Micing an amp for headphone use?

[p1p]

Hi all,

Does anyone have any experience micing an amp at a very low volume to practice with headphones? I'm looking for a new amp, leaning towards a smaller valve amp (no headphone output), which I'd like to get intimate with even late at night when I need to be quiet.

I've got a preference for the el34/el84 sound.. had a nice tweed pro junior IV in the past I had to give up. I've been looking at smaller combos, and I do like the Vox and Marshall sounds as well. I'd greatly appreciate opinions and recommendations for my situation. Oh, and I'll mostly be playing a Tele through this, to help keep quiet late night.

Cheers

[Tal_175]

I have one of these for using with headphones:
amPlug 2 Guitar/Bass Headphone Amplifiers
There is an AC30 model. The classic rock model is based on Marhshall's I believe. That's what I have. It gives fat cleans for jazz.
Tube amp turned up very low and miced for headphone volume is a complex set up that might not sound better than these really cheap amps designed for this purpose.

[Tal_175]

You can also plug in backing tracks and what not to amplugs.

[pcjazz]

Some tube amps --- e.g. the Koch Studiotone --- have a headphone output and a switch to cut power to the speakers with a dummy load. Lunchbox also has a headphone out and speaker off switch.

[p1p]

I have one of these for using with headphones:
amPlug 2 Guitar/Bass Headphone Amplifiers
There is an AC30 model. The classic rock model is based on Marhshall's I believe. That's what I have. It gives fat cleans for jazz.
Tube amp turned up very low and miced for headphone volume is a complex set up that might not sound better than these really cheap amps designed for this purpose.

I've seen those, but I'm actually looking for a proper amp, that I can play both at regular volume and then at 'night time' volume. I should have mentioned that.

[Tal_175]

I've seen those, but I'm actually looking for a proper amp, that I can play both at regular volume and then at 'night time' volume. I should have mentioned that.

Yeah, these won't substitute for a regular amp. They are just dirt cheap to get just for only headphone use. That way you won't limit yourself to tube amps that have headphone out (very few). Also I have never had an amp or attenuator that sounded better with headphones than amplugs. I mean they don't sound great, but they are useful for practicing. Mic'ing is an interesting idea too.

[p1p]

I've got a Yamaha THR10C to practice with headphones, but I want to be practicing on a keeper. I see the amp as very much part of the instrument, even moreso with a solid body, and the more practice I can get on that amp the better.

Anyway, I was just curious to see if anyone's mic'd an amp at low volumes to practice with. I'll test it tomorrow with the THR10C..

[John A.]

Hi all,

Does anyone have any experience micing an amp at a very low volume to practice with headphones? I'm looking for a new amp, leaning towards a smaller valve amp (no headphone output), which I'd like to get intimate with even late at night when I need to be quiet.

I've got a preference for the el34/el84 sound.. had a nice tweed pro junior IV in the past I had to give up. I've been looking at smaller combos, and I do like the Vox and Marshall sounds as well. I'd greatly appreciate opinions and recommendations for my situation. Oh, and I'll mostly be playing a Tele through this, to help keep quiet late night.

Cheers

I used to try to do this, not so much for practicing, but for recording before I had good direct-recording options. I would do stuff like cover the amp under blankets and pillows to muffle the sound. Didn't really work very well because it was still fairly loud in the room and neighbors complained at night. Some sort of direct recording box with amp sims and a headphone output works much better (e.g., Korg Pandora). If you're willing and able to plug into a computer, the amp plug-ins that come with most DAWs or something like Amplitube are even better still. These days, I use the amp sounds in Garageband. Nothing beats the sound of a good amp in the room, but on a recording and/or through headphones, amps are much harder to deal with.

John

[newsense]

I tried micing my tube amp at very low volume with a condenser mike and then listening thorough headphones from my mixer. The outcome wasn't great. At that level, it's very boomy through the pones and I was unable to EQ it out. I believe that is a function o fthe frequency dependence of the sensitivity of the mic.

Eventually (after 2 years of exerimentation) I have settled on a Laney L5 Studio which has both phones out and an XLR out with cab emulation. There must be a dummy load inside as you do not need to connect a speaker. I prefer it best now using the XLR out through my desktop monitors at low level. Through the phones it can still sound a bit shrill with any overdrive, but the monitors sound great.

[p1p]

I tried micing my tube amp at very low volume with a condenser mike and then listening thorough headphones from my mixer. The outcome wasn't great. At that level, it's very boomy through the pones and I was unable to EQ it out. I believe that is a function o fthe frequency dependence of the sensitivity of the mic.

Eventually (after 2 years of exerimentation) I have settled on a Laney L5 Studio which has both phones out and an XLR out with cab emulation. There must be a dummy load inside as you do not need to connect a speaker. I prefer it best now using the XLR out through my desktop monitors at low level. Through the phones it can still sound a bit shrill with any overdrive, but the monitors sound great.

Thanks, I'm looking into the Laney now. I'm also in the UK, but no where around here would have this in stock.

Also looking at the Cub12R now. Sounds lovely here, about 45s in:

.. I wonder if the 1w mode might do the trick for me.

[Soopanova]

I use the Yamaha THRC as well - for practice and for recording. I haven't used a real amp in a long time because I don't jam or gig anymore. I think the convenience of modeling will now push me towards a modeller paired with a power amp if I ever find myself in a gig situation.

[newsense]

I'm really enjoying the Laney. When I can, which is not very often without feeling concerned that I am not causing audible grief, I play it through a 10" G10 Vintage or a 12" Cannabis Rex. Even in 0.5W mode it can be pretty loud for home playing. It sounds great through either speaker, from clean, through a little gritty, to full on modern fusion tones. It's not quite as good through the monitors, but the volume is more controllable and is focused on my ears not the neighbours !

As a more general tip, when trying to play through phones, I've found that very few of the cab emulators in amps give good overdriven tones. A cost effective remedy is to put the Digitech CabDryVR in the chain. This controls the high frequency stuff without making it too muddy.

[Steve Z]

I use an Apogee Jam with Positive Grid Bias FX for practice if with headphones. Sounds great.

Jam comes with a lite version of the Bias FX app, though the full version is inexpensive.

[p1p]

As a more general tip, when trying to play through phones, I've found that very few of the cab emulators in amps give good overdriven tones. A cost effective remedy is to put the Digitech CabDryVR in the chain. This controls the high frequency stuff without making it too muddy.

Just curious, how close is the headphone tone to the amp-to-speaker tone? Is there a difference?

If there is, would there be the same difference with a solid state amp? Thanks again, really appreciate all this..

I've also just spotted this, which looks like a similar sort of idea: https://www.andertons.co.uk/peavey-c...uitar-amp-head

[TedBPhx]

With the Boss Katana even the half watt mode is sometimes too loud so I use the headphone jack. The difference in tone between the speaker and phones is not obvious to my ears.