Gale 401s -- failed project resurrected...

[Mr Tibbs]

My only other comments would be on the stands - they look really really well, compliment the Gales perfectly and amazingly no trace of "bass thump" through a suspended timber floor.

A pair of these is now most definitely on my wish list.

Regarding the stands, they performed flawlessly. My room has a sprung wooden floor and none of the (very considerable) energy from 32" of combined woofer area, was felt underfoot. Those stands work.

Big thumbs-up for the stands then. Having tried mine on rigid open frame steel stands, I definitely prefer the 401s on the 'lossy' wooden tripod stands I use now. The pukka tube stands may be better still in this respect as I can still feel some bass thump on the suspended floor though.

Mr Tibbs

 

[Mr Tibbs]

Recently have gone from this;

To this;

The little 110 was sounding great but the 250 (with a minor tweak- see Mojo Mod) is now in its rightful place and going nowhere for the foreseeable future. The olive HiCap has had the TPR4 installed and making the 102 sing like its life depends on it. The Gales really do like a good 'grippy' amp to get the bass under firm control and the 250 is just the job here IMO.

Mr Tibbs

 

[Hamstall]

I've just flogged a lovely pair of 401As on eBay. The previous owner used them with a Nac 62.5 (Hmm!) HiCap/NAP250 (lovely). All Olive series. They sounded gorgeous.

I've inherited all the chap's hi-fi equipment. I'd have loved to have kept theGales, but there's just not the room in my house.

 

[Mr Tibbs]

I've just flogged a lovely pair of 401As on eBay. The previous owner used them with a Nac 62.5 (Hmm!) HiCap/NAP250 (lovely). All Olive series. They sounded gorgeous.

I've inherited all the chap's hi-fi equipment. I'd have loved to have kept theGales, but there's just not the room in my house.

Not room in your house for Gales? Sorry, does not compute!

(I used mine in an 11' x 8' room when I first got them - not ideal I grant you)

Welcome, BTW.

Mr Tibbs

 

[Hamstall]

Thank you!

 

[Mr Tibbs]

Hope Terry doesn't mind but here's a great photo he posted on another forum of his Gale 401 system;

Mr Tibbs

 

[Galeforce]

Hope Terry doesn't mind but here's a great photo he posted on another forum of his Gale 401 system;

Mr Tibbs

No problem at all. Glad you like the set up. I've moved the speakers wider apart since. Soundstage is improved. Amp is an Accuphase e303x. Everything singing nicely.

 

[a.palfreyman]

Kept my eyes open over last year and last few Chromies on ebay have gone for silly money even tho' they would need a minimum of driver foam restoration.
AP

 

[Barry williams]

No problem at all. Glad you like the set up. I've moved the speakers wider apart since. Soundstage is improved. Amp is an Accuphase e303x. Everything singing nicely.

They look great.
I bought a pair in Harrods not long after the TT came out.
Had to sell them to a friend because of a flat move and room restrictions in 81.
They are still in mint condition used every day and sound great.
I used to try regularly to buy them back off him but gave up years ago.
I sold a piano black pair of these at the same time to another friend and they are still going strong.

 

[Galeforce]

I used to try regularly to buy them back off him but gave up years ago.
I sold a piano black pair of these at the same time to another friend and they are still going strong.

Persevere Barry - wear him down! The others you sold - Sonabs? Very interesting looking speakers and innovative for the time. What do you use now?

 

[Barry williams]

Persevere Barry - wear him down! The others you sold - Sonabs? Very interesting looking speakers and innovative for the time. What do you use now?

I've been using Naim SL2's active for a few years now and SBLs before them.
Nice room fit up against the wall.

 

[Mr Tibbs]

No problem at all. Glad you like the set up. I've moved the speakers wider apart since. Soundstage is improved. Amp is an Accuphase e303x. Everything singing nicely.

Good to see you are still enjoying them. They can sound good stuffed right in the corners but you'd need to bring up the mid and treble a bit to compensate for the increase in bass output. When I first got mine back in the 70s I had them in the corners of the longest wall in an 8 x 11 bedroom. Imagine trying that with many modern ported speakers!

Kept my eyes open over last year and last few Chromies on ebay have gone for silly money even tho' they would need a minimum of driver foam restoration

Don't lose heart, you'll get a pair in time. If you can do the driver foam and XO restore yourself then the overall cost of ownership becomes a bit more realistic. Haven't needed to touch mine since they were restored (nearly six years ago!) so definitely not a money pit.

Mr Tibbs

 

[Mr Tibbs]

Replacement HF2000 dome/voice coil assemblies available here :- http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Complete-KIT-diaphragm-voice-coil-celestion-HF2000-Ditton-66-44-25-4-ohm-/221837189625

Not tried them myself but probably worth a punt if you've got a dead or damaged HF unit.

