Shell Rock, IA – July 2018… Chandler Limited, the only company in the world authorized to develop, manufacture and market the ‘Official Equipment’ of EMI/Abbey Road Studios, and Abbey Road Studios are excited for the nomination of the TG Opto for the 34th annual NAMM TEC Awards.
The TG Opto compressor is an API’s 500 Series® format processor and is a recent addition to the veteran pro-audio manufacturer’s EMI and Abbey Road Studios historic series; aside from the TG1 Opto counterpart found in the earlier released TG Microphone Cassette rack-mount channel, EMI had never introduced an opto based compressor.
The TG Opto was released together with the TG12345 MKIV EQ — a TG12345 Curve Bender for 500 series — during 2017. The tandem release of the 500 series modules was an eagerly awaited follow-up to the widely adopted TG2-500 preamplifier, and completes the circle for the first ever TG based channel strip for the API standard.
The TG Opto compressor’s origins start with the TG1 Limiter and TG12413 Zener Limiter, receiving the familiar drum crushing capacity of its predecessors and retaining the now signature EMI TG12345 sound. Use of opto based detection in the historic circuit and the addition selectable ‘sharp’ and ‘rounded’ knees, allows the TG Opto to operate with ease upon a multitude of source material including, vocals and other sensitive or melodic content.
The TG12345 console was deployed at EMI Studios’ (Abbey Road Studios) Studio Two in the Fall of 1968. This new breed of solid-state recording and mixing console, featured compression and EQ on every input channel, a first for the time. In 1969 the TG12345 desk left its mark on the Beatles’ ‘Abbey Road’ album. TG12345 recording consoles were never available to the public and relied on throughout Abbey Road until 1983. Among the many records and film scores to grace the legendary desks were, John Lennon’s ‘Plastic Ono Band’, George Harrison’s ‘All Things Must Pass’, Pink Floyd’s ‘Dark Side of The Moon’ and the soundtrack for Raiders of the Lost Ark.
The TG sound is remarkably warm and smooth, and can be heard on records created in the modern era, great examples are the vocals of recording artists including— Bruno Mars, Maroon 5 and Katy Perry.
Visit chandlerlimited.com to learn more about the TG Opto compressor for the API 500 Series® format.
