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Topic: Headphone Amp? |
Alexandre Tikhanoff
From:
California, USA
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Posted 20 Sep 2015 1:25 pm |
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| Hi all, just ordered my first lap steel a couple of days ago (still waiting for it to arrive). Been a guitar player for a while, but this will be my first foray into "steel." I was wondering if you guys had any recommendations for a really good headphone amp. I live in an apartment, and the walls are very thin, so I have no other option. The lap steel I ordered is an Oahu Diana. I have a Presonus AudioBox iTwo that I could technically use, but I like the idea of just having one of those portable pocket amps, for the sake of simplicity. Problem is, the one's I've tried for guitar have been pretty awful. |
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Les Cargill
From:
Oklahoma City, Ok, USA
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Posted 20 Sep 2015 2:08 pm
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I'd really think an amp sim like a Line 6 PoD would be better than just a headphone amp. There are a bazillion variations on that theme - Line 6, Behringer, Fender Mustang, Digitech, Zoom...
You can find a Behringer Vamp for cheap and they don't sound too bad. |
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Alexandre Tikhanoff
From:
California, USA
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Posted 20 Sep 2015 2:25 pm
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| Les Cargill wrote: |
I'd really think an amp sim like a Line 6 PoD would be better than just a headphone amp. There are a bazillion variations on that theme - Line 6, Behringer, Fender Mustang, Digitech, Zoom...
You can find a Behringer Vamp for cheap and they don't sound too bad. |
I actually still have a Line 6 Pod 2.0 that I bought when it was first released. I very much dislike it for guitar, but I wonder if it would be any better with the lap steel. With guitar the sound feels pretty claustrophobic and lifeless. I'm not sure how else to explain it. It's like they smothered an amp with a thousand pillows.
EDIT: Well, you had me pull it out of the closet just now to reevaluate  It still sounds terrible with a tele, but not so bad with my music man axis. I guess it does a little better with a hotter pickup. I'll have to test it out when I get the Diana. Thanks. |
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Rick Contino
From:
Brattleboro, Vermont
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Posted 21 Sep 2015 3:49 am
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Roland mobile cube. It's great for playing with acoustic players "unplugged." Batteries last forever. Nice stereo sound. Independent aux in and instrument volume controls. Pretty much ideal for your purposes. I have the "AC" version, which was cheaper when it first came out.
_________________
Shobud "The Professional" D-10, Stage One S-10, National "New Yorker," NV400 |
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Alexandre Tikhanoff
From:
California, USA
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Posted 22 Sep 2015 10:04 am
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| Rick Contino wrote: |
| Roland mobile cube. It's great for playing with acoustic players "unplugged." Batteries last forever. Nice stereo sound. Independent aux in and instrument volume controls. Pretty much ideal for your purposes. I have the "AC" version, which was cheaper when it first came out. |
It does look pretty cool, but how is it as a headphone amp? That's what I'm looking for. I have a little Peavey amp that has a headphone jack, but it doesn't sound very good.
I was looking at something like the Vox amPlug, but reviews are mixed, and not sure how it'd sound with a lap steel. I read a very old post about headphone amps like this sounding like a buzzing tin can with a lap steel, but I was hoping technology has improved. |
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Rick Contino
From:
Brattleboro, Vermont
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Posted 22 Sep 2015 10:12 am
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Alexandre,
This amp sounds amazing with headphones. That is primarily how I use it.
What makes it really practical as a headphone amp is the ability to mix the aux and guitar volumes independently on the amp itself. On other amps you have to adjust the volume on the iPod itself. Also, the reverb only applies to the guitar channel and doesn't apply to the aux in.
_________________
Shobud "The Professional" D-10, Stage One S-10, National "New Yorker," NV400 |
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Doug Clark
From:
Maine, USA
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Posted 22 Sep 2015 12:18 pm
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I've got four Vox Amplugs, maybe five. (I think I got an Acoustic model a year or two ago, but misplaced it. That's a downside of something that small.)
I've got an AP2CR (Classic Rock) and AP2AC (AC30), and a Night Train and Twin from the "Gen 1" line. The newer generation models have chorus, delay, and reverb effects.
I should try all four with my SX Lap 2 (has a P90 in it) and the Squier Bullet Special (single humbucker) that I recently tuned into Open E.
They'll probably be okay for noodling around late at night without making noise that could annoy my Ol' Lady.  |
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Alexandre Tikhanoff
From:
California, USA
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Posted 23 Sep 2015 8:54 pm
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| Rick Contino wrote: |
Alexandre,
This amp sounds amazing with headphones. That is primarily how I use it.
What makes it really practical as a headphone amp is the ability to mix the aux and guitar volumes independently on the amp itself. On other amps you have to adjust the volume on the iPod itself. Also, the reverb only applies to the guitar channel and doesn't apply to the aux in. |
Now that sounds useful! Thanks for the suggestion, I may just have to order one! |
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Nic Sanford
From:
Oklahoma
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Posted 24 Sep 2015 6:49 am
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| No to the Amplug. I really like the Roland Micro Cube GX with good headphones. |
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Alexandre Tikhanoff
From:
California, USA
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Posted 24 Sep 2015 10:47 am
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| Nic Sanford wrote: |
| No to the Amplug. I really like the Roland Micro Cube GX with good headphones. |
Thanks, I figured the Amplug wasn't going to cut it. So now that I'm looking at these little busking amps, I'm stuck between three.
Roland Micro Cube GX
Roland Mobile Cube
Vox Mini 5.
I'll have to do a little bit of research on each. All three have their own pros/cons. |
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Dan Klotz
From:
Houston, Texas
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Posted 24 Sep 2015 1:19 pm
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I bought a Vox amplug for practicing on the tour bus. It does what's it's supposed to do but it doesn't sound too good.
_________________
2- Rittenberry D10's
Quilter Steelaire. Nashville 400. Session 500 |
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Alex Shi
From:
Taiwan
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Posted 24 Sep 2015 3:03 pm
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I have been using this little low priced guitar efx for practice, it sounds great, is full of features and you can get it for 30$ some on ebay.
product link is here
http://www.nuxefx.com/product_detail.php?id=63&id1=40&id2=0
Two tuning modes (Chromatic, Guitar), flat tuning function
Built-in metronome with selectable rhythm patterns
9 user and 9 preset programs
AUX IN makes it easy to jam along with an external music-playback device (mp3 player, etc.)
Three bass preamp: CLEAN, BLUES and ROCK
Three variable speed modulation effects: CHORUS, FLANGER and TREMOLO
More than 800ms DELAY, ROOM and SPRING REVERB
Noise Gate
Backlit LCD screen for tuner and metronome
Two AA batteries provide more than 8 hours |
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