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  • Headphone practice equipment

It's been a while since I've posted anything on this forum but would really like to hear from fellow guitarists what they prefer regarding practice equipment.

To start off, I currently use a MESA TA15 valve amp with a few pedals and have grown fond and accustomed to my tone / sound. The problem is however that volume and noise limit our playing due to neighbors and the household etc.

I was considering the following as a work "around" and was hoping to get some feedback from other guitarists in terms of what they prefer, what worked, does not work etc.

1. Getting an amp with headphones out and aux input (Yamaha TH10 or any other suggestions?))
2. Getting an effects pedal like a LINE 6 POD or similar
3. Playing softly ☹

Ideally I would like to keep my sound as close to my current tone as possible but with the above possibilities.

Please make some suggestions and lessons learned.
    I use an ipad with garage band and the ipad guitar connector (forget what its called) connected to my headphones. This is my set up if noise is an issue

    cheapest solution all round for me and can record too.

    I also use a Blackstar HT1 R which has headphones etc.

    have u tried an attenuator on yr amp?

      IceCreamMan wrote: I use an ipad with garage band and the ipad guitar connector (forget what its called) connected to my headphones. This is my set up if noise is an issue

      cheapest solution all round for me and can record too.

      I also use a Blackstar HT1 R which has headphones etc.

      have u tried an attenuator on yr amp?

      +1

      I have a Blackstar HT-5R (with emulated output). Works fine with headphones. Although it does cut out the power section of the amp and only uses the pre-amp tubes. The volume knobs then function as a volume control for the headphones.
        Yes I have though about an attenuator but won't really solve my problem. The TA can go fairly soft, but the issue is that I want a complete mix with an AUX input as well. Therefore any backtrack or soundtrack to play with, with the ability to tweak both mixes at reasonable levels.

        I also use garage band but using a backtrack becomes a bit of an issue with importing it to GB etc.
          This is exactly what I'm doing right now. I have an attenuator that also has a line-out (my amps don't). So what I do is use the attenuator as a dummy load i.e. kill the sound completely but run the line-out to my laptop where I run speaker simulation. I'm using the free Redwirez 4x12 cabinet with G12M speakers. I use Garageband but reaper or anything else will work too. This way I can play my amps cranked up at any time of day. I get real amp sound, the speaker simulation is impulse responses so they were measured from a real cabinet and you get to choose microphone model and position.

          Sounds like this on my rig


          That's what I hear in the headphones while I play. Works a treat. On that recording I had the attenuator set to 8Ω and it was plugged into the 16Ω output on my amp (this was a mistake, it sounds better when you do it right).
            Tascam MPGT1 or Tascam GB-10........wonderful devices!

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              ez wrote: Sounds like this on my rig


              That's what I hear in the headphones while I play. Works a treat. On that recording I had the attenuator set to 8Ω and it was plugged into the 16Ω output on my amp (this was a mistake, it sounds better when you do it right).
              That sounds GOOOOOD. I completely forgot about the redwirez IR's - thanks for the reminder ez!
                I use Guitar Rig 5 Player (Demo version) and connect the guitar and headphones to an external sound card (Roland).

                When practicing with a band it's either a Boss GT-8 straight into a mixer or line-out my amp.

                PS: The sound guy don't like the last option...I only use this option close to an event so I can get my tone right for what it's worth...
                  I have a Laney IRT Studio that has a DI and built in speaker emulation which allows me to unplug the cab. I DI into my Scarlet 18i6. I then have option of using earphones or studio monitors. This is permanently setup. If I want to play loud, I simply plug the cab in. Additionally the Laney has two inputs, one at 1w and the other 15w
                    ez wrote: This is exactly what I'm doing right now. I have an attenuator that also has a line-out (my amps don't). So what I do is use the attenuator as a dummy load i.e. kill the sound completely but run the line-out to my laptop where I run speaker simulation. I'm using the free Redwirez 4x12 cabinet with G12M speakers. I use Garageband but reaper or anything else will work too. This way I can play my amps cranked up at any time of day. I get real amp sound, the speaker simulation is impulse responses so they were measured from a real cabinet and you get to choose microphone model and position.

                    Sounds like this on my rig


                    That's what I hear in the headphones while I play. Works a treat. On that recording I had the attenuator set to 8Ω and it was plugged into the 16Ω output on my amp (this was a mistake, it sounds better when you do it right).
                    Great thanks, so what attenuator do you use and how much does attenuators sell for?
                    I also came across the Yamaha THR5 or 10 that seems like an option. Expensive but pretty neat according to my needs and functionality
                      PieterHefer wrote: Great thanks, so what attenuator do you use and how much does attenuators sell for?
                      I also came across the Yamaha THR5 or 10 that seems like an option. Expensive but pretty neat according to my needs and functionality
                      Mine was quite pricey because I got the 100 Watt Weber MASS. I'm building an amp with a clean output rating of ±40Watt so driven it could be more than 50 or 60, so I opted for the bigger attenuator. For 30 watt amps and smaller a 50 watt model would be fine. The attenuator was around $250 and a friend flew it back from the states in their luggage for me, else the shipping would have been another $70.

                      You can get away with much cheaper models too, you can even just use a resistive dummy load, although they don't sound quite as good as a reactive attenuator.

                      The advantage of doing it this way is that it'll work on ANY amp and you get to use your favourite amp instead of a model that never sounds quite the same.
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