Throw the video on 4k for best listening experience, and share the video with a family member who needs this today. Love you guys. Oh and Preamp 1 is Warm and Preamp 2 is trident.
I'm a gear junkie and have worked mostly with analog mixers and gear doing live sound for a band and then in churches. I got out of that before the digital gear took off, but I'm super impressed with the sound coming from both. Those preamps are awesome, but I love the Trident sound a little more. Great job Andrew. Just found your channel from Rhett Shoal's. Subbed🎸
When I was younger and coming up at Sound Kitchen here in Nashville (where we had an SSL 4000G, API Legacy Plus as well as a Neve 88VR) an engineer/producer once told me about something called "Slew Rate". He explained to me that the Slew Rate was how fast the preamp was able to reproduce transients (basically), the quick and dirty he told me was that at Sound Kitchen, the API was mega fast, the Neve was the slowest and the SSL was somewhere in the middle. I've learned over the years and the Trident is EVEN SLOWER, I talked to the owner of Tiny Tape room here in Nashville and he told me their Trident is modded to sound more like an API because he told me that after a while the previous owner of the console was tired of everything sounding so "slow" and having so much low-end. I think we are hearing the Slew Rate of the two preamps here more than anything, because the Trident drums sound like they almost have a little bit more "compression" (if you wanna call it that) across the whole kit, whereas the Warm 1073s sound faster, bright and more "modern." Super amazing video Andrew!!!
I identify as having watched this video - and I’d like to say I feel both traumatized by how delightful the drums sounded and also bewildered by how brash your assessment of the trident preamps was. I was EQUALLY as brash! The tridents reign supreme like a kingly clam on the ocean floor.
Guess I'm the lone ranger here but I prefer the Warm Audio sound. Especially on the snare. Side note...I thought it was funny how the Trident accentuated the ring in the snare.
I like warm audio as i use 500 series pres on all my toms and wa tone Beast on snare bottom pluss wa 73 eq on kit but love get some 500 series trident eqs in my studio. I also just taken my 52 channel mixing console out my recording studio
Same boat. Trident seemed to cut through the mix better without EQ, but the overall sound and specially the snare, sounded more pleasing and full on the Warm Audio.
Starting at 8:19 if you listen to the low end in the kick drum and compare between the two pres, the Warm Audio pres have a slightly “saturated” sound to the decay on the kick drum. The transformers are definitely adding a nice “fuzz” or “growl” to the kick. Where the Trident preamps provide a more “straight forward” sound of the kick. You can also hear how the Warm Audio preamps tend to “sit back” ever so slightly compared to the Trident preamps. Especially once the room mics are in at 8:42 This is great to give things more “girth” or “weight” or have elements “pop” forward more depending on the preamps you use. Because they affect the frequency ranges differently, you can mix and match to make elements in a mix naturally stick out compared to the rest, or even create subtle shifts moving from verse to chorus. Very fun stuff to mess with and get creative!
I would definitely go all Trident, sounds great! There’s also something to be said about having a cohesive sound for a recording, getting the all glued together feel of everything going through one set of preamps, just like they used to do it! Thanks for the video!
The sound for this song goes to the warms. The trident is a more rounded sound so it’s very pleasing to the ear, but the feel I’m getting from the warms.
I like both a lot. Really liked how the trident handles the low end in both the kick and the snare. The overall picture sounded more lively to my ear with the warm. Both are fantastic.
Hey Andrew, I noticed what you said about the low end. I wouldn't describe it as hitting harder. It's just much snappier and tighter. I loved them through the trident. Very pleasing sound!
i have seen every video since the first one you upload , and i can hear your drum sound evolution , better every time , congrats and thanks for this demo , blessings
Very good comparison. I’d like to see a version where you mix with EQ, and see the results based on how the EQs inspire the end product. At this price point, the Trident is getting pretty interesting for me.
Trident Pre'sare instantly recognisable. You can use either pre amps for drums, you can't go wrong, but Tridents do sound rather spectacular on percussive elements. From the track comparisons, you can hear the "vintagness" if that is even word, on the Warms. I mean, that's what they are supposed to do anyway! And this comparison in a strange way highlighted that wonderful aspect of their pres, they do exacly what they are supposed to do, as do the Tridents. Two different flavours from two amazing pre amps. Lovely!
I think I prefer the Warm Audio. The Trident seemed to have more low end, but the Warm had a more shimmery top to me. I tend to like my music on the brighter side though. So it's sort of a matter of taste and the way your ears work. Also, the Tridents sounded better on the sections that were heavier with cymbals because of the rolled-off top end. So I can see the Warm initially feeling more exciting to me, but the Tridents growing on me over time.
Crazy tonal change when AB soloing the drums. Trident feels more full in low mid and gives that snare more punch. The 73 is a little more top end oriented, but still sounds great
Man, the Trident squeezed down on the length of the transients in an extremely pleasant way. Listen to the length on that kick drum in each comparison. Sick console, dude~
It's the Tridents faster slew rate because of the higher impedance, the Tridents have a higher impedance which equates to a more open sound. While the Neve style preamps use a lower impedance around 600 to 1200 ohms which lengthens the note but also squashes the transient due to the slower slew rate. Good ears that you noticed that. Cheers!
the guy rules at tracking drums. id like to hear him mic up a kit with some distant room mics in a large room. i did my albums drums at AIR in london which has a big room, ill bet andrew would kick ass in that studio
This is excellent and we need more like this. They both sound great and In the context of the track . Really impressed with both versions..........well done indeed.
Trident definitely had more overall punch, I would imagine that the warm audio with the added eq would cut through, but overall, you are good. You can have the kick and toms go through the Trident, and the warm can be snare and cymbals ... the options are so many .. sick rig !!!
