Save 50% on Softube’s range of Chandler Limited emulations by Softube and achieve the sound of iconic hardware used in records by the likes of Pink Floyd and the Beatles.
Examples of the current prices:
- Curve Bender EQ – £124.94 / $157.09 (usually £250.74 / $315.27)
- Zener Limiter – £124.94 / $157.09 (usually £250.74 / $315.27)
- Germanium Compressor – £104.82 / $131.80 (usually £208.80 / $262.53)
- Zener Bender – £230.60 / $289.94 (usually £460.37 / $578.85)
- Deals on upgrades also available
Curve Bender Mastering EQ
If there was a hierarchy of analog studio gear (and let’s face it, there kind of is) it’d be hard to dispute the Chandler Limited® Curve Bender’s claim to the throne. Among analog mastering grade equalizers, this one’s about as blue-blooded as they come.
With tremendous pedigree, huge yet controlled power, and most importantly, exceptional sound quality, thanks to component-level modelling of the original germanium and inductor circuits, the Curve Bender, now available for the first time in native format, reigns supreme over the domain of tone-shaping in analog mastering.
The sound of this unit comes from equalizer circuits which can trace their lineage back to one of the most legendary high-end British consoles of all time, the EMI TG12345.
With its gentle, carefully designed curves, silky top-end, and tight lows, it’s impossible not to improve your sound. Just set and forget.
In software form, the majestic sound quality of the Curve Bender is only built upon and expanded by the addition of Mid/Side processing.
The Chandler Limited® Curve Bender is based on desk circuits from the world-famous Abbey Road Studios in London, used to create albums of genuinely legendary status, such as Dark Side Of The Moon by Pink Floyd, and Abbey Road by The Beatles. And as with any truly supreme successor to a noble line, it builds on the greatness of its ancestors.
The Curve Bender has more bands (four, compared to the original console’s two), more fixed filter points (a huge fifty-one, up from just nine, chosen and designed in the image of the original circuits by Chandler Limited® founder, Wade Goeke), more Q and gain options, and added low and high pass filters, making the unit a mastering powerhouse without sacrificing the exquisite analog sound-flavor which made it a leader.
Zener Limiter
Descended from the iconic limiters of Abbey Road Studios, the Chandler Limited® Zener Limiter is a legend in its own right. With the vibe of the vintage hardware used to capture Pink Floyd and The Beatles running through its veins, the Zener Limiter is a rock and roll blueblood—with an appealingly modern streak.
In collaboration with Chandler Limited®, Softube proudly continue the legacy with the Zener Limiter plug-in. A true emulation of its forebearer, christened by Chandler Limited’s Wade Goeke himself, the Zener Limiter plug-in is a versatile, state-of-the-art limiter and compressor that stays true to its illustrious sonic roots.
Blessed by Chandler Limited® founder, Wade Goeke, the Zener Limiter plug-in embodies the heritage of the limiters that recorded Pink Floyd and The Beatles. That’s why Softube made sure that their apple fell close to the tree.
Add understated, vintage vibes to a track or thoroughly transform the tone, character, and transient behaviour of a drum bus or room mic channels. The Zener Limiter plug-in is the most versatile member of your studio family.
Input stage with variable impedance, THD mode, the different comp modes, the rare form of the attack and release—the exclusive features of the Zener Limiter plug-in make it a compressor without a twin.
The Chandler Limited® Zener Limiter is a rare breed. The construction and functionality are unique compared to other popular compressors. Like the legendary Abbey Road limiters, the Zener Limiter’s circuit employs zener diodes, which are notoriously challenging to employ. Softube expertly emulated the Zener Limiter’s entire circuit—including transformers, circuit nonlinearities, and germanium transistors. A painstaking, yet thoroughly satisfying endeavour, because this speedy, colourful limiter has personality to spare.
Germanium Compressor
A highly versatile mojo machine, capable of replacing multiple plug-ins in a chain – EQ, distortion, transient designer, you name it – the Germanium Compressor is so much more than gain reduction. Engineered with an ear for music before mathematics, this is a trusty companion for producers, recording engineers, and creative musicians of all kinds.
This is a meticulous model of the Chandler Limited® hardware, tested in Softube’s lab to ensure it performs like the hardware does, for the same excellent sound quality and inspiring vibe.
Everything in the Germanium Compressor is designed with an ear for music first. Ratios, knee settings, and more are all fine-tuned for use in the real world. The FET gain reduction unit allows for delicious distortion and colour. Control the harmonics with a choice of clean or dirty compression and multiple different diode combinations allow for a ton of styles and options.
The Germanium Compressor’s unique character comes from a blend of several innovative approaches. The ratio settings are tuned by ear rather than arithmetic. The dial takes you from less to more rather than fixing on especially precise numerical values. And what does it matter as long as it sounds fantastic? Knee settings are similarly artistic, named as they are after the different combinations of diodes which achieve each colour of the curve.
With a FET gain reduction element, the Germanium is capable of fast and heavily-saturating compression. So there’s a choice of clean or dirty compression, toggling between modes which compensate to varying degrees for the harmonic excitement naturally brought about by the unit. It’s never transparent, but you have a lot of control over Total Harmonic Distortion (THD) in this compressor.
And every track this thing touches will benefit from the drive and feedback on output – this is the real secret sauce. A gain circuit which can gently caress a signal as easily as it can sizzle and sear it into submission.
Zender Bender
A powerful and musical modern plug-in channel strip with the unique vintage sound of Chandler Limited®, the Zener-Bender combines the crisp and colourful character of the Curve Bender Mastering Equalizer with the big, punchy Zener Limiter to bring class, history, and most crucially of all, a phenomenal sonic impact. Component-modelled with Softube’s customary care and experience, these units together can take charge of any mix.
Two vintage-sounding units, full of heritage and trusted by some of the world’s top engineers, combined into a focused channel strip workflow.
A versatile and powerful compressor/limiter with punch and power to match its tasteful distortion.
An extremely musical and characterful mastering equalizer. Can be subtle or drastic, but always makes things sound better.
Tracing the heritage of the Chandler Limited® Zener-Bender is like discovering an imperial family tree. Its roots are in EMI consoles, used at Abbey Road from the 60s onwards to record some of the most seminal albums of all time, by the likes of Pink Floyd and The Beatles. And right up to the present day Curve Bender and Zener Limiter are being used in both hardware and plug-in form by top producers and engineers across records by world-leading artists such as Beyoncé, Lady Gaga, The White Stripes, Foo Fighters, Taylor Swift, and more. The influence of the Chandler sound cannot be overstated. It shapes the world it rules.
The native plug-in version of the Zener-Bender, apart from combining the heritage, colour, and character of the Zener Limiter and the Curve Bender in one impactful channel strip, is special for its plug-in-only features.
Digital audio and software flexibility allow us to offer External Sidechain input, Mid/Side Processing, and Channel Linking. Clean up your low end in the center of your soundstage while gently calming your cymbals out wide. Bring a vocal to the front, even at the mastering stage, without damaging the tracks supporting it. You’re in charge of just about everything.
The Chandler plugins are available to PC and Mac users (VST2, VST3, AU and AAX) and require an iLok account.
For more information on the Chandler offers, click here:
NOTE: Some of the links you click on may be affiliated. Clicking and purchasing using these links helps support and fund The Beat Community. Thanks for your support.
