Quick answer:
Fender Mustang Micro Headphone Amp – A great choice if you’re looking for a tiny unit that hosts 12 amps and 13 effects of versatility, from Fender’s well renowned professional quality.
Vox amPlug 2 AC30 – An affordable headphone amp that features a modern analog circuit with a great present and clear tone.
You didn’t skimp on quality when it came to headphones, and you don’t want to jeopardize that when it comes to the right amps. Finding the best headphone amp for guitar will ensure you preserve the integrity of your sound, even if you’re your only audience. So in this guide, we’ve taken a few we’ve selected that should satisfy your need to hear your skills at your best.
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Table of Contents
- About Our Top Choices
- The Top 10 Best Headphone Amp for Guitar
- Headphone Amp for Guitar Reviews
- The Buying Guide
About Our Top Choices
Fender Mustang Micro Headphone Amp
See price @ Amazon / @ Sweetwater
A great choice if you’re looking for a tiny unit that hosts 12 amps and 13 effects for lots of versatility, from Fender’s well renowned professional quality.
Pros
- Versatile
- Top-quality
- Intuitive
- Compact
Cons
- None that we know of
Vox amPlug 2 AC30
See price @ Amazon / @ Sweetwater
A great option if you’re looking for an affordable headphone amp that features a modern analog circuit with a great present and clear tone.
Pros
- Easy to use
- Compact
- Affordable
Cons
- Knobs are hard to see
Top 10 Best Headphone Amp for Guitar
- Fender Mustang Micro Headphone Amp
- Vox amPlug 2 AC30
- Vox amPlug 2 Classic Rock Headphone Guitar Amp
- Vox amPlug 2 Blues Headphone Guitar Amp
- Vox amPlug 2 Metal Headphone Guitar Amp
- Valeton Rushead Max
- SONICAKE Guitar Headphone Amp
- Dunlop GA Rockman Guitar Ace
- Electro-Harmonix Headphone Amp
- Blackstar amPlug 2 FLY Headphone Guitar Amp
Best Headphone Amp for Guitar Reviews
Fender Mustang Micro Headphone Amp
Pros
- Versatile
- Top-quality
- Intuitive
- Compact
Cons
- None that we know of
See price @ Amazon / @ Sweetwater
We consider the Fender Mustang to be ultimately the best choice among other headphone amps on this list. One tiny, elegant box hosts 12 amps and 13 effects from Fender’s Mustang GTX lineup.
Best features and specs
As mentioned, the Mustang offers 12 amps, 13 effects types, a rechargeable lithium-ion battery that gives you from 4 to 6 hours of performance per charge, articulating plug, folding design, 1/8″ headphone output, and Bluetooth audio streaming from mobile devices.
User impressions
In the buyer’s reviews you’d read you’ll find many impressed with this amp, considering it to be worth the money spent. Many like the fact that for the money you spend, you get a variety of tones that’s versatile enough to keep you satisfied regardless of style and occasion.
What we think
We like Fender amps, period. So we would not be surprised that they deliver the goods when it comes to headphones. And just the other buyers, we like the fact that you get a bevy of high quality tones to utilize when ready.
Bottomline
Fender Mustang is a great choice for someone who is looking for a pro-quality, compact, lightweight, intuitive, great-sounding, and versatile headphone amp made by a well-known and respected manufacturer.
Vox amPlug 2 AC30
Pros
- Easy to use
- Compact
- Affordable
Cons
- Knobs are hard to see
See price @ Amazon / @ Sweetwater
Despite Vox amPlug 2 AC30 being a budget option, it offers you a unique possibility to get massive jangly high-end and boost your sound. It also features an updated analog circuit, so you can expect an excellent present and clear tone.
Best features and specs
Vox amPlug 2 AC30 offers an updated analog circuit, 3 amplifier modes, a folding plug mechanism that rotates 180 degrees, auto power-off function, 9 selectable effects, AUX input, and 17 hours of battery life.
User impressions
Users like Vox amPlug 2 AC30 because it sounds absolutely great, provides great tones, is convenient to use, and allows easily detect issues with the guitar.
What we think
We like how much punch this tiny device can punch. As well as features, the AC30 has 3 chorus, 3 delay, and 3 reverbs to play with, all providing acoustically pleasing results.
Bottomline
Vox amPlug 2 AC30 is a great choice for someone who is looking for a tiny, compact, easy-to-use, and extremely affordable headphone amp. The only drawback that this amp has is that the knobs are way too small, and it’s hard to read the markings.
Vox amPlug 2 Classic Rock Headphone Guitar Amp
Pros
- Rock’n’roll-sounding
- Affordable
- Intuitive
Cons
- It won’t survive frequent falls
See price @ Amazon / @ Sweetwater
If you’re longing for that classic tasty UK-made amp sound, the Vox amPlug 2 Classic Rock is a good one to look into. It’s tiny but it’s also pretty mighty, the machine will give you a massive crunch and maybe everything else that you may be looking for.
