Can You Play Electric Guitar With Headphones? There are many good reasons to use headphones when playing electric guitar. Your siblings or neighbors, for example, may not enjoy your shredding as much as your bandmates do. Even worse, you can be living in a small apartment or a shared area.
Yes You can still use headphones with an electric guitar, just not directly. When you’re in a situation like this, you’re seeking a way to practice at any time while maintaining superb tone and volume. The fact that you won’t be evicted is an added plus. One would query: can you play electric guitar with headphones?
Simply connecting a set of headphones to a guitar’s output jack will suffice. Will it be successful? Is it possible to hear an electric guitar using regular headphones? We answer this burning question and show you some music gear that allows you to use your guitar with headphones in this post.
- Can You Play Electric Guitar With Headphones?
Traditional electric guitars do not have a built-in headphone jack; thus, you cannot use headphones with them. Certain midi guitar controllers, on the other hand, include this feature.
Although you can plug your headphones into that connection, the signal is insufficient to power the speakers. Your guitar’s “instrument level” signal must first be amplified by a – you guessed it – guitar amplifier.
Let’s look at the parts of a common pair of headphones. A headband, padded ear cups, a speaker, and a 3.5mm cord are all included. Have you noticed that something is missing? Yes, there is a built-in amplifier, which is an important aspect of the arrangement.
Remember the order of events: instrument signal, amplifier, and speakers. The instrument is your guitar, and the speaker is your headphone. This equation is missing the ‘amp.’ As a result, the headphone speakers will be deafeningly silent.
The only exception is purchasing headphones or a guitar with a built-in amplifier, which are hardly common. But it’s not all doom and gloom.
How Can You Play an Electric Guitar Quietly
Before you can listen via headphones, you’ll need an extra amplifier to amplify the guitar signal. But what if you don’t have access to an amplifier or want to practice on the go? We’ve got you covered with five alternatives for playing guitar over headphones while on the road.
1. Buy a headphone amp
A headphone amplifier is a small device that amplifies any signal such that it can be heard through headphones. Its purpose is to increase the quality and performance of headphones by raising the volume of a low-voltage audio signal from your guitar or other devices.
Headphone amplifiers are popular because they are small, light, and inexpensive. Two popular models are the Behringer Microamp HA400 and the Donner DEL-4. They can be used for various purposes, particularly if you have a home studio or wish to jam quietly with your pals.
Depending on your budget, you can discover a variety of headphone amplifiers. Some of them include extras like a built-in speaker or tone-shaping controls. However, a simple one might be enough to enhance the guitar signal for use with headphones.
2. Use Headphones With a Built-in Amplifier
Headphones designed exclusively for silent practice are available from several manufacturers. These are not to be confused with ordinary headphones, which require amplification.
We’re discussing high-end headphones with built-in amplification. In this situation, the headphones function as the amplifier. You can use them to play the guitar or listen to music on your commute to work. As a result, you won’t require a special pair solely for practice.
While there are a few possibilities, the most popular devices on the market right now are the Boss Waza-Air Guitar Wireless Headphones and the Vox VGH AC30 Guitar Headphones. Finally, this will not be a simple practice where you can only play clean. These headphones have guitar effects, including chorus, reverb, delay, and amp modeling software.
They typically have a battery life of 15 to 20 hours and require new batteries or USB charging to recharge.
Waza-Air offers a tiny advantage over the other two options due to additional functionality, but a significant price premium comes with it. Both provide a hassle-free and authentic guitar-headphone experience, and you may choose the one that best suits your demands and budget.
3. Headphones With a Guitar Multi-FX Pedal
You already have everything you need to practice electric guitar using headphones if you have a multi-effects unit. On the back panel of most multi-effects pedals is a headphone-out (Phones) or line-out.
A multi-FX device is more portable than a guitar amplifier but not as handy as a headphone amplifier. On the plus side, you get tone sculpting and access to a wide range of effects, presets, and amp cabs.
Multi-effects units, on the other hand, can be costly. Even the entry-level ones aren’t worth it if you’re looking for a way to practice guitar with headphones.
