Gale GS401 - what amplifier/amplification could work with it?

Zaiden

Newbie
Wammer
Dec 7, 2021
166
78
48
London
randomc.net
HiFi Trade?
  1. No
Hello Hifi Wigwam,

My friend has a pair of speakers in his bedroom that his parents left there, that have been unused for 30 years or so. They looked pretty nifty with the chrome caps, and we are curious to hear what they sound like.

We asked his parents and it doesn't seem like there's any amplifiers in the house to pair with it.

From my research, it seems they need some serious amplification. And it's a good think I checked - I was almost ready to bring the Onkyo A-9010 (45W) to plug in, which could have seriously damaged them!

I was wondering where could we possibly begin with these?

Would any modern, cheap, Class D amplification be acceptable for feeding these behemoths and getting serious quality out of them?

Would it be preferable to look for amplification from the 70s/80s?

Are there modern Class A/B amplifiers in the 100W+ category that could potentially do the trick?

What should we be looking out for in terms of pairing?

If they've been unused for 30 years, should there be any potential maintenance issues we need to keep an eye out for?
 

Beobloke

Wammer
Wammer
Jul 29, 2005
7,663
1
4,468
158
AKA
Adam
HiFi Trade?
  1. No
I was under the impression that owners are obliged to drive these with a Lecson pre/power combo, for style completeness.

Preferably fed by a Gale GT-2101 turntable! :)
 
  • Haha
Reactions: Nopiano

bigrod

Super Wammer .. Pussy 🐈 lover
Wammer
Mar 12, 2013
5,976
8,904
193
D H LAWRENCE TOWN
AKA
Julian
HiFi Trade?
  1. No
Each speaker has a 5” peerless mid range driver with foam suspension which I’m pretty sure will need replacing .. it’s best to check them out before you power them up otherwise you could over extend the spider and coils and damage them …
Taking them apart is quite tricky as the chrome ends are kept in place with some sort of mastic .. A rubber mallet and a soft wood block is required to gently tap them off a bit at a time ..
They are power hungry and we’re labelled amp killers back in the day ..
I fully restored a pair a few years ago and run them with a Sonus Faber Musica ..
Many Wammer’s at bake offs loved them ..
If you are close to Nottingham you are more than welcome to come and hear what a pair of 401s sound like when restored..
There is a guy on the net who specialises in the 401 and does a great job if you’re not up to the task of a possible overhaul .
The combination of 2x 8” drivers , the 5” peerless and the Celestion HF2000 tweeter in each speaker is just a joy
 

Zaiden

Newbie
Wammer
Dec 7, 2021
166
78
48
London
randomc.net
HiFi Trade?
  1. No
I was under the impression that owners are obliged to drive these with a Lecson pre/power combo, for style completeness.

Preferably fed by a Gale GT-2101 turntable! :)

Unfortunately, myself and my friend are of the generation where we never used turntables and don't own any vinyl records.

But yes, if I ever get enough disposable income, I might consider getting a turntable for the style points.

And holy moly, that Lecson pre/power combo sure looks cool, but that's definitely out of my price range and his price range.

Any sort of other amplifiers below £400-500 that could be viable or perhaps sensible? Phonostage and having a bajillion inputs is also not necessary.
 

Zaiden

Newbie
Wammer
Dec 7, 2021
166
78
48
London
randomc.net
HiFi Trade?
  1. No
Each speaker has a 5” peerless mid range driver with foam suspension which I’m pretty sure will need replacing .. it’s best to check them out before you power them up otherwise you could over extend the spider and coils and damage them …
Taking them apart is quite tricky as the chrome ends are kept in place with some sort of mastic .. A rubber mallet and a soft wood block is required to gently tap them off a bit at a time ..
They are power hungry and we’re labelled amp killers back in the day ..
I fully restored a pair a few years ago and run them with a Sonus Faber Musica ..
Many Wammer’s at bake offs loved them ..
If you are close to Nottingham you are more than welcome to come and hear what a pair of 401s sound like when restored..
There is a guy on the net who specialises in the 401 and does a great job if you’re not up to the task of a possible overhaul .
The combination of 2x 8” drivers , the 5” peerless and the Celestion HF2000 tweeter in each speaker is just a joy

I am nowhere close to Nottingham. But if I'm ever in the area, I will bear that in mind.

If someone who loves tinkering with electronics/working with their hands, but is a complete beginner at DIY Audio, gave refurbishing this a go, do you think it would be possible or not worth the effort?

Also, is maintenance something you need to work on every couple of years? How difficult is it to maintain the GS401s after refurbishing them?
 

bigrod

Super Wammer .. Pussy 🐈 lover
Wammer
Mar 12, 2013
5,976
8,904
193
D H LAWRENCE TOWN
AKA
Julian
HiFi Trade?
  1. No
Once you replace the foam suspension the newer hybrid foams will last for anther 20 years ..The Crossovers can be sent away to be updated but my pair sound great without touching them
..They also need the right stand to sound their very best , nothing solid , see pic
They are very robust cabinets that’s why they’re heavy .. You could dismantle everything and send the components , drivers etc away to be restored ..
A pair of new 5”” foams to match the peerless drivers is about £20 from a company in Holland ..So long as you take your time anything is possible ..
 

