TG1 Limiter

EMI Abbey Road Studios

OVERVIEW

The Chandler Limited TG1 is a recreation of the classic EMI TG12413 Limiter used in custom EMI and Abbey Road recording and mastering consoles from the late '60s. These rare pieces were never commercially available, and only EMI owned studios had access to them. The TG1 Limiter was originally designed to be like the Fairchild 660/670 which was loved by many EMI engineers including Geoff Emerick, but it ended up with its own very special sound.

TG equipment was used on many classic records. The Limiter was featured on every channel of TG consoles used to record The Beatles "Abbey Road" and Pink Floyd "Dark Side of the Moon," in addition to albums by Paul McCartney and the Rolling Stones.

The Limiter/Compressor features an all discrete circuit with transformer balanced input and output. The limiting element is a rarely seen diode network that produces smooth, pleasing distortion. The warm open sound, often compared to a Fairchild 670 set to stun, is very audible and squishy sounding while maintaining its clarity and high frequency response.

TG1 Updates & Modifications:

Harmonic Distortion Function

Now standard on all Abbey Road Special Edition TG-1's, this option allows bypassing of the compressor/limiter threshold but leaves all circuits in the signal path, turning the unit into a powerful Harmonic Distortion generator capable of kicking out up to 2% Total Harmonic Distortion. That's more than 2 times the amount of analog tape! And all with 100% discrete transformer balanced circuits. Adjust the input for amount of THD and the output to match level. Try running Distortion on one channel and hard limiting on the other. The ultimate in retro! This option is placed on the front panel of the unit with a toggle switch for each channel.

All TG units require and function on the PSU-1, Chandler Limited power supply. The PSU-1 has an internal switch for setting voltage to 120V or 220V (115V/230V). For more information please call us at (319) 885-4200.

Abbey Road Studios, EMI, REDD, 47, RS, 124 and TG and their associated logos are trademarks of EMI (IP) Limited.

VIDEOS

HEARD ON

Jason Mraz— “Mystical Magical Rhythmical Radical Ride” Album

RS660 Compressor (vocals), TG1 Limiter (vocals), TG12345 Curve Bender EQ (Mix Bus), RS124 Compressor. Mixing Engineer, Tony Maserati

Red Hot Chili Peppers— “Return of the Dream Canteen” Album

RS660 Compressor (vocals entire album), TG2 Pre Amp/DI, REDD.47 Mic Amplifier, RS124 Compressor, TG1 Limiter, TG12345 Curve Bender EQ (Mix Bus), TG Microphone (electric guitar), LTD-1 EQ/Preamp. Engineer/Mixer, Ryan Hewitt

Red Hot Chili Peppers— “Unlimited Love” Album

RS660 Compressor (vocals entire album), TG2 Pre Amp/DI, REDD.47 Mic Amplifier, RS124 Compressor, TG1 Limiter, TG12345 Curve Bender EQ (Mix Bus), TG Microphone (electric guitar), LTD-1 EQ/Preamp. Engineer/Mixer, Ryan Hewitt

Paul McCartney— “McCartney III” Album

TG1 Limiter, TG2 Pre Amp/DI (Drums, Piano). Engineer Steve Orchard

Brett Eldredge— “Sunday Drive” Album

REDD Microphone (Lead Vocals and Strings,) TG Microphone (Bass guitar,) TG2 Pre Amp/DI, TG2-500 Pre Amp (Snare drum,) TG12345 MKIV EQ (Piano,) LTD-1 EQ/Preamp, REDD.47 Mic Amplifier, RS124 Compressor (Acoustic guitars, Mandolins, and other acoustic instruments,) TG1 Limiter (Drum room,) TG12345 Curve Bender EQ (Mix Bus). Engineer/Mixer Ryan Hewitt

USERS

Peter Cobbin

Former Chief Engineer- Abbey Road Studios ( Paul McCartney, John Lennon, Sting, Ed Sheeran, Kanye West, U2, LeAnn Rimes, Danny Elfman )

Steve Fitzmaurice

Producer/Mixer ( Depeche Mode, Seal, Sam Smith, Ian Brown, Kylie Minogue, Sting, Paloma Faith, Olly Murs, The Kooks )

Vance Powell

Producer, Mixer, Engineer ( Jack White, Chris Stapleton, Beck, Jars of Clay )

Dave Cobb

Producer, Mixer, Engineer (Chris Stapleton, Jason Isbell, Rival Sons, Chris Cornell, George Jones, Miranda Lambert )

Joe Chiccarelli

Producer, Engineer, Mixer ( The White Stripes, The Strokes, The Raconteurs, Alanis Morrisette, Jason Mraz, U2, Elton John, Beck, Etta James, Rufus Wainright, Frank Zappa, The Killers, Counting Crows, Tori Amos)

