Compact headphone amp with aux in and DI / EQ

[Al Krow]

Amusing discovery of the day for me -  funny how things seem to 'turn up' when you're looking elsewhere! I've been discovering headphone sockets all over the place today - even turns out that my Stagg EUB has both an aux in and a pretty decent headphone out too. Well at least that's the old skool part of my gear sorted and I won't even need a pedal for that one!  

[Cuzzie]

And you know that if you have an active bass, engage the active Preamp and you can plug headphones straight into the jack.

you could then run headphones out your MP3 player into one ear, bass into another, or in ears into the player and over ear can headphones into the bass overlaying them and you have the cheapest system ever as I would say most people have at least 2 Sets of earphones lying round the house

Edited December 6, 2017 by Cuzzie

[ped]

I spent ages trying to find something similar to use with my mini bass as the ultimate travel rig. On top of your requirements I also wanted reverb, compression and battery power. 

Theres nothing. Might have to invent something. 

Edited to add actually the closest I got was a bass cube which has the benefit of speakers, ok less portable but still. Only thing - no DI (not a problem for me) and the compressor is a bit savage. 

[Cuzzie]

@ped please don’t get him started on compression, i’ll Have kittens again, and not Atomic ones

[ped]

Well technically I like limiting but I’ll stop there. 

[Cuzzie]

???

[Al Krow]

11 hours ago, ped said:

I spent ages trying to find something similar to use with my mini bass as the ultimate travel rig. On top of your requirements I also wanted reverb, compression and battery power. 

Theres nothing. Might have to invent something. 

Edited to add actually the closest I got was a bass cube which has the benefit of speakers, ok less portable but still. Only thing - no DI (not a problem for me) and the compressor is a bit savage. 

Actually - I don't think some of the available pedals are million miles off. So the Palmer has battery power, but drive / fuzz (which I personally prefer) instead of reverb & compression . The Harley Benton has battery power and compression, so just missing reverb. So they're getting pretty close...

Edited December 7, 2017 by Al Krow

[krispn]

I’m away to read my gear manuals and give a good once over to all the kit I own just to make sure some feature I want isn’t already a built in feature! ?

 

 

 

[nightsun]

2 minutes ago, krispn said:

I’m away to read my gear manuals and give a good once over to all the kit I own just to make sure some feature I want isn’t already a built in feature! ?

 

 

 

Yep, this thread made me go home an dactually sit and play with the B3 properly.  Now have the full editing software set up on my tablet, so I can use the B3 as an audio interface and Spotify/Youtube and play to my hearts content.  Making some fun patches as well

[ped]

My VB99 does everything I need and more - much more - but a mini battery powered one would be amazing!!

[Al Krow]

8 minutes ago, ped said:

My VB99 does everything I need and more - much more...

Lol! I would certainly hope so with a piece of kit (I dare not really refer to it as a 'mere' pedal!) originally costing like £2,000!!

[tauzero]

On 12/6/2017 at 22:13, Cuzzie said:

And you know that if you have an active bass, engage the active Preamp and you can plug headphones straight into the jack.

Except that the active preamp wouldn't switch on, as the jack socket relies on ring and sleeve being shorted. Well, maybe it would, rather badly, depending on the impedance of your headphones, of which the right channel wouldn't do anything and the left channel would be very quiet.

[Cuzzie]

Yep it is quiet, but it is still an amplified signal.

i used to have an earphone in one ear to an MPS player and a bass in the other, works ok

[tauzero]

18 hours ago, Cuzzie said:

Yep it is quiet, but it is still an amplified signal.

i used to have an earphone in one ear to an MPS player and a bass in the other, works ok

It would work with a mono earpiece using a mono jack. To a degree, anyway. And the signal level is about the same from a passive bass as an active.

[Al Krow]

Just seen a couple of GK Plecs in the FS and was considering whether to get one as "one stop shop" pedal for 'away from home use' plus DI pedal for 'insurance' purposes in case an amp dies at a gig. However, it seems there's good reason why folk are not holding on to them from a comment you made elsewhere (below). Served as a very helpful GAS deflator!

On 18/02/2018 at 16:43, Jack said:

I've been a GK fan for years and I've many good experiences with the 6 amps and 4 cabs that I've owned but they've really dropped the ball with the Plex. Low output, annoying problems, no updates, product recalls (unavoidable, but adds to the bad taste we already have).

What's ended up being your favourite DI pedal (and why)?

On 06/12/2017 at 22:18, ped said:

Well technically I like limiting but I’ll stop there. 

Going off topic I know, but is this simply down to the availability of a separate Threshold control which allows you to dictate when the compression kicks in and what part of your signal remains entirely uncompressed? Interested why you feel this is better than a clean blend for compression?

