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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
cwlondon OP
1,198 posts
 
Camelboy

I am impressed with your vintage credentials.

Now I also remember I had a DH 101 (although definitely NOT built by myself) and a DH 200 at the time, powering Magneplanar MG 1Bs.

This was about 9th grade for me, so everything was funded by mowing lawns and delivering newspapers while conveniently placed smack in the middle of my parents' living room.

A Discwasher brand Zerostat would also come in handy then....

Those were the days!
camelboy
50 posts
 
Cwlondon,
Thanks! I guess I was about 25 yrs old at the time!
And had a Zerostat too! I liked the DH200, never got to try it though. I remember the Maggies, and after a while
with the M&K's, I tried the Spica TC-50's, with some
Belles Research power/pre stuff. I used to run around
town, to at least six different Hi-end audio stores,
bringing all my vinyl, and got to know some so well,
that they let me borrow equipment to try at home.
Those certainly were the days!
viridian's avatar
viridian
4,184 posts
 
I want to correct an inaccuracy that I perpetuated in this thread. Andy Rappaport contacted me - great guy BTW - not for this, but because he wanted to purchase one of his preamps. At any rate, he corrected me, Rappaport did not go out of business because of lawsuits due people being burned by the Amp 1, rather the firm was marginally capitalized and a dock strike finally cut off their supply of parts and ended it for the firm. Thanks Andy.
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
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