You want to make sure you have the guitar headphone amp! Guitar headphone amps are designed for you to be able to listen to how you are playing your guitar without having others listening to it. It is a perfect way for you to hear how you are playing and being able to correct the sounds you are making with your guitar.
With this article, you will be able to see different guitar headphone amp and you will be able to choose which fits best with you. Aside from that, you will read on how to purchase the best guitar headphone amp for yourself. There are some things to look out for when you are purchasing a product and you want to make sure you get your money’s worth!
Top 10 Guitar Headphone Amps
1. Vox AP2AC Guitar/Bass Headphone Amplifier
[amazon box= “B00NAUHX1G” description=” ” rating=”4.5″]
The Vox AP2AC headphone amplifier is perfect for those who like to stay up late playing their guitar. With this headphone amplifier, you can play your guitar late at night without bothering anyone. It cancels out background noise and the sound is clean. It comes with many versions such as blues, bass, metal, and so much more. You can also freely use your guitar and move around with this headphone amplifier because it does not need a separate cable for it to work.
Specifications
- The product rotates 180 degrees so it can fit any guitar
- Has up to 17 hours of battery life
- It has nine selectable effects ( Chorus x 3, Delay x 3, Reverb x3)
- Comes in many versions (Blues, bass, metal, etc.)
Sample Customer Review…. I love this thing !! I will agree with the other reviewers in that it is kind of cheaply made. It is predominantly plastic, but if you are not rough with it, that should not be an issue. There are two things that I really love about it. 1) You can play with headphones so you don’t bother others in the house (my kids hate when I practice the bass loud). With headphones on you can play as loud as you want and only you will hear it. 2) The preprogrammed drum beats work great to keep time. You can also speed up or slow down the tempo so that you can play as fast or as slow as you want, and don’t need a metronome. Also it is battery operated so the only cord is from the unit to your headphones. This means you can dance, spin around, and really groove without having to worry about cords getting in the way.
Read more reviews at Amazon.com
2. Electro-Harmonix Headphone Amp Portable Practice Amp
[amazon box= “B003UIBQEI” description= “ “ rating= “4.5”]
The Electro-Harmonix Headphone Amp is another good headphone amp you can use especially if you do not want anyone listening to your plays. The only thing about it is that it can be a little too quiet so you would have to turn it up just a bit so you can hear it. Overall, it delivers good musical quality. It has a great guitar tone. So who knows this might be the headphone amp for you.
Specifications
- Ultraviolet and portable
- The battery is already included
- Super Quiet
- Only designed for musical instruments
Sample Customer Review…. Just received this item today — Amazon’s shipping was spot on–great job! This is the first item of this sort I’ve purchased, and I love it. I’m playing bass and read an assortment of mixed reviews about similiar products. This one has a full metal casing — not cheap pot metal. It has a very tight fitting belt loop on it…I will see how that works over time. The volume knob is nice and tight, no extraneous movements in any direction; large green led so you know the unit is on. And, I like that fact that the unit turns on & off when the headphones are plugged in or unplugged, respectively. One can leave the guitar (in my case bass) plugged into it and not run down the battery. It requires a 9-volt battery (included). For me, the volume is wonderful. Between the volume on the bass and the volume on the box, it is more than I need. Another feature that I prefer about this product is that it does NOT plug directly into my instrument….that’s just my preference. So, now it’s off to the patio, park and other places for “silent’ practice w/ the headphones. Great job electro harmonix!.
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3.BOSS GT-001 Table Top Guitar Effects Processor
[amazon box= “B00JKCUZCC” description= “ “ rating= “4.3”]
Bos is considered to be one of the best guitar headphone amps. Boss is perfect for you if you are looking for something that is going to give you great sounds. You can use your favorite virtual instruments with this amplifier. It also provides you with an endless range of tones so this is a good thing if you are a toned person. It is good for practicing, going live, and just practicing in the studio with it.
