Following a first presentation at the 139th AES convention in New York, Jensen Transformers announced the Jensen JIK-DB1 Iso-Kit, a Jensen transformer equipped direct box that comes in an easy-to-assemble kit form, developed specifically for recording schools and other higher education facilities that teach professional audio as part of their curriculum.
According to Jensen's Production Manager Larry Hathaway: “For nearly 40 years, Jensen has held the pole position as the most sought after direct box transformer. The Jensen JT-DB-EPC is incredibly accurate with a frequency response that spans from 10Hz to 50kHz, an almost undetectable phase shift and extremely low noise particularly in the 50Hz to 60Hz region where electrical interference can pose serious audio problems.”
“During a recent R&D meeting, the subject of education came up. Our head of technology Bill Whitlock is well known for his educational clinics that are held at AES, InfoComm and CEDIA along with his writings that have appeared in countless magazines and books. This stems from Deane Jensen’s belief that if you educate the end user, they will make an informed decision that will hopefully include a quality component. This led us to a discussion on educating students about the benefits of transformer isolation when it comes to solving ground loops.”
“We figured ‘what better way to get a young audio engineer excited about soldering a kit together than providing him or her with a Jensen equipped direct box that one will hold onto and use for the rest of their life?’ This is how the Iso-Kit was born.”
The Iso-Kit includes everything you need to build the JIK-DB1. The design begins with a tough aluminum outer shell with a slide-in chassis. A printed circuit board with extra beefy solder points makes it easy for students to learn to solder while ensuring the solder points will not fail over time. The kit includes the Jensen transformer, extra rugged steel encased switches for ground lift, pad and polarity reverse, ¼" and XLR connectors, plus the full complement of resisters and capacitors. Should the student mess up the circuit, the Iso-Kit can be returned to Jensen and repaired for a modest fee.
The Jensen Iso-Kit is priced at only $125 US and will be only available for students through select educational facilities.
jensen-transformers.com