Billy Bush

Producer, Engineer, Mixer ( Garbage, Tegan & Sara, Muse ) - TG2 Pre Amp/DI, TG1 Limiter, Germanium Pre Amp/DI, Germanium Tone Control

Shawn Dealey

Engineer, Counting Crows

The Wallflowers
Tony Maserati

( Robin Thicke, Lady Gaga, Beyoncé, Pink, Mariah Carey, Alicia Keys, Keith Urban, Taylor Swift, Jason Mraz, R. Kelly, Jennifer Lopez, Ricky Martin, Puff Daddy, Tupac, Mary J. Blige, James Brown )

Sunset Sound

( Bing Crosby, Jim Morrison, Jackson Browne, Linda Ronstadt, Seals & Crofts, Warren Zevon, Little Feat )

Steve Evetts

( Dillinger Escape Plan, The Cure, He Is Legend, Sepultura, Story of the Year, Every Time I Die, Earth Crisis and Our Last Night )

Spike Stent

( Björk, Depeche Mode, Erasure, Janet Jackson, Madonna, Marilyn Manson, Pet Shop Boys, Dave Matthews, No Doubt/Gwen Stefani, Oasis, Spice Girls, Linkin Park, U2, Britney Spears, Maroon 5 )

Southern Tracks
Sandy Pearlman

( The Clash, Blue Oyster CultBlue Öyster Cult )

Ryan Hewitt

Producer, Mixer, Engineer (Red Hot Chili Peppers, The Avett Brothers, Blink-182, Tom Petty, The Lumineers, Bob Dylan)

Ross Hogarth

( John Fogerty, Ziggy Marley, Edgar Winter, Jimmy Eat World, Lifehouse, Clay Aiken, John Mellencamp, Melissa Etheridge, Coal Chamber, Roger Waters, Jewel, Black Crowes, Mötley Crüe, Keb' Mo')

Ralph Patlan

( Megadeth, Jamie Foxx, Rick Derringer, Michael Schenker, Brian "Head" Welch, Chris Poland/OHM )

Peter Gabriel

( Grammy Award Winner )

Peter Katis

( Interpol, Guster, Longwave, Ours, Robbers On High Street )

Paul Simon

( Grammy Award Winner - Simon & Garfunkel )

Paul McCartney

( Grammy Award Winner - The Beatles, Wings )

Paul Leary

( Butthole Surfers, U2, Sublime, The Meat Puppets, Daniel Johnston, The Reverend Horton Heat )

Ozzy Osbourne
Matt Marrin

( Rage Against the Machine, Janet Jackson, Usher, Jessica Simpson, Chaka Kahn, Foo Fighters, Brian Setzer, System of a Down )

Lauryn Hill
Larry Crane

( Elliot Smith, Sleater-Kinney, Black Heart Procession, Founder of Tape Op Magazine )

Korn
Kings Of Leon
John Powell

( Shrek 1 & 2, Mr. & Mrs. Smith, The Thin Red Line, Face Off )

John Paterno

( Joan Osborne, Los Lobos, Faith Hill, Phil Vassar, Bonnie Raitt, Tim McGraw, The Black Molly's )

John Merchant

( Bee Gees, Celine Dion, R. Kelly, Prince, Extreme, Arturo Sandoval )

John McBride
Joe Barresi

( Hole, Weezer, Queens of the Stone Age, TOOL )

Jimmy Eat World
Jerry Finn

( Bad Religion, Blink-182, Alkaline Trio, Rancid, Green Day, The Offspring, Morrissey )

Jack Joseph Puig

( Eric Clapton, The Black Crows, John Mayer, Weezer, Green Day, The Counting Crows, No Doubt, Stone Temple Pilots, U2, The Goo Goo Dolls, Sheryl Crow, Fergie )

Greg Wells

( Taylor Swift, Adele, Keith Urban, Elton John, Celine Dion, Katy Perry, Deftones, Mika, Pink, Rufus Wainwright )

Frank Filipetti

( Korn, James Taylor, Elton John, KISS, Foreigner )

Flea

( Red Hot Chili Peppers )

F. Reid Shippen

( Back Street Boys )

Erykah Badu

( Grammy Award Winner )

Electric Lady Studios
Eddie Kramer

( Led Zeppelin, Triumph, Kiss, Jimi Hendrix, The Beatles, AC/DC, The Rolling Stones, David Bowie, Peter Frampton, Santana, Anthrax, Carly Simon, Robin Trower )

Deryck Whibley

( Sum 41, Avril Lavigne, Pain for Pleasure )

