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It’s sad but true. Sometimes we just have to keep it down, no matter how much we may want to crank our amps to the max during our practice session and get a taste of the true power of our rig.
If it’s practice time for you, but you don’t want to disturb your family members or neighbors, then you’re going to need a headphone amp for your guitar.
These awesome little gadgets let you rock out as hard as you want without worrying about noise complaints, all the while delivering high-quality tones, effects, and even recording capabilities.
Our top pick is the Vox amPlug 2 AC30 Headphone Guitar Amp due to its simple design, great tones, and variety of built-in effects.
Quick Summary of the Best Guitar Headphone Amps
- Vox amPlug 2 AC30 (Our Top Pick)
- Boss Waza-Air (Premium Choice)
- Fender Mustang Micro (Best Value)
- Electro-Harmonix Headphone Amp (Best for Pedal Lovers)
- Sonicake US Classic (Budget Pick)
- Valeton Rushead Max (Most Versatile)
- NUX Mighty Plug MP-2 (Most Innovative)
Best Guitar Headphone Amps
1. Our Top Pick – Vox amPlug 2 AC30
SPECS
- Built-in Effects: 3 x Chorus, 3 x Delay & 3 x Reverb
- Power: 2 x AAA Batteries
- Controls: On/Off/Standby, Volume, Gain, Tone, FX Controls
The Vox amPlug was quickly considered the best guitar headphone amp after it was first introduced in 1958. Now with the amPlug 2, the crucial analog circuit has been drastically improved to provide an even clearer tone than its predecessor.
The ampPlug AC30’s classic British invasion guitar tone and jangly high end have become a favorite of classic rock guitarists all over the world. And if rock’s not your thing, Vox has got you covered with six amPlug models for different genres, instruments, and playing styles.
The ampPlug AC30 also features 9 selectable effects—3 chorus, 3 delay, and 3 reverb—making it one of the most versatile headphone amps around today.
Additional features that make the AC30 one of the best headphone amps on the market are its foldable plug mechanism that rotates 180 degrees, its auto power-off function, and accessible Volume, Gain, and Tone controls.
2. Premium Choice – Boss Waza-Air
SPECS
- Built-in Effects: 5 x Amp Models,3D Ambience, Sound Localization, 50 x Effect Types (Boss Tone Studio app)
- Power: Rechargeable lithium-ion battery
- Controls: Power, Volume, CH up, CH down, Bluetooth multi-function button
The Boss Waza-Air are by far the most expensive headphone amps on this list, but they’re worth every penny.
They also differ from the other entries for being the only ones that have the amplifying components built into the headphones themselves. The Waza-Air fuse premium amp technology and effect tones with Boss’ breakthrough spatial technology, completely revolutionizing your guitar experience.
This personal amplifier system brings stunning realism to playing with headphones, using a gyro sensor and moving 3D space to deliver incredible sound quality and a natural “amp-in-room” tone that’s rich, resonant, and infinitely inspiring.
The Waza-Air’s all-wireless connectivity means no cables to slow you down. You can even stream music from your phone and use it as accompaniment while you play.
Finally, the BOSS Tone Studio app enables you to craft custom sounds with five amp types and over 50 different effects.
If you don’t have any budget restrictions, the Boss Waza-Air is the absolute best headphone amp you can buy today.
3. Best Value – Fender Mustang Micro
SPECS
- Built-in Effects: 12 x Amp Models, 12 x Effect Models (Reverb, Modulation, Delay, Combination), EQ
- Power: Rechargeable lithium-ion battery
- Controls: Gain, Tone, Volume, FX, Power/Amp Mode
The Mustang Micro is an incredibly versatile personal guitar amplifier that has set a really high standard for headphone amps.
It features 12 amp models that take you from Fender’s pristine tone to heavy metal high gain tones, giving musicians the widest array of tones that a headphone guitar amp can offer.
The Mustang Micro also comes with a wide variety of built-in effects, including modulation, overdrive, compression, stereo delays, and reverbs. Some of these can be combined to provide you with an even more flexible tone.
The Mustang Micro also supports Bluetooth audio streaming from your mobile device, tablet, or computer and features automatic Audio/Visual sync, making it a great practice amp.
You can even record your favorite guitar tones and Bluetooth streaming audio simultaneously using Mustang Micro’s USB-C output.
4. Best for Pedal Lovers – Electro-Harmonix Headphone Amp
SPECS
- Built-in Effects: N/A
- Power: 9V battery
- Controls: Volume
Electro-Harmonix is not only the go-to company when it comes to top-of-the-line pedals, but now they have outdone themselves by making one of the best headphone guitar amps on the market.
EHX’s guitar headphone amp is ultra-light and portable, yet has that quality craftsmanship that makes their pedals so durable.
