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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
ivanj
640 posts
 
I remember these. They and the contemporaneous Rapaport Amp had a penchant for blowing up, as I recall. I think I saw one of the later on ebay recently!
cwlondon OP
1,198 posts
 
Ahhh...the Rappaport amps....

When I worked in an audio store in high school and college, we took in a Rappaport pre amp in trade. The Orion guide as I recall, valued it at about fifty cents.

We practically couldn't give it away, despite the alleged "cult" reputation of the designer and original high price. Maybe this thread will evolve into a high end freak show of obscure components.

But does anyone remember the Quatre "Gain Cell"?
bill_sedmak5930
1 posts
 
Yes. I owned one. Black, sharp edges, power switch on back.
Used it with DQ 10's. As I recall the midrange was quite good with a punchy bass. Overall the amp had a very airy quality about it and was good for its day. I would switch between it and Kenwood L-07M mono amps. Stopped using the Quatre 250C after it started making some "funny" noises. Was worried it would blow up and take my system with it. But it was fun nonetheless.
Bill
viridian's avatar
viridian
4,184 posts
 
Andy Rapaport was one of the true geniuses at the dawn of the High End. The preamp was vacuum tube, the amp solid state pure class A and ran as hot as any amp ever made. I believe that what did the company in was the lawsuits that originated from people being burned by coming in contact with the amp. It sounded great with an even more obscure product, the Pedersen HF-1 horn loudspeakers. The new gear is really quite boring compared to this stuff....oh, to smell the smoke from a Futterman output transformerless amp again.
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