Poking around in the loft a while back I came across along forgotten pair of Gale GS401As in very sad condition and, if memory serves, they'd been there for 22 years! Unfortunately they were a little too near a small long term leak that developed in the roof (fixed long ago) which did little to improve the chrome work. The main reason they went out of use was a blown tweeter in one of them which at the time was unobtainable and thus irreparable.
More out of stubbornness than anything else I've decided to restore the old girls back to their 1970's glory. There was something about the sound I rather liked. Naturally I know it would be far more sensible to get rid of them and forget the idea altogether but where's the fun in that?
So far all I've done is got them down, knocked off the end caps (I don't want to repeat THAT experience!), and cleaned everything up ready for parcelling up and despatch for refurb and chroming. I'm not expecting to be reassembling them this side of new year. When that happy day comes I'm going to find myself in need of some amplification. As they'll be pretty much second string system speakers using my MFs isn't really an option. The 401s are, of course, not the easiest load for amps.
Any ideas for economical amplification, power or integrated within £ Three Figures? Thoughts that went through my mind were a Quad 405 (doubtful), an older MF power or integrated and even a pair of bridged Behringer A500s (I do like the vfm that Bellringer offer).
The fuses are recommended at min. of 2.5 amps and are easily available from maplin and a host of other places so I do not know how you had difficulty (do not use slow blow). I would fit 5amp fuses as if they blow then the amp is likely to go into melt down.
They drop below 4 ohms and need grunt - I bought the Hafler DH200 (it being the only amp I could afford with the grunt to drive them in the 70s) and love the amp so much I wouldn't change it. Other ideal matches - well when I was in a hifi shop the EAR 509 valve amps would drive them but didn't drive them as well or sound as good as the Hafler. You need an amp that can deliver down to 2ohms without strain. That limits you more than you might think.
The fuses should be changed once a year if you listen at high volumes (you will see it is not shiny and a the fuse wire distorts a bit in shape). I upped the value to 5amps in mine as the hafler has 2.5 amp fuses on the outputs so it is more likely to blow on the hafler before the loudpeaker (which is more desirable cos if the speaker fuse goes it can lead to a melt down of the output transistors (mosfets) in the amp..
If it was me buying now I would go solid state and look at the following
Hafler DH200 or xl 280 if you can find one second hand
Meridian 557
Krell KSA 50/100/200 the bigger the better
I used an Amcron DC300 A for a while on them, when i was loaned one. That worked a treat too.
I would not go for a bridged amplifier as I have yet to see one that is recommended for less than 8ohm load.
The quad 606 or 909 may do the job but you need to suck it and see (the 405 or 405 2 certainly will not).
When looking for an amp look for one that can deliver down to 2 ohms (especially if you listen at high volumes) and do not even bother with a Naim 250 or tha series, they throw the thermal switch after about a minute of normal listening levels (not sure about the newer ones but they are not on my list at all
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I never got to try any of the new class D amps but they may be an alternative.
I repaired the foam surrounds on my bass units (you tube will show you how) - i never got round to the mids before i sold them but they should be easier (less cone travel so easier to position and stick down) ...