Attachments

  • F69C335F-8D15-4424-95D1-F1FA1900EC09.jpeg
    F69C335F-8D15-4424-95D1-F1FA1900EC09.jpeg
    1.6 MB · Views: 17

pmcuk

Wammer
Wammer
Sep 12, 2015
7,317
1
4,880
148
Kensington, London
HiFi Trade?
  1. No
Mitch Mitchell (Jimmy Hendrix) used these Gales and drove them with a big McIntosh valve amp. I know because at one time he left all his hi-fi with a friend of mine.
 
  • Love
Reactions: Firebottle

Zaiden

Newbie
Wammer
Dec 7, 2021
166
78
48
London
randomc.net
HiFi Trade?
  1. No
Once you replace the foam suspension the newer hybrid foams will last for anther 20 years ..The Crossovers can be sent away to be updated but my pair sound great without touching them
..They also need the right stand to sound their very best , nothing solid , see pic
They are very robust cabinets that’s why they’re heavy .. You could dismantle everything and send the components , drivers etc away to be restored ..
A pair of new 5”” foams to match the peerless drivers is about £20 from a company in Holland ..So long as you take your time anything is possible ..

Yeah, my friend's family's stand looks exactly like that. So I don't think that should be an issue. But yeah, they look really heavy, that's for sure.

So you're saying it would cost £20 and my own time + effort to bring to a workable condition?

As for crossovers, how much does it cost to 'update' them? Can the crossovers be subbed for Mini DSPs with Dirac?

Also, I am aware you said that you run 'em off a Sonus Faber Musica. But that's definitely way out of our price range. I was wondering, would a cheaper modern Class D 100-200W amplification work fine?

When I checked the Sonus Faber Musica, I've also read that it's a 50W amplifier. If that's the case, how does it crank out enough power to drive the GS401s?
 

Zaiden

Newbie
Wammer
Dec 7, 2021
166
78
48
London
randomc.net
HiFi Trade?
  1. No
Mitch Mitchell (Jimmy Hendrix) used these Gales and drove them with a big McIntosh valve amp. I know because at one time he left all his hi-fi with a friend of mine.

This is gonna sound sacrilegious, but I'm a young'un who's only heard of Jimmy Hendrix by name but never listened to any of his songs. I'm aware he's pretty famous, but exactly how famous and how good his music is unfortunately escapes me.
 

Nopiano

Wammer Plus
Wammer Plus
Jul 19, 2016
9,776
8,316
183
Monmouthshire, Wales
AKA
Nick
HiFi Trade?
  1. No
Definitely need to establish what work needs doing to them before worrying about an amplifier. I fear the Gales could blow the budget!
 

Zaiden

Newbie
Wammer
Dec 7, 2021
166
78
48
London
randomc.net
HiFi Trade?
  1. No
Definitely need to establish what work needs doing to them before worrying about an amplifier. I fear the Gales could blow the budget!

That doesn't sound particularly re-assuring. If that's the case, I might return to this idea once I've had a tango with making my first DIY, Tannoy dual-concentric driver speakers, which will hopefully give me a better idea of how all that jazz works.
 

rabski

Everything in moderation
Staff member
Dec 2, 2006
32,873
1
26,119
173
Kettering
AKA
Richard
HiFi Trade?
  1. No
This is gonna sound sacrilegious, but I'm a young'un who's only heard of Jimmy Hendrix by name but never listened to any of his songs. I'm aware he's pretty famous, but exactly how famous and how good his music is unfortunately escapes me.
Now I really understand how old I am :cry:
 
  • Haha
Reactions: Firebottle

Nopiano

Wammer Plus
Wammer Plus
Jul 19, 2016
9,776
8,316
183
Monmouthshire, Wales
AKA
Nick
HiFi Trade?
  1. No
That doesn't sound particularly re-assuring. If that's the case, I might return to this idea once I've had a tango with making my first DIY, Tannoy dual-concentric driver speakers, which will hopefully give me a better idea of how all that jazz works.
I just think the only point in the Gales is if they’re working as intended. And after 45+ years they’re going to need quite a bit of restoration. I hope I’m wrong, but you get what I’m saying. They were tremendous with a powerful amp in their day, as @uzzy will tell you. Best of luck!
 

MickyP

Wammer
Wammer
Aug 22, 2015
173
51
33
Darlington, County Durham
AKA
Mick
HiFi Trade?
  1. No
Loved my Gales! Used Carver cube and Musical Fidelity amps - both worked fine. Agree, surrounds will be knackered. Recapping can be done by specialists like Wilmslow. If you ever sell them, you could be in for a surprise!
 

uzzy

Grumpy Old Git
Wammer
Apr 16, 2006
8,565
4,633
158
NN38TA Northampton
AKA
David
HiFi Trade?
  1. No
The bass speaker foams and the mid ranger speaker foams will need replacing (if not now then not long into the future if they have the original foams). The crossover has two attenuators at the back of each speaker (not for the user but used at the factory to set them flat) .. they get dirty and stop working (quicker if the owner twiddles them a lot) so may need replacing or renovating.

