Musical instruments are singularly capable of producing heart-touching notes and beat all by themselves. However, accessories make sure that they enhance your experience. For a long time, many accessories have been coming up in the market that enables you to attach them to your musical instruments and dramatically change your playing experience.
By the title of this article, one would ask what a headphone amp is. You might have heard about the mainstream amplifier. Its work is to amplify the notes of your musical instrument. Similarly, the best guitar headphone amp amplifies the notes for your headset or headphones.
One more question that you would have in your mind is why you need an extra accessory when pretty much every instrument has a headphone jack in which you can easily insert your headset. However, professional musicians need to hear their music precisely to produce amazing pieces. This precision is barely available with mainstream headphones. A guitar headphone amplifier amplifies and clarifies all those notes and pitches so that all your musical pieces are precise and crisp.
How do I choose a Headphone Amp?
Music has no bounds. Its applications and love are far beyond imagination. Now and then, new inventions pop up to further this love. While some enjoy loud music with people around them, some prefer to enjoy it personally with headphones and other devices.
Sometimes, people attach various additions to the musical instruments for boosting pleasure and fun. These additions enhance the performance of the instrument and the quality of the music produced. People who handle musical instruments would be more familiar with the add-ons to the instruments.
A popularly used addition is a headphone amplifier for a guitar. A headphone amp or a guitar amplifier, in short, is an electronic device that can strengthen the weak signals from any guitar. This amplification is usually done to achieve the purpose of listening to music from a loudspeaker.
These amplifiers can modify the tunes by de-emphasizing and emphasizing certain notes. The input to these is fed from an electric guitar or a normal guitar using connecting chords. These are a great deal of fun and are capable of completely revamping the usual experience.
But we can’t pick up a random headphone amp and connect it to our guitars. This can sometimes damage the instrument completely. Mere negligence can lead us to lose our most loved guitar. So here is a simple guide to choosing a suitable headphone amp for a guitar.
Best Guitar Headphone Amp – Buying Guide
Factors to look for:
These aid in choosing the perfect amplifier that can deliver uncompromising results while maintaining the quality of the guitar and the music from it. They are as follows:
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Type:
The basic fact to keep in mind is that there are different types of amplifiers each with different features and outputs. They are designed based on different aspects like guitar types, individual choices, performance outputs, etc.
Some of the types are –Micro, Mini, etc. Each of these is unique that holds different functionalities and applications. So based on individual preferences, an amplifier can be chosen.
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Output Powers:
The key aspect to consider is the level of volume delivered by these devices. Many technologies are used in different amplifiers to boost their power so that they can produce louder volumes. But not all the amps need to deliver maximum sounds. Some people prefer moderate volumes rather than louder ones. There are a variety of amps that deliver moderate sounds too.
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Distortions:
Distortions reduce the volumes as they counter the signal strength. But surprisingly, the present-day amplifiers come with this feature with a tweak in their applications. The modern amps add distortions and equalizations to the guitar signals so that the basic sounds from the guitar can be modified.
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Control Knobs:
There are different control knobs for an amplifier with a specific function. They are volume, equalization, etc. In modern amps, we usually find only a single knob to control the volume, and based on this choice the others are automatically adjusted within the device.
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Connectivity:
How can we enjoy the fruits of a headphone amp without proper connectivity options? A big disappointment right? But guess what? These amps come with different types of connectivity. While some support AUX cable and a headphone jack connection, the others provide complete wireless Bluetooth connectivity.
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Battery Life:
Most of the present-day headphone amps are battery-powered. The lifetime offered isn’t the same for all of them. While some can last up to 5-6 hours on average, some of them can last for longer durations up to 17 hours. They are rechargeable and usually, a USB cable is used.
Headphone amps help in amplifying the amplitude of the music or sound that you are listening to and provide the user with a high-quality loud output. The best headphone guitar amps usually consist of a transistor circuit that helps in making the sound loud and multitudes audio with the help of a circuit to control it.
In order to increase the output quality only to understand the DAC Digital to Analogue Converter. The DAC helps in accessing the music from the source and helps to convert it into the required audio format without losing or altering the sound. The headphone guitar amp provides its customer with the best quality of audio without any limits for noise tolerance. Most of the dedicated guitar headphone amps are portable information which makes them convenient and easier to use.
Best Guitar Headphone Amp Reviews
These are some of the widely familiar aspects that can help in choosing a headphone amp for a guitar. Here is the list of the best guitar headphone amp for you
Why is the VOX AP2BS amPlug 2 Guitar/Bass Headphone Amplifier the best guitar headphone amp for you? The features mentioned below will tell you exactly why.
- It comes in various variants. Few being- Bass, Blues, Classic Rock, Clean, Lead, and Metal.
- Has two connections- headphones out and aux in.
- 2 AAA supply batteries power it.
- The Dimensions are: (W x D x H) 3.39 x 3.15 x 1.22” (86 x 80 x 31mm)
Here is what users had to say about this product.
- Great sound quality.
