How did U get into this expensive hobby?

For me it started when i brought a pair of headphone from a seller on eBay. When i went over to his house to pickup the headphone, he brought me up to his audio room where he left his headphone on the table. When i walk in and saw his system, first thing on my mind was "wow". Then i ask him can i listen to his system. Once he turn it ON, it was a hole new world. Sounded like i am at the orchtestra. It was amazing. If i can remember he had the 20K Genenis speakers with the jeff rowland monoblock, a clearaudio turntable, levinson transport with dac, and a levinson preamp. After that i went home to my nakamichi soundspace 10. Turn it ON, and sound was kind of missing from what i heard at that person house. Now these days, i been buying and selling to upgrade to some unit that is more expensive.

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--

Jim, you speak for me. Indeed, as Guiness/UDV is the marketer for both Lagavulin & Cardhu -- maybe even Dalwinnie, we can wrap it up in a single deal. They're the lucky ones! For the initial phases of this research of paramount importance, let's settle for a case, each, of *their* recommended malts; then we'll move on to other raw material, for the sake of this research.
We must, of course, conduct a variety of time-based experiments, Friday nite being one option, Monday, Sunday or even Wednesday, being others... We're talking serious, global research, here.
We'll have to choose representative music -- say, 3 cd's worth (maybe A'gon members can help propose titles).

Ofcourse, the systems will have to be comparable, but not identical -- for the sake of our research; so, maybe the upper end of hi-end manufacturers can chip in (not expecting the 1tonne Avalons, Soundlabs, or similar; but the simple likes of $50k FM Acoustics, Jadis, Tenor, etc gear that isn't space consuming, could do).

Don't you think we can also get Harvard or MIT to support this? They're well-off, aren't they, and we're putting in all the hard work...
Cheers!

Well, to Greg, I prefer Delwinnies or Cardu; do you know them? (I'm sure you do)
It's interesting that this subject has not been explored before because it is integrel to listening I find. Especially on a Friday nite after a tough week at work.
Perhaps Greg & I can be sponsored by a Scotch distillery to perform exhaustive research on this important subject; "The relative effect of different types of Scotch on the Audiophile system" I should think we could wrap it up in about 10 years.

Jim, what's your "audiophile approved" scotch? I find that Lagavulin, appropriately tweaked, brings pace to the system -- and much better imaging; the less I can focus, the better the imaging! Cheers.

I won't bore you with how I got started because everybody else has done such a good job, but I will tell you I used to go through the same "if I did this or that to my system...." Here is how I stopped doing that; Scotch on Friday after work! Of course now I weigh more than I did when I just worried about my system (I wonder if that's the booze) but I enjoy my stereo more. Just a thought.

It's my dads' fault.

In 1955-56 (?) my dad set-up a mono radio (on the ironing board), and we all sat between it and the TV, to watch/listen to Ed Sullivan broadcast a "stereo" television program. One of the sounds was Sputnik crossing between the speakers.

In 1963 he got a Sony reel-to-reel from Japan, through an uncle that was in the Merchant Marine. The sound was (in my memory) amazing. I have great memories of Camelot and My Fair Lady tapes. My mom used to put a tape of Suza Marches on, crank up the volume, and clean the house like a woman possessed.

In high school, I installed a 4-track in my car. Tape availability lasted about 15 minutes, which led to an 8-track, which led to cassette.

In the Army, I had the best system in the barracks. Gerrard turntable, and Pioneer receiver and speakers. Deep down I'm still mad at that SOB that put the cigarette burn mark, in the plastic dust cover.

In college I was relagated to OP's (other peoples), but started collecting albums.

After college, I married a university schlorship trained, professional opera singer, with perfect pitch, who had no interest in listening to music. Indeed, she had/has not the slightest clue what music can do to, and for, a person. She did have the remarkable ability to spend every penney I ever made, often before I made them. Twentyfive years of silence followed my voluntary enslavement.

Now free, I am building a system, listening to great music, and enjoying every minute of it.

Mom used to play albums on an old Magnavox console stereo while cleaning the house and, as a young child, I became interested in music. As I grew up I became interested in equipment that could reproduce music to realistic levels. In high school a friend of mine got into electronics and we started building Dynakits together. When I was in the Air Force in the mid 70s I started visiting audio stores in Charlotte NC and Charleston SC. A person I knew in the Air Force bought some Klipschorns. Wow, was I impressed. After the Air Force I went to college and hung out at a place called the Golden Gramaphone on Akron OH. There I became hooked on Audio Research, Magnepans and Linn Sondek turntables. All the money I saved up in the Air Force was spent on my audio hobby. From college on it got worse and worse. I look back and count how many preamps, amplifiers, speakers, tapedecks, turntables, CD players, D/A converters, etc. that I have owned and am amazed. I've had over 70 speaker systems alone. I guess I will always love this hobby (along with golf).

