The Trident 56 and the four-band EQ it borrowed from the A-Range
The Trident 56 occupies a curious middle ground in console history. It is neither the legendary A-Range that defined British rock recording in the early 1970s nor a budget workhorse, and yet it carries a clear sonic DNA from its distinguished ancestor. The console introduced a four-band equaliser that was, in effect, a streamlined version of the A-Range's inductor-based tone shaping, and it did so at a price point that put the sound within reach of mid-sized studios. For engineers who never sat behind a full A-Range, the 56 offered the closest thing to that experience in a more compact frame.
In Australia, the Trident 56 found a particularly enthusiastic audience. Studios from Sydney's inner suburbs to Melbourne's industrial fringes integrated these desks during a period when the local industry was recording everything from pub rock to ambitious orchestral sessions. Decades later, surviving units continue to turn up in private rooms, in educational facilities run by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, and in the hands of engineers who treat the console as both a tool and a piece of cultural memory.
Origins of Trident and the A-Range legacy
Trident Audio Developments was founded in 1968 by Malcolm Toft and several colleagues who had grown impatient with the conservative offerings of established British console builders. Their first major product, the A-Range, arrived at a moment when rock music demanded bigger consoles with more channels and more characterful equalisation. The A-Range became famous for its three-band EQ, built around hand-wound inductors and discrete transistor stages that produced a sound engineers still struggle to replicate with software. Notable early adopters included facilities that worked with David Bowie, Queen, and countless other acts of the era.
As Trident's order book filled, the engineering team began to think about a more accessible follow-up. The result was a family of consoles that included the B-Range and, later, the 56. While the B-Range refined the layout and added a fourth EQ band, the 56 returned to the A-Range's tonal philosophy in a more compact, modular format. The four-band EQ that defines the 56 was, in essence, a practical answer to requests from studios who wanted the A-Range's musical curves but needed a desk that could fit into smaller control rooms.
For those studying the broader British console story, it is worth comparing the Trident approach to the Neve console heritage of the same period. Both companies offered inductor-based equalisation, but they voiced their circuits differently, and the cultural associations of the two brands diverged quickly as rock and pop production standardised around certain sonic ideals.
Designing the four-band EQ circuit
The 56's EQ is often described as an A-Range for the practical engineer. The top and bottom bands are shelving designs with fixed turnover frequencies, while the two mid bands are peak circuits with selectable centre frequencies. Unlike a fully parametric design, the bandwidths are not continuously variable, but they were voiced to behave musically across their ranges. Engineers who used the console often spoke about how the bands interacted: boosting one section tended to soften the response in adjacent areas, producing the kind of cohesion that discrete analogue circuits are known for.
The inductor coils were a defining feature. Winding them by hand was a labour-intensive process, and the tolerances of the components shaped the final sound. Trident's engineers chose specific core materials and winding ratios that gave the EQ a slightly softer top end than some competitors, which translated into a forgiving behaviour on vocals and acoustic instruments. The four-band topology allowed more surgical moves than the A-Range's three-band layout, particularly in the lower midrange where many sources accumulate muddiness.
EQ architecture compared across Trident generations
| Parameter | A-Range (1968) | B-Range (1973) | 56 (late 1970s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| EQ bands | 3 | 4 | 4 |
| High band | Shelving | Shelving | Shelving |
| Upper mid | Peak, fixed Q | Peak, switchable freq | Peak, switchable freq |
| Lower mid | Peak, fixed Q | Peak, switchable freq | Peak, switchable freq |
| Low band | Shelving | Shelving | Shelving |
| Inductor EQ | Yes | Yes | Yes (streamlined) |
| Typical frame size | 24–40 channels | 16–32 channels | 16–28 channels |
The comparison makes it clear that the 56 kept the structural philosophy of the B-Range while returning to the sonic priorities of the A-Range. For studios that wanted A-Range character with more flexible midrange control, the 56 was the logical compromise. The inductor-based EQ topology remained the sonic anchor, and the simplification of the circuit was more about manufacturing efficiency than a change in design intent.
Build quality and the signal path
The 56's signal path was a direct expression of late-1970s analogue design philosophy. The console relied on manual settings for every function, and engineers were expected to recall their mix settings by hand. This stood in contrast to the digitally controlled analogue consoles that emerged in the following decade. The Amek APC 1000 showed how manufacturers tried to add digital automation to analogue designs, but the 56 represented a purer approach to signal flow.
