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Headphone Amp's...


Mokl
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As I'm having to sell my amps due to moving abroad in the next few months, I would like to sort myself out with a really good quality headphone amp. Does such a thing actually exist?! I've had a hunt around the net and can't seem to come up with anything much. It needs to be a portable size, but price isn't an issue... within reason! What do you guys use for practising?

Also, any headphone recommendations would be most welcome.

Matt :-)

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Hi Matt, how are you mate.

I have a little 'Nobels Bass Mycro' which sits neatly on my strap and is handy for jamming anywhere and everywhere. Now I use my bass pod xt pro through in ear monitors live and use that at home when practicing, but the Nobels is a great little piece of kit for about twenty quid. The sound quality isn't half bad - Strangely it sounds most 'flat' on the 'scoop' setting - but in comparison with the much more expensive in ear monitoring systems I have used since, for twenty bucks you could do a lot worse. If you are looking for REALLY GOOD quality however I would suggets the XT pro obviously, or something like the PJB Bass Buddy, but to be honest I dont know if the extra cash is really worth it if all you want is a clean natural sounding headphone sound. I have heard people talk about a 'Cafe Walter' headphone amplifier which seems to be well spoken of on Talkbass, I am sure you can find something decent and similar here.

Let me know how you get on, I would be very interested to hear your opinions on some pieces of kit if you try any.

Ped

P.s as for headphones - over ear I choose Grado SR60s because they are so flat and natural, however sometimes due to the open diaphragm you can get a slight rattle when playing low bass because of hair getting into them which can be annoying having to remove the pads and clean them out. On stage an at home I use my Shure E2Cs - i used to have the more expensive ones (cant remember the name now) but they got crushed by some idiot but the E2Cs sound as good in every way to my ears - although I did have to adjust the in ear mix slightly as the output seemed very slightly less, but that may have been my brain telling me they must be different! Couldn't be happier now!

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[url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Vintage-MXR-Headphone-Amplifier-Guitar-Pedal-NOS-w-BOX_W0QQitemZ260128694129QQihZ016QQcategoryZ41415QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Vintage-MXR-Headphon...1QQcmdZViewItem[/url]

[url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Single-ended-KT-88-integrated-amplifier-or-headphone_W0QQitemZ290130264165QQihZ019QQcategoryZ3280QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Single-ended-KT-88-i...1QQcmdZViewItem[/url]

I wonder if these would be any good?!

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Tascam Bass Trainer. [url="http://www.tascam.de/en/cd-bt1mkii.html"]Click here for spec[/url]
Great piece of kit for practicing with headphones. My basses sound great through it.

For headphones I use these -> [url="http://www.sennheiser.co.uk/uk/icm.nsf/root/products_sennheiser_headphones_evo_500095"]http://www.sennheiser.co.uk/uk/icm.nsf/roo...ones_evo_500095[/url] which are great.

Edited by peted
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Hi Ped, I'm good mate, cheers! Thanks for the advice, and the links. The MXR looked interesting, the other too - although I couldn't spot a 1/4 jack input, using socket adaptors would probably get on my nerves!

Funny you should mention the Korg, mikeh, I was considering the PX4D, which I believe does guitar and bass. Has anybody any experience of this unit? I have been using a PX3 (guitar version), which works to a point, but I can't help wondering if something bass-specific might be better. All opinions welcome!

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I got one of the Cafe Walter boxes - great quality, makes learning stuff on headphones a joy. Mine only runs on battery (2x9v) so can be a bit expensive, but it also works with rechargeables (just not so long). I also use it for the iPod or hifi at home. Very good.

I use the Grado SR 60's. Good natural bass, but the open design can be a pain for those not enjoying the music....

I thought the Cafe Walter would be useful with young children in the house, but I've ended up taking it with me on tours...on holiday...its that good.

Just don't play too loud for too long.

