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Average Price: $5,201
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$100
$501+
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Based on price data from 5 merchants for "Chandler Limited EMI TG12413 Zener Limiter". Prices shown reflect NEW condition. Tracking began Apr 2, 2026.
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Description
Meet the Chandler Limited EMI TG12413 Zener Limiter, the quintessential TG limiter created to celebrate the 75th anniversary of Abbey Road Studios. Drawing its roots from classic EMI circuits that were used in iconic recordings by The Beatles and Pink Floyd, this modern version not only channels the past but also incorporates the latest advancements, making it a versatile and powerful tool for any musician or recording artist.
This limiter is inspired by the heritage of EMI limiters that began with the RS114 tube limiter in 1956 and continued with the 1966 RS168 Zener Limiter and the TG12413 in '74. The Zener Limiter offers a blend of classic compression and limiting with added flexibility, giving you the chance to imprint your unique sound dynamics into your work.
Whether you're looking for natural compression, intense limiting, or a blend of both, the Chandler Limited EMI TG12413 Zener Limiter is engineered to deliver. With its switchable input impedance, 11-position attack, 21-position release, side chain filtering, and Comp 1, Comp 2, and Limit settings, you have a broad range of dynamic shaping options at your fingertips.
Key Features:
- Offers the tone characteristics of two classic limiters: the Fairchild 660 and the Altec 436/RS124
- COMP 1 mode provides a 2:1 ratio with slower time constants, reminiscent of the Altec 436/RS124
- Limit mode is faster and designed to emulate the response curves of the classic Fairchild 660
- COMP 2 is a new setting, offering a blend of the two original settings
- Note: This unit requires the Chandler Limited Power Supply
Product specs
| Number of Channels | 2 |
| Controls | Input, Output, Comp 1/Comp 2/Limit, Side Chain, Attack, Release |
| Inputs | 2 x XLR |
| Outputs | 2 x XLR |
| Rack Spaces | 3U |
| Height | 5.25" |
| Width | 19" |
FAQs
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What type of audio processing does the Chandler Limited EMI TG12413 Zener Limiter offer?
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The Chandler Limited EMI TG12413 Zener Limiter offers versatile audio processing with modes for compression and limiting, allowing users to shape dynamics with precision.
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How does the Comp 1/Comp 2/Limit setting affect the sound on the TG12413 Zener Limiter?
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The Comp 1/Comp 2/Limit setting on the TG12413 Zener Limiter provides different compression characteristics, with Comp 1 offering a gentle curve, Comp 2 a more aggressive response, and Limit providing peak limiting for maximum control.
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Can the Chandler Limited EMI TG12413 Zener Limiter be used for stereo processing?
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Yes, the Chandler Limited EMI TG12413 Zener Limiter is designed for stereo processing with its dual-channel configuration, making it suitable for mastering and mix bus applications.
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What are the connectivity options for the Chandler Limited EMI TG12413 Zener Limiter?
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The Chandler Limited EMI TG12413 Zener Limiter features 2 x XLR inputs and 2 x XLR outputs, ensuring professional-grade connectivity for studio environments.
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How does the side chain control enhance the functionality of the TG12413 Zener Limiter?
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The side chain control on the TG12413 Zener Limiter allows for frequency-dependent compression, enabling users to tailor the dynamic response based on specific frequency content.
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What rack space does the Chandler Limited EMI TG12413 Zener Limiter occupy?
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The Chandler Limited EMI TG12413 Zener Limiter occupies 3U of rack space, with dimensions of 5.25" in height and 19" in width, fitting standard studio racks.
Videos
Doctor Mix
The Zener Limiter in action
Reviews
PROS
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Over-built, durable build quality with sturdy knobs and buttons
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LED-lit meters prevent lamp burnout
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Versatile, excels on vocals, bass, and drum overheads
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Warm, classy sound, even at extreme settings
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Improved version with more options than original models
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Can add magic warmth and forward push to tracks
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Separate power supply enhances unit stability
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THD mode offers unique, rich sound enhancement
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Considered a favorite in mastering chains for its unique character
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Complimented for its pleasant compression and limiter modes
CONS
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XLR jacks are picky about cable compatibility
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Clunky attachment of top and bottom plates
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Very deep unit, requires a large rack for proper fit
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Only okay on full program material, not ideal for heavy compression tasks
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Separate power supply considered overpriced
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Not as aggressive as expected; milder compared to other compressors
Owner Insights
We analyzed real musician discussions from forums and Reddit to find what players love, question, and tweak about Chandler Limited EMI TG12413 Zener Limiter.