Beyond the equaliser, the 56 inherited several build traits from the A-Range. The console used discrete transistor circuitry throughout the signal path, with transformer-balanced inputs and outputs on many channels. Trident offered both transformer and electronically balanced output options, giving studios a choice based on their cabling infrastructure. The channel strip itself was laid out in a logical, top-down flow that engineers found intuitive even when compared to later designs.
The console's frame was considerably lighter than the A-Range, which had been a dense, heavy unit. This made the 56 easier to install in retrofit situations, including older buildings in cities like Sydney and Melbourne where floor loading could be a concern. The modular channel cards could be swapped relatively easily, which mattered for studios that needed to keep a console running for long sessions.
The Trident 56 in Australian studios
Australia's studio landscape in the 1980s was a mixture of international flagships and locally owned independents. Studios 301 in Sydney, long established as one of the Southern Hemisphere's premier facilities, worked with a range of consoles during this period, and similar rooms in Melbourne such as Sing Sing and Rhinoceros Studios integrated Trident desks into their workflow. These facilities handled an extraordinary range of local repertoire, from the polished pop of the ARIA Awards circuit to independent releases that circulated through the country's live scene.
Engineers in these rooms developed reputations for coaxing specific sounds from their consoles. A 56 was often described as having a rounder bottom end than some of its competitors, which suited the warmer aesthetic favoured in certain Australian productions. For vocal sessions, the four-band EQ allowed engineers to manage proximity effect on close-miked sources without losing the air that listeners expected from recordings of the period. The console's vocal character has suited a wide range of traditions, from folk to contemporary pop, and similar attention to lyrical delivery shapes productions as varied as the heartfelt song lyrics that define much of South Asian cinema.
The desk also appeared in educational settings. Universities with audio production programs, including institutions in Brisbane and Adelaide, occasionally acquired second-hand 56s for teaching purposes. The console's straightforward architecture made it a useful pedagogical tool, and many engineers who later worked on Australian film and television projects first encountered analogue topology through a Trident. Licensing arrangements with APRA AMCOS shaped the kind of work that flowed through these studios. The equaliser's gentle handling of acoustic sources also made it well suited to folk-influenced recordings, and the broader tradition of acoustic and roots music has long been documented in studies of Appalachian folk song origins, which share with Australian folk recording a preference for honest, uncoloured capture.
Modern reissues and DAW integration
The original Trident 56 was out of production for many years, but interest in the design remained strong. Parts of the original circuit have been revived in various forms, including modern kits and small-format consoles that borrow the EQ topology. The current market also includes second-hand units, with prices in the Australian market typically reflecting condition, channel count, and the presence of original transformers.
Engineers who want the 56's character in a modern workflow often pair the original desk with a DAW, using the console for tracking and initial EQ while handling recall and automation in software. The four-band EQ lends itself well to this hybrid approach because its curves are broad and forgiving, leaving detail work to plug-ins. For those interested in building a modular console from vintage API, Neve, and SSL modules, the guide offers a useful overview of how the different British EQ traditions can coexist in a single room.
Power supply and grounding considerations matter when installing older Tridents. Australian electrical standards require careful attention to mains configuration, and older consoles sometimes need their power transformers rewound or replaced to meet current ACMA-aligned practices for studio installations. Working with a technician familiar with both vintage electronics and local compliance is often the safest approach.
Practical notes for prospective owners
- Listen to the inductors. A console with healthy EQ transformers will have the characteristic weight and air that defines the 56; failed inductors are expensive to re-wind.
- Check the power supply capacitors. Original units are now decades old, and Australian importers often recommend a full recap before regular use.
- Inspect the channel cards for oxidation. The modular design makes individual cards serviceable, but edge connectors need cleaning and occasional replating.
- Verify transformer options. Some 56s shipped with output transformers and some without, and the difference in signal character is significant enough to influence purchase decisions.
- Plan for DAW integration. A patch bay and a clean summing approach help the 56 sit comfortably alongside a modern workstation without becoming a bottleneck.
The Trident 56 stands as a reminder that a well-designed analogue console can outlive several generations of digital alternatives. Its four-band EQ, derived from the A-Range but tailored for more practical use, gives the desk a character that remains difficult to emulate in software. For Australian engineers, it represents a particular moment when local studios were equipped to compete with the best in the world, and the surviving units are worth preserving not just as museum pieces but as working tools. Explore the rest of the site for deeper histories of the consoles that shaped recorded music, and consider subscribing to stay informed about new technical deep-dives and studio features.