I was around twelve or so when the bug bit me.I was visiting my older brother,David,who lived away from me with our father.David had just bought His first system.It was a simple system.A pair of Pioneer CS-77's,a Pioneer SX 880 receiver,and a very fine sounding Technics turntable.We listened to Frank Marino and Mahogony Rush Live while watching those twelve inch woofers move in and out in step with the music.I felt the air from the ports halfway across the room.I watched the level meters on the receiver move in step with the music also.The strobe on the turntable was mesmorizing.It was one of the most memorable experiences of my life.I knew right then that there was something special about this machine that was pouring out this wonderful noise.That was some twenty years ago.I was able to assemble these vintage pieces of equipment a few months back.I wanted to recreate that experience.I did just that.I was sadly disappointed as you might have guessed at just how terrible the whole thing sounded.After several hundred amps,speakers,source components,cables,etc.that are far better sounding ,I will always remember that system and just how wonderful it sounded that afternoon. I love this hobby.I will always be a gear head.Forever searching for just the right set up and hopeing not to find it.You see,the point of my journey is not to arrive.Happy listening.

My father bought me an H.H. Scott all in one turntable/reciever for Christmas 1970,(I was 16). He gave me the Magnavox speakers he was using in his bedroom. 1973 I bought a used pair of mint Rectilinear 3's. The Scott would not drive them, I upgraded to a Marantz 2270 Reciever and a used turntable (Pioneer I think), soon replaced by a Technics. Bought some Advents to replace the Rec 3's and on and on through various recievers, integrateds, separates, speakers and other electronics.
My wife and I both worked for record stores/companies at different times in our life, we had probably 1500 records at the beginning of 1990's. For some reason I decided to sell them and my turntable to go all digital. Well after a few years of "Perfect Sound" I decided that I missed analog. 1996 bought a Rega Planar 3 and started collecting vinyl again, have about 500 records again and am having a blast finding new and used vinyl treasures. I am hopelessly hooked on the whole hobby, software and hardware.

It,s All About the Music!
Cheers,
Dan

My mother was going to buy me a stereo as a graduation present when I graduated college. I would have been content with just about anything, except I wnted to be able to tape my records so as to preserve them. One of my instructors insisted that 8-tracks were a dying breed and cassettes would be the way to go in the near future. This was in 1974. Since we couldn't find an all-in-one stereo with a cassette, I got a bottom of the line Pioneer receiver, BSR tt, XAM speakers and a JVC cassette deck from E.J. Korvette's. the rest is history

As a teen (late 1970's) I read Stereo Review every month and picked out the "best" system components based on the highly reliable performance specifications and authoritative product reviews. At the time, I had a Sound Design all-in-one turntable/amp with 5" full range speakers (est. $129)!

I love music. Played a trumpet and baritone into college. Got by with a hand-me-down system from my father, a walkman and a good pair of Koss headphones. Insert fond memories here of Boston, Styx, Supertramp, Heart, Kansas, Yes .... oh, but I digress.

Later (out of college, but still broke) I had a $400 Sony 50wpc turntable/tape rack system; which was supplemented with a used early generation CD player. However, after hearing the clarity in my friend's very expensive Denon/Infinity system (est. cost $1,200) I decided I needed new speakers.

Purchased some $300/pr Advent Prodigy II's (considering this to be a great extravagance), and promptly found the wimpy Sony rack system couldn't drive.

While returning them, I happened upon a Dahlquist dealer introducing the new DQ-12's (3-way open baffle construction similar to Vandersteen 2's). I really liked them. He left those pre-production versions at the store and the store was dumping them as demos prior to the new products arriving. I bought a stack of Adcom electronics to go with them. I also got to know the salesperson (he had some great gear), and then subscribed to Stereophile.

Shortly after that I was completely addicted. Like many others at this site it seems continuing happiness requires a regular component upgrade. Currently it's the Audio Alchemy, BAT, McCormack, Thiel, Velodyne level.

But after reading the other thread about "what's the best system you've every built" I have a feeling this is going to go on for some time (wife groans here).

Thanks for the fun question (and memories).

My father built a homemade Dynaco kit stereso system when I was a kid. I was hooked on what a good music would sound like from than on. I got a small portable stereo for college that wasn't very good but I had music. My first purchase when I got out of college and got a job was a used car the second was a nice stereo system. We were sitting on 2nd hand furniture but we had great sounding tunes. We have better furniture now but "The System" still costs a lot more! :)

My Father promised to buy me a stereo system for my 15th birthday, 1979. We went to the city, New York City that is, to a store called East 33rd Street stereo. I had my consumer reports magazine with me. I new that I would be the Akai receiver, the Akai tape deck, the Akai direct drive turntable, and the Cerwin Vega speakers.

