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Amp Eating Gale 401's


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The issue with driving Gales is their low impedance, typically 3.7 ohms. Your NAD integrated amp specifications here:

https://www.hifiengine.com/manual_library/nad/c375bee.shtml

 

Reveal the NAD's output power does not change relative to 4 ohm or 8 ohm speakers, most amplifiers will double their given rated power when the loudspeaker impedance halves, which infers it is very likely the NAD has insufficient current to properly drive the Gales.

 

Certainly try the NAD, but being also a owner, the Gales deserve the best, least clutter attenuation,  and solid state power amp you can afford.       

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Works into low impedance loads.

 

Pair it with a decent suitable preamp.

Edit: mind you, the pre amp needs to have a very low output impedance to drive the ME amp properly, according to old member ZB (Trevor) less than 10 ohms output impedance.

 

Input impedance for the ME 550 is 1k, so ideally 10 ohms, but a pre amplifier with an output impedance under 100 ohms will work.

Of course a ME 25 Pre Amp would have the ideal output impedance for it.

Edited by muon*
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56 minutes ago, muon* said:

Works into load impedance loads.

 

Pair it with a decent suitable preamp.

Edit: mind you, the pre amp needs to have a very low output impedance to drive the ME amp properly, according to old member ZB (Trevor) less than 10 ohms output impedance.

 

Input impedance for the ME 550 is 1k, so ideally 10 ohms, but a pre amplifier with an output impedance under 100 ohms will work.

Of course a ME 25 Pre Amp would have the ideal output impedance for it.

Much better to match sensitivity of the power amp to just match the source, rather than appeasing one manufacturers aims so you have to use their preamp with their power amp which IMO is very silly.  

 

To match the source to the power amp, use a power amp with specifications like this, you will then hear your source component without any alteration / reactance in between, which encourages using simple resistive attenuation.  

Screenshot from 2020-07-04 20-13-46.png

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Too much power is not the issue. It is the quality.

 

Try the Elektra Reference HD as a power amplifier. You may get one on the second hand market at a good price. I use one. Bought it new, no regrets. 600 watts into 4 ohms.

 

Get a Proton integrated amp fir use as the preamp. You won't be disappointed. I'm running a Doge 8 Clarity 2017, no regrets.

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5 hours ago, Hawkeye said:

Would a Nad C375BEE be a better suitor for my Gale 401's ?

Using my Marantz  sr7008 125 wpc theatre amp doing a reasonable job.

Thoughts please.

 

5 hours ago, stereo coffee said:

The issue with driving Gales is their low impedance, typically 3.7 ohms. Your NAD integrated amp specifications here:

https://www.hifiengine.com/manual_library/nad/c375bee.shtml

 

Reveal the NAD's output power does not change relative to 4 ohm or 8 ohm speakers, most amplifiers will double their given rated power when the loudspeaker impedance halves, which infers it is very likely the NAD has insufficient current to properly drive the Gales.

 

Certainly try the NAD, but being also a owner, the Gales deserve the best, least clutter attenuation,  and solid state power amp you can afford.       

 

Not sure why they've quoted the RMS output power that way.  It piqued my interest so I had a look at the service manual.

The dynamic power specs there suggest 64% more power at 4 Ohms, and that the amp is capable of driving a 2 ohm load in stereo mode.

Specs also show Damping factor of >200.  The  2 ohm capability and the high damping factor will be due, in part, to having 4 devices in parallel in the output stage.

So I can't see any reason why the NAD wouldn't have more than adequate power for your Gales.

C375BEE pwr specs.JPG

Edited by surprisetech
added specs
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@Hawkeye The NAD's not a good enough amp to drive the 401's properly.

The 401's have been described as Quads with Grunt.

So, they can be very revealing.

Talk to Mark Houston about getting one of his Pre/Power combo's.

Does the trick brilliantly for me.

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1 hour ago, Paul R said:

Too much power is not the issue. It is the quality.

 

Try the Elektra Reference HD as a power amplifier. You may get one on the second hand market at a good price. I use one. Bought it new, no regrets. 600 watts into 4 ohms.

 

Get a Proton integrated amp fir use as the preamp. You won't be disappointed. I'm running a Doge 8 Clarity 2017, no regrets.

Elektra would be a good one to seek out :thumb:

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1 hour ago, muon* said:

Elektra would be a good one to seek out :thumb:

 

I'm sure it would be a step up from the OP's Marantz  sr7008 - or the Nad C375BEE he was thinking of buying - however, Trevor ( @sir sanders zingmore) recently brought his Sanders Magtech over to a friend of mine's, who has an Electra.  The Magtech blew it away.

 

Andy

 

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Just now, andyr said:

 

I'm sure it would be a step up from the OP's Marantz  sr7008 - or the Nad C375BEE he was thinking of buying - however, Trevor ( @sir sanders zingmore) recently brought his Sanders Magtech over to a friend of mine's, who has an Electra.  The Magtech blew it away.

 

Andy

 

What speakers?

 

Is the Magtech price commiserate with Electra?

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Just now, muon* said:

What speakers?

 

B&W stand-mounts (small), Ian.

 

Just now, muon* said:

Is the Magtech price commiserate with Electra?

 

No, I would suspect it's considerably more - but, shirley, the aim is ... to make the lovely Gales sound the best they can?  :)

 

Andy

 

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7 hours ago, stereo coffee said:

The issue with driving Gales is their low impedance, typically 3.7 ohms. Your NAD integrated amp specifications here:

https://www.hifiengine.com/manual_library/nad/c375bee.shtml

 

Reveal the NAD's output power does not change relative to 4 ohm or 8 ohm speakers, most amplifiers will double their given rated power when the loudspeaker impedance halves, which infers it is very likely the NAD has insufficient current to properly drive the Gales.

