Chandler Limited TG L

[CoolCat]

A Chandler Limited TG- type L showed up. The "hand built, no IC chips, all discrete, with transformers, and the larger TG capsule, Cardiod pattern" got my interest.
It came in a nice box, and a hard mount, went on my desktop small mic stand. The other mics I had in arms reach were the KSM 32 original, a MXL V67G, Shure SM7.
Reading the literature it recommends pop filter, and allowing time for the phantom power to be on and off, etc.
It was free of hassle, all I needed was a mic cable and 48v phantom power.... the TG-L. The standard Pad of 10db, worked. Then came the A sound vs B sound, Id read about.

I was really "ok" with the sounds as in A vs B. It was "real" in that A did its thing but B did its thing well but IMO totally different. I loved the B sound, which others have said is a Ribbon mic sound.
I don't know but B has a smoothness and handles ssss's but its very clear, just smooth and worked for my ears. The A sound was great, it had some more clarity, but depending on your experience with other LDC's , there's that crisp sound LDC offer and seems others like the A. (*my booth is half a car length and the mic booth is a moving-blanket'ed box Ive recently been playing with." so YMMV)

Of course my neutral mic is the KSM 32, original , means it has the version with the tightweaved Headbasket. Its a neutral mic, MDC capsule, quiet, clear, IC chips and no transformer vibe.
I added a picture to compare the sizes.

Then the MXL67G is a "vibe" color, mic , and its got the transformer, some design eq inside and anyway I like it. Its closer to a LDC w transformer type sound we like for vocals.
The SM7 was what it is and different all together and not a LDC or condenser so anyway its a mic that I like a lot , and maybe more Ribbon mic sounding than a crisp LDC?

Chandler Limited- TG-L doesn't have a lot of specs listed and they don't do that. Maybe Julian can do a test? But using my interface an Reaper, I get -78~-74 on a channel, and the output of the Chandler Limited TG-L was close to the KSM32 to my eyes on the Reaper meters. The MXL 67 was similar too. The SM7 obviously not, and needed gain.
KSM32 is 16mv/pa , MXL V67G is 15mv/pa....so I can estimate the ChandlerLimited TG-L is right around this area of 15mv/pa per spoken word, vocal .. this is a very very good level for my gear as it doesn't need outboard gain and its not too sensitive to pickup up the neighbors dogs like the KSM 44 is 29mv/pa!! (U87ai is 28mv/pa, old U87i is 8mv/pa)
so for my room I am best at 8mv~15mv/pa and the Chandler Limited TG-L works perfect for this room/environment.
The A is louder and the B setting on the TG-L is even less sensitive, which is great imo.
I also tested the A&B switch and there is no "popping" at all as some said. This is well thought out.

Using the IC preamp in the interface, a Aphex 207, a JoeMeek VC1Q, ISA430 it was really nice sounding. It was really like having two mics in one, and not a gimmick, but more like changing mics, or capsules...obviously its running the signal through discrete components differently. The sound noise levels seemed on par with all of these mics, in my setup. maybe -66~-72 on a good day is the noise floor here.

For a smaller room, for a typical HR bedroom sized environment having no tube powersupply, having a mid-sized mic, is useful and easy to work with.
For a crisp LDC or a smooth Ribbon like sound this mic is easy to love. It beat my expectations, even at the expensive $700 mark(coupon and no tax at Front End Audio) . For that's a large amount here and so expectations are higher.
It sounded a lot better to my ears on vocals than the technically-clean KSM32, I liked the TG-L better than the KSM 44 w(hich is also a very clean mic no transformer), TG-L is more pleasant, closer to the MXL V67 in A mode, and my Antelope Audio LDC similar to A mode, A mode is crisp. TG-L I had no plosive issues and again it was a very comfortable 15mv/pa approx level, B maybe 12 or 10db.pa I guess.
TG-L is not heavy , but its metal and has weight, Id call normal. Supposedly it can take a lot of SPL but I didn't do drums with it.

Heres some pictures.

 

[CoolCat]

Heres some MXL pics V67G, showing more, chips and transformer, with some internals but nothing like the TG-L all discrete and its larger transformer.
Still both are great mics imo and more "crispy, transformer, design LDC " we like on some things. ..some call it color, or vibey gear and as Chandler doesn't
even do the spec stuff , just focus on sound. I like that approach, probably why I prefer old Joe Meek stuff and opto comparators a lot...studio, 60's sound.

clinical clean and specs are fun rabbit holes too, but this TG-L review isn't that.

 

[Papanate]

I’ve several partners who use this mic - It’s good sounding - but no where near the replacement Chandler wants to tout it as - for instance on guitar I tend to want a particular sound and this Chandler can’t give it - or at least my partners recording guitar was not spectacular - I wouldn't kick it out of the locker if I had one - but it wouldn’t be my go to mic by any means.

 

[CoolCat]

interesting.
probably a good old SM57 for guitar cab is common. You mention rhey have them for awhile, I wonder what they do like them on?
I read a bit but not sure what Chandler sold them as....I need to read some more. The TG is a big mic, the REDD is out of my price range.