The salesman was a very heavy man who was sweating through the day. He was able to hook up the receiver to the tape deck and play music through the Cerwin Vegas. I was very excited. He then said, "I have a great pair of speakers that I can give you for the same price". The other pair was this tiny pair of bookshelf speakers. He saw the look in my eye and he said, "Just listen".

It was amazing. Compared to the Cerwin Vegas these speakers sounded like music. I cannot tell you that at 15 I had a great ear. I can tell you that what I heard was realistic in comparison to what I had heard from the other speakers. The tiny bookshelf speakers were B&W DM110's. My friend Rich still uses them in his home system. I now own B&W 803's. That initial experience of realistic sound production started a miserable unsatisfying journey into this obsessive hobby. I would not have it any other way.

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A different type of answer
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I strive for greatness all the while knowing I can never reach it. That is how I and many people here got started and why we are forever hooked. Let me explain.

Very rarely do we have the privilege to be "touched" by greatness. Meaning that it is a rare occassion that we meet someone who we unabashadly admire that we know has unique and special talents beyond those of the "ordinary". It is by being exposed to great people that we can better ourselves and learn. It is for this reason that I have, indeed MUST have, a high end system.

A high end system allows me to experience greatness almost at will, bettering myself and those around me by listening to the great ones who have recorded excellent music. When I feel bad, experiencing the great ones allows me to envy the enthausiam and foresight that those playing express in music. Hate the world? Put on something distracting, with detail, complexity and rhythm and you are lost and rejuvinated. Need a boost, crank up something with speed, bass and low vocals and you will be energized. Feel unattentive, listful or lethargic, put on something with detail, rhythm and revel in the nuances. Need to express your intellect? Attempt to decipher the cryptic lyrics of a misunderstood artist and your horizons will expand. Selfish? You will be creating "demo" tapes or CD's to share with your friends after experiences as listed above.

Listen to the "masters" (you know who they are, and they can change depending on your mood- Bach to RATT, Tori Amos to Rage Against the Machine) faithfully and FORCEFULLY and you will feel better about yourself and desire to keep changing for the better. Marvel at the musical accomplishments of others and you will be fulfilled. "Experience" the music and you will be replenished. Music will heal you emotionally and gratify you if it is faithfully reproduced with a physical presence and emotion.

I have found that focused listening on my high end system with what I call "physical presence" (when it appears that some one is there with you in the room, ususally at high volumes but not always) makes me feel much better about myself, gets me motivated, gives me personal fulfilment and enjoyment beyond normal boundries. However, you must be humble and willing to surrender to the CD/LP, you must look up to the artists, composers and musicians, not focus on yourself. Those among us who are unable to be humble don't really enjoy the "high end". Yes, even after $100K or so of investment, we are still humbled by a CD of teenagers (now or then) who don't play well with others and have overactive hormones

Whatever I pay for new equipment I consider a wise investment in my future and I know that I will be better off if I take a step closer to those hidden people on the LPs and CDs.

My father did bring to the house a "everything together" old turtable,and I did enjoy more than my father,so I started to be a music lover when I was 14 or so.
Then I started buying jazz, popular, and classical music, until now that I have a SACD, VTL amps, Aerial 10 speakers, Harmonic Tecnologies cables, etc.
I am a music lover first, but me and my wife enjoy more the music with the good stuff

I got my first "real" system about 22 years ago. It consisted of a Kenwood receiver, I think it was 20 or 40 watts I can't remember, a Technics belt drive turntable, which I think was issued to every teenager at the time along with a "Frampton comes Alive" album, and the speakers were made by a local company in Connecticut called "Clarke Systems"(I think they are defunkt).
The only reason I bought those speakers was that the store said it was their best line. I did think they sounded good in the store but I never ended up liking them even though I upgraded to two other models in there line over the next two years.
I wish I had bought EPI or some other line at the time. But the speakers were decent for me then.
Later I got rid of the Kenwood receiver and bought an HK receiver. I had that for four years and then got an Arcam integrated amp and a Thorens turntable. Eventually I got Polk speakers which I hated! I traded them a year later for tiny Mission's which I loved. That was my first foray into the "British" sound. I was hooked. I eventually traded up to larger Missions, the 781's and B & K ST140 mp/pre-amp and a Linn Axis table. I had this setup for the last ten years but I recently sold the B & K stuff and am getting rid of the Mission's soon. There is nothing wrong with any of the equipment, I'm just wanting a change. I'm keeping the LINN turntable though. Since I moved for the past few years I've been listening through my cheapo Sony portable CD run through KOSS computer self powered speakers. No I am not going to say this sounds that great but it's served me ok over the last few years for simple listening. Currently I'm trying to build a minisystem which was originally going to consist of a TEAC ref 100 all-in-one, but I recently bought a pair of JM Lab Chorus 705's, their lowest price speaker, and may buy the Teac ref 300 amp and CD player them. I'm trying not to go overboard with price on this system. Eventually I'll put together another more pricey system. My problem is I enjoy putting together different systems even though I only need one currently. It's easy to catch the bug.

