Remember it like it was yesterday. My daughter was born 20 yrs and 2 months ago. I had ProAc Studio 1's percariously perched up on spiked & lead-filled Chicago stands...would have to get rid of them as soon as she began to crawl and find some baby-proof speakers and the system would have to be stacked up on the living room built-ins. That journey led me to owning 4 different tube amps within a 6-7 month period.
The system was: ProAc Studio 1's, B&K EX442 Sonata, Music Reference RM5 mk II, Rega Planar 3, Pioneer TX9800, Onkyo cd player, Nakamichi BX125 all neatly displayed on a Target TT5T rack
In the next 6-7 months:
TRADED: ProAc's for super ugly but great sounding 8417 based Paoli M60 monoblocks
SOLD: B&K ex442
TRADED: Paoli's + $200 for cj MV50
ON LOAN: CELESTION C-7'S & Infinity Qe's
TRADED: cj MV50 + $325 for Music Reference RM9 as cj didn't mate up with Music Reference preamp
ACQUIRED: The smaller Advent loudspeaker - couldn't afford anything else with the new baby
TRADED: Music Reference RM-9 for AMC CVT3030 + CD6
ACQUIRED: Chateau Reference 1.5 speakers
A few months later hit audio rock bottom as I had a Mitsubishi DA-R7 receiver, ADS CM6 spkrs, and gave away 100's of Stereophile and TAS magazines and then got completely out of audio for the next 3 years as raising a child was much more important |
Magnepan IIIa speakers
Audio Research D240 Mk II power amp
Audio Research SP-14 preamp
Oracle Delphi MKIII turntable
SME IV arm
Monster Sigma Genesis 2000 MKiII cartridge
NO CD |
IIRC I had Acoustat 1+1 driven by a GAS Ampzilla II with a full Gasworks reference mod, a Mission DAD7000 CD with a reference mod by a mid west company that I forget, a Audio Alchemy DLC pre. and an Audio Pro B2-50 sub. Speaker cables were Tara Labs Space & Time with TFA return and the IC were Monster M1000. I miss that system and can't believe I remembered all this LOL. Oh, the signal from the Mission went to a Magnapan X01 box that cut the lows at about 100hz using Wondercaps and which I modded with better RCA jacks an silver wire. |
20 years ago I still ran Apogee Caliper speakers. They're gone.
I still have the CAL Delta/Sigma. Still works.
The cj has been upgraded to another cj.
I sold the Sumo Andromeda II in Audiogon a few years ago. I hope the guy who bought it is still using it. |
Was an expat living in Rep of Ireland in the early 90s and had my 115v, 60Hz system in storage.
In Ireland
Roksan CD player
NAD tuner
Classe 6 preamp
Classe 200 amp
Sonus Faber Electa Amators
Siltec ICs, Transparent speaker cables
Stored in US
Rotel CD player
AR the Turntable, Signet cartridge
NAD tuner
Acoustat PNP preamp
Acoustat TNT 200 amp
Acoustat 2+2s
Audioquest/Monster cables |
Didn't have much discretionary income and had lots of school and mortgage debt so same system as in the 80s and late 70s pre grad school. SAE preamp/EQ and power amp,Ohm C2 and Rogers LS3/5, Dual belt TT. Sole step up was a Sony CD bought by my wife for a birthday. Still have some of that stuff in a closet but system is improved today. Only got back into audio 6 years ago and went crazy buying a bunch of "new" used stuff...now trying to better match pieces to each other. |
•Pink Triangle Turntable-Syrinx PU-2 Tonearm-Carnegie Model 1 Cartridge
•Nakamichi 600 Mk.II Cassette Deck
•Spectral DMC10-Delta Preamplifier
•Spectral DMA80 Power Amplifier
•Martin-Logan CLSII Loudspeakers-Audio Pro Ace Bass B5-50 Subwoofer
•MIT-Cardas-Audioquest-Monster Cable Interconnects and Speaker Cable
System has undergone multiple rounds of turnover of nearly every component since, with the exception of the Nak. |
As a follow up to my previous post I was looking at some old photos the other day and realized I also had a Cary SLP 50 preamp as well as a California Audio Lab CL 10 circa this date, maybe 1995-1996. |
Rowland Consummate + Rowland Model 8 + Magneplanars + Well Tempered Sign. + Benz Ruby nude + XLO Signature cables |
Folks- thank you. It's been interesting to read what people used to listen too |
1993 system? I might miss some but as I recall:
Versa Dynamics table with Benz Micro cartridge
Marantz 10B tuner
Counterpoint SA9 phono
Counterpoint SA11 preamp
Counterpoint SA4 OTL amps
Sound-Lab A1 Speakers |
Acoustat X Speakers with the Acoustat dedicated tube amps
Pioneer C-21 preamp
Thorens TD 160 Super turntable
Mayware Formula 4 tonearm
Sonus Blue cartridge |
A snapshot 20 years ago would look almost like 30 years ago.