While its single volume knob design with a lack of other controls might be a turn-off for some, we find this no-nonsense design makes this one of the easiest headphone amps to use/
It's an excellent choice for people looking for a simple, straightforward headphone amp that you can just plug straight into and start rocking without fuzz.
It has no built-in effects, but EHX designed this guitar headphone amp to be an excellent pedal platform. Its crystal clear tone is perfect for added effects such as fuzzes, reverbs, and delays—you name it, this little tank has you covered!
5. Budget Pick – Sonicake US Classic
SPECS
- Built-in Effects: 12 x Amp Models,Reverb
- Power: Rechargeable lithium-ion battery
- Controls: Power, Gain, Tone, Volume, FX
The Sonicake US Classic is a plug-in type headphone guitar amp designed to flawlessly emulate the tone of a classic Tweed amp.
The US Classic comes with a built-in reverb effect, adding additional sonic dimensions to the overall tone.
It also features an auxiliary input that allows you to connect a phone or MP3 player and play with your favorite backing tracks. This is a fantastic tool for practicing, rehearsing, learning new songs, or even your pre-show warm-up.
A headphone splitter and a 1/8'' aux cable are also included for extra connectivity, providing more possibilities for various contexts of use.
This guitar amp's built-in rechargeable battery can give you around 5 hours of playtime on a single charge, which is great for a full practice session.
This little device is one of the best headphone amps for such a low price and is ideal for beginners and people who are looking for an amp with excellent sound quality.
6. Most Versatile – Valeton Rushead Max
SPECS
- Built-in Effects: 3 x Amp Models, Chorus, Tremolo, Flanger, Reverb & Delay
- Power: Rechargeable lithium battery
- Controls: Level, Tone, Ambient, Mod, Gain, FX
Valeton’s Rushead Max is a straightforward, easy-to-use, and very affordable guitar headphone amplifier that offers incredible versatility of sound.
The Rushead Max has five rotary controls on the rear panel: Level, Tone, Ambient, Mod, and Gain. It also has three switches on the top that are used for toggling between various settings: timing-based effects, modulation effects, and gain effects.
All this enables the Rushead Max to go from a clean natural tone to toasty overdrive and even heavy metal.
Its onboard classic Delay and Reverb settings, warm chorus sounds, tremolo, and flanger make the Rushead Max one of the best headphone amps for its mind-melting versatility.
Finally, its auxiliary input allows you to hook up to a computer, phone, tablet, or MP3 player and practice along with your favorite audio tracks.
7. Most Innovative – NUX Mighty Plug MP-2
SPECS
- Built-in Effects: 13 x Amp Models, 19 x Different Effects
- Power: Rechargeable lithium battery
- Controls: Power/Mute, Reset, Adjust, Bluetooth Audio/App
Nux are mostly known for their affordable mini pedals but their headphone amp, the Mighty Plug, offers the same value for money as the rest of their products.
The Mighty Plug is a handy silent-play gear for both guitarists and bassists, featuring various effects, modeling amplifiers, and Impulse Response (IR) cabinet models.
One of our favorite features is the Mighty Plug Mobile App. The Mighty Plug gives you the choice of using the Bluetooth connection AUDIO mode to play along with your favorite music. But you can also use its APP mode to control effects, customize your presets, and save all of it for future use.
You can also playback any music when APP mode is selected.
The Might Plug's practical design and folding plug means you can use it even on acoustic guitars and ukeleles.
Best Guitar Headphone Amps Buyer's Guide
What Is a Guitar Headphone Amp?
A headphone amp does exactly what it says on the tin—it amplifies your guitar signal directly into your headphones. They work just like regular guitar amps but on a much smaller scale.
Headphone amps for guitar are great for musicians who have to deal with noise restrictions while practicing. They're also an excellent starting point for beginners who prefer not to invest in a full-sized amp just yet.
Their size makes them incredibly convenient to carry around and practice on the go too.
Headphone Amps vs Standard Amps
It’s true that many standard amps have headphone outputs and can be used for silent practice, which may lead some musicians to believe that guitar headphone amps aren’t a good investment.
This may be the case if you play exclusively in one place and don't have to move your rig. However, regular amps are much larger and heavier than guitar headphone amps, so their portability is always going to be a much more cumbersome issue.
Rather than thinking of guitar headphone amplifiers as a replacement for solid-state or tube amps, we should think of them as separate tools for a different set of needs.
What to Look For in the Best Guitar Headphone Amps?
Controls and User Interface
The most common controls you will find on headphone amplifiers are:
- Volume
- Gain
- Effects
- Mode
These will vary depending on the complexity of your headphone amp.
Make sure you check how user-friendly and intuitive the controls on the headphone amp are before buying one. Depending on your playing style and needs, you may want to check if you can easily access and adjust the controls while you’re playing.
