Preamp —> IR pedal —> headphones?

[Hollowway]

Ok, so I’ve been looking at various all-in-one headphone practice solutions, but now I’m wondering if I should consider a more modular approach.
If I get a preamp pedal, and go line out to an IR pedal (like the Sonic cake IR) can I plug a 1/4” headphone directly into that? Or do I need a power amp, or headphone amp of some sort? I guess I could go from the IR pedal to a small mixer?

Basically, I’m trying to figure out an inexpensive way to leave my amps in the other room, and just practice guitar a bass in the bedroom. I don’t want to spend a lot of money, but I DO want it to sound good, and I want the flexibility of using different preamp pedals. And I can’t seem to find any small power amps with IRs and headphone outs that don’t cost hundreds of dollars.

 

[Shask]

You could use a Mooer Radar. It has the IR, a power amp sim, and a pretty powerful EQ. Regular out, and headphone out.

I have one, and it is a pretty useful pedal for this type of use.

 

[spawnofthesith]

I have a sonicake IR that I use with a captor and my amps for silent practicing

I just use it with my IEMs so it’s going from the sonicake into a Behringer p2 belt pack (I think they’re like $60)

I haven’t tried running headphones straight from the output, but it does have a level control

 

[spawnofthesith]

You could use a Mooer Radar. It has the IR, a power amp sim, and a pretty powerful EQ. Regular out, and headphone out.

I have one, and it is a pretty useful pedal for this type of use.

The sonicake I already have is plenty for my needs but this unit looks pretty cool

 

[ezboarderz]

ive used a mooer radar and its exactly what you are looking for. Just be sure to load up 3rd party IRs and use a power amp sim and you will get the tone you want with a preamp pedal/preamp out of an amp. Its quite cheap as well.

 

[Hollowway]

The sonicake I already have is plenty for my needs but this unit looks pretty cool

How are you using the sonicake IR? From the out of the pedal into what?

Edit: whoops, never mind, I just saw your post above that, lol

 

[Hollowway]

You could use a Mooer Radar. It has the IR, a power amp sim, and a pretty powerful EQ. Regular out, and headphone out.

I have one, and it is a pretty useful pedal for this type of use.

Ok, that actually looks suuuuper cool! I’ve seen a bunch of similar stuff, but this really has it all baked in, it appears.

 

[Kosthrash]

Why not an inexpensive modeler like the Hotone Ampero mini which includes ir too?

 

[ATRguitar91]

Why not an inexpensive modeler like the Hotone Ampero mini which includes ir too?

There's also the Mooer Prime which seems perfect for what you're looking for.

 

[littlebadboy]

I can't play with headphones on when my wife is around. So, I'm getting a Mooer Hornet 05i.

Ola approves.

 

[Shask]

Ok, that actually looks suuuuper cool! I’ve seen a bunch of similar stuff, but this really has it all baked in, it appears.

It really is a cool pedal, although you know I am not a fan of the direct stuff.

The software is Windows 95 looking, but works well, and makes it easier to dial in. It comes with a 12V adapter, but will run on 9V.

A few years ago I was messing with the Mooer Preamp pedals, like the 005, and then a few Donner mini pedals for Delay and Chorus. It was fun thinking about making a little mini sized rig. I still have all the stuff, but I dont use it very much.

 

[Shask]

I can't play with headphones on when my wife is around.

That sounds like the perfect time to play with headphones on.

 

[Werecow]

It really is a cool pedal, although you know I am not a fan of the direct stuff.

The software is Windows 95 looking, but works well, and makes it easier to dial in. It comes with a 12V adapter, but will run on 9V.

A few years ago I was messing with the Mooer Preamp pedals, like the 005, and then a few Donner mini pedals for Delay and Chorus. It was fun thinking about making a little mini sized rig. I still have all the stuff, but I dont use it very much.

Cradle Of Filth actually had a Mooer preamp + Mooer Radar as their main flying rig. Not sure if that's changed now. The rig looks comically small for such a well-known band. It must have served its purpose well though.

 

[Shask]

Cradle Of Filth actually had a Mooer preamp + Mooer Radar as their main flying rig. Not sure if that's changed now. The rig looks comically small for such a well-known band. It must have served its purpose well though.

Yeah, I bought that stuff back around the time this video came out. The 005+Radar is MUCH better than the 005 by itself.

 

[ATRguitar91]

If you do end up going down the preamp pedal path, you will definitely want something like the Radar that has EQ built in.

I went deep down the preamp rabbit hole (and still have a handful), and they can sound great into IRs. But you will definitely need some poweramp simulation, or at the very least an EQ.

I've found that a big, broad hump around 100hz, and then again at 3k and 8-12khz can simulate the response a poweramp gives you. I've got a parametric EQ in my preamp pedal patch to do just that.

 

[Jotun@]

I use the two notes opus for this exact purpose. It gives me a variety of options and I can load 3rd party irs. It’s set up to work with headphones out of the box. It is great for practice, and I can get a variety of sounds out of it. The app is pretty awesome for changing settings quickly. It also does great with bass. It has a gate, reverb, and customizable Eq.
It has some cons, though. Lack of an fx loop and not footswitchable unless using midi being the two largest in my book. It sounds best if it’s last in the chain through headphones, and it only works that way if it is last unless you have a separate device after it that can be headphone compatible. If I place delays and reverb in front, on some settings it gets pretty muddy, especially with gain.

Added that I forgot it has multiple preamp and power amp models available.

 

[Shask]

If you do end up going down the preamp pedal path, you will definitely want something like the Radar that has EQ built in.

I went deep down the preamp rabbit hole (and still have a handful), and they can sound great into IRs. But you will definitely need some poweramp simulation, or at the very least an EQ.

I've found that a big, broad hump around 100hz, and then again at 3k and 8-12khz can simulate the response a poweramp gives you. I've got a parametric EQ in my preamp pedal patch to do just that.

Yeah, you really need something to simulate the power amp EQ and the impedance curve. Normally the power amp will have a big scooped EQ, and the impedance curve normally has a big boost around 100hz, and then slowly rises as the frequency increases. Reactive Loads have the same type of response curve.

All preamps on their own without that sound pretty flat, regardless of tube or digital. My Synergy preamp sounds pretty bad just into a flat amp. What really brings it to life is the power amp. I find the same with modelers. They sound pretty flat into monitors, but if you run them into a big powerful power amp, they come alive.

The Radar has 4 power tube types you can pick from. I think the EL34 sounds the best, even though I like them less in real life, lol.

 

[ATRguitar91]

Yeah, you really need something to simulate the power amp EQ and the impedance curve

Sometimes you can add some compression in as well, to simulate some tube sag. Not sure if the Radar has a separate compressor built in.

 

[Shask]

Sometimes you can add some compression in as well, to simulate some tube sag. Not sure if the Radar has a separate compressor built in.

Yeah, getting more of those dynamics in the equation also is where the good ones, like Fractal, leave the others behind.

No, the Radar doesn't have any sort of compressors you can tweak.

 

[complex-barb.0t]

Two Notes Opus. It’s worth the extra cost over things like the Radar. You will get the DynIRs, effects, power amp emulation and even some decent amp sims.