Great video Andrew. I have a Trident 68, as well as API 3124V’s, Vintech 73’s, Pacificas, etc. I was shocked at how much I liked the Trident Pres too. Now I always use some of that Eq on the way in but particularly like what they do to toms. I agree about the “round” sound. Really present yet controlled low end, punchy mids (not API punchy but..) and detailed highs.
Nice. I used to have a Trident Trimix, API 3124 and Vintech 473 (plus a smathering of others isa 428, chandler germanium, UA LA 610, True Systems prec 8) For drums id almost always go API on snare/kick in and OHs.. the rest split between the 473 and Trident (I had bought all the redundancy pres before getting the console) It was still nice to have 34/35 pre's to choose from even though my Antelope interface only had 32 inputs and I rarely went over 25 inputs at a time, Though id go ape micing drums at time and have over 20 mics on a 5 piece. (scratch 2 x Guitars, 1 x Bass was how U was getting up the 25 tracks at once)
8:50 Warm Audio sounds more open and wide, while Trident sounds like there is phasing issues (but there is not) - huge frequency response difference when WA benefits. At least at my room
For me it was most clear on the snare. The trident sounded woody but lacked the snap. On the warm audio I got a really strong snap sound but less of the woody character. Both are super usable but different. Love the content!
Man that first comparison in the mix context really showed the difference. The Warms definitely had what I would call a generic radio ready sound, but once the trident kicked, it just clicked, I could hear the singer in my head instantly and the song really had this "old dirt roads" vibe
The Warm Audio WA-412 are the preamps that would be a much closer comparison to the Trident pre's than the WA73. The console preamps are punchier in this instance, because they are definitely cleaner in relationship to saturation/distortion. Distortion removes the peaks of the transients, which is what a 1073 is doing. To get 1073's punchy they have to be dialed low on gain, high on trim/fader. The Trident is much closer to an API or even a Focusrite console than a Neve sound.
When I heard your drum tones I had to subscribe. Really impressed with the sound you get at a home studio. I know those mics aren't the cheapest, but they're not expensive either. You have obviously spent some time fine tuning that setup!
Great video! I love the comparison. I LOVE my WA73-EQ and use it on all guitar, bass, vocals and (most all) drums. Paired with the WA76, I don't think you can beat it for the price. I also always have the Bus-Comp and EQP's on my master bus... pure magic.
Man your drum sound is just first class man! Seriously! That kit, those mics, you've really honed an amazing sound! The tridents sounded like I expected them to, a bit posher, more hi fi and smooth! (I'm a big fan of trident pres!!) The warms are a bit edgier, bit more bite in the 1-3k region and leaner on the bottom. I do think its a bit of a shame you didn't hit the rooms on the trident pres input a bit harder, that woulda balanced out the end result a bit. I think the ULTIMATE combo would be to use the trident pre's for everything EXCEPT kick in and snare top. I would love to hear the warms on snare top and kick in with trident on everything else. I think that will give that upper mid bite that 73s are known for and the tridents can shine on all the detailed smooth stuff... rooms, overheads etc. PS.... how do you set pre levels and play the kit at the same time?! lol
Not sure oif it's the TH-cam compession but I'm liking the Warms over the Trident. Both are great though and I'd be happy with either. Hmm, I think I'n still considering the wall of Warms for my setup... From freakishly chilly and wet Ireland! ☘💪🏽👀👍🏽☘
Warm audio sounds more compressed which I take to be a 73 pre trait. The snare rings out more and the whole sound is brighter with a little less beef. The trident is a little darker and more meaty with less snare rattle ring out. They both sound great, but to me the 73 sounds like it already mixed. Great video, and very much a matter of preference rather than better or worse
Agreed…The Warm gave the drums an open sound and the Trident seemed masked in all frequencies. Yes, the Trident sounded thinker, but that was from hiding the upper mids and highs from my ears. I don’t own Warm pres either…smile. If I had the Trident track, I would have to drop some lows and boost the highs to fit in the mix and no obfuscate the bass and other instruments on the mids and lows. Toward the end of the video when you played the kit without overheads, I could hear definition on the snare with the Warms and the Trident covered up the transients…just my ears.
I was really surprised by the comments. To me there was no comparison between the two. The Trident Pres were in a completely different league than the Warm Pres. I think it might become more obvious to your viewers if you did the exact same comparison recording vocals. Years ago I came into a little extra cash and decided to buy a couple of Vintech x73i Pres (faithful recreations of the Neve 73s). I completely expected to return them, expecting there was no way they could sound that much better, given the price difference. I was absolutely stunned at the difference in clarity, warmth and fatness. Given that most songs consist of dozens of tracks, the cumulative difference is huge. There's a reason why the most iconic recordings from bands like the Beatles, Pink Floyd and Steely Dan, just to name a few, have been recorded through these Hi-end preamps like Neve, Trident and others. They're simply sound the best, by far. Great Video.
Both sound so good... I find the Warm sounds a little more "open" on the snare. That's pretty much the only place I spot a noticeable difference. I prefer the Warm's clarity... great video and such a killer drum sound!
Great video! However it sounds like there might have been a phase issue with on the snare on the Warm pres. Could be a bad patch cable or a switch. Pre's can make a big difference as we heard but that snare sound change was a bit greater that I would expect.
The price point on the Trident is excellent. The LED metering vs VUs and absence of transformers on that model make it a more affordable option to the 78 and 88.
My brother was a drummer, I grew up listening to him bang for hours daily, then I went to Peabody Institute and heard great percussionists playing kits. I like both, I can hear where both would be great. The Trident, to me and my experience as a listener, sounds more accurate. Someone who knows what they're doing can take the tracks from either, run them through certain pieces of gear and get something quite similar to the other, so we're really talking about one thing, efficiency. Is what you're hearing the fastest way to your destination. Either way, if you make 10% of the cost to own that piece of gear, using that piece of gear each month, you have succeeded - consoles make that extremely efficient.
