My dad was into hi-fi. Whenever he moved upward he'd hand me down his old stuff. I know I mentioned this in a long-ago post, but I watched him solder together a trio of Heathkit separates on the kitchen table -- components that included a tubed AM tuner. I went with him to hi-fi stores and, when stereo came out, stereo and then quad dealers. He took me to a couple hi-fi shows at the Ambassador Hotel in downtown L.A. It didn't hurt that he knew early on that I preferred classical music.
Roots, ie: how did your music/sound/audio life/listening begin?
With all the high-end I have had, Magnepan, ARC, Bryston, Conrad Johnson, and many others....my music listening beginning was very humble. For Christmas when I was about 11, or so, my parents bought me a "higher end" Montgomery Ward table radio and a small "transistor" radio for under my pillow to go to sleep by. Many "things" throughout the years, but that table radio was the beginning...and it was Rock and Roll. WLS out of Chicago, KAAY out of Little Rock, KIOA out of Des Moines....and more. My maturation process began in the Air Force and my discovery of a love for Jazz and female vocals (a tip of the hat to time in New Orleans). So I believe a Wards radio started my addiction. It is either odd or crazy for me to have interconnects that cost more than some "systems" I have owned. Of the other addictions or hobbies/interests I have had, audio has given me the lowest cost per hour and the most shared with family and friends.