Practice amp with headphone output

lincolnblue

I'm looking for some kind of practice amp for home so I can play it as a normal amp or plug headphones in when I need to be quiet. 

Obviously there are things like the Yamaha THR but are there any other options? Max £200 new or used but if I can get anything cheaper that'd be much better 

AllthegearNoidea

 Boss Katana works well. As does the Fender Mustang. 

bingefeller

I like the Roland Cube amps.  

WindmillGuitars

Yamaha THR10c

JezWynd

Much cheaper...

http://www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/127775/fs-orange-micro-practice-amp

ICBM

JezWynd said:

Much cheaper...

http://www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/127775/fs-orange-micro-practice-amp

I know you’re trying to sell this and I don’t want to spoil your chances, but... no. It’s a brilliant little amp for what it is - I’ve got one, which I gave to my singer and I still sometimes play through it at her flat - but I wouldn't suggest plugging headphones into it unless you want to risk damaging your headphones and/or your hearing.

Despite what it says on the back, it’s not actually a headphone jack, it’s effectively an extension speaker jack - there’s no pad resistor. You get the full output of the amp into the phones, which sounds terrible and if the phones are low impedance, there’s a possibility of blowing them - it's only about half a watt, but into headphones that's far too much.

The best thing about it is that exactly for the same reason, if you make up the right cable (3.5mm stereo with both sides paralleled to 1/4" mono) you can actually connect it to an extension cabinet, which is surprisingly loud and full-sounding.

Hope that's not too unwelcome!


There are many other old solid-state practice amps which also have headphone jacks without speaker emulation, and although they have resistors so they won’t damage the phones, still sound awful through them. You need a modelling amp with a proper emulated headphone output. There are a few modern analogue amps with emulation too, including the Marshall AVT and MG series, and the Blackstar HT valve amps.

I like the Vox Mini 3 and Mini 5 Rhythm - the Mini 5 has a built-in basic drum machine if that's useful.

mli3

Yamaha THR, Yamaha THR, Yamaha THR ! is just the perfect home practice amp

munckee

mli3 said:

Yamaha THR, Yamaha THR, Yamaha THR ! is just the perfect home practice amp

I realise its a subtle recommendation but I agree with it.  For my needs at home the THR5 is fine and considerably cheaper than the 10, you can't play bass through it, there's no acoustic setting and you can't save your own patches on there but otherwise it does everything.

Big bonus to me is my wife likes the look of it so it can stay out in the lounge unlike the rest of my stuff which we agreed would be better if it was hidden away - ahem...

ICBM

The problem I found with the THR10 (original model) is that although the clean sound was excellent, and the edge-of-breakup sound was OK, the more overdriven sounds were terrible. It was also useful for acoustic guitar - but on the 'flat' setting rather than the 'acoustic'. I didn't try it with bass.

So it probably depends on what sounds you want to use it for. I haven't tried the 'C' model yet.

menamestom

I used to have a VOX DA5, that was very good.  I think the Mini5 is pretty much the same amp.

I had a THR5A, which had a few basic electric sounds.  It was really handy but not as good sound wise on the DA5.

I think if Yamaha updated the THR range to include bluetooth and perhaps wireless like the Katana air, I'd be interested again.  I think slightly bigger speakers would be good too.    A build in rechargable battery would also make a big difference.

bandmaster188

ICBM said:

The problem I found with the THR10 (original model) is that although the clean sound was excellent, and the edge-of-breakup sound was OK, the more overdriven sounds were terrible. It was also useful for acoustic guitar - but on the 'flat' setting rather than the 'acoustic'. I didn't try it with bass.

So it probably depends on what sounds you want to use it for. I haven't tried the 'C' model yet.

I use my thr for bass all the time and it’s great with or without headphones.
the overdrive sounds are much better once you’ve played around with the editing software. Some usable sounds can definitely be found, eventually!

lincolnblue

Thanks for your advice. I think the THR10 might be what I'm after...just need to find the money

docbaker

At a much lower cost you might also consider a VOX Amplug 2, works well with decent headphones. Andertons have them, there is a range of versions, lead, bass, classic AC30 ..

EricTheWeary

Just watching some stuff about the Laney mini amps. Fairly small and fairly cheap ( although you’d probably want to budget extra for the wall wart power adapter or know where to buy very cheap batteries) and they have the Tonebridge function. You need to plug an android or iOS device but you get a bunch of song based preset tones ( so you get access to loads of effects in a roundabout way) and there is a headphone socket. I think the Blackstar Fly (?) is similarish? 
I know the tiny, tiny speakers will be a bit limited but if it’s mostly for headphone use, and they look good. 

LuttiS

Joyo Bantamppppppppp! Head + cab for £200. Headphone out, Bluetooth for playing along to stuff, 2 channel, pretty little glowing valve preamp. 
I totally love them.. you might be able to tell.. 

Fretwired

I have a Yamaha THR 10C which is great but I actually use my battery powered (it comes with a plug) Roland Cube Micro Cube GX more when I want to jam. Great little amps.

https://www.andertons.co.uk/roland-micro-cube-gx-guitar-amp-in-black

Beexter

Another vote for the THR10 - I also bought one of those cheap plug in Bluetooth adapters (about  £15) which I plug into the aux input so i can stream backing tracks from my phone- works brilliantly.

CaptainBb

Another vote for the THR10C here. Such a versatile piece of kit.

lincolnblue

There seem to be a couple of different Yamaha THR units - the black one and cream one. Is it purely cosmetic 

grungebob

What about one of those peavey mini heads sound decent to my ears and have a usb out and headphones I think. 

baldy

I have just been through basically the same exercise as yourself lincolnblue.
I tried out  Blackstar ID Core 20 & 40, Fender Mustang 40, Yamaha THR 5 & 10, Vox Adio & Mini 5, Line 6 Spider 15 & 30 & Katana mini & Katana 50.
I bought a Katana 50 as I thought it had the best sound (to my ears anyway) & seemed about the simplest to use & get good sounds just from the amp controls rather than having to use an app, although the Katana can be controlled from an app as well.
I also have a couple of Vox Amplugs, the AC30 & Classic Rock.
The AC30 one does a reasonable approximation of an AC30 (to my ears) but I am quite disappointed in the classic Rock Amplug.