The warms sound clearer and detailed. The trident sounds a little more hefty. 2 different sounds. Both sound great! I could use either and be happy for life!
The Warm was smoother sounding, richer in low mids. The Trident sounded more hi-fi and punchy, really defined low freqs. The snare really popped through on the Trident though. That’s what sold me. Different flavors :)
mic splitting is usually done by transformer or active circuit. Your method is changing impedance. The two preamps react differently to this condition.
The Warms have something extra in the high-end that I like a lot. They seem to bring your drumming forward in the mix. The Tridents sound great too. I'm happy you finally got your console!
It would be cool if you did a video comparing something like the Tascam Model 24 to your console. Obviously totally different, but you could educate those of us who don't understand the detailed difference. I think you'd do a great job illustrating the difference in quality, workflow, etc.
Totally excellent idea. I would also add the Soundcraft Signature MTK series, which have professional grade channels and are used by a lot of people out there. A comparison between these models would be ace.
I'm curious since the 1st preamp sounds like it has a low impedance like between 600 ohms to 1200 ohms and the 2nd preamp sounds like it is higher around 2000 ohms. The older Neve preamps had a switch for 2 different settings and the 600 ohms setting would squash a sound and this is what many people equate to the the Neve mic preamp sound but the internal switch doubled the input impedance for a cleaner less squashed sound. So the Neve style preamps had a more heavy slew sound that draws out the mid-range in most things while more modern preamps that range from around 2 kilo-ohm to around 5 kilo-ohms have a more polished linear quality that brings out the detail and has far less slew. An easy way to hear this in mic preamps is the darker more quote "squashed" something sounds in the overall tone on average the lower the impedance is, the more "sparkly & open" the higher the impedance.
Dude first A/B test I really liked the Trident, but when you added the (Warm) bus comp and eq I thought the Warm's were the winner! Such a tough thing to decide on though, and would be 100% satisfied with either setup!
Trident sounded more punchy, and Warm more... err... fluffy (but in a good way). I don't know if there's one better than the other. It's just different. I like the EQ's on a Trident, and have 4 modules in 500 series myself.
Hey @AndrewMasters, just keep reminding yourself (as I know you do) that this is all subjective. I preferred the WAs. But that's MY ear. I recorded two albums on Tridents years ago and loved it. But the WAs somehow, to my ear, manage to bring a little more air while maintaining luscious low-mids. Love what you do, and thank you for doing it. For the record, I watched initially with my eyes closed....I could definitely hear a difference. It's subtle and simultaneously remarkable. Like I said, subjective by nature.
Definitely going with the trident pre amps for sure. I love it and if if you listen closely 2 both takes the warm audio kick drums sound a little more boomy and open more so saturated the trident kick take sound a bit more punchy and clean. Pretty interesting.
Now for the technical test. Solo the paired channels, invert the phase and sum. Listen to the difference. You will need to match the levels for max cancellation. Actually this would be a great way to match the playback levels too. Add a “trim” plug and adjust for a perfect match. I can hear mix differences which will be construed as sonic differences.
Even on my iPad mini it’s very obvious! As a drummer and composer also my studio gets the same sort of use, except I don’t have a lovely trident 😢😢 Tama drums and a Yamaha O2r 96 desk and Dante. Clean enough for me, great video as always…. Cheers, Rob
Super comparison. Gotta go with the Warm though, and the final glue of the Warm on the Buss really brought it all together in a big way. Although I am really impressed by the Trident as well. Very happy to hear this comparison. I may be the world's biggest fan of the "Neve" sound, which Warm really brings home I think, but the Trident does sound like a great contender for a console solution, when considering costs and features. Using a console in recording at least in my mind ultimately is the glue for any recording, because all the tracks are given the same treatment "across the board". Thanks for producing this video.
The Trident sounds a bit brighter and more forward, but I can easily imagine there will be plenty of times with this particular kit, that you decide the Warms are more what is needed. Both sound very good, no reason to complain of either.
it sounds more connected, and in the same environment through the Trident. there’s something happening in the mid range. However, that’s interesting with the trident. There’s a certain frequency that gets wider I’m not necessarily certain that’s a good thing but it’s different. There’s a little more high-end sizzle in the 1073’s, but that could be fixed easily with the trident EQ. often times it’s better not to have the sizzle baked in.
When you mentioned cost of the Warm Audio pres, I think you may have misspoke and stated your costs (artists price) not what they list for at Sweetwater...
I don't know these sorts of electrical details but it would be interesting to know how the impedance of going to two mic preamps (rather than just one) changes the sound. If the impedance of the preamps aren't identical then the impedance changes might favor one over the other. A bigger issue for a dynamic mic than a condenser, too, which is maybe why we heard more instantly apparent differences in the kick/snare than in the overheads. To me, the Warms sounded a little like the transformers were soaking up the low end while the Tridents were letting everything through. Super interesting, though, that's for sure!
I’m only listening on AirPods, so gonna watch this at home in the studio later, but on first impression, 1 sounds like the WA-73’s. I have the non-EQ model and 1 reminded me of the same kind of harmonic distortion.
Owned my first Trident Series 65 (very similar to your 68) 25 years ago, still its my first choice when choosing a console. You cannot turn off a big Neve or SSL console without damage, need air condition for them, and in our days most of their featueres are no longer needed. These old TL071 OpAmps from the 80s by the way sound very different from your new ones, if you ever get the chance to buy an old batch, do not hesitate, pure mojo (Don't know if all the OpAmps are on sockets too on an 68). And when it comes to EQ clear winner is Trident, even when you have to learn to handle it, always sounds great. Trident Pres are fast, opposite to Neve, or more east coast than west coast sound. In our studio, we have an Golden Age 1073 clone, and soldered 2 CAPI VP28, but most of the time the Trident always wins. And Malcom Toft is a very nice guy.
Diferent types of PREs. both sound cool, TWO different color pallets basically, I'll use one for more crunchy sounding stuff, and the other when I want something more organic.