Mr Tibbs

 

[Mr Tibbs]

So I've got two systems in regular use now, the 'little one' in the workshop is my old ES14s driven by a Nait3 and (usually) fronted by a tweaked Quad FM3. Some time ago one of the 14s stopped working and it turned out to be a broken VC in the mid-bass. This was fixed and they've been working well ever since. Very well in fact. So well that I thought it was probably time I should bring them down from their roost (sat up high on soffit mounts) and see how they worked in the 'big' system, just for fun. The 401s were moved out of the room (forgot how f'kin heavy they are - it's like they have the mass of a black hole or something) and the 14s were hooked up and allowed to play on their own for a couple of hours.

Now if you really like ES14s you should definitely not read any further. OK, you were warned ...

I played a series of records - ones I've been listening to quite a bit recently, and know inside out. First thing to strike me; I'm listening to boxes with sound coming out. Unreal how boxy they sounded. Second thing; The midrange is odd, like it's divided up and not cohesive in the way I'm used to. Third thing; Everything is scaled down quite dramatically. Fourth thing; The high treble is oddly unnatural sounding, almost brittle at times. Fifth thing; I'm losing interest halfway through a side of a record. Sixth thing; I'm so glad I got around to fixing the Gales.

ES14s back in the workshop. Gales back on the tripods. Normal service restored.

Mr Tibbs

 

[RustyB]

For all their tasty engineering, the ES14's just don't ENGAGE.

I wonder whether that clever teflon tube that holds everything together might be acting as a filter between the coil and cone?

 

[a.palfreyman]

So I've got two systems in regular use now, the 'little one' in the workshop is my old ES14s driven by a Nait3 and (usually) fronted by a tweaked Quad FM3. Some time ago one of the 14s stopped working and it turned out to be a broken VC in the mid-bass. This was fixed and they've been working well ever since. Very well in fact. So well that I thought it was probably time I should bring them down from their roost (sat up high on soffit mounts) and see how they worked in the 'big' system, just for fun. The 401s were moved out of the room (forgot how f'kin heavy they are - it's like they have the mass of a black hole or something) and the 14s were hooked up and allowed to play on their own for a couple of hours.

Now if you really like ES14s you should definitely not read any further. OK, you were warned ...

I played a series of records - ones I've been listening to quite a bit recently, and know inside out. First thing to strike me; I'm listening to boxes with sound coming out. Unreal how boxy they sounded. Second thing; The midrange is odd, like it's divided up and not cohesive in the way I'm used to. Third thing; Everything is scaled down quite dramatically. Fourth thing; The high treble is oddly unnatural sounding, almost brittle at times. Fifth thing; I'm losing interest halfway through a side of a record. Sixth thing; I'm so glad I got around to fixing the Gales.

ES14s back in the workshop. Gales back on the tripods. Normal service restored.

Mr Tibbs

You describe something similar to my experiences with low order 2-way cross-overs. Had about 4 pairs of different makes / designs with differences but all similar in that there is a lack of cohesiveness. If I can't get hold of 401's, I have a chance to restore some AR2ax's later this year (they were my Dad's) and we are currently clearing the house after Mum passed away June last. Will be getting some Boston filled fillet foams for the 10" woofers per Roy C recommendations of classic speakers site.
Still live in hope of getting some 401's. The "C" model usually go pretty cheap, a recent pair went for about £60. Were too far for me to travel tho.
AP

 

[Dublinia123]

Great to see so many "feeling the love" for the wonderful Gales.

I'm in between houses and in rented accomodation - so my Gales and all my Hi-Fi kit is currently in storage - can't wait to get moved to a new place and get my system back up and running.

 

[Rico]

I still hold out that one day I shall find a pair*** and commission Rusty to do a full restoration on them. I love the 401's.

If James was able to make a modern speaker that sounded very close to the 401s whilst looking similar, I'd build em (with permission, of course).

So lively, so much fun, big-sound, fast... brilliant.


*** or alternately Rusty finds a pair for me, acquires them on the spot at my cost, and I finance the restoration project.

 

[Mr Tibbs]

You describe something similar to my experiences with low order 2-way cross-overs. Had about 4 pairs of different makes / designs with differences but all similar in that there is a lack of cohesiveness. If I can't get hold of 401's, I have a chance to restore some AR2ax's later this year (they were my Dad's) and we are currently clearing the house after Mum passed away June last. Will be getting some Boston filled fillet foams for the 10" woofers per Roy C recommendations of classic speakers site.
Still live in hope of getting some 401's. The "C" model usually go pretty cheap, a recent pair went for about £60. Were too far for me to travel tho.
AP

Someone here restored a pair of AR-3a's and I bet they sound wonderful, so good luck with those 2ax's. Keep looking for 401s though, they are stunningly good speakers (not that I'm biased or anything).

Mr Tibbs

 

[Mr Tibbs]

I still hold out that one day I shall find a pair*** and commission Rusty to do a full restoration on them. I love the 401's.

If James was able to make a modern speaker that sounded very close to the 401s whilst looking similar, I'd build em (with permission, of course).

So lively, so much fun, big-sound, fast... brilliant.


*** or alternately Rusty finds a pair for me, acquires them on the spot at my cost, and I finance the restoration project.

A 'modern' 401 would be lovely. Not sure it's possible though unless James can find a mid driver to match the spec of the original Peerless mid in the 401s. Somehow I doubt it though. Keep the faith anyway!

Mr Tibbs