I bought a pair of reconditioned 401s about a year ago - to use as part of a seconday system while my house is having a major overhaul. Yes, they are extraordinary - even more so when one considers their age. Shortly after I set them up, a friend came over and thought the main system speakers(Apogees) were engaged. He soon appreciated his error, but it's astounding that those little boxes could even hope to briefly masquerade as big ribbons.
I played with them with a variety of amps - starting with the tiny Sonic Impact T-amp (which played for about 3 seconds before giving up!) Excellent results with the well-priced HLLY T-amp, but by far the best sound was with my Threshold s/500.
I agree with the reputation that the Gales have for liking power and current, but they do quite nicely on a leaner diet. Currently in the retro 70s back-up system with the era-appropriate Lecson AC1-AP1 (only 35 WPC) and Thorens 126. Amazingly non-boxy sound with a stunningly liquid midrange. I think these speakers are often forgotten, but with a little TLC to renovate them, they become easily competitive with current offerings at far beyond their price point!
I played with them with a variety of amps - starting with the tiny Sonic Impact T-amp (which played for about 3 seconds before giving up!) Excellent results with the well-priced HLLY T-amp, but by far the best sound was with my Threshold s/500.
I agree with the reputation that the Gales have for liking power and current, but they do quite nicely on a leaner diet. Currently in the retro 70s back-up system with the era-appropriate Lecson AC1-AP1 (only 35 WPC) and Thorens 126. Amazingly non-boxy sound with a stunningly liquid midrange. I think these speakers are often forgotten, but with a little TLC to renovate them, they become easily competitive with current offerings at far beyond their price point!