Shotgun mic to record voice at the desk, nice choice! TH-camrs typically use a lav or an LDC mic. The issue with an LDC is it has to be very close to the source. The issue with a lav is that they are typically rather poor mics, even the best of them, that tend to be "all about that mid" because the capsule is so small. A shotgun mic however, if used (placed and gain structured) properly will produce excellent audio without needing to be a few inches from the source.
It is an interesting comparison but I did not hear any discussion of the interaction of 2 parallel inputs effecting the response of the microphones used. It would have a greater effect on the response of the dynamic microphones however without isolation of the microphone Z from the inputs you've approximately halved the input Z of the preamps. There may also be interaction between input transformers and transformer output of the microphones. Also there would be additional effect of the added input wire. None of these factors may be significant but being unaddressed, they raise questions about the result.
Warm sounds more forward and bright, trident sounds darker and denser. I think Trident on kick and cymbals and warm on snare and toms would sound nice in this example.
On a pair of AKG 240 Mk ll's, the Warm 73's appeared not as "warm" but, they are aggressive and work towards a modern mix. The Trident's pres remind me of those consoles in the '70's golden age, that Nigel Olsson tracked in Elton John's band. Fat, pleasing and sitting well in the mix with a touch of punch. Nice to have both those options available, but I'd lean towards the Warm 73's in this day...
I would choose the Trident drum sound on anything rock, pop, and metal. That Warm sound would be great on indie, dream pop, and laid back stuff. Great choices for different vibes.
I think the Trident had a more focused low end and a faster transient, that's why when I hear it through my Focals it sounds snappier or more crack. but Man I love those Warms. both are great sounds.
Fantastic video, thanks a lot! Two different flavours for sure. The WA73 sounds a bit warmer, definitely has that vintage 73 vibe, whereas the Tridant sounds a little more clean and modern. Both sounds fantastic! Thanks for a great review.
One thing I will say about the WA73 is that there is a huuuge difference in the lows with the EQ section engaged (no moves) and the EQ off. That said, Trident consoles are super smooth and "musical". I feel like they are really underrated in the market.
Cool test! It really sounds like there are some phase issues between the single mics on the Warm examples though. Especially between the snare close mic and some other mics (overheads I guess).
Both sound good, but I feel like the 73s sound bigger, if that makes sense? Kinda like Dave Grohl’s drums on Nevermind (which admittedly was tracked on a Neve). There’s something about how 73-style pres treat drums that I just love
Excellent comparison. I'm struggling to hear any major tonal problems (perhaps some very slight differences, not better or worse either way), there are some level imbalances (more likely the difference between my monitors and yours). A very handy video for me as we're right in the middle of planning a full digital console swap with hardware outboard (we've found the lack of recall a growing problem in our analog desk).
The biggest difference I hear is on Trident pres the room mics trail decay ambiance faster than room mics on warm causing the overall drum sound to be cleaner and tighter on the trident for this particular drum groove and song. For another you might prefer the longer decay
Really good video. They both sound great in different ways. It all depends how they sit in the track. Choice is a great thing .......but it can also be a nightmare. Luck man.
Picking the trident Aswell, doesn't matter if the WA is punchier or more in the mid range, the question is how well does it sit in a full mix, the WA needed some tweeks eq wise, the Trident you barely need to touch it, it already blends with the rest beautifully, it's less work in the way out !
The Trident is more controlled and has more definition. The differences are probably greater if listening in the studio rather than through TH-cam's compression.
Well first, fantastic sounding drums and tuning! The Trident won for me, and I think having that cohesive console thing helps the cause. Something about the imaging felt more pleasing as well. Thanks for doing this video!
What you are hearing is the analog richness of a console that can’t be duplicated with “knock off” preamps like Warm and certainly not with plugins. Once I got my console, I finally realized what the old school guys were talking about. There is absolutely no comparison, especially when you spread out a session across 24/32 channels of a console
Throw the video on 4k for best listening experience, and share the video with a family member who needs this today. Love you guys.
Oh and Preamp 1 is Warm and Preamp 2 is trident.
Trident, it’s not even close...
My grandma says hi
waiting now for the eq engaged video
Coz I listen WITH MY EYES!!! 😂 Great shoot-out. #2 sounded more open and better fidelity, imho.
I'm a gear junkie and have worked mostly with analog mixers and gear doing live sound for a band and then in churches. I got out of that before the digital gear took off, but I'm super impressed with the sound coming from both. Those preamps are awesome, but I love the Trident sound a little more. Great job Andrew. Just found your channel from Rhett Shoal's. Subbed🎸
When I was younger and coming up at Sound Kitchen here in Nashville (where we had an SSL 4000G, API Legacy Plus as well as a Neve 88VR) an engineer/producer once told me about something called "Slew Rate". He explained to me that the Slew Rate was how fast the preamp was able to reproduce transients (basically), the quick and dirty he told me was that at Sound Kitchen, the API was mega fast, the Neve was the slowest and the SSL was somewhere in the middle. I've learned over the years and the Trident is EVEN SLOWER, I talked to the owner of Tiny Tape room here in Nashville and he told me their Trident is modded to sound more like an API because he told me that after a while the previous owner of the console was tired of everything sounding so "slow" and having so much low-end. I think we are hearing the Slew Rate of the two preamps here more than anything, because the Trident drums sound like they almost have a little bit more "compression" (if you wanna call it that) across the whole kit, whereas the Warm 1073s sound faster, bright and more "modern."
Super amazing video Andrew!!!
Huh?…i thought the warm sounded super compressed and trident was louder, clearer and. Snappier
I identify as having watched this video - and I’d like to say I feel both traumatized by how delightful the drums sounded and also bewildered by how brash your assessment of the trident preamps was. I was EQUALLY as brash! The tridents reign supreme like a kingly clam on the ocean floor.
and that's an understatement :)
Guess I'm the lone ranger here but I prefer the Warm Audio sound. Especially on the snare. Side note...I thought it was funny how the Trident accentuated the ring in the snare.
