Your browser is out-of-date!

Update your browser to view this website correctly. Update my browser now

×

Chandler Limited adds RS124 Compressor to Historic Abbey Road Studios Series

​Abbey Road Studios series expands with addition of historic RS124 tube compressor Shell Rock, IA – October 2015 … Chandler Limited, recognized globally for signal processing and related music and audio products that deliver the classic analog sounds recording and professional musicians seek, expands its acclaimed historic Abbey Road Studios series with addition of the RS124 Compressor. Schematics themselves only told part of the story, and access to Abbey Road Studios’ historic units and various hand written modification notes would prove paramount towards understanding the true nature of the Abbey Road RS124 compressor, and variances between units. Chandler Limited’s re-imagination of the RS124 is significant not only for its heritage and modern features, it also captures the unique personalities of Abbey Road Studios’ historic units in one piece of hardware for the first time ever.

Abbey Road Studios series expands with addition of historic RS124 tube compressor

Shell Rock, IA – October 2015 … Chandler Limited, recognized globally for signal processing and related music and audio products that deliver the classic analog sounds recording and professional musicians seek, expands its acclaimed historic Abbey Road Studios series with addition of the RS124 Compressor.

First designed in 1960 by Abbey Road Head of Technical Bill Livy, Deputy Head Len Page and seasoned EMI Audio Designer Mike Bachelor, the EMI/Abbey Road RS124 compressor is one of the most coveted pieces of recording gear ever developed.

During the late 1950’s, EMI acquired Altec tube compressors for use at their studios and soon realized the units were insufficient for critical recording applications.  Livey, Page and Batchelor worked to modify the Altec units to meet their standards and ultimately ended up designing an entirely new compressor in the process, the EMI/Abbey Road RS124.

From the beginning it was clear to Abbey Road Studios’ engineers that the RS124 was special, not only in the way it flattered the sound, but also how it handled source material.  The sonic enhancements provided by the RS124 added heaps of unique character to single instruments, rhythm busses and entire mixes. They where so integral to the recording and mixing process that a pair can be seen in almost every control room photo in Abbey Road during the 60s period.

Still in use today at Abbey Road Studios, and most recognized for its use at virtually every Beatles recording session, the RS124’s true inner-workings have remained an enigma to recording engineers.

Through the years, from incomplete information and supposition, some have tried to recreate the RS124 compressor, though never fully realizing the elusive signal processor.

Schematics themselves only told part of the story, and access to Abbey Road Studios’ historic units and various hand written modification notes would prove paramount towards understanding the true nature of the Abbey Road RS124 compressor, and variances between units.

The RS124 and its multiple personalities was never commercially available outside of Abbey Road Studios, until now.

Today more than five decades later, Chandler Limited, the only company in the world licensed to develop and manufacture Abbey Road Studios ‘official equipment’, coupled with its unique relationship and special access to the famed studios’ historic hardware, unveils the modern RS124, the Chandler Limited RS124 Compressor.

Chandler Limited’s re-imagination of the RS124 is significant not only for its heritage and modern features, it also captures the unique personalities of Abbey Road Studios’ historic units in one piece of hardware for the first time ever.

Chandler Limited founder and chief designer, Wade Goeke, offered insight into the development of the RS124, “Once under way, we quickly found each of the favorite historic RS124s at Abbey Road Studios had their own character and nuances… At that point we felt we had to include all of them under one hood; you’re not simply getting one RS124, you’re getting them all.”

The Chandler Limited RS124 not only harnesses multiple historic RS124s in one chassis (accessible via selectable serial number from the faceplate), it adds modern facilities not available on the original devices, including adjustable attack, switchable 200/600ohm impedance, and a special twist. Wade Goeke – “there’s a really exciting feature that we put into the compressor… The fuse on the front panel isn’t a fuse at all; it’s a switch!” Excitedly, Wade added- “when activated, it sets the compressor into another personality all together, like Dr. Jekyll and Mister Hyde…”

Passionate about this historic release, Abbey Road Studios’ Head of Audio Products, Mirek Stiles, added-  “ I first heard an RS124 in 1999 when a producer I was working with managed to persuade legendary Abbey Road technician Lester Smith to pull a unit out from one of his ‘private’ cupboards. It needed some attention, having not been used for over 20 years, but Lester had it in perfect working order in no time. We immediately patched it over a bass guitar and that was the sound, it was unlike any other compressor I had heard before. Now in 2015 that sound is available again for tracking and mixing by engineers, musicians and producers all over the world. Finding the original historic Abbey Road hand written notes and technical documents in the archives was key to unlocking the first true modern RS124 hardware device. I compared the new Chandler model against our original units directly and Wade has nailed the original character. Even the prototypes from Wade were immediately snapped up by the Abbey Road engineers and used over mix busses, it’s the real deal”

To learn more about Chandler Limited’s RS124 Compressor visit:http://chandlerlimited.com/rs124-compressor

When can you you get a Chandler Limited RS124? Chandler Limited will begin shipping RS124 compressors to dealers worldwide November 2015.

U.S. street price: $2,875

About Chandler Limited

Headquartered in Shell Rock, Iowa, Chandler Limited, Inc. is a boutique manufacturer of high-end signal processors, mixers, and amplifiers for musicians and audio professionals. Recognized globally for its exquisitely handmade products and the company’s high profile clientele, Chandler’s product offerings include the Abbey Road/TG line, its unique Germanium transistor series of products, the 500 Series Modules, plus its recently introduced guitar pedals and amplifier. For additional information about all Chandler Limited products, please visit the company online at www.chandlerlimited.com.

About Abbey Road Studios

Abbey Road Studios is the most famous recording studios in the world and a global music icon.

Home to countless landmark recordings and pioneering advances in recording technology, the legendary studio complex has a phenomenal history spanning over 80 years, encompassing celebrated work by many of the world’s most famous recording artists including The Beatles, Pink Floyd, Kanye West, Radiohead, Oasis, Frank Ocean, Lady Gaga and Adele.

Since the score for Raiders of The Lost Ark was recorded at the studios in 1980, Abbey Road has developed into one of the world’s premiere locations for movie scoring. Blockbuster films such as the Lord of The Rings Trilogy, The King’s Speech and Skyfall feature scores recorded there, while recent projects include the Oscar-winning score to Gravity. Additionally, a number of high-profile videogames such as Halo 5 and Call of Duty have recorded in-game music at Abbey Road Studios.

The Studios house a number of state of the art mastering suites. Recent projects mastered or re-mastered by Abbey Road’s award-winning engineers include albums by Ed Sheeran, Queen, The Smiths, Depeche Mode, Mary J Blige and Iggy Azalea.

Abbey Road Studios also offers online mixing and mastering, audio products for professional and home studio music producers, live concert recording, archiving and video services. The studios also host a select number of special events each year.

Music recorded, mixed and mastered at Abbey Road has won countless awards, including BRIT Awards, BAFTAS, Oscars, GRAMMYs, Golden Globes and Gramophone Awards.

Abbey Road Studios, EMI, RS and their associated logos are trademarks of EMI (IP) Limited.

Close