Yes, when I was in high school (mid to late 80's) I wanted to buy a cd player so I bought some audio mags and I was hooked, ended up getting a Nakamachi receiver, tape deck and cd player with Klipsche Forte speakers...3k for first system thought is was gonna be my system for life at the time. My bro still has the speakers, the cdp broke, the tapedeck is in my folks basement, unused in 10-15 yrs, and we can't figure out what happened to the receiver. |
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My Dad bought an old Philco "AV system" in the late 50s, with an inoperative mono phono preamp, so I used to get one of my mom's fine sewing needles and taped it to the apex of a rolled up paper cone "speaker" and played 45s on it! By my teens I had migrated toward ham radio, listening to the world through a single-ended tube stage and a naked 5" full-range. Quite intoxicating. A few years later I made a horrible-sounding Heathkit ss receiver, and then designed a unidirectional speaker using a Utah (remember?) 3-way co-axial driver firing into a plaster-filled kitchen funnel, all mounted atop of 90lb clay sewer pipe wrapped in a brown Naugahyde sock. Lots of bass (but not quite approaching the huge pipe organs I played in various churches), but I never really understood that I had forgone the sweetness of the single-tube midrange short-wave setup! Then I discovered the opposite sex, and thirty years disappeared. Yet after two marriages and daughters I rediscovered speaker design a decade ago, along with NAD and Rotel, but gave it all up after running into you A'goners, assembling my ref system as it sits now. Thanks! |
Yes, I remember very well. The year was 1958. A music store in my home town had an audio department featuring classic high-end brands like McIntosh, Fisher, Scott, and JBL speakers. They even had the legendary JBL Hartsfield corner horns! The salesman put on a London/Decca recording of the Dvorak 8th. Symphony. I was totally blown-away, especially by the clarity of the brass. It was like a 3-D photo. I've been hooked ever since, much to the chagrin of two sucessive wives! |
I forgot to mention, I still have that system except for the speakers. |
My first system was a marantz 1060 preamp with a marantz
model 110 tuner and a pair of corral speakers. I was living
in Fraser Co. at the time.
In 1969 I took 2 friends and we built an A frame house
on some property our family had. It was 2&1/2 years before
I got electricity, in that time I had a lear jet 8 track
that I powered with a car battery. I allways new when it needed to be recharged because the music would get slower and slower.
When I finally got power,The very next day I went down to denver and bought the marantz system. My hair was long , wearing cowboy boots,and
a leather cowboy hat. The salesman put on the Birds song
I'm going to catch that horse if I can ( chestnut Mare?)
The sale took less then 5 minutes.
Igot back into my 56 willy's pickup, didn't even stop for lunch, drove home and hooked it up.
IT WAS AWESOME , next to marrying my wife, it was the happiest day of my life |
Too many dead braincells, the Lloyds I got was on my 16th birthday with a Sargent Pepper's LP. |
1971 graduation present from mom and dad, a Lloyds complete system with built in turntable. I remebered one of my younger brothers broke the tonearm in half. Being made of plastic I used my dad's soldering gun to melt it together. After that I painted it with florescence paint Peter Max style. My first system I've purchsed was in 1973 a Sansui receiver model ? (55w/ch), double large Advent delux speakers, Dual 1229 tt with Pickering top of line cartridge. In 1975 I gave my brother as a wedding present the receiver and 1pr of Advents, I allready bought a Pioneer SX-1250 receiver, CT-F9191 cassette deck and AR-11, speakers, Micro Acoustics MA-2002e cartridge, which I still all have. (A Concord 8-track recorder was in there somewhere too!) |
Yep. 'Twas 1977 and I was depressed because my first girlfriend had dumped me even though I was SO in love with her. To cheer me up, my Dad (rest his soul) bought me a Marantz receiver, Garrard turntable and a pair of Superscope speakers. I was hooked. Money was very tight for my folks at the time, but he got me the rig anyway. Thanks, Pop. |
1970: Senior year in High School.
Approximate Cost: $185 (remember these are 1970 dollars)
I acquired this system while in high school from money earned in a summer job.
1. Receiver: Lloyds. Nicely made unit. All metal construction, real wood/walnut veneer case, smooth fly-wheel tuning. Cost about $80 at Bradlees in Fall River, MA
2. Speakers: 6" 1-way speakers that came with the Lloyds receiver. real wood/walnut veneer cabinets.
3. Turntable: Garrard with ceramic cartridge. Has a cueing control. Cost about $30.
4. Tape: Bell+Howell (mfg. by Philips in Austria). Stereo Cassette with built-in amplifier and speakers. Nicely made with wood/walnut veener case and plastic dust cover. About $75 (original price $150). |
My story is very similiar. The year is 1969 and I'm at some hippie freak's apartment who after "refreshments" plays some Iron Butterfly, Ultimate Spinach, and Jethro Tull albums. I could not believe that those AR-4x speakers transported me into another musical dimension!!! I felt I could actually crawl into the music with the lights off. A few months later I was the proud owner of a Lafayette receiver, Garrard turntable, and KLH 22's.