Trident just showed more details. Hands down, but I also preferred the warm audio on the drums.
agreed - I liked the WA's - really tightened up the SD nicely....
I like warm audio as i use 500 series pres on all my toms and wa tone Beast on snare bottom pluss wa 73 eq on kit but love get some 500 series trident eqs in my studio. I also just taken my 52 channel mixing console out my recording studio
I prefer the Warm too.
Same boat. Trident seemed to cut through the mix better without EQ, but the overall sound and specially the snare, sounded more pleasing and full on the Warm Audio.
Let’s be honest. Both sound fantastic! But i am definitely digging the Trident for sure!! awesome vid!!
Starting at 8:19 if you listen to the low end in the kick drum and compare between the two pres, the Warm Audio pres have a slightly “saturated” sound to the decay on the kick drum. The transformers are definitely adding a nice “fuzz” or “growl” to the kick. Where the Trident preamps provide a more “straight forward” sound of the kick.
You can also hear how the Warm Audio preamps tend to “sit back” ever so slightly compared to the Trident preamps. Especially once the room mics are in at 8:42
This is great to give things more “girth” or “weight” or have elements “pop” forward more depending on the preamps you use.
Because they affect the frequency ranges differently, you can mix and match to make elements in a mix naturally stick out compared to the rest, or even create subtle shifts moving from verse to chorus.
Very fun stuff to mess with and get creative!
I would definitely go all Trident, sounds great! There’s also something to be said about having a cohesive sound for a recording, getting the all glued together feel of everything going through one set of preamps, just like they used to do it! Thanks for the video!
The sound for this song goes to the warms. The trident is a more rounded sound so it’s very pleasing to the ear, but the feel I’m getting from the warms.
"feel" = W
he chose the trident because he paid big money for it
Def Warm took the W it sounds way more ALIVE
I like both a lot. Really liked how the trident handles the low end in both the kick and the snare. The overall picture sounded more lively to my ear with the warm. Both are fantastic.
Hey Andrew, I noticed what you said about the low end. I wouldn't describe it as hitting harder. It's just much snappier and tighter. I loved them through the trident. Very pleasing sound!
i have seen every video since the first one you upload , and i can hear your drum sound evolution , better every time , congrats and thanks for this demo , blessings
Very good comparison. I’d like to see a version where you mix with EQ, and see the results based on how the EQs inspire the end product. At this price point, the Trident is getting pretty interesting for me.
I liked the vibe and punch of the kick with the Trident but for the snare I liked the Warm.
My exact thoughts
Trident Pre'sare instantly recognisable. You can use either pre amps for drums, you can't go wrong, but Tridents do sound rather spectacular on percussive elements. From the track comparisons, you can hear the "vintagness" if that is even word, on the Warms. I mean, that's what they are supposed to do anyway! And this comparison in a strange way highlighted that wonderful aspect of their pres, they do exacly what they are supposed to do, as do the Tridents. Two different flavours from two amazing pre amps. Lovely!
I think I prefer the Warm Audio. The Trident seemed to have more low end, but the Warm had a more shimmery top to me.
I tend to like my music on the brighter side though. So it's sort of a matter of taste and the way your ears work. Also, the Tridents sounded better on the sections that were heavier with cymbals because of the rolled-off top end. So I can see the Warm initially feeling more exciting to me, but the Tridents growing on me over time.
It's really interesting you say that, I usually associate trident with shimmery hi end
Crazy tonal change when AB soloing the drums. Trident feels more full in low mid and gives that snare more punch. The 73 is a little more top end oriented, but still sounds great
I thought (through my car speakers) the Warm sounded bigger while the Trident sounded punchier. Both great depending on what fits the song.
Your comment pretty much sums up what I heard.
Man, the Trident squeezed down on the length of the transients in an extremely pleasant way. Listen to the length on that kick drum in each comparison. Sick console, dude~
It's the Tridents faster slew rate because of the higher impedance, the Tridents have a higher impedance which equates to a more open sound. While the Neve style preamps use a lower impedance around 600 to 1200 ohms which lengthens the note but also squashes the transient due to the slower slew rate. Good ears that you noticed that. Cheers!
im never not blown away how good your drums sound! Thanks for this video Andrew!
Here hear!
the guy rules at tracking drums. id like to hear him mic up a kit with some distant room mics in a large room. i did my albums drums at AIR in london which has a big room, ill bet andrew would kick ass in that studio
This is excellent and we need more like this. They both sound great and In the context of the track . Really impressed with both versions..........well done indeed.
Trident definitely had more overall punch, I would imagine that the warm audio with the added eq would cut through, but overall, you are good. You can have the kick and toms go through the Trident, and the warm can be snare and cymbals ... the options are so many .. sick rig !!!
Great video Andrew. I have a Trident 68, as well as API 3124V’s, Vintech 73’s, Pacificas, etc. I was shocked at how much I liked the Trident Pres too. Now I always use some of that Eq on the way in but particularly like what they do to toms. I agree about the “round” sound. Really present yet controlled low end, punchy mids (not API punchy but..) and detailed highs.
Nice. I used to have a Trident Trimix, API 3124 and Vintech 473 (plus a smathering of others isa 428, chandler germanium, UA LA 610, True Systems prec 8)
For drums id almost always go API on snare/kick in and OHs.. the rest split between the 473 and Trident (I had bought all the redundancy pres before getting the console)
It was still nice to have 34/35 pre's to choose from even though my Antelope interface only had 32 inputs and I rarely went over 25 inputs at a time, Though id go ape micing drums at time and have over 20 mics on a 5 piece. (scratch 2 x Guitars, 1 x Bass was how U was getting up the 25 tracks at once)
Trident all the way! To my ears there was more energy and they sat in the mix better. Nicely done!
