Chandler Limited TG2-500 Pre Amp

The Chandler Limited TG2-500 pre-amp is a recreation of the rare EMI TG12428 pre amp used in EMI/Abbey Road Studios recording and mastering consoles from the late 60s and early 70s. The sound of the EMI/Abbey Road Studios equipment is world renowned, and imparts a unique and pleasing sonic character as heard on many famous recordings done at Abbey Road including The Beatles’ “Abbey Road” and Pink Floyd’s “Dark Side of the Moon” albums. For the first time ever, the legendary TG2 pre-amp sound is available in 500 Series format.

The TG2-500 microphone pre-amplifier features the same discrete, transformer-balanced amplifiers as Chandler Limited’s TG series: TG2 Pre Amp/DI, TG Channel MKII, and TG1 Limiter.

We’ve taken the microphone pre-amplifier and line amplifier from our highly acclaimed TG2 Pre Amp/DI and packaged it for the industry standard 500 Series format, while retaining the sound of Chandler Limited’s TG2 Pre Amp/DI. The aural quality has often been characterized as a creamy, smooth tone with a surprisingly open, clear top-end. The sound, as explained by many users, has “warmth” and punch, but with a “beautiful” expanded top end. In fact, the TG2-500 microphone preamplifier does have a small rise in its top-end frequency response and some warmth inducing distortion, which contributes to its sound.

Bring the sound of the Chandler Limited TG2-500 pre amp and EMI/Abbey Road Studios home to your 500 Series rack today.

Coarse Gain

‘COARSE GAIN’ is a stepped input control, switchable in 5db increments, with a range of +20db to +50db gain. Use this control to set your initial input gain level.

Fine Gain

‘FINE GAIN’ is a variable control, adding an additional +/-10db available input gain, for a total of +60db maximum gain in combination with ‘COARSE GAIN’. When gain staging, set this control to middle (0), and set the ‘COARSE GAIN’ first. Use the ‘Fine Gain’ to variably fine-tune the input gain +/-10db.

Tip

Interactively using the ‘FINE GAIN’ with the ‘COARSE GAIN’ is great way to dial-in pre-amp coloration.

Mic/Line

Use this switch to set the pre-amp for use with microphones or line level signals. When using microphones, set this switch to ‘MIC’. Set the switch to ‘LINE’ when supplying signals from your recording device, converters or DAW into the pre-amplifier.

Impedance

The ‘IMPEDNACE’ switch has two settings: 300 or 1200 OHMS. This switch allows for better matching of microphones to the pre-amp. When pairing a microphone with any pre-amp, it’s considered proper practice to try and match the impedance of the microphone and pre-amp, typically this results in greater output from the mic.

Tip

Sending line level source material into the pre-amplifier is great way to further process your material, adding the rich harmonic texture available from this historic circuit. Use a pair of TG2-500’s on your mix bus!

Impedance

The ‘IMPEDNACE’ switch has two settings: 300 or 1200 OHMS. This switch allows for better matching of microphones to the pre-amp. When pairing a microphone with any pre-amp, it’s considered proper practice to try and match the impedance of the microphone and pre-amp, typically this results in greater output from the mic.

TIP

While technically proper to match a microphone’s output impedance to an input’s impedance (i.e. less ohms into more ohms,) sometimes rules are meant to be broken. You may find that inserting a source with higher impedance into a lower ohms setting will yield surprising results.

Output

The ‘OUTPUT’ control acts as a fader would on a mixing console. Use this to control the overall output level of the pre-amplifier to your recording device or DAW. When setting input gain levels, start with the ‘OUTPUT’ control set fully clockwise for unity level, adjust back as needed so as not to clip your converters, or DAW.

TIP

If you want to overdrive the pre-amp for wonderful crunchy tone, set the ‘OUTPUT’ control lower, crank the ‘COARSE GAIN’, and use the ‘FINE GAIN’ to achieve just the right color.

48V

Some microphones require phantom power. Depress this switch to enable 48 volt phantom power; use only for microphones that require it.

Phase

The ‘PHASE’ button, when depressed, reverses phase of the input signal 180º. This feature may be useful when a microphone is not ideally placed, a cable is wired incorrectly, or source material is out of phase.

The same sound you’ve come to love from the Rack Mount TG2, now in 500 series! Using the identical TG2 circuit, transistors, and transformers, the TG2-500 delivers 10 – 60 dB of gain and uses a coarse gain control and a fine gain control as found on EMI consoles. The unit also provides 300 and 1200 Ohm input impedance choices, just as on the TG2.

Weight	6 lbs
Condition	New
Brand	Chandler

- Channels: Mono
- Circuit: Discrete, Transistor, Transformer Balanced I/O
- Total Gain: 60db
- Coarse Gain: 20db to 50db (stepped, 5db)
- Fine Gain: ±10db (variable)
- Input: Mic/Line switchable
- Input Impedance: 1200/300 Ohm switchable
- Phantom Power: 48v switchable
- Phase: 0/180º, switchable

Connections

- I/O: 500 Series format (frame dependent)

Power

- 500 Series format: /-16v

- Max. current draw: 16v @ 110ma / -16v @ 80ma

Download Brochure for Chandler Limited TG2-500 Pre Amp