Recording - August 2015 - 27

all the way through to the main output, giving
you full access to the EQ section.
One final trick: you can insert a favorite
compressor or other processor by using the
Mic/Instrument output as a send and the EQ
input as a return. For full accessibility to this
section I recommend a good patchbay.
The preamps in use
The Ventura has a classic transformer/op
amp driven '70s/'80s console sound. It
inhabits similar sonic ground to the API
512, Chandler TG-2, and the Great River
ME and MP Series preamps, to name a few.
Not that they sound alike in an interchangeable way, but rather I categorize the
classic console sound as one that lives comfortably between the crystal clear "straight
wire with gain" preamps and the "vibey"
pres, often designed with tubes and crafted
for an obvious color or vintage tone.
To my ears a console preamp can have
its own flavor and color, which each of the
above do, but it is still neutral enough that
it works well on any source and more
importantly stacks well with itself. This provides a classic cohesiveness and sonic signature to a mix.
As such, the descriptives that come to mind
with the Ventura are: solid, tight, and even
punchy (much like the TG-2 and 512), but
with a more open top end that I can best
describe as harmonically excited. It's kind of
like the difference between flat water and carbonated water with a hint of lemon. Sounds
weird, I know, but for any of you who have
used a Pacifica or Ventura, you will totally get
it. Poetry aside, this is one of those preamps,
like many mentioned above, that works well
on any and every source. I could easily be
content with a rack of eight of these as my
one and only preamp.
However, if there was one part of this
box that really stands out, it is certainly the
instrument preamp, especially when used
as a direct input for bass guitar. It is a very
punchy and honest tone, but also one of the
most 3-dimensional instrument inputs I have
used. Thanks to its massive amount of input
gain, it also works well for clean direct
Rhodes piano.
The EQ section in use
I really like stepped EQs, both for recall
and because they keep minute fussing to a
minimum. I looked at quite a few vintage
Quad Eight EQ modules online and many of
the Ventura's frequency points come directly
from those. The main difference is that most of
the Quad Eight EQs were 4-band with fewer
frequency choices.
I don't often EQ sources on the way into
my DAW (short of a highpass filter), so I
employed the Ventura's EQ mostly during
mixdown using the 1/4" EQ input. Overall
it was great for everything from cleaning up
ring and adding snap and weight to a
snare drum, to carving out biting electric
guitar frequencies and adding sparkle to
RECORDING August 2015

an acoustic guitar track. It also makes a
wonderful female vocal EQ.
The one application where I did find myself
using EQ when tracking was on direct bass.
Here the 80 Hz band in wide or shelf mode
is pretty magical, even when all the way up.
A few dB of 1.2 to 1.9 kHz adds great string
definition as well.
This is the kind of EQ that is equal parts
subtle and effective. At slight 2-4 dB adjustments, you don't feel like your signal is being
EQed until you bypass it. Even at extremes,
this EQ is hard to push too far. That is a
strength... and a danger, if like me you love
low end! I can't take credit for this next
thought, as I have seen it mentioned online a
few times, but I agree that this would make a
fantastic 500 series EQ on its own.

Conclusion
I never had the opportunity to use the
Pacifica in my studio, but after spending a
few months with the Ventura, it's easy to
see why it has risen to the top of the preamp heap, holding its own with the abovementioned classics. The addition of the EQ
and the versatile high-quality instrument
preamp make the Ventura a real winner. If
you want a solid transformer-coupled console preamp with its own beautiful harmonic signature, make sure to take one of
these for a spin.
Price: $2095
More from: A-Designs Audio,
www.adesignsaudio.com

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