Great question. I started seriously listening to music in the mid sixties when I was four years old. My dad had a Harmon Kardon Citation V, a Dyna pre-amp, an AR turntable and AR 2AX speakers. Amazingly, he let me use it, even at a young age. The AR turntable was a marvel, but really hard to set up, so it was replaced with a JVC.

My first pair of speakers were Cerwin-Vega HD-15's. This was back when CV made good speakers. I since moved on to Dahlquists hooked to a B&K 202+.

The beauty of this hobby is the music, the artists and their artistry. Included in that is the blessed recording engineer who cares about his craft. I wish I had more friends locally in St. Louis to share it with.

Merry Christmas

It was during the late 60's, early 70's. It seemed we were all trying to be free spirits,(hippies if you will), and some of our aquaintences had apartments where we would partake of certain Mexican herbs, and listen to Led Zepplin, The Beatles, Jethro Tull and the like, usually on department store stereo units.
I remember my brother had a friend who I hadn't met, where lots of people,(guys and girls), would hang out. I went one day, and heard my beloved music being reproduced in a way I hadn't heard before. It sounded fantastic at the time. I checked out what he was playing it on.
Great big cabinet speakers,(looked like liquor cabinets), with slat, vented doors that swung open to reveal 15 inch woofer, mid, tweeter, with the name: McIntosh.
A big square chassis with 2 meters lit up blue, also named McIntosh.
A box with knobs,(volume,balance), named McIntosh.
A turntable with little dots around the edge of the platter that were illumunated by a light that kept them from spinning around with the platter. Named Pioneer.

At the time I had no inkling of preamp, amps, strobe markings, and variable speed turntables. I was hooked though.
I was never again happy with my Wards reciever, 8 track and turntable all in one unit, with detachable speakers.
I started seriously saving my money from that day on, and have gone through scores of equipment since then.
I have since come from a set of Large Advents, Sherwood 35 wpc receiver and Dual 1229 with Shure M91ED in 1972, to the present.
Klipsh Lascala tweaked with Alpha core inductors, and Jensen PIO caps, 2A3 single ended monoblock amps, Curcio Daniel, or CJ PV10 preamp, Proceed pcd3, and Oracle Delphi with et2 air bearing tonearm.
I am planning for my next upgrade in this never ending quest to recapture the amazement I felt upon hearing music that moved me emotionally for the first time.

I have ears and a soul--that's how I got sucked into this hobby.

Tim

"Expensive" is a relative term, so I am not sure I qualify to leave a post here. But since I can't sleep again, here goes.

It all started when I was 3. I never had baby sitters. I was often home alone. My father worked late, and my mom and older siblings were always out with their friends. I'd spend my time watching tv or playing with my siblings' LPs.

Even now, I am 27, I still prefer the company of electronics than people. Yes, call me a freak, a hermit, a geekmeister, whatever. But, do not accuse me of being a gear head because withut music, all this electronics would be meaningless to me.

Let's see, I have no idea what stereo I was playing with when I was three. I had various boom boxes, mainly Panasonic, JVC and Aiwas, when I was 6 to 12. When I was 13, I purchased what possibly turned me onto higher end gear, a nakamichi receiver and a pair of ECM speackers.

I still use the Nakamichi TA-1A. I got a pair of NHT super ones and a Technics DVD player hooked up to it, and that is my "hometheater".

I fell in love with a pair of speakers when I was 17, now that might be the real reason I am into this hobby. Every CD I threw at the damn speaker, it reproduced it with stunning image and detail. Perhaps the sonic signature of that speaker was like first love to me, so no other speaker can tear me away from my KEFs, except maybe Tannoys...

I finally purchased the KEFs. Actually, I got them really cheaply since, by some awesome coincidence, a client of mine while I was working at an audio store in santa monica wanted to trade in his KEFs. So I struck a deal with him. I sold him a pair of B&W 801s at near cost and he sell me his KEFs at next to nothing.

After I got my KEFs, then cam the chore. For the past 6 yrs of my ownership of these fabulous speakers, have been absolutely heart wrenching. I devoted my time and money to satisfy her, but she always treated me with coldness and harshness.

Since I worked in the audio industry for some time, I inevitably acquired some equipment, some high end, some not. I got to play around with all sorts of stuff, not only in my store, but of other stores in my area as well.

I find it quite funny how I accumulated all my gadgets. I got my audiotruth cables by selling audioquest cables. The AQ reps reward us by giving us cables. Monster never offered us cables, so I only sold audioquest. After selling about $10k worth of AQ, I was rewarded with argents and midnights.

So i got my speaker cables taken care of. Next is the amp. There was no way my Nakamichi receiver with 30w rms can carry the kefs which are 4ohm 4 driver 3 way 87db speakers that already killed my mom's luxman integrated amp. Plus, the nak receiver has too much sentimental value for me to kill.