Best features and specs
Vox amPlug 2 Classic Rock offers 3 amplifier modes for tonal variety, updated analog circuit, folding mechanism, auto power-off function, AUX input, 17 hours of battery life, and 9 selectable effects.
User impressions
According to the buyer reviews, users like that the Classic Rock provides great quality, with a rich-sound, as well as being quite intuitive to use. Many say that it’s fun to play with as well.
What we think
What we like the most about the Classic Rock is how niche it is. If you’re looking for that classic rock’n’roll guitar tone, this amp will definitely do it.
Bottomline
Vox amPlug 2 Classic Rock is a great choice for someone who is looking for a very affordable, intuitive, lightweight, compact headphone amp that easily gives your sound that lively rock’n’roll vibe. Note that if you’re interested in this amp’s longevity, don’t let it fall too often.
Vox amPlug 2 Blues Headphone Guitar Amp
Pros
- Affordable
- Easy to use
- Great-sounding
Cons
- Isn’t versatile
See price @ Amazon / @ Sweetwater
If you have been looking for an amp to emphasize notes of melancholy and sweet nostalgia, take a look at the Vox amPlug 2 Blues. Like the name suggests, this is a genre specific headphone amp that gives you a wonderfully crunchy and cranked tweed amp tone.
Best features and specs
The Vox amPlug 2 Blues offers a folding design, auto power off feature, AUX in jack, genuine analog circuitry that simulates a tube amp, 3 built-in effects, and 17 hours of battery life.
User impressions
Users are impressed by this amp’s mild and clean distortion overdrive. Also, they praise it for being really intuitive and convenient to use.
What we think
We like the amPlug 2 Blues for being specifically designed to help you lock in that genuine blues sound with the help of built-in effects. Note that this amp is perfect doing precisely that and nothing more.
Bottomline
Vox amPlug 2 Blues is a great choice for someone who is looking for a great-sounding, affordable, and easy-to-use headphone amp that gives you that great tweed sound.
Vox amPlug 2 Metal Headphone Guitar Amp
Pros
- Affordable
- Intuitive
- Great-sounding
Cons
- Can’t produce clean tones
See price @ Amazon / @ Sweetwater
If you’re a metal head then you need this unit. This headphone amp will help with achieving juicy and tasty riffs and the general mood of the track.
Best features and specs
Vox amPlug 2 Metal offers 3 amp modes, a folding mechanism, 9 built-in effects, an auto power-off function, AUX input, and 17 hours of battery life.
User impressions
Users agree that Vox amPlug 2 Metal sounds great when it comes to emulating that metal guitar sound for headphones. They also like its versatile, easy-to-use, and built-in effects.
What we think
This tiny amp provides a lot of energy for its size, which of course is necessary when it comes to metal. So we’re pretty satisfied that it does its job as it should for headphones. Note as this amp is for metal, don’t expect it to produce clean tones.
Bottomline
Vox amPlug 2 Metal is great if you’re looking for something to thrash metal through your headphones. It’s an intuitive, affordable unit that won’t hurt you to try.
Valeton Rushead Max
Pros
- Great-sounding
- Easy to use
- Compact
- Affordable
Cons
- Short battery life
See price @ Amazon
The Valeton Rushead Max is a small but very versatile amp. It also comes with many of the features of the best-known world’s amplifiers, so that you get everything you need from clean natural tone to grit of heavy metal.
Best features and specs
Valeton Rushead Max offers 3 amp modes, chorus, tremolo, flanger, AUX input, and a rechargeable battery that gives you up to 5 hours per charge.
User impressions
Users like Valeton Rushead Max for being great-sounding, loud enough to satisfy, being versatile, and having good built-in effects.
What we think
We like that Valeton Rushead Max has a very straightforward interface, you won’t be too confused about which knob does what while jamming.
Bottomline
Valeton Rushead Max is a great choice for someone who is looking for something versatile, affordable, and compact, that’s intuitive and provides a satisfactory sound.
SONICAKE Guitar Headphone Amp
Pros
- Affordable
- Compact
- Easy to use
Cons
- Sound quality is average
See price @ Amazon
SONICAKE Guitar Headphone Amp claims to give the tonal mojo of an American classic combo amp, with the tweeded cloth covering.
Best features and specs
This amp offers 2 tones, built-in reverb, headphone splitter, 1/8″ AUX cable, USB charging cable, and rechargeable battery with 5 hours of battery life.
User impressions
Things buyers point to liking about this amp are its rechargeable battery, sturdy design, good sound, and tweakability. Note that some complain that the sound quality is rather lower than advertised.
