The authentic 1969 version features a Hold knob which is effectively input gain, but it as it is adjusted, the resting point of the needle moves, indicating the amount of gain reduction available – as you turn it left the meter rises, showing the moving threshold. The main difference between the two versions of the plugin are to do with the gain structure. Delay Compensation is useful here for phase accuracy of course, but the TG plugin seems to generate an exceptionally short delay of a mere four samples, or 0.09 milliseconds, so it’s fine for monitoring when tracking. Of course, there is no hiss or hum, (although perhaps that is part of the magic of analogue!) To avoid the temptation of cranking towards total mush, one trick is to duplicate audio and mix uncompressed and compressed signals together for the best of both. Having a real TG1 box will seem bigger and better, but sonically, this is pretty close, and for a tiny fraction of the cost of the hardware. The most gorgeous pumping, chomping drum emanates! It really rocks, bringing up the room sound in a very exciting way, lending the snare an airy squish.
And… Yes, this soon put a smile on my face too! Using the 2005 version, set the Release to 1, switch to Limit and crank up the input. When I reviewed the TG1, I found its strength to be extreme drum limiting, so of course that was the first test. Secondly, there is a ‘2005’ version, where a few aspects of the gain structure and control have been modified, this is closer to the Chandler TG1 hardware reissue. The GUI copies the appearance of the mastering version of the hardware. Firstly, there is the ‘1969’ version, which attempts to directly recreate the original hardware. The more expensive TDM installer includes the RTAS versions. The Plugin is offered in TDM (for HD) and LE versions, priced separately.
#Abbey road plugins emi tg pro#
Now, they’ve teamed up with a software developer to provide emulations for the ranked masses of Pro Tools users. I recently used some racked examples of these during a mixing session at Abbey Road.Īmerican designer and anglophile Wade Goeke’s Chandler hardware rackmounting version of the EMI limiter caught the attention of Abbey Road, and a partnership was formed with officially endorsed hardware based on EMI designs, resulting in other TG hardware being reissued.
However, the end result was quite different in character.Īs well as installing one of these on each channel of the console, another version was designed to fit a modular format and include a meter for the mastering department. I’ll skip the Shabby Road jokes, as these old desks had themselves undoubtedly benefited one or two classic recordings…! The contemporary recording engineers loved the Fairchild 660/670 limiter, so the designers attempted a copy, hence the apparently similar switchable release times. The TG console was designed as a replacement for the ageing valve equipment at EMI Studios in the mid 1960s. The music sounded fabulous, and when I stopped the tape, from the silence there was a rapid crescendo of hiss, such was the amount of gain I was driving into the limiters!
But working up a rough mix I was soon lifting the spring-loaded latching toggle switches and cranking the knobs, working my way along the channels – sheer temptation, a crunchy, juicy warmth that oozed vintage EMI. This desk had been used for a number of late 60s and early 70s classics including releases by The Beatles and Pink Floyd, and it didn’t take me long to discover that there was indeed some genuinely magical sonic influence on the sound of these recordings from the console.Įvery channel featured a simple limiter with two knobs and no metering.
Shilling reviews: Chandler EMI TG12413 PluginĪ few years ago I was lucky enough to use an original EMI TG12345 console which was owned by Mike Hedges – seemingly built to military spec, Mike had acquired and restored it for his private studio.