Tube amp, clean sound, reverb, headphone out

donbarroso

Joined: Jan 25, 2008
Posts: 69
Italy

Posted on Apr 10 2009 04:53 AM

Other than Mesa/Boogie (subway rocket), do you know small combo, all tube, with good clean sound and reverb which can be played with headphone for silent practicing?

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Never surrender in finding a surfcaster

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badash

Joined: Aug 18, 2006
Posts: 1732

Posted on Apr 10 2009 05:49 PM

donbarroso
Other than Mesa/Boogie (subway rocket), do you know small combo, all tube, with good clean sound and reverb which can be played with headphone for silent practicing?

Nope... And the Boogies are out of production and going for $550 and up right now... But you know there are so many solid state options for between $30 and $60, including stuff that fits in your pocket, that it's not worth worrying about tubes for headphone play. I got a digitech RP250 guitar modeler (digitech's pod) with a built in expression pedal for $4.50 at a garage sale... It even has a setting called "surf" Even if I could plug headphones into my champ (which has no reverb which is a requierement for you), why would I when I can just plug into the digitech thingy?

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badash

Joined: Aug 18, 2006
Posts: 1732

Posted on Apr 10 2009 05:51 PM

Oh yeah, and last generation tascam CD trainers are around $50 and let you play along with records, slow them down with pitch correction (kinda), or just play through with no CD. But you won't get a "surf" setting... And you need the power cord or you'll go throug batteries like crazy.

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Staredge

Joined: Sep 27, 2008
Posts: 1149
Damascus, Maryland
2 Calendar Pins

Posted on Apr 10 2009 06:44 PM

Love my Tascam. Ain't no kinda to the pitch....it's on. Weird listening to Hendrix sing at half speed.

I've found that I get about 2 1/2 hours out of a set of rechargables. $23 or so for a charger & two sets of AAs.

—

Will

"You're done, once you're a surfer you're done. You're in. It's like the mob or something. You're not getting out." - Kelly Slater

The Luau Cinders

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badash

Joined: Aug 18, 2006
Posts: 1732

Posted on Apr 10 2009 06:58 PM

Staredge
Love my Tascam. Ain't no kinda to the pitch....it's on.

Maybe it's just the "weirdness" as you say, but I hear a slight warble. Just weird enough that i don't use slow down and pitch correction. It annoys me. I do use the looping though! My Ipod is happy I got this thing on closeout

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Staredge

Joined: Sep 27, 2008
Posts: 1149
Damascus, Maryland
2 Calendar Pins

Posted on Apr 10 2009 08:37 PM

I get the same, but I always attributed it to the effects the guitar player was using. Ivan uses echo on a song I'm working on, and it's bizarre through the trainer. I can pick out the main notes though.

—

Will

"You're done, once you're a surfer you're done. You're in. It's like the mob or something. You're not getting out." - Kelly Slater

The Luau Cinders

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groucho26

Joined: Jan 23, 2007
Posts: 111

Posted on Apr 12 2009 07:38 PM

Weber makes a "headphone tap" that I had for awhile that works pretty good - the amp character comes through OK, but you never will get that "air" sound of a real speaker.
When playing through headphones I now use a Line 6 Spider Jam that I got - not perfect, but good for that particular use.

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donbarroso

Joined: Jan 25, 2008
Posts: 69
Italy

Posted on Apr 27 2009 06:34 AM

Just discovered that the little Peavey Valveking Royal 8 is not equipped with a reverb but it's apparently the only small all tube amp with a headphone out...

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Never surrender in finding a surfcaster

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OnoBoy

Joined: Feb 15, 2010
Posts: 23
Sacramento, CA

Posted on Feb 17 2010 07:19 PM

Hey Gang,

New member here...... I revived this thread because I got into a really cool discussion regarding a "do it yourself" solution to creating a headphone tap for your tube amp on the TDPRI.

A member there has built a really versatile headphone box you can plug into the speaker out jack of your amp, which will serve as a suitable load, AND allow you to listen to your amp with headphones!