BB

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[quote name='ped' post='22677' date='Jun 24 2007, 04:06 PM'][url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Vintage-MXR-Headphone-Amplifier-Guitar-Pedal-NOS-w-BOX_W0QQitemZ260128694129QQihZ016QQcategoryZ41415QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Vintage-MXR-Headphon...1QQcmdZViewItem[/url]

[url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Single-ended-KT-88-integrated-amplifier-or-headphone_W0QQitemZ290130264165QQihZ019QQcategoryZ3280QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Single-ended-KT-88-i...1QQcmdZViewItem[/url]

I wonder if these would be any good?![/quote]

Sorry ped to quote you, Just to say that the price for the MXR headphone amp is ridiculous. I built one of those as my first project for £10 and 3 hours of fun.

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[quote name='Mokl' post='22747' date='Jun 24 2007, 09:04 PM']... I was considering the PX4D, which I believe does guitar and bass. Has anybody any experience of this unit? I have been using a PX3 (guitar version), which works to a point, but I can't help wondering if something bass-specific might be better. All opinions welcome![/quote]
The bass version has bass cancellation when you pug in an ipod etc, and you can programme the drum machine for verse/chorus/fill etc. but I think it is now obsolete.

The bass and guitar version lets you play drums with or without a trainer bass line - it seems to be designed for guitarists, with bassists as a last minute add-on. I am not sure whether it has bass cancel or guitar cancel.

I have used a Zoom 708 fx pedal as a headphone amp, and that works well. Second hand, you should be able to find one for about £30, and that includes a compressor, reverb, a tuner and a simple drum machine (and 89 other effects that you will never use).

I also use a Spirit notepad mixer as a headphone amp, which allows me to play Band in a Box arrangements from my PC while I add in the bass lines.

I also have a pocket rock-it, which works, but is slightly hissy as others have said. However, the stereo chorus effect is good. It also is slightly top heavy, so if you plug it into an edge mounted jack socket, it tends to swivel upside down. It seems to work best on a front-mounted angled-jack. I am not using mine now I have the Pandora, so if anyone is thinking of buying one, PM me.

I use Sennheiser 485s. They were the best sounding in the bass dept, while still being drivable by a standard CD player. The next pair up needed a dedicated headphone drive amp, and then sounded great.

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I think it was from Bass NorthWest...delivered in a couple of days, no tax, so it worked out pretty cheap at the time. I remember thinking about it for a couple of weeks, but then I weighed the cost up in terms of strings...and that did it.

Walter Harley seems to know his stuff and doesn't make any huge claims for his product - it just does what it does, very well.

I'm just outside Bristol, so if you want to try before you buy send me a PM?

BB

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Wow, thanks for all the great suggestions everybody!

I really like the look of the PJB, and the Cafe Walter. Thanks for the offer of a try on yours BB, very kind of you. You wouldn't want me defiling yours with my inept noodlings, however ;-) I think I might just take the plunge for one...

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The PJB is is a good bit of kit, its very, very well made brick S**t house springs to mind, problems are battery life is short, if connecting a speaker (sounds good from built in amp) can,t output the cd input through speaker. Having had one considering the size and battery life i would go for something else, Line 6 gear sounds very good through headphones and a bean pod is quite portable.

What i would go for however is a Boss Micro BR, amp simulation ect, along with recording,looping, mp3 playback, built in tuner. I have recorded noodlings straight into the Br and been very happy with the results. The only thing which i miss is an aux input for conecting an ipod , you need to load the tunes on to the BR, this does enable you to slow them down and loop sections but sometimes it would be nice just plug and jam.

Slightly expensive just for use as a headphone amp but its cheaper than the PJB, I reckon the choise is between the BOSS and EBS depending on what extras you want

Edited by steve-norris
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from personal experience, I do not recommend the Danelectro eStudio :)

[url="http://www.danelectro.com/Danomiscproductpage.jpg"]http://www.danelectro.com/Danomiscproductpage.jpg[/url]

It looks the biz (retro styled with extra distortion and echo effect), comes with it's own headphones, but it lacks an aux input and the sound quality is poor as it hisses at a constant volume. I think the hiss comes from the output stage as it is completely unaffected by the volume control. It's just present ALL the time while the unit is on.

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