Al Krow Posted December 6, 2017 Author Share Posted December 6, 2017 "Do you want a pre-amp which you can use for headphone practice and a DI out with...aux in?" Yes please to all of the above, as per the OP! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cuzzie Posted December 6, 2017 Share Posted December 6, 2017 The OP said Headphone amp mate, not a pre-amp with headphone capabilities, there is a difference. DG M500 is a pre amp with an EQ and DI out and Headphone out , unfortunately no aux in, and it also has a power amp attached, but you wouldn’t buy any DG products though would you........ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nightsun Posted December 6, 2017 Share Posted December 6, 2017 (edited) just to throw a curve ball in, not particulaly compact but happily sits on my board...The Zoom B3 Edited December 6, 2017 by nightsun 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cuzzie Posted December 6, 2017 Share Posted December 6, 2017 @nightsun you have no idea how good a solution that is........ @Al Krow remind me, have you got one of those...? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tonteee Posted December 6, 2017 Share Posted December 6, 2017 I thought the B3 too - not that I've ever owned one, just know from here how good they apparently are - but they dropped the XLR out on the latest one, didn't they? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nightsun Posted December 6, 2017 Share Posted December 6, 2017 2 minutes ago, Cuzzie said: @nightsun you have no idea how good a solution that is........ @Al Krow remind me, have you got one of those...? I have a pretty good idea as I use it for everything mentioned ;-) Aux in Headphone out DI More tonal posibillities than I car to list here Runs on mains/battery/USB Power Multi-FX for gigging (or playing) Happily sits on my Pedaltrain Metro 20 (with a few other pedals) Anything else? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nightsun Posted December 6, 2017 Share Posted December 6, 2017 1 minute ago, Tonteee said: I thought the B3 too - not that I've ever owned one, just know from here how good they apparently are - but they dropped the XLR out on the latest one, didn't they? Yep you need the B3 for the DI, they do come up used occasionally (and everything has it's price) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al Krow Posted December 6, 2017 Author Share Posted December 6, 2017 (edited) Nightsun - totally agree. The Zoom B3 is an excellent and very underated piece of kit, and at the prices these were being sold for second hand a few months back a complete steal (I personally think they deliver lot more value than what they were selling for). No hesitation in recommending - it's a LOT of gear for the money if you can get your hands on one. As you and Tontee have both just mentioned, its newer sibling (the B3n, which I do have) doesn't have a DI out. So I wouldn't really consider getting both the B3 and the B3n if the only extra 'bit' that the B3 is providing me is a DI out. Neither are particularly compact, are they, though? @Cuzzie I take your point about the difference between a headphone amp with decent DI / EQ capability and a pre-amp / DI with a decent headphone, but I think they will actually amount to the same thing at the end of the day whichever you put first in the sentence? Edited December 6, 2017 by Al Krow Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cuzzie Posted December 6, 2017 Share Posted December 6, 2017 If it’s just a DI you need and you have everything else, is it controversial to say, just get a DI.... i doubt you’ll need an aux in and headphones out for rehearsal Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tonteee Posted December 6, 2017 Share Posted December 6, 2017 1 minute ago, Al Krow said: @Cuzzie I take your point about the difference between a headphone amp with decent DI / EQ capability and a pre-amp / DI with a decent headphone, but I think they will actually amount to the same thing at the end of the day whichever you put first in the sentence? No, I don't think that's true - it's about product focus. FWIW, I don't personally think a headphone amp and a DI pedal are really in the same area - I would prefer a decent sounding DI/EQ pedal and a separate headphone amp for home/practice. It's the whole 'do one job well' philosophy. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nightsun Posted December 6, 2017 Share Posted December 6, 2017 7 minutes ago, Al Krow said: Neither are particularly compact, are they, though Nope, but they aren't huge either. Before I went down the board route it quite happily slipped into the front pocket on my gig bag. Depends on your reasons for compact I suppose. If you have the B3n, I'd also be recommending a decent DI rather than replicating functionality, or flogging the B3n and getting the B3. I don't use the DI, so always up for a mutual temp swap if you want to have a play. I guess the B3n uses the same patches? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al Krow Posted December 6, 2017 Author Share Posted December 6, 2017 (edited) 15 minutes ago, Tonteee said: No, I don't think that's true - it's about product focus. FWIW, I don't personally think a headphone amp and a DI pedal are really in the same area - I would prefer a decent sounding DI/EQ pedal and a separate headphone amp for home/practice. It's the whole 'do one job well' philosophy. Totally agree about product 'primary' focus point and getting something for what it's really good at / famous for. Been having that particular debate elsewhere with the Learned-Cussed-Cuzzie (is that going to catch on?) in relation to other bits of kit. (Btw he and I are the best of mates, so any perceived 'spats' are purely intellectual!) My thinking here is a practical one - if I can get everything into one box job done. I'm probably not actually going to need either the headphone out or the DI by themselves that often, so if I can get a box that does both pretty well then that justifies getting it in the first place, in terms making