Check out the linky:

http://www.tdpri.com/forum/amp-central-station/76918-tube-amps-headphones.html

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Woodsurfer

Joined: Feb 07, 2009
Posts: 310
Bel Air, MD USA

Posted on Feb 17 2010 08:22 PM

For headphone practicing, I use a Line 6 POD 2.0. It sounds rather good for what it is. You can get them for less than $100 on eBay. I keep it plugged into my MacBook via an iMic (USB analog-to-digital converter) and run it out through powered speakers. I've also plugged it directly into an amp to use as a multi-effects device but it only sounds so-so. Kind of a tone sucker.

-- Woody

—

It takes a lot of mussel memory to avoid clams.

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OnoBoy

Joined: Feb 15, 2010
Posts: 23
Sacramento, CA

Posted on Feb 17 2010 09:25 PM

I might build a dual box with a switch to select either 8-ohm or 16-ohm for the various amps I'd like to play late at night.

Since I tend to play my amp pretty clean, I might just select one ideal capacitor roll-off value for each of the 8-ohm or 16-ohm pathways.

One amp input, one impedance switch, one volume control, one headphone output.....

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scotstandard

Joined: Nov 09, 2008
Posts: 1140
Davenport Iowa
3 POTD Pins

Posted on Feb 18 2010 02:34 AM

While back got the newer Digitech Rp255 with built in loop. I have run the tank into it. Works pretty good. Has a really good twin setting.

You can also edit effects on your computer....very cool.

Thats my couch rig at 1am even though I just got done playing the showman upstairs on 1

—

Give me reverb or give me death!
facebook.com/onenightstandards
https://www.youtube.com/scotstandard
scotstandard@yahoo.com

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OnoBoy

Joined: Feb 15, 2010
Posts: 23
Sacramento, CA

Posted on Feb 20 2010 03:49 PM

Ok you Tube Amp Jockeys...... if you wanna build your own tube amp headphone tap / dummy load, with excellent tone, check out the thread at TDPRI:

http://www.tdpri.com/forum/amp-central-station/76918-tube-amps-headphones-2.html#post2330149

I just posted some photos of the guts and finished product.....Now all tube amps can have a headphone tap for silent playing thru your WHOLE rig..... from guitar thru pedalboard, thru preamp thru reverb section, thru power tubes......

