Trident A-range - what counts as "reissue"?

[cuelist]

A couple of years ago, MTA (Malcolm Toft Audio) introduced a "reissue" of the Trident A-range preamp / eq.

I thought that was neat idea but after reading the following I feel they've cheated a bit as they imply that this is re-issue of the original Trident A-range;

"... the designers claim to have kept the sonic character very much along the lines of the original, in spite of the better noise figures, wider and more uniform frequency response, and diminished transient distortion."

"This remodelled design retains an input transformer to preserve the sonic character, but reduces the ratio from the original 10:1 down to 4:1. This improves linearity but requires more gain from the input amplifier -- something modern electronics can do rather better than was possible in the '70s. Consequently, the original dual-transistor front end has been replaced by a modern high-end integrated amplifier (an MC33078 bipolar op amp, to be precise), with an 11-way switch incrementing the gain in steps of between 3dB and 6dB. A quad JFET op amp provides additional gain stages and the polarity inversion facility."

"The original console module used the same input stage to handle both line and mic inputs, but these two functions have been separated in this recreation to improve flexibility and performance. The balanced line input is accommodated with one of Ted Fletcher's 'Superbal' electronically balanced input circuits, based around another JFET op amp."

"The output stage is a complete redesign from the original as it has to interface with the outside world rather than a console's fader and routing section. Another MC33078 op amp is employed to drive the output XLR in an auto-balancing configuration which maintains signal level even if connected to an unbalanced destination."

My point is - should a reissue be a faithful reproduction of the original circuit? Sounds to me like they've thrown out the baby with bathwater here. And this is not an inexpensive product, it listed at £2699 when introduced.


The quotes are taken from Hugh Robjohns review:
http://www.sospubs.co.uk/sos/jul01/a...tridentmta.asp


Mats

[BjornZetterlund]

...sounds more like a re-design!

[ciminosound]

I agree, this is a redesign "based" on the A Range.
A reissue should be the same as the original. The new ones may actually perform better in many ways than the original on a technical front and may sound excellent, but I doubt it sounds exactly the same. You would really need to compare a new one with several old ones to see if it is in the correct range.

Should be "Series-II" or something.....

[ssltech]

I believe that Cherokee studios out in Los Angeles made a pile of 'pirate' A-series input strips. -They are rather more likely to be closer and more faithful to the original, but I sis dee a couple of their other circuit boards, and they did look a little badly drawn... can;t speak for everything they made though...

Your mileage may vary.

Keith