Chandler/Abbey Road plugins

[DesertDawg]

What does everyone think about the Chandler/Abbey Road Comp-Limiters? I'm currently demo-ing them, and while I think they're about the "GLUEY-EST" plugins I've ever tried -and they're very euphonic, overall - I'm finding that they also knock off a metric buttload of high-end, which really sucks.

Anyone else? Opinions?

[elambo]

Originally Posted by DesertDawg

...I think they're about the "GLUEY-EST" plugins I've ever tried -and they're very euphonic, overall - I'm finding that they also knock off a metric buttload of high-end

It's been a while since I used them, but I remember thinking the same thing. Very good for bringing everything together but I found myself eq'ing high end back in.

[Dirty Halo]

Are you asking how they compare to their hardware equivelant or just on thier own merits?

Compared to the Chandler TG-1 Abbey Road Edition, I went with the plug (and I', normally a hardware person) because they seem to be widely regarded as one of THE most faithful and accurate.

If you are asking purely as to their sound, then that's more a matter of taste.

I too would like to hear some people's thoughts.

-andrews

[Fabio]

In my arsenal it's surely one my favourite plug!
You can use it on everything...I like it very much for drums, vocals and piano!

[Dirty Halo]

Originally Posted by Fabio

In my arsenal it's surely one my favourite plug!
You can use it on everything...I like it very much for drums, vocals and piano!

Thank you. can you provide us with a little context? Do you use hardware also, and if so how does it compare?


-andrews

[Fabio]

Hi,
I don't have the hardware version, so I cannot talk about the differences. Many say that the sound is quite similar but, you know, everyone has its own ideas!
About the plug I find it really fantastic...I use above all hardware but in each session that I do Chandler plug is always present!
For piano and also vocals try the limit mode for drums click on the 'drum preset' and that's it!! ops...also great on bass!

[merge]

I use the TG 12413 limiter VST - it's superb, particularly at 352.8 kHz (DXD) in Pyramix 6! Great on pokey electric guitars and some drums, it is one of only a few plugins I'll use including Flux Solera/Pure EQ, Altiverb 6 and Algorithmix Blue and Red eq's. Can't wait to try the new K-stereo (Bob katz) Algorithmix plugin...

m

[DJamesGoody]

To me, the limiter plug in is about as close to the hardware as one can get. The only other plug that comes close to emulating the hardware (to me) is the Eventide Omnipressor.

I think the Chandler plugs are fantastic. The EQ is good too, but the limiter gets on a bunch of tracks in my sessions. One of my faves.

[doorknocker]

Originally Posted by DesertDawg

What does everyone think about the Chandler/Abbey Road Comp-Limiters? I'm currently demo-ing them, and while I think they're about the "GLUEY-EST" plugins I've ever tried -and they're very euphonic, overall - I'm finding that they also knock off a metric buttload of high-end, which really sucks.

I demoed them when they first came out and had the same impression. Most plug-in limiters/comps seem to knock off a lot of hi-end and the Chandler stuff is no exception. That's why I'm totally sold on the Massey CT4, in fact it's the only comp that I found useful for the PT MixBus, I use it on practically every mix now (and on lots of individual tracks too).

I pretty much stick to the Massey and also the Digi III Comp/Limiter, which has a sidechain function that is very useful. The rest of my plug-in comps are now sitting in my 'Unused Plug-ins' folder.

[six_wax]

Sounds even better at high sample rates. Really impressive, imo. Dunno who did the modeling, but they did a fine, fine job. It's only downside is it's lack of versatility.

What's the word on the EQ plugs?

[dhiltonlittle]

the eq's are excellent.

[DesertDawg]

Originally Posted by six_wax

Sounds even better at high sample rates.

I think virtually anything sounds better at higher samplerates, up to a point, of course... I record at 88.2k, and that's all I've tried these plugs on so far... i do have some older projects & some others that i've mixed but have been recorded elsewhere that are at 44.1, but I haven't tried them on any of those, so i'll take your word on it!

Originally Posted by six_wax

It's only downside is it's lack of versatility.

I think one other obvious downside is an absolute output limit... for comps/limiters that seem to have been intended as 2-buss (or group) plugins, I think the fact that you can't set the max output to "-0.3" for example, is unfortunate... yeah, you can just tweak down the master fader level, but if you want to try a different recovery or input setting, then you have to it again, and again, and so on - not a major PITA, but a workflow-disturber, for sure.

