Effects loop & headphone amps

[Guest]

Having just brought bobmartins EDEN D112XLT i am thinking of moving on my iAmp 350 combo as although it's perfect it's a bit heavy with my dodgy back.
One feature i will miss at home is the aux input, it's useful for headphone practice i put my laptop through it using audacity and a metronome etc. My eyes are on markbass stuff particularly the f1 which of course has no aux input, can i plug external sources into the effects return? obviously i will have no level control but it will do the job.

Alternatively i could buy a dedicated headphone amp with an aux in, can anyone recommend something decent, one of my biggest complaints with headphone solutions is they don't seem to convey dynamics particularly dead notes. I know the line 6 stuff is very good through headphones but a little expensive for what i want, whats the new bass trainer like? the old one was not particularly great sounding, any other ideas?

[xgsjx]

I don't know how different the F1 is (I think it has just 1 input), but I have the CMD 102P combo which is basically an LMII head.
I think plugging into the fx return breaks the signal path, but I don't know if you can change jumper settings for this.

If you can get a mixer (small mic mixer might do here) with an XLR out, then you can plug it into the balanced input socket on the front.
I have heard of a few bassists plugging a mic straight into this & putting their bass through it at the same time.

The LMK has two input channels, but not sure if they can be used separately. Worth an investigation maybe.

[Huge Hands]

As xgsjx said, I'd look into one of the really small "notebook" type mixers. Behringer, soundcraft and others all do models for under a ton, and I seem to remember somone on here pointing out a shop doing one type for about £20 as a special offer! I can't remember what it was though, sorry.

The notebooks are usually 4 mono channel plus a couple of stereo phono ins, so can end up being useful for several things, such as small gigs, not just your home practice.

[obbm]

Small Mono mixer : -

FX send into Channel 1

Laptop into Channel 2

Mixer Out into FX Return


OR

FX Send into laptop Line In

Laptop Line Out into FX Return

Use software mixer in Laptop.

OR

Make a Y-cord with resistive mix in jack plug

One leg of Y from FX Send to FX return
Second leg of Y from PC line-out to FX Return ( need to resistive mix L&R ont he PC output)

FX Return Jack contains Resistive Mixer.
Set PC output level for required balance of Bass/PC.

Edited April 26, 2008 by obbm

[Guest]

[quote name='obbm' post='185805' date='Apr 26 2008, 10:37 AM']Small Mono mixer : -

FX send into Channel 1

Laptop into Channel 2

Mixer Out into FX Return


OR

FX Send into laptop Line In

Laptop Line Out into FX Return

Use software mixer in Laptop.

OR

Make a Y-cord with resistive mix in jack plug

One leg of Y from FX Send to FX return
Second leg of Y from PC line-out to FX Return ( need to resistive mix L&R ont he PC output)

FX Return Jack contains Resistive Mixer.
Set PC output level for required balance of Bass/PC.[/quote]


Cheers, would it be possible to make me a cable with a 1/8" jack to do the job? I do have a little mixer but just want something simple for practice, my iAmp makes it very easy as it has a 1/8" input with level control.

Edited April 26, 2008 by steve-norris

[obbm]

[quote name='steve-norris' post='185954' date='Apr 26 2008, 03:26 PM']Cheers, would it be possible to make me a cable with a 1/8" jack to do the job? I do have a little mixer but just want something simple for practice, my iAmp makes it very easy as it has a 1/8" input with level control.[/quote]

I'll pm you this evening.