Quick poll How long have you been in this hobby?

Since about 1973.

About 1963 with my dad. Built a crystal set in 8th grade electronics shop class. !971 on my own.

Since 1961.

since 1960.

probably started in earnest in 1970.

Since 1976.

I feel like a baby.I started in '79.

Since 1971

2006. Now who's the baby!

In 1961 or 2 my brother and I inherited my Dad's mono Admiral console with a Garrard changer and a tube amp inside. In 1967 I built my first amplifier kit, a tubed Dyna SCA-35.

I am guessing since the age of 12 which would be 1978 ... purchased my first stereo with my own money that year ... it was a Yorx system with a BSR turntable. I began upgarding soon after that - Technics BD20 turntable, Kenwood LSK200 speakers, Proton integrated amp and it has snowballed from there!

Since 1962.

an even more interesting poll might be: how much money have you spent on this hobby?

For me 1956. I bought my first mono "hi fi" separates: amp.Granco tuner/ and a garrad tt. and a big Norelco speaker with an 18" woofer.--Bought from Pedrini Music in Alhambra,Ca.on the lay-away program.

Early 60's

I remember "assisting" my dad building some speaker enclosures back in the late 50's and since then have always had some kind of system going. He sucked me in at an early age and have been in it ever since...I can't imagine a world without music!

...since about 1975

1980, when I heard my first ever high-end setup (large maggies, don't recall the other gear) and was "blown away" by the realism! Been chasing the elusive audio holy grail ever since!

0ver 34 years...man I'm old. Bought a Pioneer SX-1050 receiver, a pair of Sansui SP-7500X speakers and a Technics SL-1400 when I was in Korea in 77.

Late 60's

since 1964

Since about $15,000 to $22,000 ago.

37 years -- started in 1973, at age 12, when I inherited my older brother's Sansui 5000A, Sansui speakers (with those crazy wood grills) and a Dual turntable. He (who is 14 years older) went to Phase Linear gear with Ohm speakers.

Since 1974. Heard Aerosmith's Get Your Wings on a buddies Radio Shack receiver/turntable/speakers.

41 years and 2 months! January 1969 when I bought my first system . Funny I can remember that like it was yesterday. But everything in between then and what I own now would overload the grey matter thats left between my ears!(presuming there was some to begin with!) Cheers

Aye now I started dis years ago when I was a weeee laddy.
And one would tink I would have me grip on it by now wouldn'cha.

In 1978 I assembled my first "high end" system. It consisted of an AR XA turntable, Stanton cartridge, Sony VFET integrated amplifier, and a pair of JBL studio monitors-I forget the model number. I paid absolutely no attention to cable quality. Despite the pedigree or lack thereof my dorm room rocked!

since 1965

I had listened to some good systems but could not afford it till 1984.

meant, since 1975

1973. Came out of college, sold my the new car my dad gave me, and bought a McIntosh 2100, a pair of Klipschorns, a Phase Linear 2000 preamp, and Pioneer PL-12D turntable. I was in heaven.

Since a late night in 1963. It was a very special night for me!

1950 built my first amplifier.

1969, when I inherited my grandfather's Arvin table radio:

http://www.eecs.umich.edu/~srs/Antiques/Radios/Rtempl.php?pid=24

and listened to Triad Radio every night I could get away with it:

http://pages.ripco.net/~saxmania/triad.html

I was 10 years old, and have loved music and audio ever since.

David

Since 1971.

Pioneer SX-838 receiver, Dual 1229 TT with Shure M95ed cart, JBL L-88's and a Wollensak 4765 cassette deck. Deep Purple, Pink Floyd, Yessongs... man, that system rocked!

Today, I'm headphone-centric, with a pair of Sony MDR-R10 headphones (the silly looking big wooden ones that went out of production a few years ago), fed by a Ray Samuels Raptor tubed headphone amp, fed by a Theta Jade transport into a Reimyo DAP-777 dac. Sounds pretty good too.

Early 70's.

I started in 1989. Am I a baby?

10 years........

When I was in high school, Mid-50's.

I'm a newbie, 2004

68 or 69 my dad brought home an Eico integrated amp and an old Garrard tt from a "yard sale." I had a speaker and built another from plywood and a single driver. Shortly after that I was allowed to join the Columbia Record Club, that was some fun listening.

My dad and I built Dynaco kits together when I was in junior high - 1973

Since the 1960's..... I used to stay up late, looking at the Radio Shack catalog, dreaming of the system I was going to buy when I grew up.

1973 with a Fisher set-up (not one of the classics).

I will not count 6th grade in 1968 when my buddies and I bought transistor radios that we hid in our desks and ran the ear jack wires up the sleeves of our shirts so we could listen to Cream, etc. in class without the teacher knowing. Pretty good plan for a couple of weeks but I believe the teacher ended up with all the radios.

1971 ... Philco tube amp with Voice of Music record player

early 80's with a pioneer receiver.

Since 1967.

First cobbled up system '58. First homebuilt speakers '61. First audiophile grade components '67.

my first serious system was a Mcintosh C26 and 2505 driving AR3a speakers and a dual 1219...Circa 1968. I still have, and use, everything but the 1219.

For classical music/acoustic guitar type music, I prefer that system to my home theater NHT 2.9, AC-2,L5 and James EMB-1200 sub driven by a 200W per channel NHT Power5.

Different systems for different needs...