Form
Headphone amps come in many different forms. The most common ones are referred to as bug style, which has a built-in input jack and plugs directly into your guitar without the need for cables. This makes bug-style amps portable guitar headphone amplifiers.
Belt clip headphone amps are another type of headphone amp. They look like a miniature multiFX processor, except that they include an amplifier with a headphone output socket, which means they can be used with or without a standard amp.
One downside of belt clip headphone amps is that they require a cable to connect to your instrument.
Another increasingly popular choice is the true headphone-style amp. The amp components are housed inside the headphones themselves, and they plug directly into your guitar.
These are also great in terms of portability, although one big downside is that they can be quite heavy and uncomfortable in long sessions.
Tone
Naturally, you’re going to want your headphone amp to sound good! The good news is that headphone guitar amplifiers are specifically designed to complement the sound of electric guitars.
Some are even crafted to suit a specific genre, so if you’re partial to metal, blues, or classic rock tones, make sure to look into what amp is the best fit for you.
Extra Features
Many headphone amps for guitars come with some additional features that can be really useful, such as an auxiliary input, loopers, built-in metronomes, auto-accompaniment, Bluetooth input, and USB cable input. Some of these amps can also record your playing.
Other cool features include built-in effects. While it is possible to use effects pedals with a guitar headphone amplifier, it’s not always very practical as we want headphone amps for their portability in the first place.
Built-in effects eliminate the need to carry pedals around while still allowing you to play around with modulation, chorus, phasers, reverbs, and delays, among many others.
All these extra features are only good to have if you actually need them, though. If you’re looking for a simple, straightforward headphone amp, then there’s no need to invest in a more complex one that might end up being more of a hindrance than an advantage.
Headphones
You can buy the very best headphone amp money can buy, but you won’t get the most out of it unless you have a good set of headphones.
It’s not a good idea to use cheap headphones or earbuds, as they tend to have a weak low-end and result in thin tones. Try looking for headphones with a wide frequency response so you can get the most accurate representation of your electric guitar’s tone.
In terms of comfort, we also recommend looking for a set of headphones that you can wear for as long as your practice requires without getting uncomfortable.
You don’t have to buy the most expensive of headphones either—consider your budget, take a close look at the headphone’s specs, and you’re guaranteed to find the right set for you.
Power
Another important consideration is power. Most headphone amps are battery-powered, though some also have a mains power option.
When it comes to battery-powered amps, you can choose between disposable and rechargeable batteries. Both of these have their pros and cons.
Disposable batteries can initially seem like the cheaper option, but if you plan on using your amp on a regular basis, then you will need to replace the batteries regularly.
However, you always have the option of carrying extra batteries with you in case they die while you’re playing on the go.
On the other hand, if your rechargeable amp dies on you and you’re not near a power source, you might have to cut your session short. In the long run, though, rechargeable amps will save you a lot of money and, depending on the quality of the battery, can last you longer than disposable ones.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Should I buy a headphone amplifier?
This depends entirely on your needs as a musician.
If you don’t move your rig around a lot or only practice in one specific place, you won’t find much need for the portability that makes the headphone amp so appealing—and even necessary—in the first place.
However, if you have to move your setup around a lot, you like to play in bed or outdoors, or even if you just like to walk around while you practice, then a headphone amp is well worth looking into. You’ll be grateful for the extra mobility and freedom they provide.
What is a DAC and do I need one?
A DAC—or digital-to-analog converter—is in charge of converting a binary or digital signal to an analog signal that can be amplified. This is necessary since headphones can only play analog signals.
The DAC lets you directly connect digital sources like your laptop or phone to the headphone amp.
Most digital devices like computers, phones, and tablets—essentially anything that outputs sound—have their own built-in DACs. More often than not, headphone amps also have a built-in DAC.
However, if your headphone amp does not have a DAC and your device’s in-built one is low-quality, you can easily solve this problem by purchasing one separately and plugging your headphones amp into it.
Whether or not you should buy an external DAC depends on your gear and your needs. It is only necessary to consider purchasing one if you notice that your sound is not loud enough, has a lot of unwanted noise, or just generally sounds low-quality.
Conclusion
Electric guitar headphone amps are exceedingly practical little devices that allow you to practice quietly and make your life a lot easier if you like to play your music on the go and prefer to have lots of freedom of movement.
Our top pick among the best headphone amps is the Vox amPlug 2 AC30 for its simple design, great tones, and a variety of built-in effects. The Fender Mustang Micro is also a great alternative as it offers a wide range of amp models and built-in effects, setting a new standard for versatility and convenience.
Consider your needs and budget carefully, pick your favorite headphone amp, and get rocking!
