Looking for small, portable, bass pre-amp for headphone practice (preferably w/rechargeable battery)

[Danonearth]

I'm looking for small, portable, bass pre-amp for headphone practice (preferably with rechargeable battery)

I have been looking at the VOX ones, but they don't get great reviews...

I also saw the Phil Jones Bass Guitar Headphones H-850, and the PJB Big Head from them as well… I'm not sure I want to pay a few hundred for the Big Head though! I’d rather just find a good, cheap carry around for headphone practice

Any recommendations?

Thanks!

 

[bobcruz]

There's one in the classified folder--Raven, which I think was Steve Rabe's next company after he left SWR. I don't know about it's rep but here it is:

For Sale - Mint Raven Labs PHA-1 Headphone Amp w/power supply

 

[RoadRanger]

I love my Tascam MP-BT1 but it's discontinued. The newer GB-10 has better controls but isn't rechargeable.

 

[nixdad]

Hi Danonearth -
I went with the Vox myself, and have been very satisfied:
Vox Headphone Amp = Silent Practice = Big Smile

 

[Interceptor]

Have you considered a USB recording interface like a Focusrite Scarlett Solo?

They give you a decent preamp and headphone amp and the ability to play along with recordings with ease. They do have to be tethered to a laptop.

 

[popgadget]

I love my Tascam MP-BT1 but it's discontinued. The newer GB-10 has better controls but isn't rechargeable.

I was going to suggest the MP-BT1 (if you could find one) as well. I use mine all the time.

 

[alaskaleftybass]

On the back please note Headphone Out, AUX In. GK Tone for days. Same size as an iPad Mini and weighs 2 pounds.
What you get with this as a headphone amp is excellent tone. You can even use it with a 210 cabinet! No batteries needed but you do need AC.

Just to be fair I think Fender and Ampeg entry level heads do the same but GK is my choice of flavor.

 

[mpdd]

i use a korg beat boy for this, lotta beats, you can record with it, and it has distortion and od
(not rechargeable though, but i guess you could get rechargeable AAA batteries )

 

[foudufafa]

It is hard to beat the Vox for portability. I travel quite a lot for work, mostly driving an dstaying in hotels. I carry my bass, the Vox and quality headphones and it enables me to continue practicing daily. It is super lightweight, super small and the quality is very decent for practice, and very inexpensive.

 

[bobcruz]

The PHA-1 is superb. It does not have built-in rechargeable batteries but it does have two 9V compartments where you can put the batteries of your choice in. Much better than having a built-in battery that the user can not change out him/her self.

I have a bunch of rechargeable NIMH batteries and a charger I got at Costco and do exactly that with everything in my house that uses batteries. I prefer it to having a built-in rechargeable battery like the ones in my portable phones, camera or shaver, since when those go south they're usually a lot harder to source (usually more expensive too) and hard to remove/replace.

 

[Cuzzie]

If you have an iPhone/iPad use an iRig and amplitube programme

 

[cool breeze]

Pricewise I'm happy with the Vox also, although to me and my lack of bass playing knowledge I find the drumbeats a bit weird.

 

[Mugre]

A few years ago I scored a mint Zoom B1 from GC with the box, bags, papers, everything, for $49. Effects, drum beats and drives headphones from batteries. I used it to practice in the parking lot behind my boy's 3 hour volleyball practices. The only darkside was managing the cables running backs and forth. That and driving headphones accelerates battery use but overall it was an easy and cheap solution.

mugre

 

[KickingBass]

I think the Vox amplug is great. I wouldnt dismiss it so quickly. I actually like the tone of it. It has an aux in and it has a few drum beats preloaded inside. The best part is how portable it is and the batteries have decent life.

 

[DavC]

i have a used Tascam GB10 on the way ... bought it here in the classifieds ... i'll use my rechargeable batts in it ... i have craploads of AA recharg for everything in the house ...

they might make lithium rechargeables ... but they DO require their own charger ... !!! i have some 9volts like that .. ! they last much much longer ...

the gb10 is much more than just a headphone amp though ... i to have tried the Vox .. sold it ...
the gb10 looked convenient because it plays mp3's and can record/playback and has fx for bass/gtr ...
all in one unit .. !

i'll report back in a few days after it gets here ...

 

[Stdjazz4]

i use a korg beat boy for this, lotta beats, you can record with it, and it has distortion and od
(not rechargeable though, but i guess you could get rechargeable AAA batteries )

You plug the headphone into it??

 

[mpdd]

You plug the headphone into it??

yeah, that's how i usually use it, sometimes i run it into the mixer too if i want reverb on the drums

 

[DWBass]

Pocket Rock-It Bass

 

[birminghambass]

IPad.

 

[DirkP]

Many good recommendations. Two more: many DI-Boxes/small preamps like the newer Ampeg SCR-DI and the new one from G&K, the Plex preamp have an aux-input and a headphone out. If it would make sense to you to own one of these, you get a portable device for headphone practise along with it. Devices like the VOX are awfull and will end in the near future in the garbage can IMO. I would only buy stuff like this if I simply couldn't afford something better.