Is your now then?


What was your first significant experience with quality audio (then) and how does it compare with your present system (your now).
Do you think we strive to return to the past and remain in those influential times? Are our choices psychological, nostalgic even....?

Mine is a mixed bag. Solid state with turntable were my beginnings. Presently SS with digital sources trumping my TT most days. I am still enamored by albums and uber turntables, but budget constraints and the ease of digital is presently winning.
jpwarren58

Showing 2 responses by edcyn

My dad was an audio nut. And my first encounter with high end sound was the Heathkit mono system he soldered together on the kitchen table in the late 1950’s. He took me to a couple audio shows at the Ambassador Hotel in downtown L.A., where I heard my first stereo. I was truly impressed by the bass that came from a rig’s 36" woofer-ed Bozaks. At any rate, I always had a system, mostly hand-me-downs from my father. The only time I didn’t have a system was when I went away to college. And lemme’ tell ya, my biggest pleasure whenever I went home was switching on my tubed Kenwood stereo receiver.

But to get to the subject at hand, there’s no question that my current system -- SOTA Sapphire, Sony SACD, Mytek, PrimaLuna, NOLA, all strategically set up in a dedicated room -- is by far my most enjoyable.
I don't regret a single upgrade I've made over the years. Yeah, I still do sometimes miss the tone of my ancient Denon 103(?) but I don't miss its terrible tracking and end-of-side distortion. The same goes for the Koetsu Black I had for a while. Yes, there might have been a few missteps along the way (and I'll be damned if I could remember 'em), but what can I say? I'm just happy with my stereo.