Chandler Limited RS124 Compressor

The Chandler Limited RS124 Compressor is a faithful recreation of the iconic EMI/Abbey Road RS124, one of the most sought-after valve compressors in recording history, re-engineered for today’s studio workflows.

Originally developed in 1960 by Abbey Road’s Head of Technical Bill Livy, Deputy Head Len Page, and EMI audio designer Mike Bachelor, the RS124 compressor emerged as a custom solution to improve upon the shortcomings of the Altec 436B units EMI had acquired in the late 1950s. The RS124 quickly became a studio staple, revered for its exceptionally smooth character and ability to manage transients without dulling the signal, even under heavy compression.

The Chandler Limited RS124 became synonymous with the sound of The Beatles, appearing on virtually every session they recorded at Abbey Road. Widely used by the studio’s engineers for tracking, buss compression, mixing, and mastering, RS124 units were central to the workflow and are frequently seen in archival images of Abbey Road’s control rooms throughout the 1960s.

Despite its influence, the original RS124 was never made available commercially. Over the years, various attempts were made to replicate the unit, but without access to original hardware and internal documentation, none captured its exact qualities. True insight required studying Abbey Road’s own surviving RS124s and reviewing the detailed, handwritten modification notes that accompanied them.

Now, Chandler Limited has brought the RS124 out of the shadows. The Chandler Limited RS124 Compressor is built with direct reference to Abbey Road’s most prized examples, serial numbers 60070B, 60050A, and 61010B, still in active use at the studio. It preserves core elements of the original, including Input, Output, Recovery (release), and the distinctive ‘HOLD’ setting, while also offering new capabilities such as adjustable attack, selectable output impedance, and a unique ‘SuperFuse’ option.

After decades of mystery, the sound of a true studio legend is finally available for modern engineers.