Amp in a box for headphones use - help needed

[lucait]

Hi hope I can get some help /clarity, as this looks really tricky Basically playing only with headphones now ( AKG K72), using bias fx2 via Ipad. Sounds good but still wondering if something more "real tube" alike can be reached. Playing mainly slightly overdrive Rock ( SRV tone as a reference - not saying I'm there ), so looking primarily for a credibile and dynamic blackface sound ( having Vox and Marshall would be nice of course!). Tons of possibilities and basically nailed down to these:
- Dsm simplifier ( standard or DLX): seems really good but very expensive ( living in Italy so almost no used units in the market, then a big bet buying and trying to resell if not satisified)
- Nux amp academy: cheaper but looks like a lot of software tweaking to have it set up properly
- Mooer preamp pedals + ir radar one : at the end will cost more or less like nux AA, but more chances to find used ones.

Ideally I'd like to have this at the end of my pedalboard, so having a good clean/on the edge of breakup starting point and add up one or 2 ODs ( and reverb if missing). And avoiding tons of hours of software tweaking
What are your opinions?
Thanks a lot from Italy
Luca

 

[bgmacaw]

If you can find one, the Hotone Binary Amp is pretty good. I used one a lot before switching over to a load box with a line out with my tube amps. It uses the same amp modeling algorithms as the more expensive and complex Hotone Ampero units. It has an effects loop, handy for adding in reverb and delay. The downside it that it doesn't have a headphone output although its sister pedal, the IR Cab does. It looks like these pedals are being heavily discounted at times and availability has been spotty.

Another inexpensive option I've seen around but I haven't used is this unit that has amp sim, reverb/delay and IR loading. It's sold under several different brand names and I don't know if it's available in Italy or not. I had considered getting one to take on business trips but I decided to go with a Valeton GP-100 for this instead.

 

[northernguitar]

For a very simple to use rig, I find the Fender Mustang Micro has some gorgeous tones in a tiny package. It has 13 amp sims and six effects. All of them sound really good, better than the sims on GarageBand. It tracks beautifully using a USB cable.

I only have a couple of beefs with it. For how good the amps sound, there is no gain control. There are a good selection of various amps either clean, or pumping some distortion. All nice, but no way of tweaking their crunch. Also, it does feel a little flimsy. With careful use, it won’t be a problem, but one good tap in the right place while it’s plugged in could easily snap this baby off the plug.

Aside from those, I am quite surprised how much I enjoy the tones. No comment on the accuracy of the sims, but they do indeed please.

 

[VintageSG]

Joyo American Sound ( other character pedals are available ) into a basic headphone amp.
S/H Boss ME-80 <- really fine sounds. Other floor units are available. Vox do/did a useful one too.
Digitech Trio+ Get some bass, drums and loops going. Actually has very good headphone sounds and great fun for noddledoodling with.

 

[lucait]

Thanks, the hotone looks a potential alternative. @northernguitar I was looking into MM or even Nux Mighty Plug pro, but I’d like to have the possibility to kick in pedals when needed… @VintageSG I actually have the Am Sound pedal, my question is, will it really sound like “the real thing”. Trying to avoid the rabbit in the hole but a lot of good inputs, thanks!

 

[Doutorfunga]

Hi hope I can get some help /clarity, as this looks really tricky Basically playing only with headphones now ( AKG K72), using bias fx2 via Ipad. Sounds good but still wondering if something more "real tube" alike can be reached. Playing mainly slightly overdrive Rock ( SRV tone as a reference - not saying I'm there ), so looking primarily for a credibile and dynamic blackface sound ( having Vox and Marshall would be nice of course!). Tons of possibilities and basically nailed down to these:
- Dsm simplifier ( standard or DLX): seems really good but very expensive ( living in Italy so almost no used units in the market, then a big bet buying and trying to resell if not satisified)
- Nux amp academy: cheaper but looks like a lot of software tweaking to have it set up properly
- Mooer preamp pedals + ir radar one : at the end will cost more or less like nux AA, but more chances to find used ones.

Ideally I'd like to have this at the end of my pedalboard, so having a good clean/on the edge of breakup starting point and add up one or 2 ODs ( and reverb if missing). And avoiding tons of hours of software tweaking
What are your opinions?
Thanks a lot from Italy
Luca

Ciao! Actually, your countrymen at IK Multimedia just released an amp sim called ToneX for iOS devices. There's a free version you could try out to see if it's for you. From what I heard and played, it should sound more tube-like and feel it too! If you're set on a physical rig, something like a Strymon Iridium could be the ticket; no more knobs than in an amp, and has been proven to sound good. Or one of the new Universal Audio amp sim pedals, or...

 

[lucait]

Ciao! Actually, your countrymen at IK Multimedia just released an amp sim called ToneX for iOS devices. There's a free version you could try out to see if it's for you. From what I heard and played, it should sound more tube-like and feel it too! If you're set on a physical rig, something like a Strymon Iridium could be the ticket; no more knobs than in an amp, and has been proven to sound good. Or one of the new Universal Audio amp sim pedals, or...

