Direct output to headphones

[Joe Nation]

Possibly a really dumb question, but is there any way to plug headphones directly into the jack of a bass for amp-free practice? I have one of those MightyAmp plug-in thingies which works fine, but just wondered if there's a simpler (or massively more complicated?) solution.  I feel like I should already know the answer to this question but my electronics knowledge is fairly hopeless! I'm sure if it were something simple we'd all be doing it already.

 

Obviously you need something to power the headphones and boost the signal, so a plain passive bass is out. Would a normal active/pre-amp set-up work that way? Is there a readily-available electronics package that would work? Ideally something just using a normal 1/4" jack and 9v/18v batteries, no midi or weird cables and such. Purely hypothetical, money and luthiery skills notwithstanding.

[PaulThePlug]

I have a EHX Headphone Amp... more durable than those VoxAmp plug things, it works well after pedals etc. But is very sterile as no cab sim etc.

https://spartanmusic.co.uk/products/electro-harmonix-headphone-amp

 

Artec used to do an On-Board headphone amp, but again sound like an instrument, not an instrument into an amp, cab, in a room.

 

Zoom B1 on or B1 Four - They can be as Complicated as ya like, Simple Quality Best Solution.

Edited August 14 by PaulThePlug

[Mottlefeeder]

Depending on the level of sophistication that you need, a plug-in wired headphone amp would probably be the simplest option. However, going wireless at the cheaper end of the market may give you distortion and latency problems.

 

Going upmarket to a small mixer would give you the option of mixing in a backing track from you phone/pc etc. (I have a Behringer XENYX 302USB doing just this, and it is versatile enough to remove most of the bass from the track I want to play along to.)

 

Some of the multi-fx pedals will also allow you to mix in an Aux signal, and include a tuner. The output jack socket doubles as a stereo headphone out and a mono line out.

 

A dedicated bass trainer will do much the same, but probably with the option to slow down the track, or change its key.

 

David

[Rosie C]

Something like the Behringer Power Play would do what you need I think. I've used one for many years to amplify my double bass signal for my IEMs.

 

 https://www.thomann.co.uk/behringer_powerplay_p2.htm

[lemmywinks]

I use this:

 

 

Although it isn't a plug style unit it is tiny, runs off an internal battery and comes with a detachable belt clip. Supports IR and NAM captures and can also stream music from your phone via bluetooth. They do fancy colours now as well:

https://www.sonicake.com/products/pocket-master

 

[tauzero]

Nux Mighty Plug or Boss Katana Go will run headphones and you can select effects on them - the Boss is superior to the Nux but they're both perfectly usable. Further up the budgetary scale, there's the Positive Grid Spark Neo which is a wireless dongle combined with wireless headphones, and for another £100+ there's the Boss Waza Air. All four of these allow you to play music on a Bluetooth device paired with them so you can play along. I've got the first three of these and my very much preferred option is the Positive Grid Spark Neo as it's wireless and the included headphones are good quality. The Nux and the Boss Katana both need you to supply headphones which does mean possible extra expense but also means you have a choice of what headphone you use.

[Happy Jack]

 

[Maude]

I use the NUX Mighty Plug and am totally happy with it. Yes I'd like the complety wireless option of the more expensive options @tauzero mentions but I don't want to spend that much. 

I just use a short wire to my headphones so it doesn't get snagged on stuff, it just goes under the neck and up to my headphones without much spare. 

The Mighty Plug has an app which let's you set up 6 (I think) different patches with amp/cab/effects etc on each patch. 

You don't need to use the app to use the Mighty Plug, just to edit the patches. 

You can bluetooth music into it to blend with your basses output. 

I really like it.