Headphone amp or multi-fx?

Strat_a_tat_tat

A friend has bought a bass and is looking for cheap-ish options to play it through headphones (he's a total beginner... and he lives in a flat - so an amp isn't an option at the moment).

I guess he could get a Vox Bass 2 amplug as a basic option.

But I'm guessing a cheap FX unit may give him more options... ie he'd gain access to FX... and some units may have an aux in socket (so he could feed music in from his phone/iPod etc and play his bass alongside his favourite songs). Obviously, the FX unit would have to be capable of driving headphones (and it would be good if it had amp emulations)

Any ideas or recommendations?

Thanks.

sawyer

I used to have a Korg multi fx that had headphone and aux in, so such things are available. Korg Pandora Box has Bass voices plus aux in,but current model batteries only as far as I can tell from mine. Headphone amps in my experience not much use,although things may have changed since I last tried them (long time ago!)

hollywoodrox

I had a zoom bass multi fx , just the job for headphones and it had aux in for backing ,and usb capability and it was quite inexpensive 

Balrog68

I have a Blackstar Fly 2 Bass headphone amp. It has 3 sound settings,Inc fuzz,Tone and volume controls, built in drum beats and mp3 line in. I sometimes use this with my pedal but using the pedal on its own doesn't give you much volume, so if your using the line in on your pedal you would have to have the incoming volume really low in order to hear yourself play. 
That's just my personal preference tho. 

Strat_a_tat_tat

Thanks for all the info. guys.

@hollywoodrox I assume the aux in signal isn't affected by the FX that are being applied to the bass signal on the Zoom (seems obvious... but I've learnt not to assume anything!)

Balrog68

Aux in is a separate channel so won't be affected by the effects. 

hollywoodrox

^ as above , it’s just there to let you amplify a music source

Strat_a_tat_tat

Thanks @Balrog68 and @hollywoodrox

sev112

I bought a Blackstar Fly bass amp when I wanted to play and practice some bass at home and not damage my guitar amp speaker.  Very good little thing.

Strat_a_tat_tat

This looks like a capable little thing for very little cash...
https://www.zoom-na.com/products/effects-preamps/bass/zoom-b1-four-b1x-four-bass-multi-effects-processors

Amazing what you can get for little outlay nowadays (about 68 Euros for the non expression pedal version)

hollywoodrox

Mine was a zoom b1.2u  I remember 

Zonular

I've a zoom b10n which is unbelievable for 40 quid, got a b3n which sounds slightly better but handier for using like stompboxes, the b1 four is the best middle ground.

Oh and the thomann superlux headphones are great

Balrog68

+1 approval for the Zoom B1on for a really cheap,intro pedal for bass... As has already been said £40 Inc delivery direct from zoom. 

Strat_a_tat_tat

Thanks for the advice chaps.
He's bought a Zoom B1 four.  Looks like a lot of fun for about £60.