Specifications
- It is powered by a USB
- Has effects through two chains and flexible with the routing of amps
- It is most compatible with GT-100 Version 2.0 sounds patches
Sample Customer Review…. This little puppy totally blows away the HD500x, which has an annoying digital fizz as the note decays you can’t get rid of. Great amp tones, loads of cool effects, some fun synth sounds, guitar to MIDI conversion, and really good editor (for windows at least), and most importantly for me, the note decay sounds natural, like an analog amp. The re-amping feature is also amazing if you are into recording. You get 2 stereo outputs appearing in Sonar (or whatever DAW); one is the amped tone, the other is the raw guitar. You setup two tracks to record your guitar part on, then you can feed the raw guitar track back into the GT001 when mixing, and totally change up the tone. I also use this to layer multiple sounds on top of one another for a huge rhythm sound.
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4. Line 6 Pocket POD
[amazon box= “B07WJXKFSG” description= “ “ rating= “4.5”]
The pocket POD might just be the perfect guitar headphone amp for you! It is the perfect tool when it comes to practicing. Aside from that, you can just put it in your pocket and you can freely move around when you are practicing. It comes with many features giving you that great freedom. The control is too close to each other so it can be a bit of a challenge to use in the beginning. Other than that it is very convenient for practice.
Specifications
- Can run on batteries or external power
- Offers portability and flexibility
- Can download software on it
- Comes with +300 custom presets
Sample Customer Review…. Product works exactly like many of the video reviews online. Sound IS amazing. The extra software allows for a far greater control on sounds. There’s about 35 personal sound mix save channels. Really happy with overall build and quality of Sounds.
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5. Danelectro Electric Guitar Mini Amplifier
[amazon box= “B000B6DHAS” description= “ “ rating= “4.2”]
If you are looking for something different then the Danelectro Electric Guitar Mini Amplifier is perfect for you. It comes with a nice vintage look and it is also perfect for beginners. You can also clip it to your pocket and freely move around when you are practicing. The control is located on the top so it is easy to access and is easy to use. Overall, if you are into the vintage look and looking for something easy to use then this one for you!
Specifications
- Clean and it comes with overdrive tones
- Headphone jack
- Comes with a belt clip
Sample Customer Review…. I am a huge fan of the look of the Dan Electro products, so my eyes might have something to do with how much I love my little practice amp. It’s exactly what it appears to be. Obviously, it’s highly portable, runs on a 9 Volt if need be, and can get really loud for such a tiny thing. It’s got some effects that are very cool, when you keep your expectations in check. . I use mine for blues harp, and it’s as sweet as can be. I use it with my acoustic electric guitar, and love the convenience for practice, or off-site jam sessions with friends. I take it to the beach, and parties. It is worth the money, if you have it to spend. A very thoughtful gift for the musician friend in your life-it’s a novelty that is actually very useful. Form AND function.
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6. Orange Crush Mini 3-Watt Guitar Combo Amp
[amazon box= “B0798TJW8Q” description= “ “ rating= “4.5”]
The orange crush has been used by rockstars for over 40 years now! Imagine using the orange crush headphone amp that rockstars have been using for years! Overall, the orange crush can be used if you ever want to go for a gig vibe and just sound it out loud. But it is also good if you want to practice at home at night and you want it to be silent. Therefore, it can do both! The orange crush might just be the one for you!
Specifications
- Simple controls
- The power supply is not included
- Has a speaker output
- It is Aux-in and has a headphone jack
Sample Customer Review…. I bought one of these to have in the family room if I ever want to plug in while watching TV. It’s perfect for that, actually looks nice on the shelf as its permanent location. You can go from mostly clean to super high gain. There’s always a little dirt in there if you want to play at any decent volume. The tone control lets you have that boxy midrange tone or a more modern tone if that’s what you want. It sounds better with a vintage tone as you might expect. I find having all 3 knobs at about 1 O’Clock gives a nice bluesy overdrive. Sounds great with my Telecaster so if you have a guitar with single coils I think you’ll like the sound. I also have a Schecter with active humbuckers that normally sounds fantastic amped up but doesn’t sound as good with this, even when I scoop the mids with the tone knob. Overall a fantastic value for a portable amp that looks cool.
