TridA-Pre

Rare and Award-Winning Music Equalizer

One of the most award-winning, rare and exclusive channel tracks ever created has been reborn in their DAW.

For decades, the concept of pop music has been synonymous with Trident® Studios, the pioneering installation in the heart of London's Soho district.

Their client list is like who's who in pop: The Beatles, Elton John, David Bowie, Bee Gees, Genesis, Frank Zappa, Joe Cocker, Kiss, Lou Reed, Peter Gabriel, Marc Almond, Soft Cell, Queen and The Rolling. Stones, Thin Lizzy, Tina Turner, T-Rex and Sim.

At the heart of the studio's sound was the Trident® A Range® console. It became so well known for its wonderful musical EQ and the rich, full tone it conveyed soon, studios around the world were placing orders for the A Range®. Although only 13 have been created, they have created a legacy that continues today.

Now, thanks to Arturia's innovative True Analog Emulation® technology, you too can experiment. the incredible sound shaping power of the legendary Trident® A Range® preamp and EQ.

The best of both worlds

  ;Wait... my audio interface already has preamps. Why do I need a preamp plug-in?

You're right! Its audio interface uses its preamps to boost input signals to usable levels for recording and mixing.

In the digital age, preamps included in audio interfaces tend to be highly transparent, amplifying the signal without adding "color", a kind of tonal flavor that subtly alters the sound.

In years 60s and 70s, a period that many consider the recording studio's “golden age”, the preamps in their bespoke mixing consoles - like the Trident® A line - were pioneers in the technology. Mixing engineers discovered that because of their analog components, preamps added a certain character to the audio, which gave each desk, and therefore each studio, a specific "sound." As engineers became experts on these consoles, they would use preamps as part of their creative process; forcing them to create harmonically rich analog distortions, for example.

Now, thanks to the digital audio revolution and the power of modern computers, you can enjoy the best of both worlds. The Arturia Pre TridA lets you add the iconic tone of the rare and virtually unattainable elite preamps found in the studios that created some of the greatest hits of all time.

Adding "je ne sais quoi"

It's hard to let new producers and mixing engineers know how important the subtle power of sound shaping preamps is , we are talking about something underrated. It's not a flashy synth or extreme audio distortion plug-in.

At its core, all of our preamp plugins offer 2 key benefits:

A link to the past

There is something magical about listening to classical music. If you let your mind wander, you will be transported to a totally different time: different fashion, different politics, different tastes, different lives. If you want to evoke the feel of the 70s or 80s when the Trident® A Range® console was used on virtually every hit on the chart, the Pre TridA makes it easy. Added to the individual tracks of your music, you can add a crisp, harmonic and saturated sound that typifies the era.

Mixture confidence

Load the Pre TridA as an "insert" effect on the channel, dial an appropriate preset and most of the hard work has been taken care of. Now you'll be mixing with the sound of a classic analog console, with parameters set by one of the top sound designers. Now you're free to be creative and confident, knowing you have half a century of legendary professional audio legacy.

That's what we think, anyway. The decision to use Pre TridA is up to you. You can just love the way the EQ sounds and use it as your must-have plug-in for shaping the sound. We're providing the ink, but you make the art.

Breaking the code

The found channel strips on Trident® A Range® consoles are considered gold dust, available only to the best producers and engineers at the height of their careers.

We build our reputation by recreating the best and history's most coveted keyboards and synthesizers as software instruments. What better way to carry that legacy forward than to bring the most sought-after studio hardware to your DAW? While it would have been quite simple to just create a plug-in that sounded similar to the famous Trident® A Range® channel strip, we don't want to provide an approximation of the sound.

Finding a Trident® console A Range® console was not an easy task - after all, only 13 were created - and our research took us to the Danish capital, Copenhagen, and the Sweet Silence North. The music residency of Grammy-awarded producer Flemming Rasmussen, whose critically acclaimed work with metal artists such as Metallica, Morbid Angel, Blind Guardian and Ensiferum, relied on the use of the Trident® A Range® console. To create the Pre TridA, we analyzed channel 3 of its 1976 mixing console, creating a sophisticated model, down to the level of individual components.