Three years later it was a Dynaco intergrated amp and tuner, AR turntable, and large Advents. And the story goes on and on and on and...... |
Hey guys. I appreciate your recollections. I can relate to many of them. Thanks for your feedback. peace, warren
P.S. don't let me stop you! |
"Warrenh":
Do I remember my first hi-fi audio system??? I sure do. Like it was yesterday. And that will be 20 years ago this year.
After starting out with a Sears AM/FM Stereo Receiver/8-Track Player/Recorder back in 1978 (with a separate BSR Record Changer to come a year later), I bought a Polk Audio Monitor 4 Bookshelf Speaker System in the Spring of 1983. I was a freshman in college that very same year. Christmas Day of that VERY same year, I received a JVC R-30 Stereo Receiver as a Christmas present. What followed after that was a Luxman K-220 Stereo Cassette Deck back in 1984, and then an NAD 5225 Compact Disc Player in the Summer of 1985, and was finished off with Monster Cable cables back in 1986. And in the course of the last 20 years, that system.... thanks to another system that was in between that one and the one I have now has transformed into the one I have now (which today, is a KEF/Adcom/Magnum Dynalab/Pioneer Elite/Nakamichi/MIT system). Oh..... and might I add, Michael Jackson had the top selling album that same year (Thriller), and surely, that was a "MUST HAVE" back in 1983, and as bad as I hate to admit it now, it was a great album to demo a system with back then.
My first hi-fi was decent for what it was back then, but I tell what, the system I have now will beat the living shit out of the system I had back in 1983. Well..... so much for progress and all. But man..... those were some great memories. What I wouldn't do to be a teenager all over again.
WOW!!!!!!
--Charles-- |
First component I bought was a Fisher CR-4013 (?) dual-speed cassette deck. Before that I'd owned various suitcase portables.
First time I was blown away by sound quality was a pair of AR 9s I heard at a store in the mall. I don't remember what was upstream from them. |
How could I forget? My first system was comprised of a Heathkit hi-fi amplifier (early 70s vintage) that my Dad put together along with a hand-me-down turntable and a pair of Dad's homemade speakers. Dad built a variety of Heathkit stuff in the 60s and early 70s and I remember some of the pieces quite well.
It wasn't until I was a teenager with a part time job that I was able to move up the foodchain a little bit. I will never forget the Technics receiver I got for Christmas, and the brand-spanking-new Infinity loudspeakers that I purchased at Pacific Stereo circa 1978. Shortly afterward, I talked a friend out of his old Garrard turntable for around $20 - boy, I was all set!
Ohhh, the memories... |
I had a few hand-me-down record players, including a Zenith console. But, the first COMPONENT system I bought for myself will never be forgotten.
Pioneer QX-747 Quad receiver - later trade even up for a Marantz 4400 receiver
Pioneer PL-55DX direct drive TT with an AT cartridge I can't now recall, but it had a gold body (cool!)
ESS Satellite 4 speakers - these were made for quad and had 4 small "satellite" 2-ways and a 12" bass reflex speaker all run through a crossover box. I challenge anyone to remember these! I still have two of the satellites (replaced dirvers) which I use in the bedroom. Plus, the 12", which has long since melted away, was housed in a beautiful zebrawood-veneered cabinet with a texured vinyl top that I use as an end table, of sorts, in my stereo room.
Pioneer CT-F9191 Cassette Deck which I still have as a memento to the past
Sony ST-3950SD tuner which I STILL use!!
Teac 4070G Reel-to-reel deck which I traded for something in a VERY BIG bag.
Of course, folks spend more on a single set of speaker cables than I spent for all of this stuff.
Ah, the memories.................. |
my first, ahh yes, double advents, scott,garrad with the wood arm.this was 45 years ago, even then my wife was very understanding. many,many systems later she is still with me and still understands the jones i have for this hobby. i am twice blessed. on the suject of first's, wouldn't it be great if all audiophiles posting told us something about their room.mine is 24x14 it could be bigger to better support the b&w 801 nautilus but thats all i could squeeze out of this new house. every time i hear a phile talk about nearfield listening i think small room. i had a bud who worked for lyric hi fi and was invited to seacliff to listen to harrys big system which at the time were big infinitys, he said he fellt like his feet were right up against the panels. these speakers were designed for large california rooms with high ceilings,yet the reviews on this speaker were outstanding. go figure, i think the room is the most important component which is why i drool over albert porters room and that beautiful rug he won't sell me . love and peace |
Shoot Sean, Pacific Stereo, reminds me of when I lived in Costa Mesa before moving to Vermont. Do you happen to remember a speaker called the Quadraflex from that era? I use to like to listen to the Ohms at Fedco, a kind of predessor to the big warehouse stores now. Also use to go to a great 2nd hand stereo store called recycled stereo on Newport Blvd. |
Ah, those were the good old days. Brings back a lot of good memories for me. Thanks for posting this thread Warren.
