Headphone amp for travel with a warm L-5 like sound?

[charleyrich99]

Can anyone recommend a good headphone amp for travel that provides a good Jazz sound? When I search on the Web, most seem focused on more of a rock focus with effects such overdrive, etc.
I would like a nice clean, warm L-5 like sound.
I have a good set of Bose headphones. I have been using a Korg Pandora PX4a; however, the sound quality is not great and most of the settings are again for a rock sound (not that there is anything wrong with that...) but not what I am looking for.

It has to fit in my suitcase, usually a carry-on so a real amp won't be feasible. This is for playing in my hotel room.

Any suggestions?

Thanks,

Charley

[Jabberwocky]

Fender Micro Mustang. https://www.fender.com/en-US/guitar-...311300000.html

[charleyrich99]

Fender Micro Mustang. https://www.fender.com/en-US/guitar-...311300000.html

Thanks!

I sometimes travel with a Traveler Escape acoustic with a piezo pickup built-in. Does anyone know if it is compatible?

I contacted Sweetwater and unfortunately it is not compatible with a piezo.

Thanks,

Charley

[xuoham]

Nux Mighty Plug, pro or not. I love mine.

It's up to you to make it sound warm.

NUX Mighty Plug - Google Search


"Perfect For All Styles Ultimate Compatibility: Mighty Plug works perfectly with active/passive electric guitar and bass, and acoustic-electric guitars with piezo or magnetic pickup. The signal is crystal clear."

[mtodd]

This is an interesting thread as I am in exactly the same boat, currently travelling and looking for a decent headphone amp for practice. I’m in Colombia at the moment which makes it difficult to find anything in stock but I am currently thinking about getting a Phil Jones Bass Big Head Pro when I get to the UK next month. It’s a bit pricey but I think it might suit my needs. A few fellow forum members recommend the Big Head stating that the sound and build quality are great.

I agree with all the reviews being focused on distortion rather than clean tones and It’s very frustrating.

I have spent a long time thinking about the NUX Mighty Plug Pro and the Fender Mustang Micro. Both of these work out to close to $200AUD for me so I’ve been reluctant given that I am not confident I’ll be happy with the sound.

im keeping a keen eye on this thread and I would love to know what you end up getting.

cheers,
mtodd

[SOLR]

I agree with all the reviews being focused on distortion rather than clean tones and It’s very frustrating.

I have spent a long time thinking about the NUX Mighty Plug Pro and the Fender Mustang Micro. Both of these work out to close to $200AUD for me so I’ve been reluctant given that I am not confident I’ll be happy with the sound.

im keeping a keen eye on this thread and I would love to know what you end up getting.

cheers,
mtodd

The fender has a studio pre amp preset i.e. no amp cab emulation ..it's very clean.....I've tried most of them (some costing way more) and this was the best, quite usable ......Try one at the local music store , just bring you headphones.....

S

[Max405]

I could not live without my Boss GT-001.
I use it with headphones. I use it as a digital interface for ALL of my recordings. It is overkill in the sense that it has a million effects you won’t use. But the Stereo reverb is incredible. I don’t use any amp simulation, although it has twin, tweed, Bassman and all the others. I use the EQ flat down the middle and I use the level for my volume. It has a volume knob for your headphones.
All I play are L5’s or a Golden Eagle or a Tal or a 175. It nails the sound.
You can pick one up for under $200
It’s about 10” x 7” x 3” high.
Joe D

[ccroft]

...I use it as a digital interface for ALL of my recordings...

Which sound really really good, BTW.

[dconeill]

Can anyone recommend a good headphone amp for travel that provides a good Jazz sound? ... This is for playing in my hotel room. ...

Look at the Zoom G1 Four. Skip most or all of the factory presets and select a Fender amp sim (e,g,, Twin, Deluxe), an appropriate speaker cabinet sim, a reverb, maybe a tremolo or detune or whatever you like, tweak it a bit to taste, and go. The G1 Four is small, inexpensive (~$100), will accept an external source for playalongs, and so on. You can have a complete practice studio in the space of a book or two, not counting the guitar. There's also a version with a foot pedal if you find that to be useful.

What guitar are you using? Probably not a Gibson L5 for travel. Probably not even a full-bodied, carved spruce archtop. A Fat Tele (Tele with neck humbucker) works pretty well and is travelable. Listen to Ed Bickert for examples for top-shelf jazz guitar sounds from a Tele.

Best simulated sounds in the world? Probably not. Make you think you're Jim Hall playing with Ron Carter? Unless you're Jim Hall, no. But it's serviceable, seems to me to be a good value for money, and works pretty well. You can do better with carefully chosen VSTs and a DAW on a laptop, but at much greater cost and much reduced portability.

Yes, almost all of the demos are aimed at rock players. Which is a bigger market, wanna-be rockers or wanna-be jazzers? That's where the manufacturers put their ad money.

And BTW, open-back headphones will IMO give you more of a sense of space than closed-back 'phones. I don't know whether the 'phones you're using are open- or closed-back.

[v281]

If you have a an Apple iOS device (iPhone, iPad) the iRig HD2 is the way to go.
I've used it for the last several years when travelling, it works great.

Who Needs Amps When You Have an iPhone? - iRig HD2 and Amplitube IOS

When I travel with check-in luggage I'll drop a Boss Katana Mini in there as well (I prefer to avoid headphones if possible),

[Max405]

Which sound really really good, BTW.

Thank you sir.
JD

[SOLR]

I could not live without my Boss GT-001.
I use it with headphones. I use it as a digital interface for ALL of my recordings.
All I play are L5’s or a Golden Eagle or a Tal or a 175. It nails the sound.

Joe D

Having travelled extensively myself I still recommend the fender unit.. lighter, smaller, more compact....streaming has been spot on every time.....and it's inexpensive.....

Having said that, based on Joe D ' s recordings, I might get a GT myself for home recording ......online review of the GT !

S

[bluejaybill]

Having travelled extensively myself I still recommend the fender unit.. lighter, smaller, more compact....streaming has been spot on every time.....and it's inexpensive.....

Having said that, based on Joe D ' s recordings, I might get a GT myself for home recording ......online review of the GT !

S

Looks interesting.

The review didn't thrill me, for one thing he used the word "Engrish", which to me sounds an awful lot like an ethnic slur, a few too many times for my comfort. And in most other respects, not really a pro review. But does have some info worth knowing about.

[Max405]

Hey WAIT!!
I just checked out the Fender unit. I should have listened..
That is a nice headphone amp.
The GT001 might be a bit overkill as a headphone amp.
Nice one Jabbs and SOLR. Perfect solution.
Joe D