Chandler Limited TG Microphone Cassette

From the 60s-70s TG lineage to a console cassette ready for today's studios

The Chandler Limited TG Microphone Cassette follows the grand tradition of the EMI/Abbey Road TG12345 consoles from the late 60s and 70s, renowned for their impact, density, and musical elegance. Rather than offering a simple "tribute," Chandler Limited has combined three pillars of its catalog, each recognized for capturing the TG aesthetic: the TG2 preamp (heir to the vintage EMI TG12428), the Curve Bender EQ (inspired by the TG12345 EQ), and the TG1 limiter. The result is a complete "console" channel strip, reimagined to integrate seamlessly into a modern workflow while preserving the analog personality expected by engineers seeking character.

A high-end channel strip for demanding tracking, mixing, and finishing

Designed for those who want to imprint a sonic identity from the recording stage, the TG Microphone Cassette excels on vocals, guitars, drums (overheads, room, snare), DI bass, as well as more delicate sources like strings and pianos when aiming for natural presence and solid foundation. In mixing, it becomes a color and dynamic control channel: quickly carving out space in the mix, stabilizing dynamics, and adding that typical "finished record" feel of high-level analog processing.

It is suited for both professional studios and advanced home studios looking to step up: transformer-based preamps, musical EQ, optical limiting, and console logic-all in a results-oriented approach. If your goal is a denser, more coherent, and more "mix-ready" sound without multiplying boxes and cables, this cassette is a particularly coherent solution.

TG2 preamp, Curve Bender, and TG1 limiter: a complete, modular, and musically formidable chain

TG2 preamplification: gain, control, and a true palette of textures

The preamp section carries the DNA of the TG2, based on the EMI TG12428, with gain management designed to combine efficiency and precision. The input gain reaches up to +70 dB, with a coarse gain in +5 dB steps (from +20 to +60 dB) complemented by a variable fine gain control. This dual approach allows for both clean, stable levels and more saturating, textured behavior depending on the source, microphone, and artistic intent.

The preamp offers the expected studio functions: LINE selection, DI input, 48 V phantom power, phase inversion, and a switchable high-pass filter useful for cleaning vibrations, proximity effect, or unwanted low-end energy before compression and EQ.

Curve Bender: TG-inspired EQ balancing musicality and efficiency

Directly coupled to the preamp, the Curve Bender EQ offers a "console" approach: fast, intuitive, and effective. The EQ section combines bass and treble controls with a parametric midrange section to target resonances, bring vocal articulation forward, or emphasize guitar attack without harshness. The spirit is clearly musical: curves that "sit well" and a sense of width and depth particularly appreciated when seeking a silky high end and firm low end without heaviness.

TG1 limiter: optical control and character, usable alone or in stereo

The TG1 opto-limiter section is independently accessible, allowing it to be used as a standalone dynamic control or finishing tool. On vocals, it can smooth out peaks while maintaining a natural feel; on a bus or stem, it can add sustain and density reminiscent of console hardware logic. For paired processing, the ability to link two units for stereo operation helps preserve image and panorama coherence.

Finally, an important point for studio setups: power is supplied via an external PSU-1 sold separately. This keeps the audio section focused on the signal while requiring anticipation of this need in your configuration (cabling, rack, power management).

Technical specifications

Category	microphone preamp	Rack unit	2
EQ	3 channels

TG2 preamp	replica of the EMI TG12428 preamp	Note	external PSU-1 power supply sold separately
3-band Curve Bender EQ	replica of the legendary TG12345 EQ