The UAD Chandler Limited Curve Bender, based on the hardware in your grandpa’s EMI TG12345 board.
A read about the TG12345 is worth the time, so do a quick search if interested. Anyway, you can’t sit in front of this and not imagine you are in a 1950s sic-fi movie, flying across space in some rocket ship. Well, maybe you can but that is the vibe I alway get when I start turning the knobs. (As an alternative, remember this style of knob is called a “chicken-head”…)
The hardware is transistor and inductor based. Although there are other technical nuances involved, it’s a passive EQ. UAD (Softube) has modeled this and it shows up in the harmonics and the interactivity of the EQ curves. (And like transistors, the plugin won’t overheat!) Doing nothing other than putting it on a track will add a little analog flavor. (See the chart below.)
Be aware this takes some time to get used to what is happening when you turn the knobs. Subtle changes one at a time are in order. This is for “bending” the sound (hence the name.) If you need some kind of so-called surgical correction this won’t do it for you. (Of course, needing that kind of correction might be a sign of deeper problems but whatever.)
Hints:
- The high pass and low pass filters are amazing. Slip that high pass up a notch at a time to get rid of mud. Almost seems like a mild Pultec.
- Switch on Mid/Side and unlink the channels. You can use the output control to boost the sides slightly for more width.
- Want to get even more creative with Mid/Side? Try subtly boosting the low end of the mid, and the high end of the side.
- Want to get even more creative with Mid/Side? Filter out the low end on the sides and the high end of the mid. Adjust and have fun.