I fell in love with the way my nakamichi receiver sounds. So I always dreamed of owning the nakamich seperate amp and preamps. They are retailed at 3k a piece, so I always thought it was just a dream to own them. But, low and behold, my boss at the audio store struck a deal with the president of nakamichi of america, and we carried the last remaining NOS separates. We never were able to sell any, but atleast this brought me closer to my dream.

I brought home the Nak separates. I purchased them at cost. Ca-7a preamp and Pa-5ii 150w stasis zero feedback Pass design amp. I hooked up my NAD 502 with Monster reference ICs and AQ speaker cables and turned the baby on! What did I get? Utter dissapointment. All I got was glare city.

Needless to say, I convinced my boss to take back the amp, while I kept the preamp. I settled for a denon poa8200 amp to tie me over for the moment. At about this time, I got fed up from working at that audio place. I started showing up late and, at times, not showing up at all. Maybe I got a big head by being his top salesman for the 5th straight month. But he fired me by the 6th month.

I had saved enough money to live comfortably for the next year without working, but not enough to go back to school full time. So I thought I'd spend all my money then starve to death. After a year has gone by, I didn't want to starve to death anymore. I sold all my audio equipment except my KEF and Nak preamp and receiver, and moved home.

After I moved home, the amp bug bit me again, and I started auditioning different amps that was around the $1k price range, which would be the most I'd spend on a single component ever. I had my heart set on the adcom 5802 because they sounded super warm on my ex coworkers system, and I felt my KEFs needed the extra warmth.

Instead, I got a deal on an Aragon 8002. I bought it from the same store I bought the Nakamichi receiver but 13 years later. The store had a different owner too, so I was kind of sad that I couldn't find the guy who first sold me my beloved nakamichi. But now I owned an Aragon, which was like a dream amp to me. It's better than an Acurus!

For the next two years, I couldn't tame the harshness that existed between the my speaker and my amp's relationship. That caused me much pain. My next purchase was, what i thought to be to warmest sounding cd player at the time, a Marantz 63se cd player. Boy I regret buying that thin sounding piece of british junk.

It wasn't until this summer, where I actually have ran out of money and started living at home again, that I started vegging out online and do some research. This is when I stumbled onto Audiogon! And ebay and audioreview and so on...

I purchased a CAL dac and trans for 600 bucks, fair market price and used my mom's credit card without her permission to buy some LAT power cords. Then, now that I am back in school with loan, I used part of my loan to pay for a Meridian 518. Now my system really sings. It is almost as good as when I first heard it 10 years ago. What's lacking? A transparent sounding sub.

Anyways, I am sure I will make tons of money after I graduate and be able to buy whatever amp or speaker I want. But I doubt I will because they wont mean as much to me as my current system. They've really traveled with me through thick and thin for half my life. I just hope they never break down, or I will be very sad.

My father bought a nice Sansui rack system which costed $900 in 1980 when I was 7 year old. He wasn't into music much but listen to it ocasionally; I actually listened to it more than him. In 1985,five years later I bought a new Pioneer receiver (60wpc)for $180(life saving) at the Good Guys to power a pair of used Marantz speakers given to me from a cousin. I was a 12 year old at the time.Within that same year, I upgraded(oh yeah!)the used speakers to a pair of Fisher which costed $60 and had a 60 watts Max:it's a great match to the Pioneer.I loved the black and white 10" woofer. Don't laugh, remember that I was in the 8th grade and other kids had envy for them. Sylvester

I was an audio gear-head from a very early age. I started out in high school with a no-name 'table, a Dynaco PAT-4 preamp, and a pair of Koss Pro-4AA headphones. A friend of my parents, a physician with lots of disposable income, loaned me a pair of Janzen elctrostatics. They were way out of my league at the time, but he wasn't using them. I borrowed a power amp from another friend, and that was it...I was hooked. Had to give back the speakers eventually, but after 6 months living with them, there was no turning back!

well here it goes. i have been involved with music sinc i was a kid. when i was in 5th grade i joined the boys chourus. and the church choir. so i was exposed to music early on. i remember my thrusters speakers by panosonic, that came with my rack system. one christmas day i opened that rack system up boy was i excited. my sister two years older got the same all in one system. any way i ran to my room and hit the wall. i cracked the plastic lid. my dad put a large piece of red tape on the crack. so to match he put a large pice on the other side. anyway my sister had the beegees on at full tilt, i still hate the beegees. anyway i counterd with ac/dc . i won. when i was in 8th grade i went to allstate chourus. i had started upgrading very early on to advent legecys ,sony 9000 receiver. then i found jbl. then the avr 1000 sony.after that a salesman named brett talbert said have you ever heard of hk? i said i have a 120 watt sony why would i want a 45 watt hk. he said it is a nother world, and it was. the first step into high end was because of george myrvos. he said your jbl pro moiniters are garbage. he introduced me to jbl xpl 160s and acoustat 1100s he compared them to my jbl 240tis. o boy i bought the xpls on the payment plan. then the cal audio aria . then hafler xl 280s run mono. then a counterpoint sa 1000 preamp. i was hooked. i wont even get into ivey johnson bringing me to the next level. anyway it is not how you get into the hobby. its that you are in it. their are gear nuts and music nuts. i love music like no other. but part of the experience is looking at my gear. i have had the best tubes and the best ss . and have audio and video all over the house.the idea of a high end system is to close your eyes and be takin away.

