45 replies to this topic

[flemo]

Item: Gale 401A Speakers
Location: Perth WA
Item Condition: Excellent
Reason for selling: Raising funds for other projects
Price: SOLD
Payment Method: Pickup - Cash
Extra Info:
Pictures:

For sale is a set of classic Gale 401A chrome end speakers.

I purchased these in super rare original condition and restored them in accordance with the factory specifications.

At considerable expense I employed a well regarded speaker technician in Perth to replace the surrounds on all the drivers. The crossovers have new sealed attenuators so no more airborne corrosion, and some of the capacitors (caps) were replaced where required with audio quality high grade caps (to factory spec). I have the paperwork to substantiate the work was carried out on 24/02/2011.

As I mentioned these were in original condition and had been well looked after - nobody had tampered with them. The crossovers were also in excellent condition with what appears no issues of overloading them with under powered amplifiers!!

I am driving these effortlessly with my little 80wpc Accuphase amplifier.

I have attached plenty of pic's for a full disclosure, with more pic's to come.

The only thing I didn't do was have the caps re chromed, which I seriously considered but I have spent too much on them already. The chrome ends do not have any rust or dents. They do have some scratches and some of the chrome has peeled off the bottom edge. They still present very well.

Sound wise these are very open sounding, very detailed and resolute without any fatigue and with the famous Gale weighty mid-range. Bottom end is tight, controlled and plentiful. They are very lively and will play many styles of music very well.

These have been restored carefully and properly, and will give many years of service.

I'm selling these because I want the money for other projects.

Prefer local pickup due to the size and weight.

Cheers, flemo.

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Edited by flemo, 05 May 2011 - 06:34 PM.

[flemo]

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[Braddles 63]

Good luck Pete. Someone will be happy with your work when they get these.

Any hints on the new project?

[wolster]

I haven't heard yours, flemo, but I have heard ozcal's.
They are sensational speakers that seem to be a great example of a manufacturer getting things just right.

Good luck with the sale.

[flemo]

Hi Brad, I have a few projects on the go at the moment and not sure what I'll end with at this stage.

Hi Wally, yes I have concluded the art of speaker building (and quality control in hi-fi) has receded over the years. The Gales really were a well built and designed speaker. The size and weight of the crossovers alone is quite impressive.

Cheers, flemo.

[Bear72]

If anyone in Melbourne is keen on these, fell free to PM me and arrange a listen to mine.

Best of luck Pete, I can't believe you're leaving the club!

[flemo]

If anyone in Melbourne is keen on these, fell free to PM me and arrange a listen to mine.

Best of luck Pete, I can't believe you're leaving the club!

Thanks for your offer mate re the auditions.

Not actually leaving the club, I do have a few sets of Gale speakers!

Cheers, flemo.

[Bear72]

Then you're forgiven:p

[flemo]

Bump for Sunday........

[unclemack]

Wow,

These have been an object of much desire since I first saw them at Instrol HiFi...

If I hadn't committed my life to the Infinitys then these would be mine.

Anybody want to buy some Yamaha Soavos????

Good luck with the sale mate, although I don't think you'll need it.

Cheers

M

[flemo]

Hi unclemack, yes they are quite desirable and rare in this condition.

Cheers, flemo.

[herringboy47]

Well come on you guys stop messing about and buy em! - these are great speakers - I will never sell my two pairs - just something right about them - whack a decent power amp and valve pre on em and they are world beaters.
Good luck with sale

[ozcal]

Well come on you guys stop messing about and buy em! - these are great speakers - I will never sell my two pairs - just something right about them - whack a decent power amp and valve pre on em and they are world beaters.
Good luck with sale

Very true HB . I am so happy to have a pair of 401a's again and they seem to work a dream with the Supratek and lowly RB1080.
As folk say there is something just right about the way they reproduce music.

[Tony M]

OK OK, I can't stand it any longer.

Flemo, if you're willing to pack them up and ship to SA at my expense, I'll take them. I still have Steve M's old Toshiba SS-30's in the "shed" and they could do with some more WA company.

Will PM you later tonight.

Cheers
Tony

[ozcal]

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Tony , If you can find a pair of B&W 7 series stands they work a treat under the Gales.

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[flemo]

OK OK, I can't stand it any longer.

Flemo, if you're willing to pack them up and ship to SA at my expense, I'll take them. I still have Steve M's old Toshiba SS-30's in the "shed" and they could do with some more WA company.

