Affordable Headphone Amps for Bedroom Jam Sessions
Silent practising for guitarists
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Headphone amps are a readily available rehearsal tool. With plenty to choose from, let’s check out some price-friendly options that could be perfect for you.
Headphone Amps
Affordable Headphone Amps: Decisions, Decisions…
Over the last few years, we’ve seen a real surge in the varying types of headphone amps. Once, they were seen as quirky guitar accessories. However, now they’re a legitimate piece of gear respected and valued by players.
Essentially, they offer an amp-like experience within a tiny pocket-sized box that plugs straight into your guitar. All you really need is a decent set of headphones.
Naturally, just like with any other piece of music gear, there are various versions to choose from reflecting different price points and features. Here, we’ll be looking at models that reflect good value for money.
Vox Amplug2 Lead
Ah, the Amplug2 series. Vox are quite the veterans when it comes to headphone amps. Their entire range of Amplug2 units is pretty cool. This Lead model though offers a great number of features for very little financial return.
Why did this product catch my eye? Well, this version in particular comprises three digital effects:
- Chorus
- Delay
- Reverb
With the assistance of two AAA batteries, you can rock out for up to 15 hours! Therefore, it’s pretty much a fit-and-forget scenario as far as the batteries are concerned. With both a 1/4-inch guitar jack and 6.3mm headphone jack, it’s ready to go over at *Thomann.
Fender Mustang Micro
Our next headphone amp comes from the giant that is Fender. Released back in 2021, the Mustang Micro is still a viable option when it comes to affordability and usability.
What are we working with? Well, we get 12 amp models straight from the Mustang GTX amp series. Furthermore, we have adjustable EQ along with 12 digital effects. All of which can be adjusted via handy buttons on the side of the device.
An overall volume dial is situated on the front, and within we have Bluetooth connectivity and a 4-hour battery life. It’s not as cheap as the Vox unit, however, it’s still under triple figures and is more than a one-trick pony.
Fender Mustang Micro Plus
So, for a little more cash, you could invest in the newer model. This Mustang Micro Plus 2 is more than double its predecessor. Personally, I think that it’s worth paying the premium.
It’s only been on the shelves for a few months, and it offers all of the new tech that you’d expect. For instance, we’ve got a built-in display and tuner. More than double the amps of the other model, we have 25 different amp types and 25 effects modes!
We can also stream backing tracks in real-time which makes this a great practice tool. What I like most is the parameter control, which essentially lets you control where the amp is in your virtual room. Double the product for less than double the price.
Harley Benton DNAfx GiT Mobile II
Are you familiar with the meme, we have one of those at home? Well, this headphone amp is basically the Mustang Micro that we have at home. Nevertheless, this Harley Benton unit comes at a respectable price and does the job just fine.
Headline stats are looking pretty good. We’ve got 14 amp modelling modes from the DNAfx guitar effects pedal. Moreover, 14 digital effects, tone and EQ settings. It’ll take 2 hours to charge, but in return you get up to 5 hours of battery life. Impressive!
On the face of it, this seems like the bargain of the century compared to the Fender counterparts. However, I can imagine that the overall user experience and quality won’t be as sophisticated as the Mustang Micro series. However, at this price point, it’s well worth a try.
Vox Amplug2 Cabinet
To conclude our look at affordable headphone amps, we have another product from the Amplug2 line up. This one, however, also benefits from a tiny 3-inch speaker.
Okay, so not strictly a proper headphone amp. Despite this faux pas, it’s still a cool little thing. No fancy effects, it’s just a pure and simple amplification tool. We have very little in the way of hardware, just your input jack, and on switch.
We’ve also got the option to run this via a 9V battery for when your power cable magically disappears. Which, they always have a habit of doing. Overall, it’s a 2-watt amp for cheap.
Boss Katana Go
For me, my ultimate pick of the bunch for headphone amps was the Boss Katana Go. Now, I say this in the past tense as it appears that the product has been discontinued after just a few months!
This product took the best features of the impressive Katana guitar amps and placed them within a little box that you could connect your headphones to. You can find more information from when the product was released.
You may be able to get one of these on the used market, but I bet that people will be charging a greedy premium to reflect the lack of availability. Still, we’ve looked at enough respectable products in this rundown.
Affordable Headphone Amps: A New Way to Practice?
Sure, I love using my 200-watt Fender amp. But sometimes, a hulking great amp just isn’t ideal for practice. Therefore, that’s why I can see these headphone amps being a legitimate guitarist’s friend for jamming and rehearsing.
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