How did I get started into this expensive hobby of "high-end" audio???
Well, it all started in the summer of 1977 -- at the TENDER age of fourteen. While at that time, I grew up with a Masterworks "all in one" AM/FM Stereo Receiver with a 3 Speed Garrard Turntable built in. That system has been my parents' hi-fi for thirteen years (they bought it in 1967), only to be replaced by a Panasonic "two piece" system on Christmas Day 1980. But anyway, getting back to the summer of 1977 when I was fourteen years old. I used to ALWAYS wanted to go and visit my aunt and uncle all the time, because not only did I love them so much, but they had all of this high tech audio/video equipment at the time. They had a "self-contained" 53" Projection Television System with a big and massive JVC Stereo VCR (and this before hi-fi VCRs hit the market in the mid 1980's) hooked up to it. And further into a richly decorated living room, there sat a hi-fi component audio system which has consisted of a Pioneer SX-434 AM/FM Receiver with 15 Watts Per Channel, a deep blue tuner dial on the top of the front panel flanked by a big ass tuning knob at the right of the tuner dial, and flanked still by wooden end panels (very classy back then....... too bad they don't make them like that anymore), a Technics SL-1300 Direct-Drive Turntable with a Pickering Magnetic Cartridge (back when Technics knew how to make turntables...... and it was one of the good Technics "tables" that was out before they started putting out that plastic, P-Mounted "POS" back in the early 1980's....... also, the older Technics "tables" were AND are still the kind of "tables" I don't mind buying or owning today), a Radio Shack/Realistic 8-Track Tape Player, and four ESS Floor Standing Air Suspension Speaker Systems. And as much I wanted to touch and operate that hi-fi so badly, because it wasn't mine, nor did it belong to my parents back then, I wasn't allowed to touch it. But boy, I couldn't wait until either my aunt or one of my cousins started playing records. Whenever one of them fired up that audio system, I was a frequent spectator inside of that living room then. I just fell in love with the sound of that system. It had a very deep, powerful, and a pounding bass response that would always hit you in the gut when the volume was turned (and 15 Watts Per Channel was considered plenty back in them days) up. It also had a bright and tizly sounding treble, and what I thought was a natural sounding mid band back then. I think that THAT very summer of visiting my aunt and uncle and only to listen to their hi-fi repeatedly over and over again, has started my lifelong love for music, and for my ways and means of pursuing it. Me, wanting to experience that for myself back then, I was kind of wanting a hi-fi of my own since then. And on Christmas Day of 1978, I started on my road to "audiophilism (I know that's not a word, but what the hell)". I must say though that my start with "audiophilia did not get off to a smooth beginning. What I started off with that year was a compact AM/FM Stereo Receiver with a built-in 8 Track Player/Recorder that year from Sears Roebuck & Co., followed by a separate BSR Record Changer the following year. Although I can say that I have had my own stereo back then, it couldn't EVEN begin to approach the sound that I was listening to from my aunt's and uncle's hi-fi the summer before that. But needless to say, I went ahead and lowered my expectations and enjoyed what I had during those years. And anyway, what does a fifteen year old need a "high-powered" hi-fi for anyway, right??? Well, let's fast forward to 1982. I was nineteen years old then, and had my first job while I was getting ready to start attending college that fall. What I did during that fall was go up to one of the high-end audio stores in my area (a store named "Audiokrafters" (which is now long gone)) to see what kind of hi-fi they would be selling. Knowing at the time, that it was going to be a matter of time before I was going to start replacing my "el cheapo" Sears Component Set that I have received for a Christmas Present as a teenager, I went up to AudioKrafters to look (and listen for the first time in four years at that point) to some real hi-fi equipment then. And then I have met a saleman up there, and after I have told him who I was, how old I was, and what I wanted to do eventually, he started talking hi-fi speak to me. And after making due with a Sears Component Set for four years, him talking hi-fi speak to me was music to my ears. He also told me how important it was for the recorded version to sound as close to the real thing as possible, and has opened my ears up to what a real hi-fi system should sound like, all of my conventional thinking and wisdom has went out the door then. And then, he has proposed to put together what would be a good starter system for me to consider back then. Had I have gotten that system, then I probably would've ended up with a Yamaha Stereo Receiver, a Denon Direct-Drive Turntable with a Sonus Magnetic Cartridge (remember those??), and some "entry-level" KEF Bookshelf Speaker Systems back then. But then, I had one other obstacle. And that was, had I gotten that system, how was I going to get that system into the house, and get it hooked up without my parents finding out and objecting to it. But nevertheless, after several long conversations and so forth, within reason, they finally gave me their blessing, and once and for all, I started pursuing my hobby back in 1983. When I finally got the okay from them, it was then I finally started putting my first system together, and goddamnit, it was going to be a REAL hi-fi system for once and for all.