Will PM you later tonight.

Cheers
Tony

Hi Tony, look forward to hearing from you.

Cheers, flemo.

[rantan]

What a classic speaker!
I had these back in the day, not long after release and they were partnered with a Linn/ Quad 33/405 combination .
I should have bought these but I have too many speakers and no room for more unless I sell some.

Tony: You won't regret it mate, just make sure your amp has good current capability and you will enjoy one of the greatest speakers of all time.

Edited by rantan, 21 April 2011 - 12:09 AM.
typos

[herringboy47]

Tony get those SS-30's hooked up they are far to good to be in a shed!

OK OK, I can't stand it any longer.

I still have Steve M's old Toshiba SS-30's in the "shed" and they could do with some more WA company.



Cheers
Tony

[christianb]

Tony get those SS-30's hooked up they are far to good to be in a shed!

Yes or give them to me...
The Gales are amazing too, guys take them...

Cheers

Christian

[Tony M]

Flemo

Your inbox is full - quite a bit of that going around ATM.
Cheers
Tony

[Tony M]

Thanks for the encouraging comments, guys.

I have a shortlist of classic speakers that I've read about and lusted after for decades and these are very definitely on that list. I could only ignore them for so long.

Must chase up Bear and find out how he got on with his quest for original-looking stands.....

The amp question is another potential problem. Now I wish I had my old ME 850 back again. I've got several little Rotel 60wpc power amps, quite a few old integrateds and a TacT 150wpc digital amp. I suspect none of these will be right for the Gales - the TacT in particular could be a disaster - or it might surprise. It replaced a Musical Fidelity 150wpc A308 and was actually better IMO, but that was with very sensitive speakers. According to the specs, it delivers >50 amps per channel. That doesn't sound too shabby, but I don't know how meaningful current delivery specs are....

Rantan, any suggestions for the most cost-effective (ie cheap) amplification that would do these justice?

Cheers
Tony

PS Herringboy, the "shed" is not really all that sheddy. It's more like a big listening room and repository for assorted bits of vintage audio (or old junk, depending on your point of view). The Toshiba's are quite happy, though sadly underutilized ATM.

Edited by Tony M, 21 April 2011 - 01:25 AM.

[Telecine]

Good buying Tony. These are on my list too but the timing was wrong for me.

As to amplification, the received wisdom is to use something that will double the output in watts as it goes from 8ohms to 4ohms to 2 ohms. That will be an indicator of current output. See if you have anything with those sort of specs.

Good luck finding the original floppy stands.

There are some B&W FS700 stands available on ebay for $350 BIN here and here. (you have the choice of silver or black).

BTW, Steve M has another pair of Toshiba SS-30s these days. ; )

Edited by Telecine, 21 April 2011 - 06:48 AM.

[Bear72]

G'day Tony, and welcome to the club! I'm actually getting some stands made up to the original specs (except using 1" instead of 7/8). I reckon I'll get them powdercoated black (which was an original finish) rather than chromed though, simply to keep costs down. I think I still have the drawing with dimensions, will try to find it. Otherwise you can grab it from the Gale Google Group site. You just need a local metal workshop with a suitable pipe bender to make a pair up.

BTW don't fret about freight, the cabinets are as tough as (have seen one of mine fall from the makeshift stand onto a tiled floor:eek: and suffer no discernible damage, nor even miss a beat as it was in use at the time!)

[4heckssake]

OK OK, I can't stand it any longer.

Flemo, if you're willing to pack them up and ship to SA at my expense, I'll take them. I still have Steve M's old Toshiba SS-30's in the "shed" and they could do with some more WA company.

Will PM you later tonight.

Cheers
Tony

Nice work Tony. Congratulations! I'm envious too and will definitely be up for a listen to the Toshibas and the Gales when the time is right for all.
Rod.

[biologist]

B@gger, came in to late for these.
I've always wanted a pair of these speakers.
Well bought Tony.

Just in case you change your mind, unlikely I expect, I'm willing to buy these but I will be away all easter weekend.
Would be great to get in to work next week and find they are available.....

Edited by biologist, 21 April 2011 - 10:04 AM.

[Tony M]

Thanks for all the positive input, guys.

Yes, Bear, I think getting proper tubular stands made up locally will be the go. Please let me know if you find the dimensions. I'll definitely have a look through that website though and see if I can find them myself. Then all I need to do is find a local pipe bender who takes pride in their work.

