Building a headphone amp?

guitarboy2828

Soo.. I really want to get a device to plug my headphones in just for some late night playing.. I have seen and heard good things about the vox amplugs, so i went to price them and the only place i could find had them at R650..

I was just wondering, are headphone amps basically preamps?

I would like something to run out of my loopstation. Or even just out of my guitar to hear it. Would a basic preamp with a volume and tone pot work? I know it wont distort, and thats fine, it's really just for running through some scales and things.

I would prefer to save up and get a pocketpod or something like that, rather than spending the money on a amplug. AND, i dont have ANY money at the moment. ???

MikeM

http://www.runoffgroove.com/ruby.html

That should start you off in the right direction.

http://www.olcircuits.com/olc_tubecricket.html

Taking it a little further ?

I know the Ruby can be played through headphones, not sure about the Tube Cricket.

More specific - http://diyaudioprojects.com/Solid/Tube-Mosfet-Hybrid-Headphone-Amp/

nicovlogg

guitarboy2828 wrote: I was just wondering, are headphone amps basically preamps?

Preamps with quite a bit of modelling and effects built in to simulate various full size amps, I reckon?

matta

The caveat is most headphone amps are designed to see line level inputs of around 1 to 10K, the impedance of a guitar is 1M, that is BIG difference, so while a typical headphone amp would work, it won't sound great... rather save your money for an amp plug or pocket pod.

Cheers

Matt

MikeM

Btw all my links are guitar specific things ? Just saying.. If you're going to be building it yourself, they're easy, vary a bunch wrt output impedence.. And some have frikking tubes ?

guitarboy2828

Ah, great, thanks everyone. I may give that "ruby" a go in the near future, it looks the simplest and looks rather cool.. Those tube preamps, they look good, but probably a little excessive for what I need now! ?

I do want to save up for a pocketpod or something, so if that comes first, i'll forgo the DIY project.

Vick

Wasint sum one selling a pocket pod for like 500 in the classifieds like a week or two ago?

guitarboy2828

Indeed Vick, but unfortunately Alan's GAS beat my GAS to it.. DAMMIT!!

AlanRatcliffe

No, someone else's GAS beat me to it too. I just aired my GAS in public ( ? ), but someone else had already silently PM'd.

guitarboy2828

WHAT??? :O I need to practicing my GASing skills to stop missing deals! ?