I’m going home next week and taking my bass with me to get it set up in a shop back home, I’d love to be able to keep playing it while home but can’t bring my amp too, I was wondering if any of you knew of a really portable amp that would do the job that sounds as good as possible without breaking the bank too.
I’ve been looking at some amPlugs but I’m not too sure if they are any good, I wouldn’t be opposed to using one to just practice with headphones, or line-in a little speaker when I wanted to show off.
As long as you realize (and accept) that this (the FlyBass) is a gadget - not more, not less… You can hear yourself play through it (say, in a hotel room etc), and if that is what you need, then it might be a good solution for you. But, it has only 3W output power…
I still think that my Vox Amplug Bass is single handedly the best value item I got for what I paid for it…
Some people complained about the hissing sound when tone is too high and others find it fragile but it gets you what you ask for… I particularly love walking around the house with my bass and headphones playing… Even going to the balcony sometimes!
With the idea of occasionally playing for ahem “non-bassists” I am thinking to buy a portable Bluetooth speaker with aux input. Or maybe there would be some kind of sound system where you go…
That Blackstar thing seems to cost only 30€ more and do almost everything that I just said as well…
I think a Rumble 40 weighs maybe 20 pounds. If you’re looking to have something for more than a one-off thing. Very versatile. 10" speaker. Perfect for jamming and could even play a small gig with it. Truly, we take ours everywhere because it’s so easy to haul around, because you never know. They’re about $200.
If I were you I would ignore amps completely for this and just get either a Zoom B1four or a preamp pedal with tone you like and a headphone out. And then get a good pair of headphones.
Either will sound much better than any cheap portable amp. I’d recommend the Zoom becuse in addition to all its effects it also has great amp and cab sims, a tuner, and a drum machine.
I have tried the Vox and Nux headphone amps and sold the Vox (mostly because of latent static/noise, but I might have had a bad one). I really like the Nux, its clean, easy, more tonal options than the Vox, and rechargeable. Bluetooth to play along too as well.
I don’t have experience with mini bass amps, only have heard you get a ‘mini’ sound.
Have you checked out the Yamaha THR range?
They don’t move much air but sound really good and are very portable.
Some models have rechargable batteries and support wireless so you don’t even need to haul a cable around.
Depends where you’re based. In addition to the snappy little headphone amp/plugs, I’d suggest a little 15w practise amp.
For when I dont want to be too boomy or want to move around for a quick session I’ve got a SubZero V15B 15w bass amp.
H 28cm x W 33cm x D 18cm
Only cost £40 and sounds perfectly fine for what it is! Has a 1/4" headphone port too.
Think I might go for this eventually seems like a great bit of kit and can get it for around £60 here so not a bad shout, cheers!
Think I’m gonna go for a Vox plug right now as I am really looking for something cheap I can just carry around in my bass bag and it seems to be very well liked, but there’s loads of great suggestions from everyone for me to consider later, thanks everyone!!
This is the way to go, it will always be portable, it will do wonders with your current set up as well, so it is not just something for home. It is light and fits in a gig bag pockes, mimimum cables needed, headphone jack and everything you need.
The Zoom is cheaper, but if you are looking for a good Preamp / di, then you can spend a little more and have that for your real set up too.
If you have no effects as of yet, the Zoom is a great buy, very capable and is a HUGE learning tool, it will teach you all about effects, and how to create chains, for when you want to build your own pedalboard someday.
The Zoom is cheap, can be carried around in your bass bag, and if you run it on batteries, and a belt clip, it is as mobile as the Amplug, just with so many possibilities that the amplug doesn’t have.
If you are set on the Amplug, then you are not doing anything wrong, just IMO you are spending money that could be put towards a much more useful unit, that is everything the amplug is and more. Well, you can’t have it hang out the end of your bass, but you can make it portable, and / or plug into a wall if you just want to sit around and play.
Plus with the Aux in, you can do all B2B lessons thru it, or any backing tracks, or any other youtube video you want to both listen to and play to.
Just sayin.
