1966-1968: The original Gauss Speaker Company
Founded in 1966 in Santa Monica, California by former JBL engineers, The original Gauss Speaker Company was established to produce high-performance loudspeaker drivers targeting the rapidly growing rock and roll concert market — a segment straining the limits of existing Altec and JBL products.
Gauss entered the scene with a range of 10- to 18-inch drivers and horn-loaded compression tweeters for front of house, large-format studio monitors, and guitar cabinets. Noted for striking innovations including braided voice‑coil wiring, double-spider suspensions, and direct‑wound aluminum voice coils, Gauss quickly gained notoriety in pro audio circles… and it wasn’t long before they secured an endorsement from Fender Musical Instruments Corporation, giving them an immediate OEM channel and credibility in the musical instrument market.
1969: Ed May arrives and MCA
Widely regarded as one of the most influential loudspeaker design engineers in pro audio history, Edmond "Ed" May served as Chief Engineer at JBL, working alongside VP of Engineering Bart N. Locanthi on multiple groundbreaking loudspeaker developments throughout the 1960s.
May left JBL in 1969 for Gauss, where he designed a complete range of drivers and monitor systems under both the Gauss and Cetec Gauss names; his products included bass drivers, ring radiators, and compression drivers that spanned the full frequency spectrum. The hallmark Gauss 40xx series of bass drivers is arguably the best-known of May’s designs.
Technical Innovations
Gauss drivers introduced several engineering advances that were genuinely novel at the time of their introduction. Many of the Gauss innovations listed below have since become standard practice in pro audio driver manufacturing.
Twin / Double Spider Suspensions
A hallmark of the MI bass driver line. Two spiders provided superior excursion control, reduced mechanical distortion, and dramatically improved reliability under sustained high-power use.
Direct-Wound Aluminum Voice Coils and Formers
Improved thermal conductivity over paper or Kapton formers, enabling better power handling and longer driver life.
Braided Voice-Coil Lead-Out Wires
Replaced tinsel leads with braided conductors for increased flexibility and fatigue resistance during high-excursion operation.
Heat Sinks Cast Into Magnet Structures
Unique to the Gauss MI bass driver range — heat sinks integrated directly into the cast magnet assembly, pulling heat away from the voice coil gap.
Ring Radiators
Ed May designed ring radiator drivers for high-frequency reproduction with wide, controlled dispersion— critical for stadium and arena PA applications.
Product Lines and Models
Gauss and Cetec Gauss produced an extensive range covering bass/woofer drivers, compression tweeters, complete monitor enclosures, and — under Cetec ownership — even professional tape duplication equipment.
In fact, by 1987, Cetec Gauss controlled approximately 60% of the world market for high-speed cassette tape duplicating machines.
From Sinatra to Springsteen
By the mid-1970s through the 1980s, Cetec Gauss speakers had earned a place on some of the most prestigious concert tours in the world. Confirmed users include of Gauss’ concert touring sound systems include Frank Sinatra, Bruce Springsteen, and Elton John.
Marshall Buck, chief engineer of Cerwin-Vega, stated in 1987 that Cetec Gauss was "right up there with JBL and Electro-Voice in terms of quality and engineering."
The Avantone Pro Era (2021–Present)
After a series of acquisitions through the ‘70s and ‘80s including MCA, Cetec, Electro-Voice, and SWR, Avantone Pro acquired the rights to the Gauss name in 2021 with the goal of carrying the Gauss Speaker Company’s core values into the future:
High efficiency
Snappy transient response
Timeless, classic aesthetics
The re-launch of the Gauss legacy began with the Gauss 7 studio monitors, which feature a custom, patented GAU-AMT tweeter, delivering a super-wide sweet spot, precise imaging, and accurate mid-range response — in the tradition of the classic Gauss loudspeakers for which they’re named.