In my simple head I think of a limiter working as a vertical (one layer on top) stacking arrangement with the lower volume layer (below the Threshold) entirely uncompressed and free to reflect the full dynamics of what you are playing; whereas a clean blend arrangement is a horizontal (side by side) stack with the clean blend 'side' entirely uncompressed etc.

Edited September 12, 2018 by Al Krow

[ped]

8 hours ago, Al Krow said:

 

Going off topic I know, but is this simply down to the availability of a separate Threshold control which allows you to dictate when the compression kicks in and what part of your signal remains entirely uncompressed? Interested why you feel this is better than a clean blend for compression?

In my simple head I think of a limiter working as a vertical (one layer on top) stacking arrangement with the lower volume layer (below the Threshold) entirely uncompressed and free to reflect the full dynamics of what you are playing; whereas a clean blend arrangement is a horizontal (side by side) stack with the clean blend 'side' entirely uncompressed etc.

It’s mainly down to the ratio. I like how my bass sounds when pushed to the ‘limit’ - the threshold set to limit when I dig in. With a very low action and a light touch it gives me full dynamics but a shelf where my digging in creates a smoother sound, a bit of clank and burp. If I turn it off I don’t hear much difference except some volume spikes when playing hard fingerstyle. I think it makes the bass easier to settle in the mix and helps me cut through live. Finally I’m after some of that graphite consistency and velvety smoothness. Kiwi once compared my Vigier passion sound to a ‘velvet covered brick’ (played by a mongoloid)

I also like how modulation effects behave when using a limiter. They tend to react more readily to a limited signal than a compressed one. 

Every bass behaves differently so each has its own setting with a careful balance between threshold and ratio to get it just right. Some wooden necked basses need a bit more fiddling but as I say I find graphite remarkably even and consistent anyway. I’ll see if I can scrape together some recordings later. 

[Jack]

9 hours ago, Al Krow said:

What's ended up being your favourite DI pedal (and why)?

Am I missing something, or did you quote me from another thread? I had no idea you could do that!

 

Oh man, tough question. I use a lot of the little DI boxes and preamps, to the point where some of them blur the lines. Like, does the Helix count? 🤷‍♂️

 

Normally, given the fact that you also have an EUB and you asked for flexibility I'd have suggested the Studiospares one but your criteria state headphone output and it doesn't do that. Really, the one that I use most often is my B3 (headphone amp and versatility sorted down to a tee!) but you've already sort of discounted that one and it doesn't have an aux in. I don't really own anything with a headphone amp that isn't a digital multi effects I don't think. Well, Soundcraft Compact 8 mixer? I suppose that has digital effects too!

 

Did I see that you own a B3n? I'd pair it with a good DI and call it a day. It's not as small as something like the EBS or PJB units but you already own most of it and you'll never be short of options or funtionality!

[Al Krow]

@ped - that all makes sense to me. I've actually now A/B'd four limiters (you may have seen already in the review section). I'd really encourage you to see if you can get your hands on a Keeley Bassist: I was a little shocked at just how much more effective / powerful it is as a limiter than your current goto Boss LMB-3, and for me worth every bit of the extra spend.

@Jack - thanks for that. I did indeed quote you from another thread (hence my reference to 'elsewhere')   - I was doing a general search under 'GK Plex'.

The B3n is a great piece of kit, and you're right it does everything pretty well as a 'one stop shop' pedal (other than have a DI). So I should really just be content with that, I agree, for non-DI 'one stop shop' use. But it's kinda too big to be a tucked away 'insurance' pedal in combination with a DI just in case the amp dies on a gig and I need to DI straight into the PA AND there is no house DI pedal available (hmmm...starting to look like that this insurance DI pedal is not going to get much use!)

I'm guessing a Mooer mini DI is going to be reliable, transparent and compact, and I could even put on my board as it won't take up too much space (and just take along separately for gigs where I'm not using my board) .

And then I start thinking about would it be nice to have other features and pedals such as the MXR M80 with dirt or M81 with semi-parametric mids start coming back into the running (particularly when they appear temptingly in the FS), but I just need to remind myself that I have all that covered on my pedal board or bass and / or amp EQs so if I just need an 'emergency use' DI, the Mooer should do the trick!

An no the Helix does not blood*y count! Lol! 🤣

Edited September 12, 2018 by Al Krow

[ped]

I'm using the one(s) in my Roland now, I think one is based on the LMB3 I guess as it's also Roland, but like most of the settings it has far more points to adjust than the actual pedal (also has attack, release, blend, tone). I think the mark of a good limiter (other than build quality, adjustability, feel, looks, size, power supply) is that it basically doesn't make any noise and does what it says on the tin. There shouldn't be anything to compare between units apart from that, unless one isn't limiting properly or is a pain to use or something. I think of it like a clip light and not as an influence on the overall sound.