An early Apt/Holman preamp/Bryston3B(chrome handles-curley cord)
powering a pair of Kef 103/3 w/Kube speakers.
Linn LP12 / Ittok LVll/Argent Ruby and a Yamaha T-2 tuner.
I wore the lettering off the Apt/Holman and replaced it with a Bryston.
The Kef's, 3B,T-2 and the Linn still sound wonderful and all are 9 on the Audiogon condition scale! |
P.S. Audio 6.0 preamp
B&K M200 Sonata monos
Thorens TD 160
Sanyo RD 5370 cassette deck
Sansui TU D99x tuner
Paradigm Studio 100 speakers |
... come to think of it, same with the Krell cd players. Cost 2X more than my current PS Audio PWD MKII w/bridge. (-: |
Not in my case, current system is much much superior ... No Contest!
I just realized my Krell FPB600 bought new back in late 90's is 2X more expensive than current amp not accounting for inflation ... same with the MIT ICs and SCs. I guess I have different priorities back then, earning less and spending more.
IMO, the Krell is still competitive in current market but NOT the MIT cables. |
Early 90's: Eminent Technology LFT-6 planar magnetic speakers, Audio Research SP-14, an early Well Tempered Classic tt with square motor and aluminum-arm, Audio Research D-160 amp, AQ Lapis and Diamond Interconnects, and AQ Clear-Plus speaker cable. I have fond memories of this system! |
Perhaps nostalgia is the ultimate system upgrade.
Unfortunately, it only upgrades the systems we no longer hear. |
Dahlquist DQ-20i speakers, Bryston BP 10/20 (not sure which) preamp, Bryston 3B power amp, Luxman PD-441 turntable with a Magnepan tonearm, Denon DCD-2700 CDP, and a Kenwood L-01T FM tuner. Missed the Luxman and Kenwood enough that I snagged both again in the past couple years. Miss the DQ-20i's, too, but you can't keep everything, right?
Thanks to the OP for an interesting trip down memory lane! |
I read Drubin's comment that "somehow the music's never sounded as good to me as it did back then".
Yes, Dan in virtually all ways that has been very true for me also, until quite recently. The main reason that made me finally recognize it through the years is how very important the room came into play that made that system so enjoyable. It NEVER sounded the same after we moved into our new home in a room I thought would be perfect but wasn't regardless of what I tried and so began the chase to capture what was lost including finally relocating the listening room. I could literally listen for hours on end back then. |
As a follow-up to my previous post, I put that system together between 1982 and 1985. Kept it until 2010. Replaced the Vandys with Sound Dynamics T3i in 1995. Still have the turntable with MMT arm. |
When I graduated high school in '93 I had a Kenwood cd player, pioneer receiver, Advent Baby II speakers and monster cable connecting everything and I felt like the biggest bad ass on the block. |
Vandersteen 2Cs, McIntosh MC60's, ARC SP-6, SOTA TT w/mmt arm and Alchemist cartridge, JVC 1050 CD player and cheap homebrewed cables and straightwire speaker cables.