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donbarroso Joined: Jan 25, 2008 Posts: 69	Posted on Apr 10 2009 04:53 AM Other than Mesa/Boogie (subway rocket), do you know small combo, all tube, with good clean sound and reverb which can be played with headphone for silent practicing? — Never surrender in finding a surfcaster Top
badash Joined: Aug 18, 2006 Posts: 1732	Posted on Apr 10 2009 05:49 PM donbarroso Other than Mesa/Boogie (subway rocket), do you know small combo, all tube, with good clean sound and reverb which can be played with headphone for silent practicing? Nope... And the Boogies are out of production and going for $550 and up right now... But you know there are so many solid state options for between $30 and $60, including stuff that fits in your pocket, that it's not worth worrying about tubes for headphone play. I got a digitech RP250 guitar modeler (digitech's pod) with a built in expression pedal for $4.50 at a garage sale... It even has a setting called "surf" Even if I could plug headphones into my champ (which has no reverb which is a requierement for you), why would I when I can just plug into the digitech thingy? Top
badash Joined: Aug 18, 2006 Posts: 1732	Posted on Apr 10 2009 05:51 PM Oh yeah, and last generation tascam CD trainers are around $50 and let you play along with records, slow them down with pitch correction (kinda), or just play through with no CD. But you won't get a "surf" setting... And you need the power cord or you'll go throug batteries like crazy. Top
Staredge Joined: Sep 27, 2008 Posts: 1149 Damascus, Maryland	Posted on Apr 10 2009 06:44 PM Love my Tascam. Ain't no kinda to the pitch....it's on. Weird listening to Hendrix sing at half speed. I've found that I get about 2 1/2 hours out of a set of rechargables. $23 or so for a charger & two sets of AAs. — Will "You're done, once you're a surfer you're done. You're in. It's like the mob or something. You're not getting out." - Kelly Slater The Luau Cinders Top
badash Joined: Aug 18, 2006 Posts: 1732	Posted on Apr 10 2009 06:58 PM Staredge Love my Tascam. Ain't no kinda to the pitch....it's on. Maybe it's just the "weirdness" as you say, but I hear a slight warble. Just weird enough that i don't use slow down and pitch correction. It annoys me. I do use the looping though! My Ipod is happy I got this thing on closeout Top
Staredge Joined: Sep 27, 2008 Posts: 1149 Damascus, Maryland	Posted on Apr 10 2009 08:37 PM I get the same, but I always attributed it to the effects the guitar player was using. Ivan uses echo on a song I'm working on, and it's bizarre through the trainer. I can pick out the main notes though. — Will "You're done, once you're a surfer you're done. You're in. It's like the mob or something. You're not getting out." - Kelly Slater The Luau Cinders Top
groucho26 Joined: Jan 23, 2007 Posts: 111	Posted on Apr 12 2009 07:38 PM Weber makes a "headphone tap" that I had for awhile that works pretty good - the amp character comes through OK, but you never will get that "air" sound of a real speaker. When playing through headphones I now use a Line 6 Spider Jam that I got - not perfect, but good for that particular use. Top
donbarroso Joined: Jan 25, 2008 Posts: 69	Posted on Apr 27 2009 06:34 AM Just discovered that the little Peavey Valveking Royal 8 is not equipped with a reverb but it's apparently the only small all tube amp with a headphone out... — Never surrender in finding a surfcaster Top
OnoBoy Joined: Feb 15, 2010 Posts: 23 Sacramento, CA	Posted on Feb 17 2010 07:19 PM Hey Gang, New member here...... I revived this thread because I got into a really cool discussion regarding a "do it yourself" solution to creating a headphone tap for your tube amp on the TDPRI. A member there has built a really versatile headphone box you can plug into the speaker out jack of your amp, which will serve as a suitable load, AND allow you to listen to your amp with headphones! Check out the linky: http://www.tdpri.com/forum/amp-central-station/76918-tube-amps-headphones.html Top
Woodsurfer Joined: Feb 07, 2009 Posts: 310 Bel Air, MD USA	Posted on Feb 17 2010 08:22 PM For headphone practicing, I use a Line 6 POD 2.0. It sounds rather good for what it is. You can get them for less than $100 on eBay. I keep it plugged into my MacBook via an iMic (USB analog-to-digital converter) and run it out through powered speakers. I've also plugged it directly into an amp to use as a multi-effects device but it only sounds so-so. Kind of a tone sucker. -- Woody — It takes a lot of mussel memory to avoid clams. Top
OnoBoy Joined: Feb 15, 2010 Posts: 23 Sacramento, CA	Posted on Feb 17 2010 09:25 PM I might build a dual box with a switch to select either 8-ohm or 16-ohm for the various amps I'd like to play late at night. Since I tend to play my amp pretty clean, I might just select one ideal capacitor roll-off value for each of the 8-ohm or 16-ohm pathways. One amp input, one impedance switch, one volume control, one headphone output..... Top
scotstandard Joined: Nov 09, 2008 Posts: 1140 Davenport Iowa	Posted on Feb 18 2010 02:34 AM While back got the newer Digitech Rp255 with built in loop. I have run the tank into it. Works pretty good. Has a really good twin setting. You can also edit effects on your computer....very cool. Thats my couch rig at 1am even though I just got done playing the showman upstairs on 1 — Give me reverb or give me death! facebook.com/onenightstandards https://www.youtube.com/scotstandard scotstandard@yahoo.com Top
OnoBoy Joined: Feb 15, 2010 Posts: 23 Sacramento, CA	Posted on Feb 20 2010 03:49 PM Ok you Tube Amp Jockeys...... if you wanna build your own tube amp headphone tap / dummy load, with excellent tone, check out the thread at TDPRI: http://www.tdpri.com/forum/amp-central-station/76918-tube-amps-headphones-2.html#post2330149 I just posted some photos of the guts and finished product.....Now all tube amps can have a headphone tap for silent playing thru your WHOLE rig..... from guitar thru pedalboard, thru preamp thru reverb section, thru power tubes...... Top

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Tube amp, clean sound, reverb, headphone out