I was shopping for a cassette back in 1982. I had never heard of high end audio. I just knew that every deck I ever heard sounded terrible. Not even close to at the time my Pioneer PL12D turntable with a Marantz 2220b reciever. Somehow somebody suggested I check out a Nakamichi. Back then you had to find them in high end stores. I looked in the phone book and found Victors Stereo in Chicago and I visited. I walked in and heard Micheal Hedges playing on a pair of Quads. It was the most wonderful sound I had ever heard at that time. I talk to the then salesman, John Swartz who now owns Pro Musica in Chicago. He took the time to teach and allow me to listen to what was possible in good gear. The rest is history. ps. I still own and use that Nakamichi 480.Its the first and only cassette deck I've ever owned and it still looks great with my Mark Levinson components.

Yeah John R. is pretty cool. He modified my Spica TC-50's, and gave me a good deal on a Magnum Dynalab Etude a few years back.

I got into high-end audio by accident. About two years ago I got into HT and spent $7,000 on a fairly respectable system. Then while searching for better HT speakers I happened upon Audio Connection in Verona, NJ and it changed my life - I listened to tubed gear for the first time. Female vocals sounded incredible. All of the sounds were so multi-dimensional. I couldn't believe that you could re-create the recording environment. I had always thought of music as instruments, voices, ambient effects, etc. all rolled into one. Using this line of thinking it wouldn't matter much how you listen to your music. Well, John Rutan changed all of that. Ever since then I've been putting together the best system I can currently afford while still maintaining a happy marriage. Expensive, but money well spent!

I think the year was maybe 1974 or 75 and I wandered into a sterio shop and heard some L-100's playing Supertramp and I, as a 14 or 15 year old could not believe the power and loudness of the system. I fell in love with those Marantz receivers with the beautiful silver faces, script type, and blue-violet glow of the lamps. I'll never forget my first visits to that shop just to listen (they knew I couldn't buy so usually I hung around until some 'grown up'came in to listen to buy)hearing pink floyd DSOTM on JBL L-166 or L-65's, Infinitys (with the watkins woofers), Epicure 20's.
Incidently my tastes these days run towards Spicas, Charios, Proac, Spendor you get the idea.

I had just come home from work one afternoon, and I turned on some tunes (BTW, this was on my pioneer/KLH HT setup...college budget) anyways, I ended up turning it off before the CD was done because it seemed like every day, even at low listening levels, my tunes would give me a slight headache (good ol' fatigue). that's when I realized that my car stereo sounded better than my home setup (what the???) so I started doing some research, and really got the bug when I found audioreview.com. looking at the setups posted there and comments, I was intrigued. kept researching, and eventually found the asylum. went to hundreds (seriously) of audio sites (manufacturers, retailers, etc) and of course Ebay. then I found a stereo receiver refurbished online, and promised myself that was the end of it(yeah, right!!!). I had an extra CD player (due to DVD upgrade) and would replace my rear speakers with some smaller ones. so anyways, after a few days, I found that it wasn't much better...klh speakers weren't doing the amp justice. so I found some Paradigm mini's on ebay. then, of course, gotta upgrade the CD player, then speaker wire, and so it goes...

it's a bug for sure, and that's how it started for me

BTW, just got into vinyl...uh oh!

enjoy,

--tb

My Uncle had a pair of AR 2ax with a dual TT and KLH intergrated (yeah KLH made in USA , it rocked !) and Dynaco fm3 . The internets axcess for used audio drew me back in to buy & sell audio. You can get great gear at a fraction of retail ! And sell pieces at what you paid or better to upgrade or change. I prefer tube stuff and Tandberg , Revox etc. (untouchable when I was younger too $$$) If they do it right in the studio Audio can be magical ! and transport you to another place while you sit in your living room. Buckle up!

