EMI Abbey Road TG Limiter Plug-In

The TG12413 Limiter plug-in is based on the transistorized '60's vintage EMI Abbey Road TG12413 Limiter component module in the 24-input, eight-track mixing console used on seminal albums such as The Beatles' Abbey Road, Pink Floyd's Dark Side Of The Moon and Paul McCartney's early solo works.

The TG 12413 Limiter Plug-In is available in RTAS, TDM and AudioSuite versions for Pro Tools HD, LE and M-Powered systems and both PC and Mac computers. VST and AU versions are coming soon. The TG Limiter supports up to 192kHz sample rates and mono, stereo and multi-channel tracks up to 7.1. Standard Pro Tools plug-in setting file format, multi-channel linking, and automation are also supported. The TG package includes two plug-in versions: the TG12413 1969, a recreation of the classic module and the TG 12413 2005 that emulates the hardware Chandler Limited TG1 unit.

Two Versions Operate Differently

EMI/Chandler 2005 Limiter Plug-In

The 1969 version has a Hold control that sets the threshold for either compression or limiting. Without signal, the VU meter tracks the Hold control's setting. Start at the 0dB center position and as you turn clockwise, more gain reduction occurs and the level increases.

The 2005 version uses an Input control that pushes more and more level into the gain reduction section for more squash--this works just like an UA 1176LN. The 1969 version is for more subtle compression and limiting chores while the 2005 version can be set to pump madly to fantastically affect drum tracks or any dynamically chaotic recording.

The VU meter has a center 0dB position with a +10dB and -10dB range at either end. This allows reading up to the 20dB of gain reduction possible in the limiter mode. There is a Comp/Limit switch for changing the plug-in from a mild, 2:1 ratio compressor over to a more aggressive limiter.

The plug-in controls finish with Output level with +/- 10dB of adjustment, Limit/Comp selector and Recovery (Brit-speak for Release time) with six choices between 0.05 and 2 seconds for limiting and 0.25 and 10 seconds for compression modes. Attack time is fixed at 8ms in limit mode and 47ms in compression mode.

In The Studio
The TG Limiter is iLok authorized with a license card provided with the installer CD-ROM. After a quick install into a Mac G5 Quadcore, both plug-ins came up normally.

Bass guitar tracks can be made to "freeze" in level change. This super compressed sound is clean and solid without any objectionable artifacts--meaning there was pumping and breathing but it sounded great on this particular bass part with its many octave jumps and soloistic fills. I set the TG 2005 version to Comp, the slowest Recovery (6) and the Input to 6.5. The meter hovered around -5dB meaning about 15dB of reduction!

Using both plug-ins in series on my female vocal track imparts a thick sound quality and constant level. For this "double spank", I set the TG 1969 version on compression with the Hold control about mid way and fastest recovery (1). The second TG was the 2005 version, set on Limit, Input set to 6 and also fastest recovery.

Electric guitars sound great through the EMI TG. Bright guitar tracks become thicker, with a little more sustain while retaining brightness and size.

The Abbey Road/Chandler Limited TG12413 Limiter plug-in is a useful tool full of personality and opposite to clear, neutral and transparent sounding. I use them everyday in the studio when I want any track to take on a unique and colorful quality. MSRP is $675 for TDM and $450 LE. Chandler is at www.chandlerlimited.com or 319-885-4200.