Comparisons
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Owners note that the Chandler Limited EMI TG12413 offers a "larger than life" sound compared to the Rupert Neve Designs 535, which is considered more functional but lacks "mojo."
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The Chandler TG12413 and Neve 535 both use diode bridge topologies, but the Chandler is perceived to have a more robust build quality despite a significant price difference.
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While the Neve 535 is part of the Shelford Channel and praised for its utility, it often sees less use in studios when compared to the Chandler TG12413 for its tonal richness.
Source
Use cases and applications
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The Chandler is favored for its "bigger than life" Neve-like sound, making it suitable for classic rock bus compression and other genres requiring a rich sonic character.
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Features and functionality
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Zener diodes in the Chandler TG12413 are used in a forward-biased way, potentially offering a more useful curve before full conduction, contributing to its unique sound.
Source
5.0 out of 5
Based on 0 Reviews and 3 Ratings
Artist usage
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In addition to the API 2500, the Chandler TG12413 was used for parallel compression on Daft Punk's drum tracks, specifically in the big section of the song "Touch".
Used on the recording of the Syro album according to the list on the album packaging.
Sort of dark but in the bottom right of his desk rack, you can see his Zener Limiter from Chandler Limited.
Mentioned by mixing engineer Michael Brauer as being used on "Violet Hill" in this Sound on Sound interview about the production of Viva la Vida & Death and All of His Friends.
Guitars: EMI Chandler TG1, Lexicon PCM42, API 525, API 5502, Roland Dimension D SDD320, Watkins Copicat
"Normally I send each side of a stereo guitar to my EMI Chandler TG1 panned left and right and coming back on the console, but I didn't in this case, so I must have felt that it sounded bad. It might have taken away from the tightness of the guitars. They had already recorded it very tightly. So instead I didn't add anything to their stereo chorus verse guitar. I also had a mono verse guitar, which I sent to a PCM42 delay set at 224ms and panned to the opposite side, and every time the guitar strums it goes over to the right. On the acoustic guitar I did what I normally do, which is to send it through my acoustic patch, an API 525 going into an API 5502. That's a great combo and I have been using that for years. It makes the acoustic guitar very natural and full and gives it great presence without it sounding processed. In this song it's not very evident, because the acoustic guitar isn't very important, but, for example, on Parachutes the acoustic is very important, and I used the patch back then. There was no insert on the solo guitar. I did have a Dimension D SDD320 chorus on it, which spreads the sound naturally, and which went to a Watkins Copicat Echo unit with a fairly short delay. Otherwise it's totally dry, no reverb, hardly any EQ. Again, it was so well recorded that it didn't need a lot of work."
The item can be seen in this photo from the same interview.
Five towering racks of outboard gear dominate Michael Brauer's mix room, and contain far too much equipment to list. Notable items used on the mix of Violet Hill include (first rack) Pye compressor, Empirical Labs Distressors, ADR Compex limiter, Chandler EMI TG12413 limiter, EAR 660 compressors and Fairchild 666 compressor; (second rack) Lexicon PCM81, Sony DRE S777, Akai S612, Bricasti M7, Zoom 1202, Rupert Neve Portico 5014; (third rack) Neve 33609, API modules, Moog EQ and Pendulum ES8 compressor; (fifth rack) Chandler EMI TG12345 Curver Bender, Shadow Hills compressor and ADL 670.
Used on "The Pretender", as stated by mix engineer Rich Costey in this March 2008 Sound on Sound interview. An image of the item can be found here.
Bass: Neve 1073, Pultec EQP, Chandler TG1
"The bass consisted of three tracks: one recorded through an Ampeg SVT amp, one through a 4x12 Marshall cabinet, and one put through a Sansamp. I usually push all three tracks up and adjust their balance if I want different colours. I'll also mix in some side-chain compression, which in this case was a 1073, Pultec EQP, and Chandler TG1. The side-chain will usually be bright as hell and really compressed. One of the interesting things regarding mixing bass is that you may think that the bass sound on its own is fairly bright, but when you add the rest of the instruments you find that the top mid-range of the bass is usually missing. It's sometimes quite shocking to realise how much top end you need to add to a bass to make sure it cuts through a track. If you then hear the bass sound in isolation it may sound pretty uncomfortable, but in the midst of a swirling din of a dense track, that amount of top end usually works just fine."