I already had interest in the 68 and this helps a lot - much appreciated
8:50 Warm Audio sounds more open and wide, while Trident sounds like there is phasing issues (but there is not) - huge frequency response difference when WA benefits. At least at my room
For me it was most clear on the snare. The trident sounded woody but lacked the snap. On the warm audio I got a really strong snap sound but less of the woody character. Both are super usable but different. Love the content!
The Trident sounded punchier than the Warm.
I gotta go for the warms on this one! Cool comparison!
Man that first comparison in the mix context really showed the difference. The Warms definitely had what I would call a generic radio ready sound, but once the trident kicked, it just clicked, I could hear the singer in my head instantly and the song really had this "old dirt roads" vibe
DUDE, Do more videos on the 68, there isn't enough out there and im on the fence. Thanks heaps for all the content bro. much appreciated.
The Warm Audio WA-412 are the preamps that would be a much closer comparison to the Trident pre's than the WA73. The console preamps are punchier in this instance, because they are definitely cleaner in relationship to saturation/distortion. Distortion removes the peaks of the transients, which is what a 1073 is doing. To get 1073's punchy they have to be dialed low on gain, high on trim/fader. The Trident is much closer to an API or even a Focusrite console than a Neve sound.
Agree 👍
When I heard your drum tones I had to subscribe. Really impressed with the sound you get at a home studio. I know those mics aren't the cheapest, but they're not expensive either. You have obviously spent some time fine tuning that setup!
Great video! I love the comparison. I LOVE my WA73-EQ and use it on all guitar, bass, vocals and (most all) drums. Paired with the WA76, I don't think you can beat it for the price. I also always have the Bus-Comp and EQP's on my master bus... pure magic.
@NTPL Worship I do! I have a handful of videos on my channel talking about how I use my analog gear with my recording setup.
Oh my Lord! What a demo! Huge logistics there. Thank you!
Man your drum sound is just first class man! Seriously! That kit, those mics, you've really honed an amazing sound!
The tridents sounded like I expected them to, a bit posher, more hi fi and smooth! (I'm a big fan of trident pres!!) The warms are a bit edgier, bit more bite in the 1-3k region and leaner on the bottom. I do think its a bit of a shame you didn't hit the rooms on the trident pres input a bit harder, that woulda balanced out the end result a bit.
I think the ULTIMATE combo would be to use the trident pre's for everything EXCEPT kick in and snare top. I would love to hear the warms on snare top and kick in with trident on everything else. I think that will give that upper mid bite that 73s are known for and the tridents can shine on all the detailed smooth stuff... rooms, overheads etc.
PS.... how do you set pre levels and play the kit at the same time?! lol
Not sure oif it's the TH-cam compession but I'm liking the Warms over the Trident. Both are great though and I'd be happy with either. Hmm, I think I'n still considering the wall of Warms for my setup...
From freakishly chilly and wet Ireland! ☘💪🏽👀👍🏽☘
Warm audio sounds more compressed which I take to be a 73 pre trait. The snare rings out more and the whole sound is brighter with a little less beef. The trident is a little darker and more meaty with less snare rattle ring out. They both sound great, but to me the 73 sounds like it already mixed. Great video, and very much a matter of preference rather than better or worse
Agreed…The Warm gave the drums an open sound and the Trident seemed masked in all frequencies. Yes, the Trident sounded thinker, but that was from hiding the upper mids and highs from my ears. I don’t own Warm pres either…smile. If I had the Trident track, I would have to drop some lows and boost the highs to fit in the mix and no obfuscate the bass and other instruments on the mids and lows. Toward the end of the video when you played the kit without overheads, I could hear definition on the snare with the Warms and the Trident covered up the transients…just my ears.
I agree, the trident mic pres sound better immediately. The kick has more deep low end and the snare a little bit more punch, perhaps in the low mids.
I was really surprised by the comments. To me there was no comparison between the two. The Trident Pres were in a completely different league than the Warm Pres. I think it might become more obvious to your viewers if you did the exact same comparison recording vocals. Years ago I came into a little extra cash and decided to buy a couple of Vintech x73i Pres (faithful recreations of the Neve 73s). I completely expected to return them, expecting there was no way they could sound that much better, given the price difference. I was absolutely stunned at the difference in clarity, warmth and fatness. Given that most songs consist of dozens of tracks, the cumulative difference is huge. There's a reason why the most iconic recordings from bands like the Beatles, Pink Floyd and Steely Dan, just to name a few, have been recorded through these Hi-end preamps like Neve, Trident and others. They're simply sound the best, by far. Great Video.
Both sound so good... I find the Warm sounds a little more "open" on the snare. That's pretty much the only place I spot a noticeable difference. I prefer the Warm's clarity... great video and such a killer drum sound!
Great video! However it sounds like there might have been a phase issue with on the snare on the Warm pres. Could be a bad patch cable or a switch. Pre's can make a big difference as we heard but that snare sound change was a bit greater that I would expect.
The price point on the Trident is excellent. The LED metering vs VUs and absence of transformers on that model make it a more affordable option to the 78 and 88.
My brother was a drummer, I grew up listening to him bang for hours daily, then I went to Peabody Institute and heard great percussionists playing kits. I like both, I can hear where both would be great. The Trident, to me and my experience as a listener, sounds more accurate. Someone who knows what they're doing can take the tracks from either, run them through certain pieces of gear and get something quite similar to the other, so we're really talking about one thing, efficiency. Is what you're hearing the fastest way to your destination. Either way, if you make 10% of the cost to own that piece of gear, using that piece of gear each month, you have succeeded - consoles make that extremely efficient.
Super helpful as all of your videos. Thank you Nadrew for all your hard work. God bless you! Jason
The warms sound clearer and detailed. The trident sounds a little more hefty. 2 different sounds. Both sound great! I could use either and be happy for life!