My first component system was purchased for me by my Father as a gift when i was 12 years old. It consisted of a Sony STR-1800 receiver, a Technics SL-23 turntable with an Audio Technica AT-12XE cartridge and a pair of Bose 301's. I think he did this because he knew i was using his system ( on the sly ) and i don't think that he really dug that too much. Giving me my own system got me out of his hair and let me mess with my own "rig".
I had been reading my Father's copies of Audio, Stereo Review, High Fidelity and IAR for at least two years prior to me having my own system. Since he didn't buy them, i used to go out and buy the "Complete Buyer's Guide's" that used to come out frequently. I loved reading about all of the various gear and wanted to learn as much as i could. Not only did i like looking at all of the pictures, i used to sit down and write out my "ultimate stereo system" lists quite frequently using these "buyers guides". thinking back, it's kind of funny how tastes change over time, isn't it ??? : )
Now that i had the basics covered courtesy of my Father, i simply needed to get a bigger "fix". Shortly thereafter, i started buying my own gear. It wasn't too soon after this point that, yes, you guessed it, my Father had to keep yelling at me to turn it down. With me constantly playing my stereo, i was now interfering with his personal listening time. I'm sure that he questioned himself many times over and probably began to regret getting me started on the "pathway to audio nirvana" : )
By the time i was 15, salesmen at the local Musicraft, Pacific Stereo, Playback, Schaack Electronics, etc... all new me by name. I can remember on more than one occassion helping customers in those stores and responding to questions for them that the salesmen simply didn't know the answers to. There were even a few times that salesmen had to come and ask me about models that they didn't carry or know about. As you might have guessed, i spent a lot of time in some of these shops. My Grandmother lived within walking distance of a Musicraft and a Pacific Stereo, so that is where they knew to find me if i had disappeared.
I remember picking out some of the components that went into my Grandfather's system during that time period. Later on, i remember my Dad telling me that the best parts of Gramps' system were the components that i had picked out. Not only was i proud of that, but i knew he was right : ) If it was up to Gramp's, he would have stuck with his quadraphonic Pioneer receiver and Pioneer Reverb unit feeding the rears. YUCK !!!!
As such, some things never change. I still love to help by answering questions and like it "loud" ( most of the time ). One thing has changed though. Rather than my Dad buying me gear, i'm now returning the favour that he did for me. I've slowly been working on upgrading his system over the last few years for him and it's coming along slowly. I've got most of the gear that i want to set him up with, it's just a matter of getting it over there and dialing it all in.
There is one thing though. At least now he can listen when he wants to without me trying to compete in the next room : ) Sean
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1975. JVC integrated amp and manual belt drive tt. Zip cord to Infinity Qb speakers, (the first with the MIT tweeter.) Bought it using Fleetwood Mack's "Rumors" to demo with. |
Early 70s. Dual 1219 (used), Shure M91ED, (later Stanton 681EE, ACD-XLM cartridges in Technics SL-1100 table), Sansui AU-999 integrated (used), home built Altec horns system with newly released 15" 411 woofers in sealed enclosures. All this in an average size bedroom. Could open the windows while playing an album and hear it across most of the block. Big hit with friends, less so with adult neighbors. Great memories!
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I don't remember any of the componants, but I do remember the music sounding a heck of a lot better than my little radio.
The first thing I bought was a Readers Digest all in one turntable, reciever, cassette. I was hooked. It didn't sound as good as Wayne's system but I had lots of money left over to buy LPs! I still have some of them. |
The year was 1975. Sansui 9090 receiver, TEAC Cassette deck, Thorens TD-145 with Ortofon cartridge, JBL L-166 speakers and zip cord cabling. Discwasher to clean records. Was a decent system and my sister still uses the Sansui 9090 and Thorens turntable today with no breakdowns ever. |
Do I remember???????
Yes I do. I was 18 years old when I went to my bosses apartment for Monday night football and a couple of brews.
I can't remember the circumstances but for some reason we couldn't watch the game (he probably didn't pay his cable bill). He fired up his Sansui receiver, Garrad Turntable and KLH speakers (so big you could bury a horse in). I was hooked. I saved and saved. Four months later I purchased a Marantz 2010 receiver with 10wpc, a Garrard turntable, Pioneer headphones and Avid speakers. Any one remember Avid speakers? Add to this some lamp cord to hook up the speakers and I was in pig heaven. That was my start and I have never looked back.
This was 1972 and I have had many different systems since then, BUT... I still own that 10 watt Marantz which I use daily in my workshop. Although some of the bulbs have burned out in the 25 years of use it has never been in the repair shop. What a war horse.
Thanks for conjuring up some old memories! |
Dyna El84 integrated amp, electrovoice bookshelf speakers, dual turntable, empire cartrigde, Lenny playing Rhapsody in Blue |
In the early 70's while still in college I managed to save enough for my first system: a pair of Large Advent speakers, a Marantz 2245 receiver and a Garrard tt with a Shure V15 cartridge. I still use the Advents for my second sytem with a McIntosh MA 6100 and a Marantz CD-63SE. |