- No disturbance while playing.
- A push-button can select adjustable volume, tempo, and three different levels.
- Durable and has less likelihood of breakage.
Features of the SONICAKE Guitar Headphone Amp Plug-In US Classic are:
- It is a headphone guitar amp that can easily fit into your pocket. However, don’t let its size fool you. It can amplify music notes from all genres like- blues and early classic rock era, The Rolling Stones Brown Sugar, and ZZ Top’s Brown Sugar.
- It comes with a built-in reverb effect that further enhances the notes.
- Since it has a headphone output it is perfect for practice at home when you don’t want to disturb anybody and also for pre-concert practices.
- A USB cable charges it and once charged can be used to play for 5 hours straight.
- A USB charging cable is provided in the package.
- Easy installation and great sound effects.
Here is what users had to say about this product:
- Great sound quality and battery life.
- Value for money.
- Good for effective practice.
- Rechargeable battery that can be charged with a USB cable.
Features of the Kit House B6 Guitar Headphone Amp Mini Plug Guitar Amplifier that may make it the best guitar headphone amp for you are:
- It is suitable for Electric Guitar, Bass guitar, Electric Acoustic Guitar it and other musical instruments as well.
- It can be attached to headphones or speakers.
- Has an adjustable volume switch.
- Comes with a 30 days money-back policy and a 12-month free replacement policy as well.
Why did users think the Kithouse B6 Guitar Headphone Amp Mini Plug Guitar Amplifier was the best guitar headphone amp for them? Read on to find out.
- Travel-friendly as it easily fits into your pocket. Perfect for musicians who need to travel a lot for shows and concerts.
- It is the best headphone amp in its budget.
- It is very easy to use.
- Effective and serves its purpose.
Features of the Donner Guitar Headphone AMP Heavy Metal Pocket FX Chorus Rechargeable Mini Practice Amplifier are:
- Excellent sound.
- It also comes with a chorus mode.
- Powered by a USB charging cable and can work non-stop for 5 hours after being fully charged once.
- Very small in size and easy installation.
- Comes with a 30-day unconditional money-back policy.
Here is what, according to the buyers makes this the best guitar headphone amp for you.
- Sounds amazing.
- Easily adjustable volume and modes.
- Ensures that there is no distortion during playing.
- Can be used for those long practice sessions because of the longevity of the battery life.
Features of the NUX GP-1 Classic Rock Guitar Plug Headphone Amp are:
- It works without a battery and can be charged with a USB cable.
- The gain and tone level can be easily adjusted.
- Produces perfectly pitched sounds.
- Perfect for one-to-one practice sessions.
Users who said that the NUX GP-1 Classic Rock Guitar Plug Headphone Amp turned out to be the best guitar headphone amp for them particularly liked certain features as mentioned below:
- Value for money.
- Produces great tones without any distortion.
- Travel friendly.
- Efficient functionality and durability.
6. Vox Amplifier Headphones Amp
The Vox amplifiers are some of the most effective and efficient guitar Vox bass headphone amps put there. These amps are economical and produce great results. One of the advantages of this amp is that it plugs directly into the guitar.
- The user won’t be any transmission loss. These great-sounding headphone guitar amps produce the best quality sound fast. The Aux in the jack allows you to jam it along with MP3 players.
- This is a 100% analog system so the efficiency is pretty high. Using two AAA alkaline batteries it can work up to 15 hrs continuously without any reduction in amplification and 7hrs of uninterrupted power with zinc-carbon batteries.
- This product comes with two Lithium metal batteries.
- The device weighs a mere 40g so the ergonomic of your guitar won’t be affected by plugging this into it directly.
- The audio wattage of this device stands at 1 watts which is very good considering the sound quality it can produce.
7. Vox Bass Headphone Amps
The Vox Amplug 2 Bass is a portable headphone guitar amp. This portability increases its usability over a large number of scenarios. This device is fully analog which makes it essentially lossless. And compared to its previous models it is improved drastically and now provides 3 modes of operation.
- The first one is Guitar types that allow you to have a rhythm function along with multi-effect functionalities.
- The plug of this device is flexible and can rotate 180° to fit in any scenario. Another additional feature that comes as a lifesaver is its auto turn-off function which has been added to this model recently.
- This device virtually takes no pace, yet it can produce some serious sounds that can put you in the rhythm. It is no doubt it should be one of the ideal choices of any guitarist and bassist.
- This device is designed especially for low frequencies allowing it to offer a wide range of responses.
8. FiioBTR1K Hifi Headphone AMP
This Bluetooth amp is powered by Qualcomm QCC 3005 Bluetooth chip and hence is capable of handling Bluetooth 5.0.
- Along with the amazing features, it also supports low latency, SBC, and AAC.
- It is pretty powerful and offers an SNR of 120 dB.
- It also comes with a bunch of led lights that help you differentiate its modes of operation.
- For instance, cyan means AAC, Blue light flashing means it’s working in SBC, and so on. On a single charge, it will give you a battery life of 8 hrs with continuous playback.