The Warm was smoother sounding, richer in low mids. The Trident sounded more hi-fi and punchy, really defined low freqs. The snare really popped through on the Trident though. That’s what sold me. Different flavors :)
mic splitting is usually done by transformer or active circuit. Your method is changing impedance. The two preamps react differently to this condition.
Andrew, your one of the reasons, why I have gear from Warm audio and Trident, thx for the comparison... :)
The Warms have something extra in the high-end that I like a lot. They seem to bring your drumming forward in the mix. The Tridents sound great too. I'm happy you finally got your console!
It would be cool if you did a video comparing something like the Tascam Model 24 to your console. Obviously totally different, but you could educate those of us who don't understand the detailed difference. I think you'd do a great job illustrating the difference in quality, workflow, etc.
Totally excellent idea. I would also add the Soundcraft Signature MTK series, which have professional grade channels and are used by a lot of people out there. A comparison between these models would be ace.
I'm curious since the 1st preamp sounds like it has a low impedance like between 600 ohms to 1200 ohms and the 2nd preamp sounds like it is higher around 2000 ohms. The older Neve preamps had a switch for 2 different settings and the 600 ohms setting would squash a sound and this is what many people equate to the the Neve mic preamp sound but the internal switch doubled the input impedance for a cleaner less squashed sound. So the Neve style preamps had a more heavy slew sound that draws out the mid-range in most things while more modern preamps that range from around 2 kilo-ohm to around 5 kilo-ohms have a more polished linear quality that brings out the detail and has far less slew. An easy way to hear this in mic preamps is the darker more quote "squashed" something sounds in the overall tone on average the lower the impedance is, the more "sparkly & open" the higher the impedance.
Dude first A/B test I really liked the Trident, but when you added the (Warm) bus comp and eq I thought the Warm's were the winner! Such a tough thing to decide on though, and would be 100% satisfied with either setup!
Trident sounded more punchy, and Warm more... err... fluffy (but in a good way). I don't know if there's one better than the other. It's just different. I like the EQ's on a Trident, and have 4 modules in 500 series myself.
Hey @AndrewMasters, just keep reminding yourself (as I know you do) that this is all subjective. I preferred the WAs. But that's MY ear. I recorded two albums on Tridents years ago and loved it. But the WAs somehow, to my ear, manage to bring a little more air while maintaining luscious low-mids. Love what you do, and thank you for doing it. For the record, I watched initially with my eyes closed....I could definitely hear a difference. It's subtle and simultaneously remarkable. Like I said, subjective by nature.
Definitely going with the trident pre amps for sure. I love it and if if you listen closely 2 both takes the warm audio kick drums sound a little more boomy and open more so saturated the trident kick take sound a bit more punchy and clean. Pretty interesting.
Wow! The Trident sounded huge, punchy, better separation.
Now for the technical test. Solo the paired channels, invert the phase and sum. Listen to the difference. You will need to match the levels for max cancellation.
Actually this would be a great way to match the playback levels too. Add a “trim” plug and adjust for a perfect match. I can hear mix differences which will be construed as sonic differences.
Trident for sure. Could really tell by the kick drum. REally liking you new console!
I just got my first outboard mic pre the BAE 1073MP. It's KILLER. I think the console sounded better than the Warms as well
That's the real deal! API 312 as well. Game changer!
@mixxmann man it really is. I love it. Even made me not hate going direct when I need to. Great sound. And yes API also
Even on my iPad mini it’s very obvious! As a drummer and composer also my studio gets the same sort of use, except I don’t have a lovely trident 😢😢 Tama drums and a Yamaha O2r 96 desk and Dante. Clean enough for me, great video as always…. Cheers, Rob
Love the crack of the snare on the warm. Makes the track sound more like Oasis.
Super comparison. Gotta go with the Warm though, and the final glue of the Warm on the Buss really brought it all together in a big way. Although I am really impressed by the Trident as well. Very happy to hear this comparison. I may be the world's biggest fan of the "Neve" sound, which Warm really brings home I think, but the Trident does sound like a great contender for a console solution, when considering costs and features. Using a console in recording at least in my mind ultimately is the glue for any recording, because all the tracks are given the same treatment "across the board". Thanks for producing this video.
The Trident sounds a bit brighter and more forward, but I can easily imagine there will be plenty of times with this particular kit, that you decide the Warms are more what is needed. Both sound very good, no reason to complain of either.
it sounds more connected, and in the same environment through the Trident. there’s something happening in the mid range. However, that’s interesting with the trident. There’s a certain frequency that gets wider I’m not necessarily certain that’s a good thing but it’s different. There’s a little more high-end sizzle in the 1073’s, but that could be fixed easily with the trident EQ. often times it’s better not to have the sizzle baked in.
When you mentioned cost of the Warm Audio pres, I think you may have misspoke and stated your costs (artists price) not what they list for at Sweetwater...
lol no i'm rounding to the per channel cost.
@@AndrewMasters thanks for clarifying…. Great drumming BTW
Now that is a thorough comparison - good stuff. Either way you have both now.
I don't know these sorts of electrical details but it would be interesting to know how the impedance of going to two mic preamps (rather than just one) changes the sound. If the impedance of the preamps aren't identical then the impedance changes might favor one over the other. A bigger issue for a dynamic mic than a condenser, too, which is maybe why we heard more instantly apparent differences in the kick/snare than in the overheads.
To me, the Warms sounded a little like the transformers were soaking up the low end while the Tridents were letting everything through. Super interesting, though, that's for sure!
I’m only listening on AirPods, so gonna watch this at home in the studio later, but on first impression, 1 sounds like the WA-73’s. I have the non-EQ model and 1 reminded me of the same kind of harmonic distortion.
im a huge fan and this demo says why the trident 68 rocks and looking at their 88 model:) great demo andrew!
