Late 60s. Junior high or High School. Find myself sitting on the floor between speakers of our Sears stereo. You know the ones. Big ole hunk of wood. Herb Alpert was playing and at the end of one track they bounced the trumpet back and forth quickly in the mix. I thought that was cool. First time I’d noticed audio/stereo.
Got some B&O bookshelf speakers for Christmas coming out of HS. Bought a used Fischer integrated (still have it) and a Garrard turntable freshman year of college. Wow! Bass! (Hauled this rig from hotel to hotel for literally years when I was on the road with traveling bands.)
College early 70s. Drummer in a band I was with was into audio. I was hanging at his house and he wanted me to hear his new Cornwalls. He dropped the needle on a track with a female singer and acoustic guitar (Pentangle?). It sounded to me like she was RIGHT THERE, sitting inside the speaker, singing to me. Had no idea recorded music didn’t have to sound, well, recorded. I was totally amazed and totally hooked.