Telecine, here are the specs of the TacT amp:

http://www.tactlab.c...ifications.html

On paper, at least, it would appear to have the capability needed. It does double its output into 4 Ohms and it always runs as cool as.... I'll try to find out what experience people have had in using them with "difficult" loads. My only personal experience with big amps and difficult speakers was the ME 850 with Apogee Centaur Majors. It worked fine and sounded just great, but it kept blowing up every 12 months or so, even after both amplifier modules were replaced by the factory.

The fact that the TacT doesn't raise a sweat under any circumstances encourages me to give it a go, at least initially.

Biologist, I don't think there is any likelihood of me changing my mind unless shipping costs prove prohibitive, which shouldn't be the case. However, speakers are a personal thing and I've never heard them. So, if they happened to be unsuited to my ears or room, I might then look to sell them on. But that would be down the track and I hope it doesn't happen.

Cheers
Tony

[biologist]

Biologist, I don't think there is any likelihood of me changing my mind unless shipping costs prove prohibitive, which shouldn't be the case. However, speakers are a personal thing and I've never heard them. So, if they happened to be unsuited to my ears or room, I might then look to sell them on. But that would be down the track and I hope it doesn't happen.

Cheers
Tony

Didn't think so, but it was worth a try.
All the best hope you love them!

cheers,

[ozcal]

Hi Tony . with regard to the amps I am using a Rotel RB1080 with , surprisingly, great sucess , so a 1080 or 1090 should do the job.
As an alternative the Audio-gd power amps are real powerhouses for relatively little money.
As to the stands , I had the Gale stand with my original pair of 401A'S back in the 80's.The aesthetics were spot on and I would love to try a pair under my current Gales but I have a feeling that more rigid stands do a better job.
Congratulations on the purchase , the are a truley amazing speaker, just be prepared to spend a bit of time setting them up as they are very sensitive to positioning if you want to get the best out of them.
Stands shoud have a top plate that is 500mm from the floor when the speakers are mounted correctly ie horizontally .

Edited by ozcal, 21 April 2011 - 01:29 PM.

[Telecine]

Thanks for all the positive input, guys.

Yes, Bear, I think getting proper tubular stands made up locally will be the go. Please let me know if you find the dimensions. I'll definitely have a look through that website though and see if I can find them myself. Then all I need to do is find a local pipe bender who takes pride in their work.

Telecine, here are the specs of the TacT amp:

http://www.tactlab.c...ifications.html

On paper, at least, it would appear to have the capability needed. It does double its output into 4 Ohms and it always runs as cool as.... I'll try to find out what experience people have had in using them with "difficult" loads. My only personal experience with big amps and difficult speakers was the ME 850 with Apogee Centaur Majors. It worked fine and sounded just great, but it kept blowing up every 12 months or so, even after both amplifier modules were replaced by the factory.

The fact that the TacT doesn't raise a sweat under any circumstances encourages me to give it a go, at least initially.

Biologist, I don't think there is any likelihood of me changing my mind unless shipping costs prove prohibitive, which shouldn't be the case. However, speakers are a personal thing and I've never heard them. So, if they happened to be unsuited to my ears or room, I might then look to sell them on. But that would be down the track and I hope it doesn't happen.

Cheers
Tony

Tony,

I think that you might be breaking new ground with the Tact amp. I will be very interested to hear how you go.

The specs look ok as far as they go. It would be interesting to know how it went with a 2ohm load but I think that you might be about to find out.

[Telecine]

Hi Tony . with regard to the amps I am using a Rotel RB1080 with , surprisingly, great sucess , so a 1080 or 1090 should do the job.

Gordon,

Not so surprising really. I used to own a Rotel RB 1080 and I think that you could drive an nail through concrete with one. It is an underrated amp in my opinion, hard to beat at the price point.

[ozcal]

Hi Tele , my suprise came from the fact that the 1080 seemed to struggle to drive my previous B&W 703'S but works a treat with the Gales
Interestingly the design of the 1080 is based around Stan Curtis's work for Rotel and the amp that drove my original pair of Gales ,the Mission 772 was also designed by the same chap.

[Telecine]

Hi Tele , my suprise came from the fact that the 1080 seemed to struggle to drive my previous B&W 703'S but works a treat with the Gales
Interestingly the design of the 1080 is based around Stan Curtis's work for Rotel and the amp that drove my original pair of Gales ,the Mission 772 was also designed by the same chap.