|
B&W 801s and Quad ESL-63 speakers
Krell KSA-100 mk I amp
Krell PAM 2 preamp
Linn Sondek LP 12
Yamaha T-1 tuner
Sony X77ES CDP
Nakamichi CR-7 cassette deck |
Cerwin Vega speakers, Technics table, Yamaha tape deck, Harmon Kardon receiver. |
Back then, my system comprised :-
1. Pioneer Stable Platter CD player
2. NAD 3020 integrated amp
3. Spica TC 50 speakers
4. Kimber interconnects and speaker cables |
I had Maggies MG3a's biamped with 2 Musical Design D140s Dahlquist LP-1 crossover
2 Dahlquist DQ-1 subs driven by Nak PA7 LP-1 crossover
CAL Icon
Musical Design SP-1 preamp
VPI HW 19 mk4 Grace 707 Shure-V15 v Kenergetics KPA 1 for phonostage.
It was a nice system. |
California Audio Delta/Alpha
Counterpoint SA5000A
B&K M-200
Dahlquist DQ30I
Cardas Hexlink Golden 5C |
Forte 5 amp, Forte 40 pre, Sony CD Discman-yes, the first one, crappy JVC double cassette deck, Monster interconnects, and Hartley Mini Reference tower speakers. My ex wife and I spent everything we had for the amp and preamp on clearance when Threshold was going out of business. The sales guy said, you really should get the Threshold if you can afford it, but we couldn't and the Forte was as close as we could get and it provided lots of Nirvana, REM, and other alternative 90s music. I still have the set and had Jon S recap and upgrade them for backup duties. |
I auditioned an Acurus preamp in that system and it was MUCH better than my particular Adcom although I couldn't afford the Acurus at that time...you live and learn. |
In the 90's, my system was Krell KSA100s->FPB600, Sonic Frontier SFL1->SFL2, Mirage M3si->Gallo Nucleus Ref (ones with 2 balls and a can on top), Krell CD players, Technic Turntable and MIT ICs/SCs. |
Correction
1993 TT was Sonographe SG-3 w MMT arm and Sumiko Blue Point special cart. The AR had been loaned to my b-in-law at that point.
Advanced case of CRS, sorry. |
Garrard 401 with Ortofon
RM 10
Golden tube SE 40
Conrad Johnson PV 10
Vandersteen 2ce
Sound Dynamics 300ti
Marantz CDP
Mostly listened to vinyl, often visited Princeton Record Exchange & Audio Connection. Great memories. What has happened to my beloved Giants. |
My gear that I bought in Autumn 1981 was still playing beautiful music in 1993..... Yamaha receiver (forgot the model, but it was their first line with a "digital" AM/FM tuner,) Mission 717 speakers, and a B&O Beogram 3404 turntable with MMC 20 cartridge. In Autumn 1985, I added an original a Sony CD player. Wow, those were the days my friends ..... |
I had an Acurus 250 amp, like Wolf-garcia, but with the Acurus linestage and P-10 phono stage. Turntable was a Yamaha PF-1000; CDP was a Luxman D-105u; tuner was a Luxman T-02 (which I still use); speakers were ADS L-880II; cabling was all Audioquest. Being an avid Deadhead at the time, I had two Naks at the heart of it, a BX-300 and BX-1. |
Frogman, great story! The same thing happened to me. After trying ever more powerful amps to drive my Thiel 3.6's, and being frustrated at the lack of dynamics, I hooked up a rusty bone-stock Dyna ST70, Music!! Of course, I couldn't turn up the volume to ridiculous levels, but I knew immediately that tube amps had.a more natural tonality and more natural micro-dynamics, at least to my ears, and there was no going back. |
Luxman R-115 Receiver
Carver DPL-33 Surround Sound Processor/amplifier
Pioneer VHS Hi-Fi VCR
Sony ES CD changer
Polk Audio RTA-11t speakers (still own)
Definitive Technology CLR1000B center channel speaker
In-Wall speakers for surrounds (forgot brand; bought from home depot) |
Sonograph turntable, Blue Oyster, B&K Pro 10, B&K St-140, Vandersteen IIs, Monster Reference ICs & speaker cables. |
- Maggie MG3A's (very heavily modified). Still have them sitting in a closet
waiting to find the time to repair the midrange panels.
