Softube Chandler Limited Zener-Bender for Console 1 - Electronic Delivery

Product Description

A powerful and musical modern channel strip with the unique vintage sound of Chandler Limited. The Softube Chandler Limited Zener-Bender for Console 1 combines the crisp and colorful character of the Curve Bender mastering equalizer with the big, punchy Zener Limiter to bring class, history, and most crucially of all, a phenomenal sonic impact.

Legendary circuits, reimagined

Chandler Limited is one of the most respected modern hardware names in the industry. Founder Wade Goeke, with the permission and endorsement of Abbey Road, has reimagined and expanded upon circuits from consoles used at the legendary studio in some of its most creatively and commercially fertile times. The units which comprise Zener-Bender, Zener Limiter and Curve Bender, are based on desks used in the production of The Beatles and Pink Floyd, most notably the 1969 TG12345 and the 1974 TG12413.

Wade’s modern units featured updated and expanded feature sets, and have been used on records like Lemonade and 4 by Beyoncé, Lady Gaga’s Born This Way, Pink Martini by The Strokes, The White Stripes’ Icky Thump, and many more. A partnership with Softube has been slowly cultivated with after-hours beers, conversation, and karaoke at trade shows the world over, paving the way for Softube's meticulously component-modeled plug-ins.

A new flavor for Console 1

The Zener-Bender brings a fresh new sonic edge to Console 1. Both vintage and surprisingly present, its musicality is perhaps its most notable feature. Both units are created first of all with a mind for making music, and only employing the math that’s required to achieve the results, rather than revelling in tech for tech’s sake.

Unusual components, including germanium and zener diodes, create a sound world not heard in other Console 1-ready channel strips, while the architecture of these units emphasize power, punch, clarity, and color. Combining by default with the SSL 4000 E-series shape section, and employing the Zener’s Total Harmonic Distortion (THD) circuit as a drive section, this becomes something very special very quickly.

Zener-Bender native: Chandler times four

There is also a native version of the Zener-Bender, for use without Console 1. This option is a collection that includes four plug-ins: Zener-Bender, Zener-Bender For Console 1, and also Curve Bender and Zener Limiter as individual plug-ins. Combining the units into one plug-in channel strip allowed us to add a few workflows not possible in the hardware – External Sidechain input, and Mid/Side Processing.

The anatomy of the Zener-Bender channel strip

SHAPE SECTION

Rather than imagining a shape section out of thin air, or guessing based on components of the Chandler Limited units, the gate and transient shaper for the Zener-Bender Console 1 channel comes from the SSL SL 4000 E-series strip. It's a surprisingly powerful workhorse. Use it well and your mixes will raise the roof.

EQUALIZER SECTION

The Curve Bender’s low and high pass filters are applied to the input section, before the Shape, but can be used in the EQ section too by selecting Cut in the high or low bands. The mixing and mastering gain options are all represented, with subtle clicks of half a dB possible as well as bold 15 dB boosts and cuts.

COMPRESSOR SECTION

The Ratio knob becomes the curve selector, giving you the choice between the Zener’s Comp 1, Comp 2, and Limit modes. We combined the input and output gain functions into a single threshold knob without any compromise on the authenticity of the sound.

DRIVE AND CHARACTER SECTION

The Zener Limiter’s THD circuitry is the basis of the strip’s drive section, bringing meaty distortion where required. The Drive Character parameter controls an optional high-mid emphasis or de-emphasis.

System requirements:

• Mac OS X 10.12 or newer (older OS versions may work but are not tested)
• Windows 64-bit, versions 7, 8 or 10
• Intel Core 2 Duo, AMD Athlon 64 X2 or newer
• Screen resolution 1280x800 or larger
• 8 GB RAM or more is recommended, as well as at least 8 GB hard disk space for installation (individual plug-ins take less space, while sample libraries may require additional disk space.Specific information available on each instrument's page)
• Softube account
• iLok account
• Internet access for downloading installer and managing licenses
• iLok generation 2 and up, if you intend to use an iLok dongle for authorizing your plug-ins (note that an iLok dongle is not a requirement)

In theory, any 64-bit VST, VST3, AU, or AAX (11.0.2 or higher) compatible host application should work.

However, due to plug-in host differences between DAWs - and Softube's own rigorous testing standards - Softube only officially test their plug-ins and instruments in the most recent versions of Pro Tools, Logic Pro, Cubase, Live, Studio One, Digital Performer, Reaper and Sonar. Softube plug-ins are not tested in the non-listed systems, but they most likely work as long as the system requirements are met.

Please Note: Softube plug-ins support 64-bit hosts only, and a 64-bit OS is required. Therefore, for example, Pro Tools 10.x is no longer supported (contact support for latest 32-bit compatible instalers).

Supported sample rates: 44.1, 48, 88.2, 96, 176.4 and 192 kHz, in both mono and stereo.

The most recent maintenance release of the DAW application is recommended.