[A LaMere]

It's great...

When I had the hardware unit, I did a direct comparison between the two on the exact same source and here's a news-flash everyone knew was coming: while it sounds similar to the hardware version... it essentially is a two dimensional sounding version compared to the hardware limiters 3d HUGE sound.

For a small cost though, it certainly sounds great on room mics, overheads, bass, sometimes vocals, pianos.... that's about it that I can think of.

I would agree that it's gluey and that it isn't incredibly versatile but I'm certainly not saying that it doesn't have a use.

I too LOVE the massey comp plug, for those of you who have PT and haven't tried it DO IT NOW!! For God's sake the trial is free and lasts forever!?

I too am curious about the EQ plug... still haven't tried it.

[mamm7215]

Are there any plugins that DON'T sound 2D compared to their hardware equivalent's? Seriously, I'd like to know if anyone has used a plugin that has the
same depth of sound field as hardware...anyone?

[TonyBelmont]

Both the EQ and the compressor plugins from Chandler are top notch.

[Kenny Gioia]

Originally Posted by doorknocker

I demoed them when they first came out and had the same impression. Most plug-in limiters/comps seem to knock off a lot of hi-end and the Chandler stuff is no exception. That's why I'm totally sold on the Massey CT4, in fact it's the only comp that I found useful for the PT MixBus, I use it on practically every mix now (and on lots of individual tracks too).

I pretty much stick to the Massey and also the Digi III Comp/Limiter, which has a sidechain function that is very useful. The rest of my plug-in comps are now sitting in my 'Unused Plug-ins' folder.

Same here. Although not the mix buss. Channelstrip is still better for that IMHO.

I thought the chandler stuff really sounded like good analog but I've gotten so used the CT4. I can't give it up.

[AndrewOswald]

Originally Posted by DesertDawg

I think one other obvious downside is an absolute output limit... for comps/limiters that seem to have been intended as 2-buss (or group) plugins, I think the fact that you can't set the max output to "-0.3" for example, is unfortunate... yeah, you can just tweak down the master fader level, but if you want to try a different recovery or input setting, then you have to it again, and again, and so on - not a major PITA, but a workflow-disturber, for sure.

Depending on your DAW changing your master fader level could be a baaaaad idea if you're using 2-buss compression. For example, in protools inserts on the master tracks are post fader so by changing your master fader level you're changing your amount of compression (note: this is only true of master tracks, all other tracks have pre fader inserts). Its all dependent on your DAW (and I don't know if any other DAW works this way) but its something to think about.

[A LaMere]

Originally Posted by mamm7215

Are there any plugins that DON'T sound 2D compared to their hardware equivalent's? Seriously, I'd like to know if anyone has used a plugin that has the
same depth of sound field as hardware...anyone?

Different people will have different opinions on this answer of course... different people have different ears and prefer different things.

I have yet to hear a plugin that I would use if I had the hardware counterpart sitting next to me available for use. Not that I don't LOVE plugins and use them often.... but in a perfect world, for me.. I would own LOADS of hardware.

That being said, there are also some fantastic comp plugs out there... one of my fav's of all time is the Massey CT4, which is also one of the cheapest plugins that I've purchased.

[tone delux]

nice. gotta check em out.

[DesertDawg]

Well, crap... after demoing these for a week, I have to say I am dithering (not in the bitrate-reduction sense, but in the "cannot decide" sense) on this plugin... part of me likes it, because it really imparts some glue that is extremely euphonic, but part of me is hating the high-end rolloff, and the significant loss of what seems to be almost my entire air-band.

FYI, if anyone's going to demo these, be prepared to insert a gain-reduction plug in front of the 1969 version, because otherwise if you've got a hot mix going on, you're gonna get max gain reduction right upon insertion of the TG compressor... having a simple level control in front of it will enable you to ride that down to bring your gain reduction into more reasonable levels if you're looking for -5 or something like that, for example. Also, the 1975 version seems to impart some weird artifacts... can't figure out what it's doing there, exactly.

Anyway, diggin' it a big way, but also wishing I could use it from perhaps 5k or thereabouts on down & bypass it from that point upwards. Not really practical to band-split a mix in most circumstances I seem to encounter, though.

So, the verdict's still out, for me.