- Moscode 600
- Counterpoint 5.1
- VPI HW19 MK2
- ET2 (still use it)
- Monster, Grado, ??? cartridges
- Straightwire cables
In a closet was also my first pair of Stax F-81's which frustrated the heck
out of me because I couldn't understand why my Moscode's 300 watts
couldn't drive them worth s**t. And then that same year I bought a Dynaco
ST70 (!?!?!) for $50 and FINALLY my Stax's sounded like music; not very
loud, but beautiful. What an education THAT was. |
Thiel 3,6 speakers, Classe DR-10, ARC PH-1, LS-2, VPI 19 Mk3 with ET-2, JVC CD player. Nothing remains in my system today, but the VPI is still spinning just fine in my son's system. |
Vandersteen 1Bs, Acurus A250, Adcom preamp, Rotel CD. |
Hmmmm. 1993. AR XA table w stock arm and Signet TK7E cart (been w me since grad school), NAD 6300 cassette deck, NAD 504?? CDP, Yamaha C-2a pre, Moscode 300 amp, Monster cables!!!, and Vandersteen 2ci. Still have the NAD 6300 at my house at the beach if anyone wants one, PM me.
Hmmmm, Hmmmmm, Hmmmmm. 1978- Same AR XA table, CM Labs CC-3??? pre, CM Labs 911 amp, Monster cables, and Infinity RSbs. That amp was a beast, I drove those Infinitys to nosebleed SPLs until a lightening strike fried it. BTW, the infinities are sitting in my basement. Cabinets fair, EMITs and polypro mids working but foam surrounds on the woofers are toast. Anyone??? |
HarmanKardon Citation amp and preamp, Infinity speakers, RekOKut turntable with Grado Lab arm and (don't remember the cartridge) |
I was just into my first teaching job and had been house sitting and living here and there while getting my credentials so....a pair of Proac Tablettes, Naim 62/HiCap/140, Linn LP12 and a Meridian MCD. All very portable (except the LPs!) and very musical. |
I noticed some people going back 35 years but I'll stick to 20 years because it was the same as 35 year. 20 year ago I was only a couple of years out of college and I was struggling with a landscape business. I had a Technics receiver, tape deck and turntable with Genesis two way speakers. I also had some really nice Pioneer headphones. I beat the living daylights out of that system and it took it like a champ.
1993 was right about when I spent $2000 on one of the early in dash CD players. Funny thing was I had it installed in a 1978 Ford pickup truck I bought for $800. It sounded amazing, it was a great truck and my girlfriend was a great soul and she was smoking hot. |
Carver receiver
DCM TF 350
Magnavox CDB 650 |
B&K M-200 amps.
Adcom GTP 400 preamp tuner
Acoustat Spectra 33 speakers
Magnavox CD 550 player (I think)
Audio DDE v 1.0 DAC |
Back in 1978 my system was comprised of a GAS Son of Ampzilla amp, GAS Thedra Preamp, Celestin Ditton 66 Speakers, JVC Direct Drive Turntable with a GAS Sleeping Beauty Moving Coil Cartridge, and a Teac A-450 Cassette Deck. My speaker wires were Mogami and interconnects were from the dreaded "M" company.
The only thing I have left from that system is all the vinyl. |
I was in Australia in 1983 and had a Linn Sondek (Valhalla) with the LVX arm (really wanted an Ittok but could not afford it) and one of the truly great MM cartridges, the Garrott P77.
The preamp was a hybrid design by Russell Woolcock out of Melbourne using a single 6SL7 and transistors with a separate power supply and independent volume controls for each channel. It was an interesting design with no circuit boards, lead-to-lead wiring of components, and the network sort of floating on lightweight suspension devices. It had a beautiful open sound, full of life and colour.
I was using one of Kostas Metaxas (before he became the master of bling) class A transistor amps that was originally 50w but had been revised to 100w.
The speakers were Yamaha NS1000s on stands.
The system was fantastic but I did not have a big enough room for it.
I still have the gear (except for the Yammies) in storage at my Mum's place in Australia.
Regards, |
I would love to hear some of these old systems today. I imagine mine would be very disappointing, but somehow the music's never sounded as good to me as it did back then. Try as I might, I can't seem to upgrade my age. |
