now I have the Darkglass Element, which is very cool because i can play along with my music wirelessly. The Torpedo Cab M is another choice I think.

 

OmniCabSimDlx. Just do it and be happy. Such a useful box. KRK KNS8400 headphones as well.

 

I DI out to a small board (yamaha mg06x) then use akg k240s for my headphones when I want to use cans. Also have the pc on a different channel, so can pump that into the cans as a backing track.

I hope you find what works for you

 

AKG K240 MKII Semi-open Pro Studio Headphones

I've had mine for 5 or 6 years. Travel all over, record, watch movies, whatever they're fantastic.

 

For bass practice I slightly prefer the OneOdio headphones to the Sony MDR 7506. They are bassier and have a neat design feature that let's you plug into 1/8 and 1/4 without an adapter, which is handy.

I also like my Rumble Studio 40 for practice, which is a modeling amp, with Bluetooth, aux in, USB out for recording. Also very handy.

 

Sony MDR 7506 I have used and like them hooked up to this which has aux in and a very nice DI, extensive EQ as well as drive and compression. Check it out!

 

My previous wife thought it was too loud, too.

 

Hahah - I was thinking, give her a set of car keys and tell her to get lost for a couple of hours.

Seriously, though @Jakeman, you've got the right idea - Darkglass, tc SpectraDrive, SansAmp, Ampeg SCD-DI are the types of things you're looking for in a pedal. All have a headphone out. You won't be satisfied with a mixer unless you have a decent preamp going into the mixer. So why bother, unless you already own a mixer.

You'll need a good set of closed back headphones - you don't need anything terribly fancy. Something like the A-T ATH50Mx would suit what you're doing. Those headphones have a bit of bump in the lower frequencies. I like them for tracking bass.

 

I use a Presonus tube DI into a cheap Alesis mixer with AKG K240’s.

Sounds great with effects. Plenty of length on the cans’ cord.

The mixer does double duty with studio monitors to jam along to or play through including at home karaoke with the family. More multi purpose than a pedal preamp that has a headphone out. YMMV

 

https://ampeg.com/products/pedals/scr_di/

This thing is GREAT! I use my Monster headphones, but any headphones would probably work just as well.