Through passion and our developers' skill, we are able to offer you the elusive 'secret ingredient' behind so many amazing hits as a software plugin. It's official: we're living in the future.

The ultimate sound shaper

The Pre TridA delivers all the power and features of the legendary Trident® Range® and more! Let's take a look at how this elite channel strip translates to a plug-in.

4-band two-channel equalizer

The Fantastically Musical The Range® EQ has been recreated in all its glory. The High, High-Mid, Low-Mid and Low EQ bands have 4 selectable frequencies, calibrated to match the specifications of the original unit. They can be cut or increased by 15dB independently on the left and right channels or linked together. This gives you great freedom to shape your sound in a stereo space.

Low Pass Filter

Make it a high end cut at 9kHz, 12kHz, 15kHz or press 2 or 3 switches for a more dramatic shot, this will smooth out the high frequencies of your signal.

Input Gain

From subtle overtones to growling solid state units, the Input Gain button can be pressed to add any tonal flavor you desire.

High Pass Filter

Understand the super low frequencies of your signal, with cutoffs placed at 25Hz, 50Hz and 100Hz. Like the low pass, you can also combine 2 or 3 switches to get a stronger effect.

Medium / Side Mode

In the absence of the original A Range®, the Pre TridA allows you to use advanced mid/side techniques without external processing or converters, which means your audio will be amazing in mono and stereo.

Output Trim

Simple, but always useful. The output adjustment allows you to adjust the "master volume" of the output without changing the pitch.

It's fair to say that since the original unit was built, the manufacturing industry music has undergone some changes. To update this caption, we've also included some optional enhancements to get the most out of your DAW.

Equalization Shift Quite self-explanatory, this simple switch turns the section on or off Pre TridA EQ on one or both channels.

Automatic gain control As you increase the gain, the output level is automatically adjusted, providing a consistent and reliable perceived audio level. Now you can be sure that the changes produced are great because they improve the tone, not just because they make everything louder.

Phase Inversion A handy little utility that inverts the polarity of one or both channels, great for correcting phase issues or providing voice options.

Stereo Link Link both channels so any changes to the EQ or gain structure affect both channels at the same time. Disabled, you can make discrete changes to each channel.

The Pre TridA also has a stunning GUI. This attention to detail even extends to classic post-gain VU meters, which can be calibrated to your liking, and light up when the signal is peaking at -1dBFS.

Key Features

Virtual Recreation of Rare and Award Winning Classic Preamps

40 dB Virtual Continuous Input Gain

+/- 24 dB Output compensation level

Full switchable EQ section

Include shift switching and phase inversion

3 selectable low-pass filters

Cutoff frequency at 9kHz, 12kHz and 15kHz

-12dB / octave slope

distinct combinations of filter cutoff with unusual curves when 2 or 3 filters are combined

High shelf filter

+/- 15dB gain

4 selectable frequencies: 8kHz, 10kHz, 12kHz, 15kHz

High medium bell filter

+/- 15dB gain

4 selectable frequencies: 3kHz, 5kHz, 7kHz, 9kHz

Low mid range bell filter

+/- 15dB d and gain

4 selectable frequencies: 250Hz, 500Hz, 1kHz, 2kHz

Low shelf filter

+/- 15dB gain

4 selectable frequencies: 50Hz, 80Hz, 100Hz, 150Hz

High pass filter

Cutoff frequency at 25Hz, 50Hz and 100Hz

-18dB / oct . Slope

distinct combinations of filter cutoff with unusual curves when 2 or 3 filters are combined

1 and 2 channel plug-in versions

3 modes stereo

Stereo link

Dual mono channels

Decoding / mid / side (M / S) encoding for advanced stereo processing

Meter Output Analog VU Indicator

3 Calibration Mode (-18dBFs, -12dBS, -8dBFs)

Analog Cut-Off LED Indicator

Comprehensive set of presets

High-end TAE® Analog Modeling