I had the pleasure of groing up in a house full of the best of the mono days of Hi-Fi. My Father had/has Mac C-8 pre-amp, Mac 30 amp, Fischer 80 & 90 tunners all driving AR-2, 3 and a smallish Bozak. He started me out w/ a Halicrafters receiver (AM & SW), then a SS receiver and Garad TT. Now I have Most of his stuff and a Big system of my own. I also had the pleasure of working in the industry for a while where I learned a lot!. I try to keep intouch w/ the changes, but I do not try to keep up!. with children and the need for a real income, primary priorities have changed. I still buy vinyl and keep listening as often as possible.
This is a great Hobby/passion.

my brother was always into music. i got married to a fantastic girl who was also VERY INTO MUSIC. the two of them started competing who could get the better sound out of our limited incomes. alot of macaroni and cheese nights later we've each only!!! got about 10 grand worth of equipment each AND still want more, da--it.... recently got 4 mapleshade cd's--- big mistake , to revealing to my system!! heh,heh wait till i take them over to my brothers.i can hear him now--" @#$%#@#$%%# "

I started my audiophile hobbie with my first car. I bought a second hand sports car in 1993 and the car came with a pretty decent sound system. Since then, I was hooked. I continue to upgrade my system in the car but never thought of home stereo since I only live in a small bedroom in my parents' house at that time.
In 1998, because of my music hobbie, I sold my "old" sports car and bought a brand new mercedez 'E' class that cost me a bomb. I spent 7k on putting in a brand new stereo system.
In recent years, my financial position has improved and started going into home hi-fi. Bought myself Plinius pre/power amps and all the expensive cables. The hobbie continues to grow and I've just recently placed a down payment for a new house that cost me 1.5 million just so that I can have a decent music room for my hobbie. With this house, I'm going to be stucked working like a dog for the next 30 years so that I can pay back the mortage. Did anyone say that music is free?

MY first touch with HIFI system was when I where 15 years old , my dad had a great system he had not used since about 1 year and I never listened carefully to it so on 1995 this was his birthday and I bought him the lastest CD of the beegees he instantly lighted up his system ( JBL L200 with MCintosh MC 2300 power amp and MX117 tuner preamp) I was amazed that audio can be this great . Then I wanted to have my sound system he bought me a Marantz 2226B receiver ( I still got it and keep it) and a pair of JBL LX44 speaker , it was like nirvana to me , and since then I've always upgraded my system to what it is now JMLAB Mini Utopia , YBA 2 preamp , YBA 2 HCDT power amp Transparent ultra interconect and reference speaker cable with a YBA CD 1 player.

A bit more then two years ago, a good friend of mine put together a fairly modest 2-channel system that consisted of NHT 2.5i speakers and Arcam amplification and CDP. A few days later I picked out a bunch of my favorite CDs and headed over.

A couple of CDs and a few expletives(WOW, holy ****) later and I was already thinking about what I could afford. A number of months later, my wallet was empty, but the tunes were........ the tunes were awesome. They still are.

No regrets.

Always knew about hi end, but ex-wife didn't allow. Got divorced. Bought a mac MC 30 at a yard sale (with a C 8) for $35!!! Got the MC 30 fixed, got another one. Now have about 20 mac tube pieces and a bunch of solid state, too. Got M & K S1-C satellites and a Def Tech Powerfield 12 sub to replace Def Tech BP 10s - Wow! Upgraded from AR TT with Benz silver to VPI HW 19 Mk III with SME 309 arm and Glider - double Wow! Just got a Musical Fidelity Nu Vista M3 integrated - WOW, WOW, WOW, WOW, WOW, WOW! Where to next? I don't know, but what I've got now is pretty profound. Love that vinyl sound. CDs sound better now with the M3 (Marantz 65 SE thru X-10D with X-PSU). Maybe an MSB Link DAC with upsampling, or a better cartridge, or a power supply for the VPI, or God knows what. It'll never end, but it sure is fun. New wife like it too!

I was blown away by the incredible sound from a friend's MV-52 tube amplifier from Conrad-Johnson. This was 8 years ago. He later introduced me to another person who was running Krell gear into Martin Logan speakers.

I was hooked! I bought all used pieces like a Classe DR-10 amp, CJ PV-12 tube preamp, Thiel CS 1.5 speakers, and CAL Icon MK-II CD player. I have since swapped everything out several times over, except for my Thiel CS 1.5's which I'll keep forever even if I eventually upgrade.

Prior to hearing this audiophile class equipment, I thought my Sony receiver with JBL L100 speakers were pretty hot.

My current setup includes Adcom GFP-750 preamp, Audio Research LS-16 preamp, Conrad-Johnson Premier 11a tube amp, Cary 306/200 CD player, Adcom GCD-700 5-disc changer, Pioneer Elite CD Recorder, Magnum FT-101A FM tuner, and the Thiel CS 1.5 speakers.