What we think
We won’t lie but our favorite thing about this amp is the fact that you can recharge it with USB cable. Since many of us are utilizing iPads and tablets for music production and music making, this is definitely super convenient.
Bottomline
SONICAKE Guitar Headphone Amp is a great choice for someone who is looking for something compact, affordable, easy-to-use headphone amp that features a rechargeable battery.
Dunlop GA Rockman Guitar Ace
Pros
- Good-sounding
- Compact
- Versatile
Cons
- Short battery life
See price @ Amazon
Dunlop GA Rockman Guitar Ace is another go-to type of tool you can take a look at.
Best features and specs
Dunlop GA Rockman Guitar Ace offers built-in compression, volume control, AUX in/out, and 3 tone controls.
User impressions
Users agree that Dunlop GA Rockman Guitar Ace has a classic look, works really great, is easy to use, and is fun to play with. Others complain that the battery life drains faster than it should.
What we think
We like the simplicity of the design of Dunlop GA Rockman Guitar Ace. We have quite a specific Walkman and nostalgic vibe from it.
Bottomline
Dunlop GA Rockman Guitar Ace is a great choice for someone who is looking for a compact, versatile, minimalistic, and good-sounding headphone amp.
Electro-Harmonix Headphone Amp
Pros
- Lightweight
- Minimalistic
- Durable
Cons
- To change the battery, you need to unscrew the whole backplate
See price @ Amazon
If you’re looking for an optimal versatile device for your all-day-round jamming sessions, you should check Electro-Harmonix Headphone Amp. This amp does wonders and gets the character sound of your live instrument effortlessly.
Best features and specs
Electro-Harmonix Headphone Amp offers a portable, lightweight, super quiet amp that handles high gain pedal board input.
User impressions
Users say that Electro-Harmonix Headphone Amp sound is very neutral, which makes this amp ideal for practicing. Also, it’s really easy to use and well-built.
What we think
We like Electro-Harmonix equipment in general and this one is not an exception. But we think that when it comes to charging the battery, they could’ve made it more convenient.
Bottomline
Electro-Harmonix Headphone Amp is a great choice for someone who is looking for a sturdy, durable, minimalistic, and lightweight headphone amp.
Blackstar amPlug 2 FLY Headphone Guitar Amp
Pros
- Crisp and full sound
- Intuitive
- Affordable
Cons
- Looks fragile
See price @ Amazon / @ Sweetwater
The Blackstar amPlug 2 FLY is great if you’re looking for a great range of American and British amp sounds.
Best features and specs
Blackstar amPlug 2 FLY offers 17 hours of battery life, a folding design that rotates 180 degrees, Clean, Crunch, and Lead channels, delay, reverb, and chorus.
User impressions
Users like Blackstar amPlug 2 FLY because of it’s affordable price, mostly. Also, they like the amazing tones it produces, and being very lightweight.
What we think
We wish they made it out of something more durable than plastic, which means it can be easily broken. Other than that, the tone is great, and the effects and features are sufficient.
Bottomline
Blackstar amPlug 2 FLY is a great choice for someone who is looking for an affordable, intuitive-to-use headphone amp that delivers crisp and full sound.
Headphone Amp for Guitar Buying Guide
What is a headphone amp for a guitar?
A headphone amp for a guitar is a compact and lightweight device that has the feature of plugging in headphones and makes it possible to play your guitar silently and when you’re on the move.
Why would you need a headphone amp for a guitar?
If the inspiration hits you during the night, by plugging in your standard amp, you risk that all the neighbors would hate you along with your family members. But having a headphone amp ensures that nobody would be disturbed by your practice, and you still have fun playing.
Important features
When choosing a headphone amp for a guitar, you should consider connectivity, tone, and battery life.
Connectivity
Quite commonly, headphone amps are known as bug-style ones that have a built-in 1/4″ jack and plug directly into your guitar without the need for cables. They’re much more convenient to use in comparison with other types of connectivity, especially those that need a dedicated cord.
Tone
Here you should focus on which tone you need. If you play many genres, then it’s better to choose an amp that is versatile. But if you play in one genre specifically, then you should choose an amp that does only that and nothing else.
Battery life
The majority of the amps are powered by AAA batteries that allow you to play for a long time, but you need to have plenty around when the previous one comes to an end. Sometimes you can find those amps that are powered by a rechargeable battery, but quite commonly, they come along with a really short battery life.
How to choose the right one for you?
When you are choosing the best headphone amp for guitar, you have to pay attention to whether the amp can be plugged directly into the guitar or you need a cord on top of that. If you like to jam around different styles, opt for the amp that could do them all. If you are a blues, rock, or metal player, choose accordingly. Lastly, if you typically have long guitar playing sessions, standard AAA batteries will give you more comfortable playing than rechargeable ones.