sure that it gets used more than occasionally. Having something ultra compact / portable is always a bonus in my books. I lack Cuzzie's girth! Edited December 6, 2017 by Al Krow Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al Krow Posted December 6, 2017 Author Share Posted December 6, 2017 5 minutes ago, nightsun said: Nope, but they aren't huge either. Before I went down the board route it quite happily slipped into the front pocket on my gig bag. Depends on your reasons for compact I suppose. If you have the B3n, I'd also be recommending a decent DI rather than replicating functionality, or flogging the B3n and getting the B3. I don't use the DI, so always up for a mutual temp swap if you want to have a play. I guess the B3n uses the same patches? That's really kind, but I've also got the Zoom MS-60B which is starting to cover off my Zoom multi-fx needs (particularly since it had the firmware upgrade and an additional 84 patches). So I suspect, if anything, my B3n may simply be finding its way to the FS section in due course. I think the B3n patches have been 'upgraded' a touch from the B3, although some would say not always for the better! There was a bit of a comparative discussion of the merits of the two in this thread. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tonteee Posted December 6, 2017 Share Posted December 6, 2017 (edited) Fair doos @Al Krow, I shall let you guys get at it, then. However, before I sidle away, I thought I'd share the below, which has cleverly incorporated Bluetooth instead of an aux in. Not bank breaking either. Might make for a cool home setup. This is one flavour, there are others available. http://www.joyoeffectpedals.co.uk/joyo-guitar-amplifiers/tube-valve-amplifier/VIVO-Bantamp Edited December 6, 2017 by Tonteee Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al Krow Posted December 6, 2017 Author Share Posted December 6, 2017 Haha - please don't sidle away, it's always good to have intervening voices of calm rationality! Bluetooth. Hmmm...I tried that before with bass related gear and the latency was just terrible - particularly in terms of trying to use a bluetooth headphone to listen to what I was playing. I quickly abandoned. But I guess for aux IN that point should disappear for some uses, because it doesn't matter if the input is 30 to 50 ms delayed if you are not looking at an audio and video feed at the same time? So it will be fine for Spotify from your phone. Less good for YouTube from a computer with the video playing along. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tonteee Posted December 6, 2017 Share Posted December 6, 2017 (edited) BT performance issues depend hugely on what protocol is being used, and what version of BT. It's now on 4.2... Not sure what this thing runs on, as the details are not there on the site. Edited December 6, 2017 by Tonteee Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cuzzie Posted December 6, 2017 Share Posted December 6, 2017 @Tonteee don’t run away, you are speaking sense like me, maybe Bas will listen if someone else apart from his halfwit friend says something! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CameronJ Posted December 6, 2017 Share Posted December 6, 2017 True, the Bluetooth version is pretty important. My Bose Soundlink Mini (original version) for example is perfectly fine for video-synced stuff like YouTube/Netflix as well as gaming! Quality of components is key. Still, wouldn’t want to be playing bass via Bluetooth. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tonteee Posted December 6, 2017 Share Posted December 6, 2017 I liked the idea of the BT aux in, but you're quite right - I don't think it's at the point of running the bass through just yet! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nightsun Posted December 6, 2017 Share Posted December 6, 2017 I've been mulling one of these for the living room...I have as yet failed to convince Mrs Nightsun Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tonteee Posted December 6, 2017 Share Posted December 6, 2017 They are nice, but by George - are they ever expensive! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cuzzie Posted December 6, 2017 Share Posted December 6, 2017 I nearly got one for my small combo as well, but ultimately went with a PJB Bass cub. Very portable, aux in, DI out, EQ section....... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CameronJ Posted December 6, 2017 Share Posted December 6, 2017 Yep, for everything but Bluetooth functionality a PJB Cub is probably the better solution. Built like a proper amp (with protection for the drivers), 2 channels with independent EQs, Aux input, headphone out and the ability to chain an extension speaker. I can’t imagine the B-Social sounding better than the PJB Cub or Double Four tone wise, either. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave_bass5 Posted December 6, 2017 Share Posted December 6, 2017 40 minutes ago, Tonteee said: I liked the idea of the BT aux in, but you're quite right - I don't think it's at the point of running the bass through just yet! The bass and headphones don't connect via BT so any delay is really a non issue unless you are playing along to a video. I use a cheap BT adaptor hooked up to my digital field recorder, in to my Zoom B3n. it doesn't matter how long the delay is, once it hits the Zoom i play along tohit in perfect sync (as perfect as i can anyway). I know for a fact it has a long delay, so using it on bass is impossible (ive tried), but its not noticeable if just streaming music, 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham Posted December 6, 2017 Share Posted December 6, 2017 I have a EBS Microbass 2, which I love - it's my core tone for playing live - but I don't use it for practice as I found it hard work getting the volume aligned. Also, I don't like the 3.5mm headphone jack and I don't think the FX return that is used as an aux in gave a stero signal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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