In this interview with GearJunkies.com, Guy discusses his love for and home studio usage of Chandler Limited units, mentioning the TG12413 Zener Limiter specifically.
Mentioned by mixing engineer Michael Brauer as being used on "Violet Hill" in this Sound on Sound interview about the production of Viva la Vida & Death and All of His Friends. It is visible in this photo from the same interview.
Drums: Neve 1083, Urei 1176, ADR Compex, Pye & Chandler EMI compressors
"I put some samples behind the kick and snare. I have built up a collection of a few hundred kicks and snares, so I can try many different types. This is where I spend a lot of time searching for the right sound. I may spend two hours trying to get the drum sound right. This is not to say that the original drum sounds in this track were bad, in fact they were great. So I'm building on top of them, I'm not replacing them. I can't remember the last time I actually replaced a drum sound. I just added a little bit to the kick and snare to enhance them. The snare sound is very important for a song and sometimes I vary it throughout the song, maybe downplaying one of the chorus snares in the verse, but in this particular case the snare sound doesn't change.
"The main drum sound is coming from their snare, which I had up really loud. They had a nice overhead snare sound that already had reverb and stuff on it that was also very important to the sound. The kick and snare both went through my Neve 1083 EQs. I put the room sounds through my great, very vicious, old British Compex compressors. I also put the cymbal room sound through the Compex. The Compex compression makes the sound grainier and more aggressive. The toms, which were really well recorded, went through my stereo Pye compressors to make them more explosive, and were also sent to my stereo 1176 compressors and my Chandler EMI compressors. The 1176 and the Chandler are also explosive, so basically the tom sound was f[***]ing explosive. I maybe added a bit of compression on the hi–hats, and did very little with the mono overheads."
"I did have a go at mixing this on the 5088 but I had a bunch of outboard processors on parts of the mix that I didn’t successfully recreate when I came to re-mix it on the 5088. Stuff like a custom made valve amplifier (for distortion) on the drums, Chandler Zener limiter and probably some other things."
Seen in the old Korn studio (from the late 2000's era) while recording Jonathan Davis' solo album Black Labyrinth at the 25:33 mark.
Used for the drum submix of "Icky Thump", as stated by recording and mixing engineer Joe Chiccarelli in this October 2007 Sound on Sound interview.
- Drums: Neve 8078 EQ, APSI EQ, Chandler TG1, API 2500, Chandler Zener Limiter and Curve Bender EQ
“The moment I heard Meg play that drum beat during tracking I knew that this song would call for a big, heavy drum sound, so I had to scramble to get the drums sounding as big as possible. I might have added some low end, perhaps 80Hz, to the kick, some mid around 4k to the snare, and some air, 15k or so, to the overheads. Adding 4k gave the snare some more crack and made it cut through better. I also used an old APSI graphic EQ on the kick drum — settings -2 at 35Hz, +2 at 75, and +4 at 3.5k. APSI was a ’70s offspring from API. I may also have added some bottom to the overheads with a Chandler Curve Bender, which has great low end. I loved it so much, I ended up buying one. In terms of the mix, in most cases the room microphones were not really processed.
“As far as compression is concerned, I applied a couple of drum submix compressors, probably API 2500 and Chandler Zener. On other songs I also sometimes used the SPL Transient Designer and sometimes an [Empirical Labs] Distressor. I set the API to fast attack and fast release, to get a bit of a pop to the snare, and blended that back in with the original. The Chandler has more of a round, warm, vintage sound. I set it to heavy limiting with a fast release, and blended that in to give the drums more character. I would say that the compressors were used on this album to make a statement, so I wasn’t shy of using extreme settings. I also may have sent the snare via loudspeakers to Studio A’s live room and blended that in to give more ambience.”
Album Usage
The Chandler Limited EMI TG12413 Zener Limiter has been featured on the following albums:
Genre Usage
Based on how artists on Equipboard use this gear, it is most commonly found in the following genres.
Used With
Based on how musicians on Equipboard use Chandler Limited EMI TG12413 Zener Limiter, it is most commonly used with the following gear.
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