- Each and every component carefully modeled
- Created together with original designer Professor Malcolm Toft
- EQ with a will of its own
Also included in Volume 6 Plug-in Collection
Outstanding sound, supreme value. Learn more
Equalizer / Console 1 Ready / Amp Room Ready
Trident A-Range
USD 99
The Trident A-Range equalizer is a legendary piece of equipment. Only thirteen A-Range consoles were ever made, but it remains a holy grail for sound engineers and producers around the world due to the list of classics that were originally recorded on the A-Range — David Bowie's Ziggy Stardust, records by Queen, Elton John, Rainbow, Metallica... the list goes on.
Sweet but edgy sound, and organic, musical interactions between the bands make this a more powerful companion than it may seem. Balance guitars, vocals, drums, and much more, with the rare and raw sound of Trident.
Happy accidents welcome
The Trident A-Range is not only a tremendously nice sounding and highly characteristic equalizer. Its four frequency bands also have a way of integrating in sometimes rather unpredictable ways. More often than not you will find that the equalizer ends up giving you something even better than you may have expected when you made a certain setting.
Be creative!
The Trident A-Range is more of a musical instrument than a strictly scientific tool. We think this is one of the major reasons it has been used on so many great classic rock albums and why it's still one of the most coveted pieces of audio equipment around.
This product supports
Extended Features
We love VU meters, Bakelite knobs, and analog quirks. But we want modern precision and workflow. The answer? Softube Extended Features. Easy-access panels with the innovations you need close at hand.
"I am pleased to say that this is an incredibly accurate software recreation of my original A-Range design."
Original designer of the A-Range console at Trident Audio Developments
Console 1 Ready
This plug-in can be used within Console 1, our mixing system. Click to learn more.
A legendary piece of equipment
Only thirteen A-Range consoles were ever built, and the Softube plug-in version is a very exact model of channel 15 of the Trident A-Range at Sweet Silence Studio 'B' in Denmark. This is producer Flemming Rasmussen's favorite channel for recording lead vocals. Flemming also used it for the solo and rhythm guitars on Metallica's 'Ride The Lightning' and 'Master of Puppets', as well as Ritchie Blackmore's guitar on the Rainbow albums 'Difficult to Cure' and 'Bent out of Shape'.
Four bands, endless possibilities
The A-Range channel features four bands of equalization plus high and low pass filters. By driving the console hot, it is possible to get it to distort with a hairy and effective saturation that is just right in some situations, and just wrong in others! We added a separate Saturation control to let you choose easily. Turn it down for clean (and less CPU draw), and up for the sound of a Trident A-Range hard at work.
"When I tried the Softube Trident A-Range equalizer plug-in for the first time, a big smile came upon my face. It was just like getting my desk back again. It sounds exactly as I'm used to hearing the EQ."
Producer/Mixer/Engineer, Metallica, Richie Blackmore, Morbid Angel, Blind Guardian etc.
Awards & reviews
"Yet more great virtual analogue hardware from Softube, this is emulation done right."
4.5/5
Computer Music / MusicRadar
READ FULL REVIEW
4.5/5
Computer Music / MusicRadar
READ FULL REVIEW
"As ever, the engineers at Softube have applied their usual meticulous approach, so if you're a fan of the original Trident EQ, you're sure to like what they've done."
Sound On Sound
READ FULL REVIEW
Sound On Sound
READ FULL REVIEW
"The clear, natural sound of the records that it was used on in the '70s is readily apparent."
4/5
Resident Advisor
READ FULL REVIEW
4/5
Resident Advisor
READ FULL REVIEW
Amp Room Ready
This plug-in can be used within Amp Room, Softube's pro audio guitar & bass platform. Click to learn more.
In short
- Console 1 Ready: works as a native plug-in and in Softube Console 1, our mixing ecosystem. Learn more about Console 1
- Amp Room Ready: works as a native plug-in and as a module in Amp Room, our pro audio guitar platform. Learn more about Amp Room
- EQ with a will of its own
- Created together with original designer Professor Malcolm Toft
- Each and every component carefully modeled
- Saturation control
- Very CPU friendly
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System requirements
- Monterey 12, Ventura 13, Sonoma 14
- Windows 10 (64-bit), Windows 11
- Softube account
- iLok account
- Computer with AU, VST, VST3 and/or AAX compatible DAW host software
- Internet access (for downloading installers and managing licenses)
Read full System Requirements and our Terms and Conditions