A-Designs Audio Crafts a New Classic, the "Ventura"

Versatile mic preamp, EQ, and instrument input unit sweetened with vintage name, improved cosmetics, and appealing price

WEST HILLS, California - April 2012 -- Continually seeking to make great  products even greater, A-Designs Audio has re-released its JM-3001 Mic  Preamp/EQ/D.I. under a new name, Ventura, nodding to the classic Quad  Eight console after which the unit's three-band parametric EQ is inspired.

In addition to its new moniker, the A-Designs Ventura features a  cream-colored faceplate with black nomenclature for improved visibility  in low-light environments, plus a much more attractive US MAP price of  $2,095.00.

"Lest anyone worry that our JM-3001 is gone, rest assured--the Ventura  features the exact same microphone preamplifier, equalizer, and  instrument input circuitry and controls that many producers, engineers,  and artists have grown to love," says A-Designs Audio's Peter Montessi. "We've simply given it an appropriately memorable name,  enhanced its cosmetics for both aesthetic and utilitarian reasons, and  reduced its price. That can't be a bad thing, right?"

Hand built in the USA, the single-rack-space Ventura is a tracking and  mixing powerhouse featuring a transformer coupled mic pre, instrument  input, and three-band parametric equalizer. When operated at optimal  levels, the unit produces a signal that is both clear and warm with all the air, detail, and generous depth that one  would expect from high quality analog gear. Push it a little harder and  the Ventura's custom-wound, ear-tested transformers respond with a more  aggressive sound while still retaining the utmost clarity.

Adding to its own special vibe, the Ventura features a three-band  parametric equalizer inspired by the classic Quad Eight consoles from  the 1970s. Even those engineers that avoid using equalization while  tracking will find themselves looking for excuses to use this EQ--especially if they need midrange punch on guitars or snare  without becoming harsh. Also, the Ventura's EQ can be accessed via its  own insert return for sweetening tracks during mixdown.

The separate 1/4-inch instrument input section is designed to enhance  the response of any active or passive guitar/bass pickup or other  instrument with a high impedance output. This feature is very useful  during direct tracking or as a front-end preamp for live performances.

The heart of the device is a discrete transistor operational amplifier  designed by Carl Johnson for the Ventura. Operating on high voltage  rails, this opamp is a high gain, fast-slew, stable audio block with  virtually no DC offset over the audio spectrum. It is used in the microphone preamp, instrument input amp, and main  output/EQ stages. The mic preamp, itself, is a single-stage,  transformer-coupled design with balanced I/O and is equipped with phase  reverse, a -20 dB pad, +48V phantom power with LED indicator, and a conductive plastic gain control pot. The preamp section feeds both  the EQ section and a preamp output mult simultaneously.

The Ventura's three-band parametric equalizer is a unique design  featuring 33 frequencies with three bands of overlapping ranges from  50Hz to 15 KHz. Both the frequency selection and the +/-12 dB boost/cut  controls are stepped for precise, repeatable settings. Each band has a Q switch with three fixed positions: sharp, wide, and  narrow. The low and high bands are peak/dip, but flipping the shelf  switch changes their characteristic to shelf type. The shelving switch  disables the Q feature on high and low bands only. When in the up position, the high/low filters insert the fixed  12dB/octave high- and low-cut filters, which work whether the EQ is in  or out. And, finally, the equalizer's input/insert return provides  direct input to the EQ, bypassing both the mic pre and instrument input.

Separate from the mic pre is the instrument input section. This is a  single-stage, single-ended, high-impedance preamp that also benefits  from its own discrete opamp and includes a front-panel 1/4-inch jack and  gain pot. This section also feeds the EQ and preamp output mult simultaneously via the input selector switch for extra  flexibility in the studio or live applications.

Combining outstanding sonic performance and versatility, together with  the ability to use its three sections independently, the A-Designs  Ventura gives engineers and musicians a "desert island" preamp that will  serve any and all recording and live applications, from tracking rock bands in the studio to mixing live recordings of  orchestral ensembles and much more.

For a complete list of Ventura's features, specifications, and a  downloadable owner's manual, visit A-Designs Audio's newly revamped  website at www.adesignsaudio.com.

A-Designs Audio is a boutique manufacturer of high-quality professional  audio products, including the MP-A Series (all-tube microphone  preamplifiers), Pacifica, REDDI (all-tube direct box), ATTY and ATTY2'D  (passive line attenuators), EM Series (500 Series-compatible microphone preamplifier and EQ modules), HM2EQ HAMMER (dual mono,  three-band tube equalizer) and HM2 NAIL (hybrid compressor). For more  info, please contact A-Designs Audio at 818-716-4153 or visit  www.adesignsaudio.com.

A-Designs Audio

P.O. Box 4255, West Hills, CA 91304 USA

Tel: 818.716.4153 / Fax: 818.716.4154

Email: sales@adesignsaudio.com

Web: www.adesignsaudio.com