Getting the most out of the Axe-Fx when using headphones?

laxu

laxu

Fractal Fanatic
So I know headphones are hardly ideal for guitar playing but I am thinking of improving my headphone experience for those late night home jam sessions.

I currently own two headphones, open Beyer-Dynamic DT 990 Pro 250 ohm and closed AKG K 272 HD. Listening thru either with my patches dialed for studio monitors, the AKGs are more aggressive and tighter but without that much bottom end while the DT 990s are more full bodied but maybe not quite as defined. Can't really say which I prefer.

Soundwise I usually add some room reverb to the sound when playing thru headphones to kinda simulate the room but otherwise I haven't played around with it too much.

So my question is really in two parts:
1. What factors make for good headphones to use with the Axe-Fx?
2. What do you do to make the headphone sound as good as possible?
 
I would have some headphone with a flat response to get the best sound. I have a pair of audio technica headphones. I don't remember the model off the top of my head, but I think they can be had for either $99 or $199. Either was, flat response would likely be the way to go to get the purest sound possible from a headphone. On top of that? I would build one or two patches that sound good specifically through the headphones for your late night jamming purposes. Your patches that you use normally likely won't translate super well to headphones, and your headphone patches likely won't translate well to use with your usual rig. I hope that helps somewhat!
 
One thing to try is to add the Enhancer block at the end of your effects chain. Another is to adjust the "room" settings in the Cab block.

Also, you may want to consider adding a headphone amp between the AFX and your headphones. For me, it makes a substantial difference, especially with the bass response.

Hope that helps.
 
I’d say get a headphone amp & run out of the back of the unit and not out of the headphone out of the AxeFX. I’m using an Aphex Headpod and going out of the SPDIF & I’m 10x happier now than I was before just going out of the headphone out jack.
 
Perdikament said:
I’d say get a headphone amp & run out of the back of the unit and not out of the headphone out of the AxeFX. I’m using an Aphex Headpod and going out of the SPDIF & I’m 10x happier now than I was before just going out of the headphone out jack.
Click to expand...

I think I would do the same if I went back to headphones. I would probably just buy an 02 headphone amp PCB and assemble my own.

Recently I was recording something and I noticed that when I played back the recording through a different interface into my headphones, the tone was significantly different, and fuller when compared to the headphone jack on the axe fx.

I'm using a mk 2.
 
mnemonic said:
I think I would do the same if I went back to headphones. I would probably just buy an 02 headphone amp PCB and assemble my own.

Recently I was recording something and I noticed that when I played back the recording through a different interface into my headphones, the tone was significantly different, and fuller when compared to the headphone jack on the axe fx.

I'm using a mk 2.
Click to expand...
Yeah, I don’t always use headphones, but late at night when I feel like playing, the headphone jack just wasn’t cutting it. I was using the MH50x (also have the DT770 & MDR 7510) but picked up the MDR7520 with the HeadPod & what a huge difference. Everything is sooo much better. The only thing that is missing that you can never get is that natural feedback loop. And even if you’re not actually feeding back there is some resonance going on that is missed, but other than that, just for late night playing, songwriting/jamming/practicing it’s perfect now. And now the patches I’ve created tone wise transfer over to my monitors. The reverbs & delays need a bit of tweaking just cause you can hear them better. But I think between going out the back & the better phones, the tone transfer is just about spot on.
 
Perdikament said:
I’d say get a headphone amp & run out of the back of the unit and not out of the headphone out of the AxeFX. I’m using an Aphex Headpod and going out of the SPDIF & I’m 10x happier now than I was before just going out of the headphone out jack.
Click to expand...

Is there really that much of a difference in sound quality between the built-in headphone jack and a dedicated headphone amp? I've been using the headphone jack on the front... Maybe it's time to try running a dedicated preamp.
 
I am an aficionado of headphone amps, and a quality headphone will always benefit with the use of one, but I find the jack on XL + at least, to be about the best Ive heard on a non-dedicated unit.
 
I'd be interested to hear what you think, as I use headphones about 90% of the time for jamming/writing/demo recording etc... (just out of convenience and to keep volumes down).

I'm still very happy with the sounds I'm getting out of the headphone jack with some very basic £20 Sennheiser headphones, but improvements are always very welcome.
 
bradlake said:
I am an aficionado of headphone amps, and a quality headphone will always benefit with the use of one, but I find the jack on XL + at least, to be about the best Ive heard on a non-dedicated unit.
Click to expand...
Yes I agree with that, but when I do an A/B comparison I find there is quite a big difference. First off the tone is slightly different but the biggest difference is how lively the sound is. It really is, (to me anyway) a pretty remarkable difference, almost like 2D vs 3D. Not to mention having the power to drive your headphone of choice.
I happen to be using the Sony MDR7520’s which are easy to drive @ 24ohm & can handle a ton of power at 4w. They are closed back designed, but for a closed back they have a pretty exceptional sound stage & it’s quite noticeable between the two outputs. If I were using headphones a few hours a week with the AxeFX, (which sometimes I do) I would definitely highly recommend a headphone amp. And I highly recommend the Aphex Headpod 4, it’s 4 channel, (not that I personally needed or wanted 4 channels, but they are all separate independent amps for each channel) and it has 3 inputs: SPDIF(which is what I’m currently using), then it has a Stereo 1/4” TS Input, (so you could use Output 1 or 2 out of the back of the AxeFX) & then it has a 1/4” TRS. *you just can’t combine the inputs, for like if ya wanted hook up an iPod or something & jam along to it, that you’d have to do elsewhere in your chain, but you can just use the AxeFX as you sound device anyway so that’s got ya covered there.*
 
The impedance of the headphones can certainly have an effect, I don't think Cliff has ever stated what the output impedance of the built-in headphone amp is, but from my reading it's my understanding that for optimal response and to avoid interaction between the load (headphones) and the amp, the output impedance should be 1/8th or lower of the headphones impedance.

I know the Sony's I use don't have a high impedance so maybe that's why I prefer not to use the headphone jack.

Edit-my mdr-v6's are 63 ohms.
 
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