Z-Mode  -  Preamp with Impedance Control

Sure the Audere on-board bass preamp sounds great - but better than that, it has three fundamentally different voices.

To expand the player's range, most serious players have more than one bass. Different pickups and preamps change the output signal as these components interact with a vibrating string. Bass builders know it, so you'll often see the same bass offered in multiple configurations - different pickups and on-board preamps etc. This allows the bass designer to give the player a broader range of options to choose from.

The Audere bass preamp offers you this broader tonal range in one bass. The Audere preamp actually receives a different signal generated by the pickups depending on the Z-Mode switch setting. That is a fundamental difference from every other preamp.

Flip the switch while playing to get the best sound for your performance:

• High Z-Mode is the sound you'd get when pickup(s) are directly connected to the input of a tube amp, i.e. no tone or volume controls. This very high impedance load produces a bright, lively and aggressive sound.
• Mid Z-Mode  is the traditional and most popular active bass sound, offering solid bass line support.
• Low Z-Mode is a new sound for the Bass. Deep and driving with unusually low noise and distortion levels.

Two Families - JZ3, JZ3D+Tone, JZ6D jazz plate or 3ZB module

The JZ models are great jazz bass preamps and replace your existing control plate. The preamp gives your jazz bass that sensitive to the touch response which is so often missing from a passive jazz bass. Three control layouts are offered for each of the three configurations. The 1st control layout features vol and vol controls with a 2 band eq. The 2nd control layout features vol and balance controls with a 2 band eq. The 3rd layout, shown below, features volume and balance controls with a 3 band eq. It is very easy to install (no soldering required) and at $149 (JZ3), $169 (JZ3D) or $179 (JZ6D) it's priced to be easy on your budget.

The 3ZB models are a fully wired module that is highly configurable: from No EQ to 4 Bands; optional Mid Frequency Switch; optional Active/Passive switch with optional passive tone control; etc. A typical 3ZB bass preamp is shown below. All the pots and switches are wired and ready to go, making installation easy. The only soldering required is wire to wire joints for your pickups and ground wires.

Low Battery Indicator LED

A highly visible, intuitive indicator of your battery's strength. Activated for about 3 seconds when the guitar cable is first plugged into the Bass, the circuit powers up and measures the battery voltage, then sends a pulsed intensity pattern to the LED which indicates the battery voltage.

More information on Battery Testing.

Tech Details

Here's a visual representation of what makes the Audere Z-Mode bass preamp different from other bass preamps:
Common Preamp Block Diagrams.

What is impedance? It is an electrical load, commonly referred to as Z. In a passive bass it comes from: the volume, balance, and passive tone controls; the cabling; and the first amplifier.

Purchasing Details

Will you like it? We're confident you will but all ears are different, so we give you 10 days from receipt to try it out. If you don't like it, send it back and we'll give you a refund. It's pretty simple; read the Satisfaction Guarantee.

JZ3, JZ3D, JZ5D, JZ6D, 3ZB, Z-mode, Audere, and Audere Audio are trademarks of Audere Engineering LLC, all rights reserved.
Fender Jazz Bass is a trademark of Fender Musical Instrument Company, with whom Audere Audio has no affiliation.