David Kahne

( Paul McCartney, Stevie Nicks, Sublime, MTV Unplugged: Tony Bennett, Sugar Ray, The Bangles )

David Hadzis

( Petula Clark )

Dave Wood

( Jesse McCartney, Marie' Digby, Lil Wayne, Ludacris, Gladys Knight, music director for Hilary Duff )

Claudius Mittendorfer

( Interpol, Glasvegas, Ash )

Chris Walla

( Death Cab for Cutie )

Chase Park Transduction

( REM, Drive By Truckers, Queens of the Stone Age )

Butch Vig

( Nirvana, Garbage, The Smashing Pumpkins )

Brian May

( Queen )

Brett Reed

( Rancid )

Blues Saraceno

( Melissa Etheridge, Ziggy Marley )

Blackbird Studios
Billy Corgan

( Smashing Pumpkins, ZWAN )

Michael Wagener

( Mötley Crüe, Overkill, Accept, Great White, Poison, Alice Cooper, Extreme, Megadeth, Janet Jackson, Ozzy Osbourne, Dokken, Metallica, White Lion, Skid Row )

Goo Goo Dolls
Michael Brauer

( Producer, Mixer, Engineer - Rolling Stones, Coldplay, John Mayer, Paul McCartney, Aretha Franklin, and more... )

Andy Smith

( Paul Simon ) - TG Channel MKII, TG1 Limiter, TG2 Pre Amp/DI, LTD-2, Little Devil Pre Amp

Abbey Road Studios

REDD Microphone, RS124 Compressor, REDD.47 Mic Amplifier, Curve Bender, Zener Limiter, TG1 Limiter, TG Microphone Cassette, TG2 Pre Amp/DI, TG Channel MKII, TG2-500 Pre Amp, Germanium Pre Amp/DI

TESTIMONIALS

Joe Chiccarelli

"I have used Chandler Zener and TG compressors on every album i've done since they've been made. I think I can honestly say about half the guitars I've ever done have been TG preamps. These would include drums and guitars on albums for The Shins, The White Stripes, The Strokes, The Raconteurs, Manchester Orchestra, Stars, Alanis Morrisette, Jason Mraz,U2, Elton John, Beck, etc. Pretty much every album I've been apart of for the last ten years or more has had Chandler gear on it. That would include TG Preamps and EQ. Zener, Germanium and TG compressors."

Billy Bush

"Suffice to say that the TG2, Germ pre and EQ, and TG1 are there anytime I track drums, TG2 for guitars and the LTD-1 is there whenever I do vocals!"

Rob Tavaglione, ProAudio Review

"Set on compression, the TG1 could simply do no wrong no matter how I set it up; whether hitting it hard with a slower release for rock 'n' roll aggression or lightly tapping the front end and allowing a faster release, this is simply a dream compressor for drums and vocals"

Rob Tavaglione, ProAudio Review

"Bass guitar and synths are massaged by the TG1 in ways that are so good they're almost sexual"

Michael Wagener

"The TG1 doesn't just paint a picture, it paints the whole town. From subtle compression to brutal squeeze, everything is in this box. It's vintage sound works great for any kind of digital recording and I won't ever want to mix without it again."

Mike Caffrey, Tape Op magazine

"Two word review: Holy Shit!!...I would not track with any other compressor... takes great music and makes it better."

Barry Rudolph Mix Magazine Feb 2003

"The Chandler Limited TG1 seems to be from another age - plucked from a time capsule... Adds a whole new quadrant to your sonic palette with many useful compression sounds and way over the top limiter effects...the most tube-sounding transistor compressor I’ve heard..."

Michael Brauer

"When used across the drum room, the EMI inspired Stereo compressor brings out an aggressive quality that I've not yet heard from any other compressor (and I've got 46 to play with). When used as a send it brings out the punch and clarity of instruments without effecting the overall level of the stereo output. I love them, I can't wait for Wade to make the EMI inspired EQ's"

David McConnell

"Your line is the first I have been serious about of any of the newer audio companies in the last 15 years. Your TG-1 and Germanium Compressor actually beats the vintage stuff in my opinion."

REVIEWS

DOCUMENTS & DOWNLOADS

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

Chandler_Limited_EMI_ARS_partnership_2024_5

Chandler Limited in Partnership with Abbey Road.

Circuit Type	EMI TG, Transistor, Solid-state
Channels	Stereo / Dual Mono switchable
Feature Set	Input Gain: High/Low, switchable Input Control: Continuous Output Control: Switched Compression Modes: Selectable (Comp, LIMIT) Attack: Fixed Recovery (Release): Switched, 6 position THD Mode: Switched Bypass: True bypass
I/O	XLR (pin 2 hot), Transformer balanced, custom wound
Power	External (PSU-1), Purchased separately