My next door neighbor was very into audio when I was in Jr. High and High School. We were in the same class, and we are still friends to this day. (He actually is partners with my mom in a bookstore). Anyway, his system was midfi. He had a Kenwood integrated amp and a turntable and a CD Player and some speakers. His system sounded decent. On my 17th birthday I got a Kenwood receiver and some Yamaha speakers and a Kenwood CD changer. I was very happy then... Right up until I innocently walked into a hifi shop in Dallas (Audio Concepts). I heard a system that knocked my socks off... I remember asking the audio salesman: How much are those small speakers in that amazing system? He said $250. I was completely floored. His next statement was: It is amazing the sound you can get when you have ten thousand dollars of electronics driving $250 speakers in the right room. I gulped... I always thought speakers determined all of the sound of an audio system. From that moment on I WAS HOOKED on HI-END SOUND! That was 13 years ago. Since then my audio and music tastes have evolved. Luckily my pay has evolved proportionately to satisfy my thurst for great sound. My system is listed under the Virtual Systems. Not many digital setups compete, expecially dollar for dollar.

Well one day long long ago...well not that long ago. when i was 15 I walked into costco saw some big klh floorstanders for 80 bucks each and right then i knew i had to have them..a few days later hooked up to my 15 wpc aiwa mini system. the disease started. I had never heard such sweet sounding music before...next was my 99 dollar klh sub. Then came my teac recever and cdp for a total of 250 dollar all from costco *the heart of hi fi*..I knew i coul do better so i got some heavy duty monster cable and a pair of 85 dollar Clarity Wires ic's. Next came the 700 dollar JBL's..LOVE THEM..And here i am, The sansui au-517 i was using to power them has scince had some problems so its back to the teac..And now i am 16 and have my eye on A new amp,a nad c370 or jolda 1501?... I have been doing it for 1 year and have gained Sooo much knowledge about this stuff...too bad i dont learn like that in school. I currently have around 1500 in my system it just keeps going up.Who knows where i will be in ten years..? :-D i hope i get a good job! Great thread also.

What a great Tread i can remember walking to the audio store to make payments on my ultra high end yamaha audio system. i was sixteen and owned a audio system that cost about three or four grand . i did not even spend money on a car. that is when this sickness started. then when i bought my first car for a $150.00 i put a $2000.00 system in it. but now i have grown up and bought a house and the system only cost about half as much as the house and it is still growing. But i am having fun wright?

Heh! some day long time ago I used a low to mid-end Chekhoslovakian and Russian electronic equipment. I also had a turntable with built-in phono. I spent a significant amount of money in Russia that not anyone can afford for this system setup...
When I came to US, I desided to go for CDs and CD-player that I could affort for my first years. After listening three-four CDs, I stopped buying them at all...
Currently I have nearly $10000 of components of high end and it seems it's never going to stop...

Hi,
As a product of the seventies. (high school), i understood pioneer, yamaha, kenwood brands. I knew of carver, mcintosh, dynaco, but only as a fringe element.
Shure mcintosh was good but who could afford it? if i only knew!When it was my time I bought yamaha and klipsch,I dont regret this as I still, have ,my klipsch though I miss mmy yamaha tuner.Now i rediscover tubes and its off to the races!

In the late 60s I studied violin and used to listen to the pieces I was to learn - borrow the record from the library, follow the sheet music on this monoral thing of my parents. Anyway I visited a friend with wealthy parents and he had this big Marantz EV system that knocked me out. His mother said "It's so wonderful you are listening to Issac Stern and not that awful rock and roll." Talk about kinetic audio! I saved up my money. Another friend said "my dad is selling a stereo." It was a pair of small ARs, an entry level DUAL TT, and a Fisher 100 integrated amp - dirt cheap. I was in heaven and even took the system to college. Several years later I found out my old bud's generous father supplemented his income as a fence!!!! No wonder he had all that "stuff" in his garage.....

I had a friend at work who had bought Vandersteins speakers and had the Dahlquist DQ10's in a closet. He was too shy to sell them and wanted to throw them away but they were too big! I kept offering to pay him be he would only take a weight bench set and crystal rocks in payment. (He was also into pyramid power and the power of crystals. Fortunately my wife is a Geoligist.)
Damn you Mike, now I will only settle for quality equipment. I still have the Dahlquists but have also owned Paradigm and now am using Magnepan 2.7's in my listening room.

I fell down and hit my head.

Brain damage that continues to progress...

No joke, growing up in a rich neighborhood in the 80's where all my friends had set ups with names like Mcintosh, Nakamichi,B&W,Thorens etc... I remember the first time I sat down if front of huge B&W monitors and Nakamichi Dragon "everything" (the coolest stuff at the time) and hearing music like never before. Thats all it took, I knew that some day I would make enough money to get my own stuff. Now those same friends come to my house and look at my high quality beautiful system and smile like a proud father. This "hobby" is my drug, no doubt about it!

A polo team doesn't play ANY music and I have never liked the sound of Blaupunkt's either. Yeah baby, DIRT CHEAP!

Stereo, even your bog-standard Rolls is more expensive, let alone twο Ferraris. Surely, this is one the cheapest expensive hobbies around. Think about the cost of Formula 1, of a polo team, etc... $15K for a pre-amp (power cord included), $30K for power (power cord included): geez, you can't get a decent 6litre Merc for that kind of money.
Dirt cheap, I say! ;-)