If they are in full working order they dip below 4 ohms (the data you will find indicates 4 to 8 ohms but it isn't) and need an amp that is capable of driving a low impedance insensitive (84db or less).

Ideally an amp that can deliver 100 watts below 4 ohms (Krell KSA100 would be an ideal - the Hafler DH200m 220 and XL280 do a great job too)
These two articles may be of help https://www.vintagegale.com/portfolio.php and https://hifigoteborg.se/pdf/About_gale_401A.pdf

For their size not a lot of speakers can match them (IMO) but the only downside is you have to listen at fairly "normal" levels to enjoy them as when you turn the volume down the sound tends to recede into the box. However they work great with backs to the wall (ideal for houses with a fireplace and recess each side with cupboards and the Gales on top).

I loved mine and had them for nearly 20 years before they were ousted by a pair of Chris Rogers PRO9TL speakers (that I bought for £50 to have spare mid range units for the Gales but liked them more)
 

Lurch

Piss-taker & Gobshite Par Excelle'nce
Wammer Plus
Sep 17, 2016
5,994
7,419
183
HiFi Trade?
  1. No
Reasonable quality class D amps would do the job fine, something like an XTZ. They're very good value and sound damn decent aswell.
 

Zaiden

Newbie
Wammer
Dec 7, 2021
166
78
48
London
randomc.net
HiFi Trade?
  1. No
Loved my Gales! Used Carver cube and Musical Fidelity amps - both worked fine. Agree, surrounds will be knackered. Recapping can be done by specialists like Wilmslow. If you ever sell them, you could be in for a surprise!

How much would it cost to get recapping from Wilmslow?

Doubt it would be a sell. I really want to listen to these and my friend's family is fairly well-off/has no pressure to sell to make ends meet.

Let's call it a hobbyist experiment and we're willing to be patient for the long-term.
 

Zaiden

Newbie
Wammer
Dec 7, 2021
166
78
48
London
randomc.net
HiFi Trade?
  1. No
The bass speaker foams and the mid ranger speaker foams will need replacing (if not now then not long into the future if they have the original foams). The crossover has two attenuators at the back of each speaker (not for the user but used at the factory to set them flat) .. they get dirty and stop working (quicker if the owner twiddles them a lot) so may need replacing or renovating.

If they are in full working order they dip below 4 ohms (the data you will find indicates 4 to 8 ohms but it isn't) and need an amp that is capable of driving a low impedance insensitive (84db or less).

Ideally an amp that can deliver 100 watts below 4 ohms (Krell KSA100 would be an ideal - the Hafler DH200m 220 and XL280 do a great job too)
These two articles may be of help https://www.vintagegale.com/portfolio.php and https://hifigoteborg.se/pdf/About_gale_401A.pdf

For their size not a lot of speakers can match them (IMO) but the only downside is you have to listen at fairly "normal" levels to enjoy them as when you turn the volume down the sound tends to recede into the box. However they work great with backs to the wall (ideal for houses with a fireplace and recess each side with cupboards and the Gales on top).

I loved mine and had them for nearly 20 years before they were ousted by a pair of Chris Rogers PRO9TL speakers (that I bought for £50 to have spare mid range units for the Gales but liked them more)
What did you like more about the Chris Rogers PRO9TL?
 

uzzy

Grumpy Old Git
Wammer
Apr 16, 2006
8,565
4,633
158
NN38TA Northampton
AKA
David
HiFi Trade?
  1. No
What did you like more about the Chris Rogers PRO9TL?
Bass extension and they were an easier more efficient load (somehow more effortless) however the top end was not as good as the Gales (the HF2000 tweeter is great in my books) so I changed the PRO9 tweeters to Dynaudio DT28 and then to Morel MDT33s and they were the equal if not better than the Gales at the top end.

Being more efficient meant that the sound did not recede so much into the cabinets at lower volumes ... When we made the decision to change over (the wife loved the bottom end and the mids were the same and you could kind of forgive the top end) they were in tatty chipboard home made cabinets .. I covered them with three ply with a decent top grain and varnished them - and recut the baffle to put the drive units in line and that tidied the sound of the PRO9s even more.

Lived with them for over 10 years before changing to the Art Impressions (had the gales for 14 lol)
 

Lurch

Piss-taker & Gobshite Par Excelle'nce
Wammer Plus
Sep 17, 2016
5,994
7,419
183
HiFi Trade?
  1. No
There's a pair of CR PRO9TL in the classifieds at the moment.
 
  • Like
Reactions: uzzy

Forum statistics

Threads
113,444
Messages
2,451,263
Members
70,783
Latest member
reg66

Latest Articles