So buying a Multi-FX pedal simply for the headphone connection isn’t the most cost-effective option, but if you’re going to buy one anyway, why not kill two birds with one stone?
4. Micro-Guitar Amps
Guitarists can use micro-guitar amps, also known as small guitar amps, as a compact and portable choice. They’re tiny amps with 1W to 3W output and volume/tone controls that run on 9V batteries. They range in price from $30 to $70 and weigh less than a pound on average.
They have a headphone jack that disables the main speaker for silent practice. Plug an electric guitar into a tiny amplifier and connect headphones to it to practice quietly. Micro-guitar amplifiers are still seen as gimmicks or frills.
On the other hand, Mini guitar amps are inexpensive, portable, and make excellent décor. This video goes over eight different tiny guitar amplifiers that can be used for practicing.
5. Guitar Headphone Amps
It is identical to the first choice, but it’s tailored to guitars. A guitar headphone amp is a small, toned-down box with a headphone out that you can put into your instrument directly.
Guitarists are increasingly relying on headphone amplifiers. A good example is the Vox amPlug AC30. Purchase one and keep it in your guitar case so that you can practice whenever and wherever you want. You’re good to go as long as you have a pair of headphones.
Some low-cost versions are simple and practical, while others are packed with features and push the frontiers of technology. For three figures, though, you can have a guitar headphone amp with built-in looping, guitar effects, music over USB, and Bluetooth technology.
It’s about more than “not bothering others.” These rechargeable units can serve as the ultimate travel gear and at-home practice tool when combined with high-quality headphones.
What are the Best Headphones for Electric Guitar?
1. Sennheiser HD 280 PRO Headphone
The Sennheiser HD 280 PRO Electric Guitar AMP Headphones are the perfect choice if you are a new guitar player looking for a competitive level of guitar amp headphones.
These interesting gadgets have appealing designs and are fun to use. It is one of the greatest solutions for novices who do not have a large budget and seek budget-friendly headphones.
Pros:
- Excellent value for money.
- The sound quality is excellent.
- Lightweight
Cons:
- Because it fits nicely, it is not advised for people with large heads.
2. Audio-Technica ATH M50x
Because these are professional headphones that have become more widely utilized in recent years, the Audio-Technica ATH-M50x is the most well-known set of Electric Guitar AMP Headphones. Furthermore, the Audio Technica headphones are best used as closed-back headphones.
With varied bass frequencies, the mid-range is excellent in these headphones. The treble range includes a high-frequency treble range that eliminates all noise and distortion. Audio quality is comparable between the audio source and the audio equipment.
Pros:
- The greatest headphone amplifier on the market.
- The sound quality is amazing for the price.
- The headbands and the earpads have been composed of high-quality materials for years.
Cons:
- They’re great for mixing rather than everyday listening because of their flat response.
3. Yamaha HPH-MT5 Monitor Headphones
The MT Series headphones from Yamaha are well-known for their high-quality professional audio spikes and professional mixing. These headphones contain all of the characteristics that an excellent Electric Guitar AMP Headphones should have. Furthermore, the HPH-MT5 is one of Yamaha’s most recent MT series additions.
Furthermore, we chose the MT5 since it is the highest-ranking headphone and is well-known for its distinct features and affordable pricing. These headphones have certain unique qualities essential for playing an electric guitar.
Pros:
- Aluminum wire voice coils provide excellent audio quality.
- It’s ideal for music mixing and studio recordings.
- With a strong bass, it’s very long-lasting.
Cons:
- Sometimes pick stroke sounds with deep bass response.
Conclusion on Can You Play Electric Guitar With Headphones?
Playing the electric guitar with headphones can be done in various ways. Ultimately, the ideal option is determined by your particular preferences and financial constraints. You can employ materials already in your possession, such as an amplifier or your phone. There are a variety of devices on the market if you want to make a significant investment in your equipment. Whatever you decide, a set of headphones will undoubtedly assist you in jamming out to your heart’s content!