Senior Audiophiles - Audiophile since the 60-70's?

I am 51 and have been an audiophile of sorts since the early 70's when I was in high school. When I was in college almost everyone had a component stereo. I hit the audiophile bug when I got out of school in 79 and have had this sickness ever since. Funny that my oldest son is in college and when he introduced me to his friends, almost all had computer-based stereos. I also heard a lot of Led Zeppelin and Pink Floyd on these computer stereos.

I'll ride along with the recent rash of posts to this thread. At 45 I'm no senior, but I got into this in the mid-1970's and the way I have dealt with it is likely more pathological illness than logical progression. I'll answer the questions succinctly, and then seek treatment fro what I have concluded after considering them in the forum under a new thread.

1. Musically, about 1972 to 1982 was my favorite decade-- Music was evolving, minty used recordings could be had cheaply at any of the the many local record stores for hstorical reference, and quality two-channel audio was something every male, and many of my female friends, appreciated daily. People had time to sit together and listen to the newest release or turn friends on to their own favorites. Mentally and emotionally, I cling to these times, constanly awaiting the chance to pour guests a cab or zin or IPA or porter and spin some classic vinyl-- cell phones and Blackberries be goddamned.

2. Currently, gear-wise it's like the automobile and motorcycle industries in 1929. The best-made, most exotic stuff is available to us now. One day the bottom will drop out, maybe soon. I hope that doesn't go for the domestic wines and microbrews mentioned in (1) above. Music-wise, in my opinion, electronic manipulation during production, compression, and digital delivery has superceded the communal experience of allowing an LP album and its artwork (the medium of music delivery for my generation) to present an artist or band on its own terms.

3. Here is where I'm going to need some therapy-- I *did* trade "modern" equipment for vintage. Because I was not able to afford decent equipment in the '70's, '80's, and '90's, I have decided to use my disposable income of the past several years to recapitulate those decades and have constructed a few representative solid-state systems that function almost as time machines. I fully intend to pursue "modern" equipment in the sense that my newer pieces tend to be domestic hand-wired tube gear and high-efficiency horns or updated classic loudspeakers, and the only sources I take seriously are turntables and analog tuners, although I do have several CD units and digital tuners-- so I guess that my non-vintage purchases are even more retrograde than my thirty-year-old classic stuff.

I would not trade my current system for the best system I had in the 50s to date. Some of the components would be ok, i.e., Dynakit Stereo 70s and some of the McIntosh amps. But the big difference today is the lack of hum and noise in the system, and the quality of turntables, arms and cartridges. Another feature of todays equipment is the use of invert switches. After I read Johnson's The Wood Effect I became, and am, very aware of out of phase LPs. (CDs are almost never out of phase.) I use my invert switch all the time, and it makes a huge difference. All in all, todays pre-amps and record playing systems beat all of the golden oldies in every respect, but power amps are not much better, IMHO.

Personally, I hear polarity differences almost as strongly on CDs as on LPs, with the most pronounced effects on reel-to-reel tapes. I have no idea why. I agree with you about the lack of hum and noise on current vs. vintage (50s) equipment being one of the most important benefits of the new stuff.

Senior Audiophiles - Audiophile since the 60-70's?
How many Senior (true) Audiophiles do we have here since the 70's or prior?

What was your favorite decade and why?

What are your thoughts of the current state of Audio?

Would you trade your current system for a past system?

Sadly, I confess to being a "senior" audiophile, does that earn me a free breakfast at iHop?

My favorite decade is 60's and today. 60"s because I was very young and working in the business and the music scene was amazing. Today because the equipment is amazing and much of the old music is being repressed on vinyl.

Current state of audio? We have the best offerings of equipment that has ever existed. Phono cartridges are better than ever, speakers are better than ever, cabling is amazing compared to old days, LP's are thicker and quieter than ever and sound wonderful and even CD's have improved greatly.

Trade current system for previous? No.