I was skeptical of multi-colors and simulation type mics, and so again the A vs B was pretty nice. well done , imo.
The A sound, compared to other standard LDC was in that "general family".
The B sound was smoother and darker whatever, reviewers called it Ribbon like , and I don't have any ribbons but I love the B smooth...maybe I like Ribbons?

I was a big fan of KSM but they never had the "color" and were instead super clean and if people want that, Id get a KSM not a TG-L. However,
being a fan of JoeMeek optocomp, transformers and analog eq, the TG-L is more my tastes for 60's vibe/ non clean whatever it is... TG-L does it better than the KSM.
EQ can really get mics where you want it but its nice to not have to work it and my experience with KSM, they required some color added. Shure SM series built for bashing and smashing and so I wouldn't put the Chandler or Antetlope or MXL into that brutal, drop the mic on cement and run it over tough test. I wish KSM had done some transformer, smoother, colored LDC instead of all the clean, noise spec focused.

Price- DIY? mid-priced in 2025 is what?
If it was $200, Ide be screaming buy them all day, but you know $700, is far from the Chandler REDD mic too in the 4 figures price and like Neumann had that price point added to their line of mics. So its in that 2025 mid-price, maybe upper end of it, but below $1000.
Getting into Transformers, Discrete, handbuilt, and a nice capsule, in addition to two settings, $700 is understandable. I guess.
With a basic Jensen transformer costing $175ish +/- $80 or more, adding transformers is expensive, and other parts of quality a bit more. The Sales&Marketing guys push the Non Transformer Mics as better specs....and its true..but not everyone is all about being "Julian clean", imo.
It just seems a lot of people want the transformers more than the clean noise floor? And seems the mics with transformers with Discrete parts from the older days does have a sound.

TG-L does make me like the MXL V67G sound a bit more, 67's a nice piece for $150 Heritage Edition. The TG-L is $700 and for many $769+.
If the price were equal and sound is the focus, Id take the TG-L. ..but Id probably like the old U87 more than the new U87AI too, even if the specs arent as good.

 

[TalismanRich]

Pics are great, but where are the sound samples?

Whenever I get a mic, I will do some type of comparison to get a read on how it compares to what I already have. Play a bit of guitar, do a little singing, shake a tambourine.

I don't have a bunch of high end stuff. I like that $2-300 range. While they might not be considered "Class AAAAA", I find they are damn fine mics. NT1, 47jr, MK300, V67G, SP B3 for that LDC range. LA-120, P-170, M5, 1200XL for the SDC range.

The Chandler sounds a bit like the UT87 Twin. Having different voicings is a nice idea. But I'm hesitant to spend $6-800 on a mic that "might" give me something a bit better than what I have. A sound comparison is for me, worth a hundred flowery phrases. For me, saying something has "color" is so overused, that's its become meaningless. Bright red is a color, dull red is a color, pink is a color. Color as opposed to black and white?

When I compared my SM57 to my Senn 835 and 935, there was a very clear difference, and one that I absolutely prefered. If I compare the P170 to the 1200xl or the LA120, it's not as clear cut. Heck, I bought a pair of Berry C2 mics just to get the case for my Rode M5s, and when I actually plugged them in, the sound wasn't terrible. I have heard a LOT worse. If I ever run into someone who want's to start playing around with recording, I'll give them away just to get them started.

 

[CoolCat]

Yeah the price ranges are what they are. True, "a bit better" is part of the purchasing mental game, especially if someone already has a bunch of LDC's.
I've kept the MXL V67G and almost sold it but its such little money there's no sense in selling it. And when I get it out and compare to LDC, it always does pretty good.
I think the price alone I wouldn't like the real U87's, also when some EQ works on a $300 mic and gets so close. Its tough to sell on sound for $4000 in a HR room when someone has an EQ and a bunch of LDC's.

Color...code word. lazy slang used, as you know, its just a term to say its not "Julian clean" its "Grace Design clean".
TG-L is not focused on noise and thermal heat specs much, its not noisy by any means though its probably not as silent as a NT1 or KSM but its not as noisy as U47 or U67.
Clean or Color, Sterile Pristine or Saturation Warm.... Chandler Limited doesn't even do specs from what I see with this mic.
As I see it, the designer tweaks his "art" until the "mic" has a sound they like and they sell it, the specs are tossed to the wind kind of, I guess on Chandlers works.
But comparing to other mics its not hard to see where it sits. It turned out very similar to the KSM32 and V67, which are 15~16mv. and I read the "B" is 5 to 6 db less, putting it at 8 or 10mv, which aligns to my ears and the Reaper settings.

I agree, trying something in the sound realm is a lot different than what's under the hood.
Sweetwaters Mic Shootout shows a Chandler Limited REDD but not the TG or TG-L.
SOS reviewer did some sound links on the TG-L, but I haven't heard them yet. I will.

Chandler TG Type L | Audio Examples

These audio examples accompany our review of the Chandler TG Type L microphone from SOS October 2024 issue.

www.soundonsound.com

Anyway! I have no horse in this race.... Front End Audio is great, coupon and no tax, free shipping brought the price down a little. Im always watching mic videos and Im late to the party to read of Chandler Limited's mic designs.

But yeah! if it had shown up the size of a 1oz shot glass, Id sent it back probably...lol
but its normal mic size as the pictures show like KSM32, MXL 67 group.