[Latest for 2024!] Popular and Recommended Bass Amps Ideal for Home Practice!

Do you ever get bored when practicing your bass by yourself?

Recently, there are fewer gigs and I think many of you are practicing at home more.
After having to stay home during Corona, there are probably more people who bought instruments and practice alone.

Practicing at home is a must for any bassist, and every time that time comes, I think of how this is so
lonely, not fun, and empty. ......

If you turn up the volume to have fun,
I get banging on the wall and my parents get mad at me. Then I have to disconnect the effect pedals, the cables from the instruments, and the sound becomes empty and raw. I found my amps and effect pedals becoming dusty. I couldn't practice properly, failed at gigs, and was even rejected by a girl.
*But this doesn’t seem to apply to everyone.

Man, this is so annoying!

I don't want that feeling to happen again! I want to save bassists! I want them to play bass in a good environment!
Even though we are losing out to guitars in the variety of body shapes, number of effect pedals, number of strings, and just plain coolness, we can't afford to be any more unfairly disadvantaged.
So, bassists.
Let's start by checking out how to choose an amp for home practice!

Here are some points to be aware of:

1. Amplifier Wattage (Number of watts)
2. Amplifier Type
3. Specs

1. Amp Wattage (Number of Watts)

The wattage of an amplifier is the number that indicates the "amp's output" and is an indicator of how much volume the amp can produce.

Basically, the higher the wattage of an amp, the louder it can be, but beware of amps with too high an output, as the opposite is true: it will be harder to produce quieter sounds.
The optimal wattage for home practice is somewhere between 1W and 15W.
Although 1W is a fairly low volume, I have recently felt that it may not be bad in terms of playing with an amp that has sound coming out of it.

Also, if you want more volume, 15W or more is of course no problem.
One thing to be careful of, however, is that even with a 15W amp, if you max out the volume, it will be quite loud. Please be careful if you live in an apartment or any other housing complex.

2. Types of Amps

Next, amps can be broadly divided into two types: stack amps, which consist of an amp head that amplifies sound and a separate speaker, and combo amps, which consist of an amp section and a speaker in one piece.
The combo amp is by far the most recommended for home practice.
Combo amps are attractive because they are easy to use and can produce sound as soon as the bass is connected and turned on.
There are a variety of models available from various manufacturers for home practice, from low-priced amps to high-priced full-fledged amps, so you can choose the best amp for you!
Please find something you like from a wide range of choices!

3. Specs

Regarding specifications, these two points below are the most important.

・External audio input is possible.
・Headphone jack.

In the case of this amplifier, the two terminals on the right side are the same.

The headphone jack is easy to understand, but the external audio jack is often labeled as AUX IN, which is a little confusing. Keep in mind that this is a common notation.

If you have an external audio input terminal, you can connect your smartphone or PC and practice while playing music! This is a useful feature not only for beginners but also for advanced players!

Now that you have an idea of what kind of amp to choose, let me introduce you to some bass amps that I am proud to recommend as the head of the bass department at Sound House! If you’re still wondering about which one to choose, please take a look!

ASHDOWN / STUDIO JNR

Here’s the first product!
This is the STUDIO JNR from ASHDOWN's STUDIO series.

The specs are,
・Controls: Volume, 3-band equalizer (BASS, MID, TREBLE)
・Output: 15W
・Headphone output and LINE IN (external audio input)

In addition to a dedicated jack for practicing with headphones, a LINE input jack is also provided for practicing while playing from a smartphone or other device!

Combined with the aforementioned specs, this is the perfect amp for home practice!
It is also very lightweight at approximately 5.5 kg, making it easy to carry around!

For those who want a little more output, I also recommend ASHDOWN's "STUDIO 8" with 30W output!

ASHDOWN / STUDIO 8

In addition to the same specifications as the STUDIO JNR, the STUDIO 8 is equipped with a LINE MIX control, so the volume of the external audio input can also be adjusted!
Like the STUDIO JNR, the STUDIO 8 is also lightweight and recommended for those who still want a certain amount of output!

The sound of the STUDIO series can be seen in the performance video below, so please take a look!

AMPEG / RB-108 Combo Amp for Bass

Here is the next product I would like to introduce! This is a combo amp that is synonymous with home practice and the royal road!

The ROCKET BASS 108 is the masterpiece of AMPEG, the standard brand of bass amps.
This amp is 30W.

If you are an intermediate or a higher level player, or if you have read the aforementioned explanation, you may already know that 30W is quite "big". What I mean by that is simply the sound is quite loud.

Unless you are using headphones or earphones, the volume must be set low, so you may wonder, "Do I really need to get a really big amp?”
However, the sound is so good that it eliminates such disadvantages for home practice.
You can reproduce the best bass sound at home, which is also called AMPEG tone.

Of course, headphone output and AUX IN are available, so there is no need to worry even if you can't play loudly!
The classic, austere looks and the superb bass sound will motivate you to practice at home!

HARTKE / HD15 Bass Combo Amp

Next up is the popular HARTKE HD15 bass combo amp with simple controls and compact size!
This one is from HARTKE's standard series “Hydrive 15”.

The specs are as follows,
・Controls: Volume, 3-band equalizer (BASS, MID, TREBLE)
・Output: 15W
・Headphone output, AUX IN

In addition to specifications that are ideal for home practice, it features a simplicity that emphasizes ease of use!
Despite its simplicity, it can be used for a wide range of sound creation, from intense rock to ballads.

This model is especially recommended for bass players who want to play bass with a powerful sound at home or in other places where it is not possible to play very loud!

Laney / RB1 Bass Amplifier

Last but not least, I would like to introduce a bass amp that is highly rated by Sound House!
This is a combo amp from LANEY, a brand for which Sound House is the distributor!

The specs are as follows
・Controls: Volume, 3-band equalizer (BASS, MID, TREBLE)
・Output: 15W
・Headphone output, AUX IN

As you may have understood after reading this blog thus far, this is an orthodox and easy-to-use combo amp, following the HARTKE model!

This product is so good that it is easier to understand its quality if you look at the customer reviews rather than having me explain it.
・This is a great product.
・It's inexpensive and a great amp for home practice.
・A woman can easily carry it and it takes up very little space, so it's a great amp for practicing at home.
And so on and so on… This is just an excerpt.
Please visit the Sound House product page to read the full review!

Finally...

In addition to the amps I have introduced here, there are many other amps suitable for home practice. It is best to choose one you like, not only for its performance and sound, but also for its looks and brand, as these will motivate you to practice more!
It’s convenient that there are many review videos on YouTube these days. Please make use of them and find the best amp that suits you.

So, everyone, have a happy bass guitar life!