TRIDENT s20 Dual Stereo Mic Preamp s80 Console Channel Strip 00854
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Description
This is a really rare Trident s20 dual microphone preamplifier in excellent condition (more pics below). Made in the early 2000s, these were based on the preamps found the the Trident s80 consoles. Though not a tube preamp, it exhibits some real warmth, especially when pushed. These are known to excel on drums and are able to easily handle high transients. One of its most unique features is each channel allows for two inputs (mic or line) with A/B switching between the sources on the front panel. So you could put two different mics on a snare drum or a singer and instantly preview the sound of each mic with the turn of a knob. REALLY handy time saver. You might not think so, but I found myself using this all the time to easily figure which mic to use on a source. And its low cut filter is nicely tuned. Found it very useful.
Other features include:
+60db of gain
XLR ins / XLR and TRS outs
Switchable voltage on back panel
Variable low-cut filter
Bottom line is this preamp handles anything and sounds great on everything. Want warm male vocals?--covered. Great tom or snare sounds--done. Excellent on guitars and bass as well. Sounds great with both dynamic and condenser mics. Look it's Trident--enough said. This listed at $1999 in year 2000, a good chunk of change 20 years ago. It's got the pedigree being designed by the old master, John Oram. Side bonus, its grey aluminum face looks very smart in a rack. I took a pic in the dark showing its menacing orange glow, plus a row of LEDs light up very bright when signal hits. Plays well with +4 and -10 equipment. All controls are stepped for easy recall of settings. Comes with AC cable. (See product review at bottom of the page.) I may end auction early if it sells elsewhere. Thanks for looking!
What You Get
-- FREE USA shipping.
-- 30-day return policy.
-- Ship within 1 business day--pro packing
Manufacturer Info
The Trident S20 Dual Mic Preamp has an input selector that switches between mic and line or 2 mics, a great feature for instantly comparing which mic is really the best for a particular job. Switch reverses the phase of the input signal. 48V phantom power for condenser mics. Gain swing ranges from a true unity to +60dB without any pad. Variable-sweep, low-cut filter controls lows from 5Hz-200Hz that can muddy a mike. It removes stage and floor rumble, takes out subsonic interference, and improves the HF performance of the signal by the elimination of LF intermodulation distortions.
Features
Input selector switches between mic and line or 2 mics
Phase reverse the input signal with one switch
+48V phantom power for condenser mikes
Gain swing of the pre is from true unity to +60dB without any pad
After the pre, the variable sweep low-cut filter controls lows that can muddy a mike easily
From 5Hz to 200Hz, remove stage or floor rumble, take out sub-sonic interference, and improve HF performance of the signal by elimination of LF
Packing
I use quality boxes, thick bubble wrap, and peanuts to pack guitars. I have a very high rate of successful shipping (meaning few damaged instruments). I have been doing this 10 years and know how to pack well--with or without a hard case. I wrote a detailed story with photos on how I pack a guitar, which you can find on my StillKickinMusic site blog. If you Google "THERE IN ONE PIECE...How to Pack a Guitar" you will find it. Thanks.
Review (Pro Sound News)
Key Features: Two-channel, two inputs per channel, phantom power, phase reversal and a high-pass filter available on each channel
Price: $1,999
Plus
+ Two inputs per channel
+ Accepts mic or line level
+ Accepts -10 dBV and +4 dBu equipment
+ Sound quality
Minus
– Emits a substantial pop when phantom power is engaged
The Score: The Trident S20 Dual Microphone Preamp is a well-made, high-fidelity device with looks to kill. Among the few true blue bloods in the history of audio recording is Trident. Founded in 1972 with such people as Malcolm Toft and John Oram behind the design and fabrication, you can understand why many studios relied on this sweet yet muscular console, and why the top 40 was packed with the products of those sessions. Trident Audio Development Ltd. changed hands in 1999 and was renamed Trident Audio Limited; John Oram is at the helm and has aggressively resumed manufacturing consoles and components.
Features
The single RU Trident S20 Dual Microphone Preamplifier ($1,999) is one such example; it is the same preamp module as can be found on the Trident Series 80 console. Uniquely, there are two inputs per channel with an input selector that allows A/B switching between two microphones, a great feature for comparing which mic is really the best for that particular job. The gain knob is stepped; phase reversal and 48V phantom power buttons peek through the anodized aluminum faceplate; gain swing is from a true unity to +60 dB without any pad, allowing for use with mic and line level from both -10 dBV to +4 dBu equipment.
After the pre, a variable sweep low-cut controls from 5 Hz to 200 Hz, taking out subsonic interference. Finally, 10 bright purple, one white (at unity) and one red (overload) LEDs per channel divulge input volume. The internal power supply can be switched between 110V and 230V. Add to that a two-year warranty, and I find my salivary glands stimulated.
Under the sturdy wrap-around steel case lie sealed pots (both a blessing and a curse -dirt cannot get in as easily, but if it does it cannot be flushed out). Input jacks accept XLR and output jacks offer both XLR and TRS, all securely bolted to the back panel. Like little sentries at attention, two rows (one for each channel) of orange LEDs rise up off the circuit board and hang in mid-air. The faceplate of the preamp has a vent-like panel with a translucent sheet of white plastic behind it that diffuses the light given off by these LEDs. They glow slightly when the device is on, and light up brightly when the channel is overdriven into distortion. While functionally redundant (there is a bright red LED on the horizontal peak meter that reveals overload), as you can imagine this feature had me overloading the channel regularly just to enjoy the light show.
In Use
OK, enough about beauty; let’s see if it is more than skin deep. I ran a stock U87 simultaneously through the Trident S20, a Millennia Media HV-3D, an API 512b, a Studer MicValve D19 Series, a Focusrite Red series, and just to be tough, a Telefunken V76/80 tube preamp. Since my investigation was not a shootout, I will not spend time comparing units. Self-noise of the S20 is ultralow, with the exception of a powerful pop that occurs when phantom is engaged.
My first test was on an acoustic guitar; the Trident was warm and full. I wish the high-pass filter was a semiparametric, allowing me either shelf or bell curve, but it worked well as designed. I found the low-frequency rolloff helpful for recordings that go directly into the recorder. A distinguishing feature of the Trident sound is a warm clarity without harshness, and this product holds true to that. My next test was on a snare drum, and here the mic pre really shines. It is capable of withstanding extreme transients. Pushing the preamp harder and harder until the unit went into distortion (love those orange overload LEDs!), I found the S20 had plenty of headroom. Acoustic piano was big sounding – the performer played high-register, high-volume staccato runs followed by powerful eight-note chords, and the Trident handled them both easily. On lead vocals, the Trident was warmer than the Millennia and more like the Telefunken, so Trident’s boast of sounding “tube-like” is accurate.
The A/B feature (two inputs on each channel), which at first seemed like a novelty, proved to be quite useful in selecting the mics for my recording. Hooking up two brands of microphones coincidentally and being able to listen to one or the other with the flick of a switch makes the S20 an excellent evaluation tool. Yes, I know this can be done with two channels of a console, but with the S20 the signal goes through identical circuitry, making the tests more scientifically accurate.
Summary
Straight-forward engineering, coupled with John Oram’s delight in designing flashy displays (the passion lights are beautiful!) makes the Trident S20 two-channel mic pre really stand out in your rack. At a mid-level price of $1,999, you are getting a real aristocrat of music history to make your own.
