How to monitor multiple instruments via headphones?

Question

I'm relatively new to the technological side of music. My guitar amp has a speaker cable output, as does my keyboard. I would like to be able to plug both of those, and also a microphone into a device which I can plug headphones into and listen while I play and sing. I'm trying to keep quiet because of apartment neighbors.

What kind of device would allow me to do this? I did some googling and searching here and I saw a lot of recommendations for JamHub, but it seems that company has gone under. A lot of those recommendations were for devices with multiple outputs...I only need one headphone output for myself to listen to. Any help would be appreciated, I have no idea where to start.

I looked on Amazon, is something like this what I'm looking for? https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004TM31QK/ref=psdc_11974881_t3_B07QDN6Z83

Answer 1

As you say, you don't really need something like the jamhub, which provides multiple headphone outs. You're correct that all you really need is a small analogue mixer - like the one you linked to, but there are many, many models available.

If your guitar amp really only has a speaker out, you won't want to plug that directly into the mixer, as it will be too powerful to be plugged into the 'line level' inputs on the mixer. If your amp has a line out or even a headphone out, that would be more appropriate to plug into the mixer.

If you're not wanting to get distortion or other effects on your guitar, and you just want to be able to hear it, a mixer with a high impedance or "hi-Z" input would let you plug the guitar straight in. (Hi-Z channels are often the same ones as the mic channels - the particular mixer you linked to only seems to have one mic channel, so it might not be the best choice for plugging your guitar straight in to).

One more suggestion - it might sound a little 'claustrophobic' to listen for long periods to your 'dry' voice and guitar through headphones. A mixer with some built in effects (for example, the Yamaha MG06X - manual here) might make it more fun to use for extended periods.