- It is one of the best Bluetooth headphones amps.
If you have been looking for a guitar amp you would already know why it is a tedious and confusing job to find the best guitar headphone amp in the market. Due to such massive availability, it indeed isn’t the easiest task. However, with proper research and information, you can indeed find a guitar amp that serves the purpose well and adds beauty to your musical experience.
Guitar amps are perfect if you are a budding musician who wants to practice in the comfort of your own house without disturbing anyone. It is also best for musicians who love one-to-one practice sessions. Whether you are a beginner or an expert musician, a guitar headphone amp is a must-have accessory.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Are there different types of Guitar Headphone Amplifiers?
There are different types of amplifiers. Mostly, they fall under 2 categories – Micro or Bug-type; Mini or Box type.
Bug Type –These are the tiniest and can easily fit within the palms. They come with a built-in cable, and so there’s no need for external wires. To increase portability and ease of usage, they use AAA-type batteries instead of external adapters.
Compact Box Type –These also are miniature bodies, but they need external cables to be connected to a guitar. Some of these use adaptors, and some come with batteries. They come with additional external speakers if you wish to project the outputs to a small group of people.
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What headphones work with a guitar amp?
The modern guitar amps come with a dedicated headphone jack to increase connectivity. Just plugging in the headphone in the respective jack is all that needs to be done. Usually, it is a 3.5mm jack that is used for most of the headphones while some use a 6.33mm one that requires an adapter to be connected.
So any headphones with a 3.5mm jack can be connected to the amps. But if you wish to buy a headphone that works best for this purpose, there are many variants available online.
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What is the best guitar amplifier brand?
Well, numerous brands are manufacturing headphone amps for guitars. Each brand uses different designs and delivers a different output. Some of the best brands available to us are –Sonicake, Vox, Donner, Kithouse, Nux, etc.
These brands are the best in most aspects including performance, connectivity, battery life, volume controls, etc. They are also budget-friendly.
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Is it worth getting a headphone amp?
Being a relatively low-powered amplifier amplifies the weak signals and delivers better results. They greatly help in understanding different tones and notes of music aiding in playing the instrument better. So while figuring out the music outputs alone, these amplifiers are of great help.
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Is 1 ohm bad for an amp?
The essential thing to remember is that the amp should never be set to higher ohms than the speakers. If it is done this way, there are maximum chances of damaging the speaker as the power output is more than the speaker’s capacity.
As long as this is kept in mind, a 1-ohm amp is good to go with. It is only necessary to match the ohms of the amp according to the speakers.
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Does a preamp improve sound quality?
A good preamp is known to minimize bad sounds and disturbances considerably. A combination of good speakers and preamp can improve the quality of sounds.
7. Can You Use Headphones With A Guitar Amp?
Many of the best headphone guitar amps usually consist of headphone jacks present over the front panels or sometimes on the top. A few guitar amps also have jacks available on the backside. One can easily plug in the headphones and use them. Many of Modern amps consist of headphone Jacks that measure 3.5 mm i.e ⅛” headphone size news is usually considered as the good-to-go option most guitar use. While connecting to headphones with a guitar amp one should make sure to turn the volume down before playing music. Germany’s advantages of connecting headphone with the guitar amp includes,
- Easy as well as quick setup.
- One can use their own rig in silence.
- It is very much cost-effective to buy an adaptor or guitar amp plugs if there is a further requirement for the amp.
8. What Is The Purpose Of A Headphone Amp?
There are many reasons one might need a headphone amp garden clothes set of higher impedance headphones that can not play loud music. The few types of headphones are available in the market need a high amount of power to produce loud sounds. These are the best headphone amp that requires high impedance that ranges up to 100 ohms. The headphone amps are basically best suited for music lovers or people who love hearing through the subtle details of open music. The Vox headphone amp usually provides an enhanced quality listening experience and works the same as many of the audio components.
9. Do Amps Have Headphone Jacks?
Many of the modern versions of amps consist of headphone Jacks that measure 6.3 or 3.5 millimeters depending upon various factors. Most of the mini headphone amps are usually home audio component that is small in size and can fit inside the palm of the hand. Show the kind of headphone arms that are battery-powered and require an ac power connection for better use. There is a huge range of variety in headphone amps that are available in the market.
- Analog only.
The analog headphone amps usually consist of one or two inputs that can be plugged into a CD player or any audio output device.
- Computer audio-only.
Some people like to listen to two headphones by using the computer, but that reduces the quality of the audio. Most of the digital files available on the computer are also converted its analogs. There are two types of headphone amps when it comes to computer audio-only type of headphones. One of the headphone amps consists of a USB connector. The title requires mini headphone amplifiers to control the volume whereas the other type of component uses a USB cable.
Hi, I am William. I am a music enthusiast. I play the guitar and ukulele. I like to try out all instruments and review them, to help others make an informed decision. You must choose the right instrument to get that sweet sound you desire. When I am not on my instruments I will be found reading or cooking.