[fretmeister]

Anyone know how long the battery lasts in the Palmer?

 

[lee650]

Ive also been looking at those Plex preamp/DI as im a fan of GK amps! Im thinking it could replace my VTbass DI and my 3 leaf compressor,maybe even my OD (i dont think it will)

Ive had the EBS microbass 2 twice now and its a fantastic pedal with a lot of useful features. I did find the headphones would distort though,but as on A/B box/overdrive/headphone amp/DI/loop/EQ you get a lot for your money. My favourite was the 3 leaf enabler (very hard to find now) a great musical EQ with an extremely high quality DI and the headphone amp was the best ive heard!! Absolutely crystal clear! A nice size too. I think theres a reason you dont see them for sale much 😁

Still tempted by that plex though 🤔

[jrixn1]

1 hour ago, Al Krow said:

a DI just in case the amp dies on a gig and I need to DI straight into the PA AND there is no house DI pedal available (hmmm...starting to look like that this insurance DI pedal is not going to get much use!)

I'm guessing a Mooer mini DI is going to be reliable, transparent and compact, and I could even put on my board

If your emergency scenario includes a broken power supply, then the Mooer will be no good.  I've had this at a wedding where my pedal board completely died - it was in the middle of a song, and in the relative darkness on-stage, etc, so it was very hard to quickly diagnose exactly where or what the problem was.  I carry a Behringer DI400P which small, light, and the minimum equipment needed to get a signal from my bass to a PA in an "actual emergency" -- it's passive so I don't worry about how to power it.  If you're talking about a "non-emergency emergency" where EQ or some distortion etc would be nice to have, then that's something else!

[Al Krow]

31 minutes ago, ped said:

I'm using the one(s) in my Roland now, I think one is based on the LMB3 I guess as it's also Roland, but like most of the settings it has far more points to adjust than the actual pedal (also has attack, release, blend, tone). I think the mark of a good limiter (other than build quality, adjustability, feel, looks, size, power supply) is that it basically doesn't make any noise and does what it says on the tin. There shouldn't be anything to compare between units apart from that, unless one isn't limiting properly or is a pain to use or something. I think of it like a clip light and not as an influence on the overall sound.

The key difference between the LMB3 and Keeley is not the noise, although the Keeley is silent and the LMB3 has a noticeable 'hiss' if the 'enhancer' is engaged (the Keeley doesn't have an 'enhancer'), but it's ability to effectively compress above the Threshold. To put it a different way if you wanted to get rid of ALL the signal peaks above a certain (high) threshold e.g. to protect your speakers the Keeley can do that. I suspect the LMB3 won't manage to come close.

If you're interested - have a listen to the last two clips I uploaded on my Limiters review to hear the difference; and that wasn't even using the Keeley at close to capacity!

[Jack]

1 hour ago, Al Krow said:

An no the Helix does not blood*y count! Lol! 🤣

See that's the point I made about blurring the lines though isn't it? The B3 clearly is the kind of thing that you're looking for and the Helix clearly isn't. But what's the difference between them really? It's just the size and price as far as I'm concerned, they do the same thing. The M81 you mentioned is more of an effects pedal, the B3 and similar is more of a multi effects unit, something like a Sansamp is more of a preamp...

 

I think by looking for everything in one pedal you're limiting yourself too much. Much better to get one small pedal to rescue you at gigs and another that's a headphone amp with an aux in. The likelihood of you needing both at once seems slim and you won't be compromising as much. Honestly, if my amp died at a gig I would be satisfied with a (my) Behringer BDI21.

Edited September 12, 2018 by Jack

[Al Krow]

21 minutes ago, lee650 said:

Ive also been looking at those Plex preamp/DI as im a fan of GK amps! Im thinking it could replace my VTbass DI and my 3 leaf compressor,maybe even my OD (i dont think it will)

Ive had the EBS microbass 2 twice now and its a fantastic pedal with a lot of useful features. I did find the headphones would distort though,but as on A/B box/overdrive/headphone amp/DI/loop/EQ you get a lot for your money. My favourite was the 3 leaf enabler (very hard to find now) a great musical EQ with an extremely high quality DI and the headphone amp was the best ive heard!! Absolutely crystal clear! A nice size too. I think theres a reason you dont see them for sale much 😁

Still tempted by that plex though 🤔

I was too. The Plex has a LOT of useful features. But I thought @Jack's experience of the pedals sounded like the problems he'd highlighted were inherent, rather than he'd been unlucky with the particular pedal he'd got. E.g. I certainly can't be doing with a 'low output' unit. Be good to hear in a bit more detail from Jack about his experience with the Plex.