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Retro Hi End Trivia Question

Does anyone remember the "Quatre Gain Cell" amplifier?

While thinking about various configurations for my latest "new" system, I found myself daydreaming about the "high end" room of my local dealer when I was still in school:

as I recall, a Thorens turntable with an Infinity black widow arm, the Apt Holman preamp, and Dahlquist DQ 10s and Dahlquist subwoofer driven by the mysterious "Quatre Gain Cell".

It sounded great -- the type of sound and music and fun that got me into this addiction where I am still unsuccessfully chasing the first high....

I would be interested in buying one of these amps for fun to put in a bedroom, but I never see or hear about them.
cwlondon
Post removed 
magfan
1,583 posts
 
Man, I just read this thread from End-2-end. Great stuff and stories.
I remember lusting after better stereo when I was a kid. The house Zenith just didn't get it done, even with the 2g tonearm!
I finally sold my RSL3600s (So Cal House brand, JBL4311 copy) and bought some original Magnepan MG-1s which I kept for near 25 years and thru 1 factory rebuild.
gha
12 posts
 
I recall the Quatre being sold locally in San Fernando Valley and advertised on LA Times classfied. I think Ahead Stereo was a dealer.

I owned Quatre book shelf speakers. Walnut enclosure was well made with small 4" woofer with front baffle covered with black RTV. It was a work horse thru my college years and annoyed lot of girls living below me in the UCSB dorm. One girls actually asked me to play girls on film as she kind miss not hearing it. LOL
cwlondon OP
1,210 posts
 
Quatre speakers? Are you sure?
jefff1
32 posts
 
Boy does this thread take me back...to the summer of 1977 when I stumbled into Paul Heath Audio in Rochester, NY and a whole new world of gear openend up before me...Ended up leaving with a Quatre Gain Cell..GAS Thoebe preamp...Ariston R11s TT which I still have and is being reconditioned as I write this with a Grace 707 and a new 2M Bronze cartridge...JR 149 speakers with M&K subwoofer...no special interconnects or speakerwire were even back then..Quatre broke very soon..so did the GAS preamp...God has it been a journey since then
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