Nice thanks. I saw the app is still to be relased…nevertheless I ended up buying a simplifier clone…85€ shipped and sounds amazing! Not sure how does it play vs the real thing, but it’s crazy impressive. Takes pedals, dynamic really really happy!

 

[northernguitar]

For a very simple to use rig, I find the Fender Mustang Micro has some gorgeous tones in a tiny package. It has 13 amp sims and six effects. All of them sound really good, better than the sims on GarageBand. It tracks beautifully using a USB cable.

I only have a couple of beefs with it. For how good the amps sound, there is no gain control. There are a good selection of various amps either clean, or pumping some distortion. All nice, but no way of tweaking their crunch. Also, it does feel a little flimsy. With careful use, it won’t be a problem, but one good tap in the right place while it’s plugged in could easily snap this baby off the plug.

Aside from those, I am quite surprised how much I enjoy the tones. No comment on the accuracy of the sims, but they do indeed please.

Ok. I gotta take this review back. The power switch on this is kaput. It’s just floating in there. Not impressed, but feeling like I shoulda known better.

 

[lucait]

I haven't considered the Fender mustang Micro. I was looking at the nux mighty pro, which seemed more versatile, but still i mainly play via headphones and still want to use pedals. So the Simplifier clone is perfect so far. At the end of the pedalboard, reverb and eq in the effect loop, works well with OD pedals ( stacking MI audio super blues pro--mooer silver horse --joyo american sound) nice ampli sounds ( I think the Marshall one it's my way to go right now), so Im super happy now! And has an aux in to play on. Simple and straightforward!

 

[VintageSG]

@VintageSG I actually have the Am Sound pedal, my question is, will it really sound like “the real thing”.

I wasn't sure, so I tried. I just forgot to respond, then saw the thread again today. Oopsie.

'The Real Thing' or the closest I have with a headphone socket, is, in my case, a Blackstar Fly 3. It's very good with headphones. That's my baseline sound. The guitar sound with the Trio+ without effects is similar.
The American sound had a high benchmark set. I missed having a slapback and a little reverb. The Blackstar's delay can be set to give a decent slapback, the Trio+ effects group is very good.

Guitar --> Slapback --> American Sound --> Headphone Amp --> Pair of decent closed back headphones.

Just buy an American Sound pedal, a headphone amp and closed back headphones. Holy cow!, It's not far off listening to recorded guitar. The sound lacks the 'air' an amp in the room gives. Duh! A room reverb pedal added after the American Sound is the missing piece. The 'Voice' control, tone stack and 'Gain' are highly interactive and it's capable of cleans at any setting by rolling the guitar volume down up through 'snotty little SE Champ' and many palettes to some real gritty piss and vinegar snarls. Great fun.

The headphone amp used was a delightfully innuendo laden 'Nobsound' with an FU32 dual tetrode and op-amp design. This is a good and bad amp. It's about as Hi-Fi as a stick of celery but it adds a lovely warm and compressed blanket to everything, which is nice.

I did wonder if the headphone amp, delightfully odd-fi thing it is, was colouring the sound in my favour, so I took the signal and used the Fly 3 as a headphone amp. Wow!. Sure, the valve was influencing the sound. It's likely I liked that sound because that's how recorded guitar sounds when I listen to music via it, so I'm comfortable with the sound, thus prejudiced toward over-rating it.
This is no slouch though. A genuine pleasure to play through. Does it come close to a valve amp?, perhaps not. It lacks the upper end complexity and compression characteristics of a valve amp. It will. It's not a valve amp.
FET stages in solid state amps, when driven just right, sound fantastic too. Push a FET too hard and it turns ugly, but just on the cusp gives that initial roughness and compression. As the best impressionists get close with the overall voice, there's always something gives the game away when you listen critically.
So don't listen critically. Play music. Make noise. Have fun. Relax. Practice.
My testing isn't especially methodical, but I used what I have to hand when I want to listen to music at the computer, to the exclusion of the outside world.

The American Sounds sounds sound great. They really do.
The Trio+ sounds sound very good, plus you get the accompaniment bonus.

I can confirm geeknerd. The AS in the Trio+'s effects loop and the Trio+'s headphone amp works. No need for the reverb pedal. Additional slapback to taste.

 

[dougbgt6]

Along the same lines as the Mustang Micro I have a VOX Amplug2. These come in 7 different styles I have the AC30 version.

£33 on Amazon
Doug

 

[Tim S]

Here’s a 2 channel version of Joyo’s American Sound with a headphone jack, effects loop, BlueTooth & a 20w Class D power amp. And there’s a 12ax7 in there too.

 

[Doutorfunga]

Nice thanks. I saw the app is still to be relased…nevertheless I ended up buying a simplifier clone…85€ shipped and sounds amazing! Not sure how does it play vs the real thing, but it’s crazy impressive. Takes pedals, dynamic really really happy!

Good to hear, hope it works fantastic! Do you perchance know if the person behind that clone has a website or online store?