 

Certainly try the NAD, but being also a owner, the Gales deserve the best, least clutter attenuation,  and solid state power amp you can afford.       

Thanks for the input. A friend has the same and uses a nad 50watt which he seems quite happy with hence my interest in this one.

 

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Not all NADs are created equal ;)

 

Edit: just to add, we can be pleased with something....until we hear better :)

 

You want something with lots of muscle with the 401's, so heaps of current available on tap and stable into low ohms.

Amps (amperage) are what is needed more than lots of watts, reasonable wattage but lots of current, having both is not a bad thing though.

 

Also, one that sounds good to you.

Edited by muon*
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10 minutes ago, andyr said:

 

B&W stand-mounts (small), Ian.

 

 

No, I would suspect it's considerably more - but, shirley, the aim is ... to make the lovely Gales sound the best they can?  :)

 

Andy

 

What can I say! :)

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12 minutes ago, Hawkeye said:

 

Thanks for the input. A friend has the same and uses a nad 50watt which he seems quite happy with hence my interest in this one.

 

 

Given your first comment was:

 

8 hours ago, Hawkeye said:

Would a Nad C375BEE be a better suitor for my Gale 401's ?

Using my Marantz  sr7008 125 wpc theatre amp doing a reasonable job.

Thoughts please.

 

... you are already using an amp rated at over double your friend's - and yet you feel your Gales could sound better.  Sounds to me your friend is a "sounds OK " type of guy ... whereas you are someone who seeks 'better'.  (Similarly - in terms of wine, say - there are lots of people who are quite happy drinking 'goonbag' wine ... who don't 'waste' money buying wine in glass bottles.  :)  Me - I drink wine in glass bottles!)

 

Andy

 

Edited by andyr
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3 hours ago, surprisetech said:

 

 

Not sure why they've quoted the RMS output power that way.  It piqued my interest so I had a look at the service manual.

The dynamic power specs there suggest 64% more power at 4 Ohms, and that the amp is capable of driving a 2 ohm load in stereo mode.

Specs also show Damping factor of >200.  The  2 ohm capability and the high damping factor will be due, in part, to having 4 devices in parallel in the output stage.

So I can't see any reason why the NAD wouldn't have more than adequate power for your Gales.

C375BEE pwr specs.JPG

R

 

3 hours ago, surprisetech said:

 

 

Not sure why they've quoted the RMS output power that way.  It piqued my interest so I had a look at the service manual.

The dynamic power specs there suggest 64% more power at 4 Ohms, and that the amp is capable of driving a 2 ohm load in stereo mode.

Specs also show Damping factor of >200.  The  2 ohm capability and the high damping factor will be due, in part, to having 4 devices in parallel in the output stage.

So I can't see any reason why the NAD wouldn't have more than adequate power for your Gales.

C375BEE pwr specs.JPG

Not being all that tech savvy 

I was hoping this would go close and the price could be in my ballpark.

 Thanks 

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4 hours ago, andyr said:

 

I'm sure it would be a step up from the OP's Marantz  sr7008 - or the Nad C375BEE he was thinking of buying - however, Trevor ( @sir sanders zingmore) recently brought his Sanders Magtech over to a friend of mine's, who has an Electra.  The Magtech blew it away.

 

Andy

 

 

I don't think your friend is my friend anymore after he heard the magtech :)

 

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3 hours ago, Hawkeye said:

R

 

Not being all that tech savvy 

I was hoping this would go close and the price could be in my ballpark.

 Thanks 

 

What is your ballpark price? 

 

This is a very important question. 

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9 hours ago, sir sanders zingmore said:

 

I don't think your friend is my friend anymore after he heard the magtech :)

 

 

Haha.  xD  He just has to knuckle down and do some work over the next few months, to pay for one.

 

Andy

 

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Firstly congratulations on choosing one of the greatest speakers ever produced. Although the ‘C’s are not the design icon that the ‘A’s are in our experience they are superior sounding, due to the chrome caps not covering half the woofers and far easier to work on. 
 

As others have stated you need power and current and LOTS of it.  Bryston is the best match we have found. You might find a very old 4BST in your budget. 300Watts into 8 Ohms, 500 into 4 so they have the required grunt.

 

Beyond that I think given your budget it would be well worth contemplating some pro gear. Cheaper and built to be bludgeoned. Hopefully @Tubularbells might have some suggestions.

 

Don't abandon these speakers till you hear them with some real muscle up them. Our experience has shown you can not judge just how remarkable they are till you hear them with 500+ Watt amps driving them.

 

@Tony M experiences something close to Nirvana every time he plugs them in and he has the choice of numerous far more expensive options.

 

Photos please!

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33 minutes ago, Ooogh said:

Firstly congratulations on choosing one of the greatest speakers ever produced. Although the ‘C’s are not the design icon that the ‘A’s are in our experience they are superior sounding, due to the chrome caps not covering half the woofers and far easier to work on. 
 

As others have stated you need power and current and LOTS of it.  Bryston is the best match we have found. You might find a very old 4BST in your budget. 300Watts into 8 Ohms, 500 into 4 so they have the required grunt.

 

Beyond that I think given your budget it would be well worth contemplating some pro gear. Cheaper and built to be bludgeoned. Hopefully @Tubularbells might have some suggestions.

 

Don't abandon these speakers till you hear them with some real muscle up them. Our experience has shown you can not judge just how remarkable they are till you hear them with 500+ Watt amps driving them.

 

@Tony M experiences something close to Nirvana every time he plugs them in and he has the choice of numerous far more expensive options.

 

Photos please!

A

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