Chandler Limited Zener Limiter

Descended from the iconic limiters of Abbey Road Studios, the Chandler Limited Zener Limiter is a legend in its own right. With the vibe of the vintage hardware used to capture Pink Floyd and The Beatles running through its veins, the Zener Limiter is a rock and roll blueblood—with an appealingly modern streak.

In collaboration with Chandler Limited, Softube proudly continues the legacy with the Zener Limiter plug-in. A true emulation of its forebearer, christened by Chandler Limited's Wade Goeke himself, the Zener Limiter plug-in is a versatile, state-of-the-art limiter and compressor that stays true to its illustrious sonic roots.

The character of this historic compression circuit is where it all began for me. When I designed the Zener Limiter, it was to allow it to be amenable to a wider array of sources. Softube's model of it broke the mould for compressor plug-ins and at the same time extended it further.

Wade Goeke - Founder and Chief Designer, Chandler Limited

First saw Jerry Finn use this on his records back when I was runner at a studio. Early stages of my Chandler obsession. Having this as a plugin for my ITB work was a game changer. Love it.

Clint Gibbs - Mixer/Engineer (Dr. Luke, Prescription Songs, Kim Petras, Doja Cat, Allie X, Azealia Banks)

Legendary Lineage.

Blessed by Chandler Limited founder, Wade Goeke, the Zener Limiter plug-in embodies the heritage of the limiters that recorded Pink Floyd and The Beatles. That's why we made sure that our apple fell close to the tree.

Golden Child

Add understated, vintage vibes to a track or thoroughly transform the tone, character, and transient behavior of a drum bus or room mic channels. The Zener Limiter plug-in is the most versatile member of your studio family.

Breaking the Mold

Input stage with variable impedance, THD mode, the different comp modes, the rare form of the attack and release—the exclusive features of the Zener Limiter plug-in make it a compressor without a twin.

This has become my go to plug-in because of its tone shaping capabilities. Provides me with everything I love – punchy, full of character, and flexible.

Howard Willing - Producer/Engineer (Sara Bareilles, The Smashing Pumpkins, Kris Kristofferson, Friday Pilots Club, Jennifer Nettles, Mutemath, Caifanes)

Inherited Wealth

The Chandler Limited Zener Limiter is a rare breed. The construction and functionality are unique compared to other popular compressors. Like the legendary Abbey Road limiters, the Zener Limiter's circuit employs zener diodes, which are notoriously challenging to employ. Softube expertly emulated the Zener Limiter's entire circuit—including transformers, circuit nonlinearities, and germanium transistors. A painstaking, yet thoroughly satisfying endeavor, because this speedy, colorful limiter has personality to spare.

Dominant Traits

The input stage with variable impedance, the THD mode and the uncommon way it distorts when pushing the level. The Zener Limiter plug-in is truly one-of-a-kind. With the Input Gain toggle, you can drive the signal for more or less distortion, while the Total Harmonic Distortion (THD) toggle disengages the limiter's threshold. The effect is a smooth, pleasing distortion that features a high-frequency bump caused by the discrete amplifiers and zener diode limiting circuit. This plug-in simply has no peer.

Compression Reborn

When it comes to tailoring the overall tone of the Zener Limiter, the Comp 1/Comp 2/Limit switch couldn't be more critical. Both Comp 1 and Limit were originally designed to emulate the compressors of Abbey Road Studios, while Comp 2 gives a more modern response. While the Comp 1 is a 2:1 ratio with slower time constants and the Limit is super quick, Comp 2 places the limiter in the middle, giving you the compression curve of Comp 1 with the faster release of Limit.

The Second Coming

The Softube + Chandler Limited Zener Limiter is truly its father's son. But, like every good son, the plug-in strives to accomplish just that much more. The Zener Limiter plug-in has features you won't find on dear old dad, like Mid/Side processing, External Sidechain, and Link Channels. Link the left and right channels in stereo mode, and the Mid and Side in Mid/Side Mode or use the External Sidechain to total change the behavior of the compressor and its parameters by including an external sound source as a sidechain. The special attributes of the Zener Limited plug-in give you unprecedented control.

Softube & Chandler: recipe to rock

You can't rush perfection. If any sentiment captures the spirit of our relationship with Chandler Limited, that's it. Take two companies known for perfectionism, add in some beers, and bake for a decade. We invite you to take a look at the Zener-Bender and everything else we've been cooking up.

The Zener Limiter is great on everything, especially Drum Room and Parallel processing. It just brings your tracks to life.

Smiley Sean - Mixer/Engineer (Tommy Lee, A Perfect Circle, Street Drum Corps, Phil X and the Drills, Papa Roach, The Smashing Pumpkins, Mötley Crüe, Courtney Love)

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