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7. FENDER MUSTANG LT25 COMBO
[amazon box= “B07N29M92M” description= “ “ rating= “4.8”]
The Fender Mustang is a great guitar amp for beginners and for those who are exploring and trying to make their sounds. It also comes with a lot of different presets it comes with 30 pre-loaded sets and 20 additional presets as well. It also comes with 25 different effects allowing you to make your sound!
It comes with extra features such as a built-in chromatic guitar tuner, a USB that allows updating firmware on the Fender Mustang. It comes with many great features and helps beginners grow and find their sound.
Specifications
- USB interface for recording
- 25 Watt combo for a guitar amp
- Has a headphone output
- Has a 120 voltage
Sample Customer Review…. I just purchased this amp a few days ago and it is excellent! It has 30 different presets( +20 more that you can use as replacements) that work for any genre of music. All of the presets can be adjusted manually to your liking and saved. I am a beginner and still learning, but this amp is perfect for this purpose and I highly recommend it especially for the price! The amp models range from Fender-Clean to Thrash Metal and is excellent for the beginner so you don’t have to spend loads of money for all the effects pedals and can concentrate on learning to play the instrument while exploring and enjoying many different styles of music.
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8. Valeton Rushead Max
[amazon box= “B07W3K92ZM” description= “ “ rating= “4.6”]
Allows you to choose between three types of amps: clean tones, overdriven tones, and “DIST”. In addition to its impressive features are built-in and switchable effects. Other features include aux input USB charge capability.
Specifications
- Switchable tone
- Tremolo, Chorus, Delay, Reverb effects
- Controls: Knobs: Gain, Tone, Volume
- 1 x 1/4″, 1 x 1/8″ inputs
- 1 x 1/8″ headphones
- USB rechargeable for up to 5 hours
Sample Customer Review…. This is a step up in the personal practice headphone amp world. It’s got a great sound, and a nice variety of effects and amps. There are two sets of effects; Ambient (delay, reverb, or D+R), and Modulation (chorus, tremolo or flanger). You can run one set or the other, or both, by adjusting the mix knobs for each set. In addition to mix, the knobs adjust other parameters too, like reverb add reverb, but also extends the delay time as you turn it up. The Amp section has clean, overdrive, or distortion, plus volume and gain knobs. You can get a LOT of different sounds. I think you could even use this thing live in a pinch, if you had the right cord! The USB charging is nice too.
Read more reviews at Amazon.com
9. Digitech RP360XP
[amazon box= “B00I3OZNQQ” description= “ “ rating= “4.4”]
This is designed specifically for use on stage. It includes a large number of effects and allows you to create pretty much anything you want to. Using the headphones you can shut out the world outside. Just play alongside the settings you created. It has excellent sound quality, and creates an atmosphere that sounds like you’re performing live. You don’t have to worry about practicing late at night with this effects pedal. It does a very good job as a pedalboard with plenty of potential, and it is certainly geared more toward performance than just practice.
Specifications
- Over 160 amps and effects
- 198 presets
- Metal chassis and foot switches
- Built-in chromatic tuner
- Up to 5 seconds of delay time
- USB connectivity
Sample Customer Review…. I am really impressed by the this processor. Very easy to use and simple to change the presets. In the past, I’ve had to sit with the manual for 15 minutes before I can work one. With this one, everything was pretty simply and intuitive. I’ve change almost every preset to my liking and it was breeze. I use it mostly to practice late at night with headphones. However, it works great as a multi-effect along side with my tube amp. Highly recommend.
Read more reviews at Amazon.com
10. Zoom G1X Four
[amazon box= “B07MZPR5GP” description= “ “ rating= “4.6”]
Zoom is a storied manufacturer of multi-effect guitar processors, and is a go-to for many players. They are well known for their ratio of quality to value, as shown by the G1X Four, a compact and affordable multi-effect processor with plenty of features, including 16 simulations that make it great for quiet headphone playing.