And for the record, here's what I started out with back then:
Speaker System: Polk Audio Monitor 4 Bookshelf Speaker System (1983).
Stereo Receiver: JVC R-30 Stereo Receiver (30 Watts Per Channel -- Received as a Christmas present from Mom back in 1983).
Cassette Deck: Luxman K-220 (which turned out to be a POS -- 1984).
Compact Disc Player: NAD 5225 (1985).
Interconnects and Speaker Cable: Monster Cable (1986).
Cassette Deck: Nakamichi BX-300 (which later on, replaced the Luxman K-220, as I was tired of taking the Luxman to the shop all the time -- 1987).
That system has served me well until 1989, in which then, I have upgraded to this:
Speaker System: KEF Reference 102 with KUBE Equalizer (purchased in 1988, but have sat around for a year before finally putting them into service in late 1989).
Power Amplifier: B&K ST-140 (105 Watts Per Channel -- arrived in June 1990, replacing the amp section of an NAD 7225 Stereo Receiver (see below)).
Stereo Receiver: NAD 7225PE (25 Watts Per Channel -- used as a standalone receiver for almost a year, and then used as a tuner/preamp in 1990 when the B&K ST-140 finally arrived -- 1989).
Preamplifier: Perreaux SM2 Dual-Mono/Class A (purchased used in 1992).
Compact Disc Player/Changer: JVC XL-M509TN (which replaced the NAD 5225, which has died in 1993. Purchased in 1994).
Cassette Deck: Nakamichi BX-300 (retained from original system).
Inteconnect Cables: MIT Terminator 2 & 3 (upgraded from from the Monster cables I was using for almost a decade, and has also started me on upgrading to my current system -- 1996).
Speaker Cables: MIT Terminator 2 (same as above, but in 1997).
And from that system, it has evolved into this system. This is the system that I have today. And it is:
Speaker System: KEF Reference 102 with KUBE Equalizer (retained from previous system).
Power Amplifier: Adcom GFA-545 MkII (which replaced the B&K ST-140 -- purchased used in 1998).
Preamplifier: Adcom GFP-750 (which replaced the Perreaux SM2 -- purchased brand new in 1999).
FM Tuner: Magnum Dynalab FT-101 (I have always wanted one of these ever since I first laid my eyes on one back in 1985. When the opportunity came for me to finally purchase one back in 2000, I just had to take advantage of it. And damn if I didn't do that. When I did that, I definitely made the most of it. I still regard that purchase as one of my best audio purchases ever made. Purchase used in 2000).
Turntable/Arm System: Thorens TD-147 (after a long debate, I've decided that I wanted to get into vinyl this year. It is not yet hooked up to the system. I am waiting to purchase a phono stage in late August or early September. Only then, I will fire it up and see what it is made of then. I can only hope that I won't regret my purchase of this vunerable classic. Purchased used two weeks ago).
Phono Cartridge: Grado Prestige Gold (also purchased two weeks ago).
Phono Stage: Monolithic PS-1 Dual-Mono MM/MC Phono Stage + matching HC-1 Dual-Mono High-Current Power Supply (coming in late August/early September 2002).
Compact Disc Player: Pioneer Elite DV-37 Progressive Scan DVD/CD Player (at the moment, this serves as the main CD playback unit in the system. It will be eventually replaced by a Sony DVP-S9000ES later this summer. When this finally happens, the DV-37 will return to my home theater system and become my DVD Player again. Purchased in 2001).
Compact Disc Player/Changer: JVC XL-M509TN 6+1 CD Player/Changer (serves as the secondary CD playback unit. Retained from the previous system).
Cassette Deck: Nakamichi BX-300 (retained again, from previous system).
Interconnect Cables: MIT Terminator 2 & 3 (retained from previous system).
Speaker Cables: MIT Terminator 2 (retained from previous system).
Power Conditioner: Monster Cable HTS2500 (purchased this past spring).
Speaker Stands: Sanus Foundations SF24 Speaker Stands (sand filled -- purchased in Fall of 2001).
And you all know something. After doing all of that, would you believe that I am still not finished yet?!?!?!?!?!? I think one would have to ask himself: "WHEN IN THE HELL WILL ALL OF THIS MADNESS STOP?!?!?!?!?!"
But hey, look at it this way, it's better than spending it on drugs, isn't it???? When you look at it that way, life as an audiophile isn't all that bad after all, is it???
:)
--Charles--
