The Trident 24 Series and the Legacy of the A-Range

The Trident 24 occupies an important place in the history of British recording consoles. It arrived after the celebrated Trident A-Range, carrying forward the earlier desk’s musical equalisation, compact signal-path thinking, and hands-on workflow while offering more channels and a more practical studio format.

The A-Range became famous through Trident Studios in London, where its distinctive EQ and punchy preamps were used on records by artists including David Bowie, Elton John, and Queen. The later 24 Series was aimed at a wider professional market, giving commercial rooms a substantial console without the cost and complexity of the flagship design.

For Australian engineers, these desks remain especially interesting because the local second-hand market often rewards serviceable, characterful analogue equipment. A Trident 24 found in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, or Adelaide may have passed through several voltage conversions, console relocations, and custom modifications before reaching its present studio.

The relationship between the two consoles is best understood as a design lineage rather than a simple copy. The 24 Series adapted the A-Range’s approach to equalisation and routing for a larger channel count, more flexible studio operation, and changing expectations around multitrack recording. Its place among great consoles comes from that balance of personality and practicality.

From The A-Range To A Larger Studio Desk

The Trident A-Range emerged in the early 1970s from the recording culture surrounding Trident Studios. Its reputation was built around a bold, immediate sound and an equaliser that invited decisive tonal shaping. Engineers could make a noticeable change quickly, often without the cautious, highly surgical approach associated with later digital processing.

Its input modules typically combined microphone amplification, filtering, a four-band equaliser, auxiliary sends, routing, and fader control in a logical vertical strip. The circuitry was designed for direct access: each important function was physically present on the channel rather than hidden behind layers of switching or shared controls.

The Trident 24 retained this channel-strip philosophy while increasing the available input count. That change mattered in an era when 16- and 24-track tape machines were becoming standard in commercial rooms. A larger console allowed more microphones, returns, overdub sources, and monitoring paths to remain connected at once.

This was the central influence of the A-Range: the 24 was conceived as an engineer’s instrument, not simply a collection of preamps feeding a recorder. Its architecture supported fast decisions during tracking and mixing, with a layout that encouraged users to work by touch and visual memory.

Equalisation As The Main Family Resemblance

The strongest sonic connection between the two series is the equaliser. The A-Range’s four-band section used broad, musical curves, with high- and low-frequency sections complemented by two swept midrange bands. This arrangement made it possible to add presence, weight, or clarity while retaining a sense of cohesion across multiple channels.

The 24 Series followed the same broad concept. Its EQ was designed for shaping sources in context rather than displaying extreme technical precision. A kick drum could gain weight, a vocal could move forward, or a guitar could lose an unpleasant concentration in the upper mids with relatively small control movements.

That does not mean every Trident 24 sounds identical to an A-Range. Component revisions, transformer options, power-supply condition, calibration, and decades of repairs all influence the result. Individual modules can also vary more than modern engineers expect, particularly when a console has been heavily used or modified.

The important inheritance is the response and the workflow. Both desks reward broad boosts and cuts, careful listening, and a willingness to commit during recording. Engineers familiar with the A-Range often recognise the 24’s ability to make equalisation feel integrated with the source rather than pasted on afterwards.

Routing, Buses, And Multitrack Practice

The A-Range was closely associated with a recording method in which channel paths, groups, effects returns, and tape tracks were managed from a single physical surface. The Trident 24 extended that idea for larger sessions. Its routing and bus structure were intended to support multitrack recording, subgroup mixing, foldback, and overdubbing without constant repatching.

This made the 24 attractive to project studios and commercial facilities that needed a serious tracking desk but did not require the scale of a large-format flagship console. Its controls could be reached quickly, and the relationship between input channels, group buses, and master sections was clear enough for fast session work.

The design also reflected the limitations of analogue tape. Noise, headroom, track count, and tape-machine alignment all shaped mixing decisions. A console with strong bus architecture helped engineers organise those constraints, summing drums, instruments, and backing vocals into manageable groups before they reached the recorder or stereo master.

Compared with a modern DAW, the 24 can seem restrictive. There are fewer instant recalls, no unlimited routing matrix, and no ability to duplicate a channel with a mouse click. Yet those limits encouraged commitment. A producer had to decide whether a sound needed more low midrange, less ambience, or a different balance before the session moved on.