Specifications
- 71 built-in effects and 13 amps
- Free guitar lab software download
- 30-second looper
- 68 rhythm patterns
- Standard guitar and aux inputs
Sample Customer Review…. An amazing value for beginners and advanced players who want a versatile multi effects device with an intuitive interface that rocks right out of the box, but gives you plenty of room to find your own voice. The pre-loaded patches lean toward the harder side (Jeff Beck, Jimmy Page, Jimi Hendrix, Kurt Cobain and an array of crunchy sounds) but also range from a cleanish acoustic to pop to groovy sitar and robot squawks. You can hook the box up to your computer via USB (cable not included) for recording and connecting to Zoom’s Guitar Lab software (available for download at Zoom’s web site). It’s just a matter of time before user-generated patches emulating your favorite artist are available for download, or you can fill up your empty banks with your own creations. The 30-second looper and rhythm features are great for practice – and activating the built-in tuner is as simple as pushing both pedals simultaneously. The G1 Four’s size is impressively compact, and can be used alone as a practice amp with any headphones using the 1/4-inch plug. For me, this was a great bang for the buck!
Read more reviews at Amazon.com
How to Buy the Best Headphone Guitar Amp
Before you impulsively buy a new pair of headphone guitar amps you need to do your research and evaluate a few things! You need to ask yourself and ask what kind of tones you want such as raw, something transparent, or authentic amp tones. Also if you want to be cable-free or you just do not care if cables are involved or not.
You want to find a headphone guitar amp that works with you and allows you to comfortably play your guitar around your place. A headphone guitar amp will allow you to play your guitar in your house or apartment in a silent manner where you are not bothering anyone and you are still having a good time.
Design
The way the guitar headphone amp is designed is also important. It goes from the way it looks, cables, and how the sound works to your liking. The way the guitar headphone amp looks because some of them give the retro look and others you can just carry in your pocket. The look matters because it fits your personality.
Cables also play a role especially if you like to move around. If you are someone who likes to move freely then maybe an amp that can fit in your pocket would be good for you, but if you do not mind cables then an amp with cables should not be too much of a problem for you. Finding a guitar headphone amp that you can use at night time very freely is good too because it gives you that freedom to play freely in your apartment or house without bothering your neighbors.
Channel Surfing
By channel surfing, we are talking about different types of tones. I think it is important to look for that in a headphone guitar amplifier. If you are the kind of person that likes to play around with different tones then finding a headphone guitar amp that can provide you would be very ideal for you. Especially if you want to make your tones then it allows you that freedom of making your own especially if you are a beginner that is testing and trying tones out.
The Sound of Power
The sound of power is another big thing to look for when purchasing a headphone guitar amplifier. We all want a speaker or whatever it is to have good sound. But it also depends on you if you are the type that likes loud sound or low sound. Aside from how the sound is but also how smooth it sounds.
We do not want a headphone guitar amplifier to have a loud sound but along with it comes static and just not a smooth tone or sound. So make sure you do your research on the sound and you read reviews on it. Because at the end of the day you want a headphone amplifier that works best with you and the work you are trying to produce.
Additional Features
When purchasing a headphone guitar amplifier look for additional features it may have. Some may have extra pre tones that you would play around with. Others may have tuners and buttons like that to control and play around with your tones. You also want to make sure you are not paying extra money for additional features that you may not even use at all, save your money! So just pay close attention to additional features when you are purchasing your new headphone guitar amp.
Pricing
We all want to make sure we are spending our money on something good that works up to our expectations. Some guitar headphone amplifiers can get pricey and that could be due to quality or additional features. So it is always good to do your research and read as much information as you can about the product that you are interested in. You do not want to spend your money on just anything. It is claimed that the more expensive it is the better the quality and sound. It could be helpful to test the product and ask workers about it before purchasing it.
Conclusion
Picking out the perfect guitar headphone amplifier for yourself all depends on you. You have to do your research, read reviews, and make a few calls on a product to make sure you are getting your money’s worth. This article shows a variety of different guitar headphone amplifiers that could be a great match for you. It all depends on what kind of sounds and types of tunes you vibe with and would like to play around with.
The quality of sound is a big deal because at the end of the day you are trying to play your guitar and hear how you are playing. Additional features also play a role in whether you want to have them or not it is good to find out what they are good for. There will be pros and cons to any guitar headphone amplifier; it’s just more if it would be a big deal to you depending on what it is. Make sure you pick the perfect one for yourself!
Written by Cynthia Ramirez and Noah Ellington