Interesting Gordon because I thought that the RB 1080 actually drove my B&W 803's quite well.

[ozcal]

I found the sound just a bit lifeless with the RB1080 on it's own.I passively bi-amped the 703's with my Yam M60 on the top and mids and the 1080 doing bass duties and found this to work well.
I initially drove the Gales with the M60 as I found it to be a more musical sounding amp than the 1080 but it ceased to function after a few months.
I popped the 1080 back into the mix and ended up with a much more balanced sound compared to the M60. I had made a number of capacitor changes to both my pre and dac while using the M60 so I guess this allowed the 1080 to perform at it's best.
Bottom Line is , as you say, the 1080 is a very underated amp.

[flemo]

These are now sold pending payment.

I think Tony did okay with this sale on SNA......... http://perth.gumtree...QAdIdZ277082738

Thanks for the input fella's.

Cheers, flemo.

[flemo]

Now sold, thanks for the interest.

Cheers, flemo.

[Tony M]

Now sold, thanks for the interest.

Cheers, flemo.

Yes, massive thanks Flemo.

My listening so far has horrified me.......









.....with the thought of "what would I do if anything happened to these?":(

I've expended a lot of time and money and tears over the decades chasing elusive audio dreams. Without doubt, these speakers are one of the biggest steps forward I've ever taken. Not dissing the modified Klipsch Belle/TacT combo that will continue to live in the family room - just a different sound with a different set of strengths and weaknesses.

But the Gales add something I've ever heard at home before. Ozcal, Rantan and the others were just so right.

I'll post some piccies and listening impressions soon.

Thanks again, flemo

Cheers
Tony

[flemo]

After this photo in the 'sumptuous speakers' thread, those Gales were always going to fly out the door!

The irony here is I have 3 more sets of Gale speakers and they don't look anything close to those wonderfull 'sumptuous speakers'!!

[ozcal]

Yes, massive thanks Flemo.

My listening so far has horrified me.......









.....with the thought of "what would I do if anything happened to these?":(

I've expended a lot of time and money and tears over the decades chasing elusive audio dreams. Without doubt, these speakers are one of the biggest steps forward I've ever taken. Not dissing the modified Klipsch Belle/TacT combo that will continue to live in the family room - just a different sound with a different set of strengths and weaknesses.

But the Gales add something I've ever heard at home before. Ozcal, Rantan and the others were just so right.

I'll post some piccies and listening impressions soon.

Thanks again, flemo

Cheers
Tony

Congrats Tony and welcome to the club
The Gales ,as you are experiencing , are a very special speaker.
There is something just right about the sound. Few speakers are as coherent from top to bottom and tonally well balanced.
All the best,
Gordon

[Bear72]

Congrats Tony and welcome to the club
The Gales ,as you are experiencing , are a very special speaker.
There is something just right about the sound. Few speakers are as coherent from top to bottom and tonally well balanced.
All the best,
Gordon

Amen to that. Good to hear they're doing it for you Tony. Enjoy!

[Chickenism]

Hi Tony et al,

Just want to add my congrats on the Gales

Have heard Bear's on a good few occasions now and must admit that every time I do, and regardless of what's playing, I can't help but think, "I've gotta get me a pair of these!"

There's something that's just so right about them.

Cheers, Dave

[Telecine]

Congrats Tony. It sounds like they have really hit the mark.

Now get posting in that showcase thread.

[THOMO]

Tony,
Well done on the Gales.They are a bargain at that sort of money.Especially considering the restoration work done on them.

I keep coming back to the Gales.They are so rare in the speaker world in not sounding like boxes.They just play music.
My hunch is they achieve this through combining a highly damped enclosure and a very high ratio of driver surface area to box volume.Obviously the crossover design has to be good too.They are also brilliant speakers at allowing you to follow a tune.
They love a good valve preamp.

[Grumpy]

Can't wait to hear them Tony. Will they be too big for the 'study'? You will of course give them a go in there against the Rogers won't you?

[Tony M]

Thanks everyone.

Yes, I will post pics etc soon - just moved from my "list of things to do" to my "list of things to really do ASAP"

Grumps, The Gales have already replaced the Rogers in the "study". The poor little LS3/5a's are sulking in a corner ATM, but they'll find their own spot soon. Ozcal's comment about the Gales being like 3/5a's with bass seems so true and it's great to enjoy what I was missing with them. Looking forward to catching up soon.

Cheers
Tony