The Sound Of Components And Condition

The Trident sound cannot be reduced to a single EQ curve. Microphone preamplifiers, line amplifiers, transformers, fader electronics, mix buses, and the power supply all contribute to the impression of weight and density. Headroom is also important: a healthy desk can feel open and forceful, while a poorly maintained one may sound dull, noisy, or unstable.

This is why engineers continue to debate the character of classic analogue equipment. Discussions of Quad-Eight character are relevant here: the appeal is often a combination of circuit behaviour, transformer interaction, operating level, and the way a desk responds when several channels are driven together.

The 24 Series is generally valued for a firm, musical presentation rather than extreme transparency. It can give drums authority, help electric guitars occupy a dense arrangement, and make vocals feel connected to the track. The effect is often most convincing across a complete mix, where multiple channels contribute small amounts of colour.

Maintenance determines whether those qualities remain useful. In Australia, a prospective buyer should budget for freight, GST, specialist servicing, and the possibility that a console imported from the United Kingdom will need attention to its 240-volt power arrangements. Local technicians who understand vintage audio are more valuable than a low purchase price.

Working With A Trident 24 And A DAW

A restored Trident 24 can fit naturally into a contemporary hybrid studio. A common arrangement sends DAW outputs to the console’s line inputs, uses the desk for analogue summing and outboard integration, then records the stereo return back into the workstation. Individual channels can also be used for tracking vocals, drums, synthesizers, or electric guitars.

The workflow differs from an in-the-box mix. The engineer must label physical channels, document patching, and leave room for recall notes. Hardware inserts and effects returns need a clear normalled patchbay, while converter I/O must be planned around the console’s actual bus and monitor structure.

Automation is another major difference. The original desk relies on manual fader moves and written settings, although a DAW can provide repeatable level automation before or after the console. This hybrid approach gives the computer precision while retaining the Trident’s tactile controls and analogue summing behaviour. The contrast with later digitally controlled systems can be seen in the Amek Einstein, which represented a very different answer to the problem of console recall.

For an Australian studio, room design can be as important as the electronics. A 24-channel frame still needs substantial floor space, stable mains distribution, ventilation, and access for servicing. In a compact Melbourne facility or a converted Sydney warehouse, the console’s physical depth and the position of the patchbay may determine whether the system remains enjoyable to use.

Comparing The Two Trident Approaches

The A-Range and 24 Series share a family resemblance, but they served different commercial and technical needs. The A-Range was closely tied to Trident Studios and its distinctive recording identity. It is admired as a landmark design whose rarity and historical associations have increased its desirability.

The 24 Series broadened the concept. Its larger channel count made it better suited to general-purpose studios, while its A-Range-inspired EQ preserved much of the earlier desk’s appeal. The later console was less about exclusivity and more about giving working engineers a flexible analogue surface for everyday sessions.

Feature Trident A-Range Trident 24 Series
Primary role High-profile studio recording and mixing desk Larger, more broadly deployable professional console
Channel philosophy Compact, highly characterful channel strip Expanded channel count with related operating logic
Equalisation Four-band, musical and fast to use A-Range-influenced four-band approach with practical revisions
Typical workflow Tracking, overdubbing, and mix decisions at the desk Multitrack recording, subgrouping, mixing, and hybrid integration
Modern appeal Rarity, history, and distinctive sonic identity Usable analogue workflow, channel capacity, and character
Main risk today Scarcity, restoration cost, and inconsistent condition Size, servicing requirements, recall limitations, and modifications

Neither model should be treated as a guaranteed sound-effect machine. A well-maintained 24 can be more useful than a neglected A-Range, particularly for a studio that needs reliable daily operation. Conversely, a superb A-Range module may deliver a level of immediacy that makes it worth using as a front-end even when a full console is impractical.

Practical Considerations For Buyers And Studios

The lasting achievement of the Trident 24 is that it translated the A-Range’s expressive priorities into a more scalable studio tool. It preserved the emphasis on broad equalisation, clear signal flow, and hands-on decisions while responding to the demands of larger multitrack productions.

For engineers in Australia, owning or using one is a commitment to a particular way of working. It involves space, maintenance, careful gain staging, and a willingness to document settings, but it can also turn tracking and mixing into a more physical, deliberate process. Explore the Trident family, compare restored examples, and let the desk become part of a reliable hybrid workflow rather than a museum piece.