Owned my first Trident Series 65 (very similar to your 68) 25 years ago, still its my first choice when choosing a console. You cannot turn off a big Neve or SSL console without damage, need air condition for them, and in our days most of their featueres are no longer needed. These old TL071 OpAmps from the 80s by the way sound very different from your new ones, if you ever get the chance to buy an old batch, do not hesitate, pure mojo (Don't know if all the OpAmps are on sockets too on an 68). And when it comes to EQ clear winner is Trident, even when you have to learn to handle it, always sounds great. Trident Pres are fast, opposite to Neve, or more east coast than west coast sound. In our studio, we have an Golden Age 1073 clone, and soldered 2 CAPI VP28, but most of the time the Trident always wins. And Malcom Toft is a very nice guy.
I used to own a Trident. We replaced with a Neve, a really good one too!
We all missed the Trident.
Diferent types of PREs. both sound cool, TWO different color pallets basically, I'll use one for more crunchy sounding stuff, and the other when I want something more organic.
The snare sound is so smooth on the Trident. 🤑
Shotgun mic to record voice at the desk, nice choice! TH-camrs typically use a lav or an LDC mic. The issue with an LDC is it has to be very close to the source. The issue with a lav is that they are typically rather poor mics, even the best of them, that tend to be "all about that mid" because the capsule is so small. A shotgun mic however, if used (placed and gain structured) properly will produce excellent audio without needing to be a few inches from the source.
It is an interesting comparison but I did not hear any discussion of the interaction of 2 parallel inputs effecting the response of the microphones used. It would have a greater effect on the response of the dynamic microphones however without isolation of the microphone Z from the inputs you've approximately halved the input Z of the preamps. There may also be interaction between input transformers and transformer output of the microphones. Also there would be additional effect of the added input wire. None of these factors may be significant but being unaddressed, they raise questions about the result.
I’d choose the Warms if we were working on a project for me. It sounded more lively while the Trident were less interesting to my ears.
Warm sounds more forward and bright, trident sounds darker and denser. I think Trident on kick and cymbals and warm on snare and toms would sound nice in this example.
On a pair of AKG 240 Mk ll's, the Warm 73's appeared not as "warm" but, they are aggressive and work towards a modern mix. The Trident's pres remind me of those consoles in the '70's golden age, that Nigel Olsson tracked in Elton John's band. Fat, pleasing and sitting well in the mix with a touch of punch. Nice to have both those options available, but I'd lean towards the Warm 73's in this day...
I would choose the Trident drum sound on anything rock, pop, and metal. That Warm sound would be great on indie, dream pop, and laid back stuff. Great choices for different vibes.
I think the Trident had a more focused low end and a faster transient, that's why when I hear it through my Focals it sounds snappier or more crack. but Man I love those Warms. both are great sounds.
Fantastic video, thanks a lot! Two different flavours for sure. The WA73 sounds a bit warmer, definitely has that vintage 73 vibe, whereas the Tridant sounds a little more clean and modern. Both sounds fantastic! Thanks for a great review.
Beautifully recorded as well!
One thing I will say about the WA73 is that there is a huuuge difference in the lows with the EQ section engaged (no moves) and the EQ off.
That said, Trident consoles are super smooth and "musical". I feel like they are really underrated in the market.
Cool test!
It really sounds like there are some phase issues between the single mics on the Warm examples though. Especially between the snare close mic and some other mics (overheads I guess).
I wonder if the trident sounded better because of the summing from the console rather than coming from mic pres and directly out of protools
Both sound good, but I feel like the 73s sound bigger, if that makes sense? Kinda like Dave Grohl’s drums on Nevermind (which admittedly was tracked on a Neve). There’s something about how 73-style pres treat drums that I just love
Excellent comparison. I'm struggling to hear any major tonal problems (perhaps some very slight differences, not better or worse either way), there are some level imbalances (more likely the difference between my monitors and yours). A very handy video for me as we're right in the middle of planning a full digital console swap with hardware outboard (we've found the lack of recall a growing problem in our analog desk).
The biggest difference I hear is on Trident pres the room mics trail decay ambiance faster than room mics on warm causing the overall drum sound to be cleaner and tighter on the trident for this particular drum groove and song. For another you might prefer the longer decay
wow. Thats a huge difference. Trident was rounder in the transients. Very insane.
Now would like to hear some vocals recorded on the trident like female/male vocals would be awesome.
Really good video. They both sound great in different ways. It all depends how they sit in the track. Choice is a great thing .......but it can also be a nightmare. Luck man.
Tridents sound like they have built in tape distortion, but without the hiss. Thanks for he video.
my vocal chain is a warm audio u67, into a warm audio 1073 , into a warm audio la2a….its perfection
Yes!! Thanks for this!
Picking the trident Aswell, doesn't matter if the WA is punchier or more in the mid range, the question is how well does it sit in a full mix, the WA needed some tweeks eq wise, the Trident you barely need to touch it, it already blends with the rest beautifully, it's less work in the way out !
The Trident is more controlled and has more definition. The differences are probably greater if listening in the studio rather than through TH-cam's compression.
Maybe one day Trident or Warm will make an interface. I'll be happy with something similar to the Audient ID44 for a home studio. 😭
More deeper but also the low mids with the Trident sounds much more defined and there is the main difference for my ears
Well first, fantastic sounding drums and tuning! The Trident won for me, and I think having that cohesive console thing helps the cause. Something about the imaging felt more pleasing as well. Thanks for doing this video!
Dude you must be stoked... the Trident seems to grab and do something great to the transients.... I want one.
What you are hearing is the analog richness of a console that can’t be duplicated with “knock off” preamps like Warm and certainly not with plugins. Once I got my console, I finally realized what the old school guys were talking about. There is absolutely no comparison, especially when you spread out a session across 24/32 channels of a console
The Trident seems extra glued but near too much.
Between the two would be perfect.