What made you select "audio" as your hobby

I love music, collecting CDs as well. I want the best possible playback system to connect these 2 facets.

Viridian,I did eventually find a 6 eye Sketches of Spain in a shop in Baltimore.Much better sounding then the Yellow Label I already had.I have Jim Halls Concierto but actually bought it because i'm a big fan of the Chet Baker.
I dont have it on Mercury but i also have a RCA RED SEAL and a version by the Ramsey Lewis Trio,his second group.
I dont have the amp any longer but the music lives on
Thank you for your post.
Enjoy

Have you ever heard a great put together system? If you have not do not seek out to do so. You'll answer your own question.

I met a guy in a cafe and we got into the whole pro vs hi-fi audio argument. He invited me to listen to his system that was probably worth the entire gear list in the studio I was at during the time. Scoffing at the waste of money I sat down and heard a breadth and scale I never heard before, on my own recordings!! There are different requirements, but ever since I've been trying to break down some of the attitude that can exist betwen the groups. In the end it's all about enjoying the music and keeping the money spent hidden from the wife!

Waffle 35
Yes,well hidden from the wife.sometimes i wonder why they aren't more into it.My wife loves music,hears much better then i do and yet doesn't understand the emotion that one can feel when Gerry Mulligan's baritone sax plays beneath Chet Bakers Trumpet and then takes the lead.Of course she doesn't understand the cost for this either

My older brother had a Duel TT, a Pioneer intergraded and a pair of JBL's. This was 1975. That's all it took..

I walked into biology lab at age 14 as a high school freshman and the teacher had classical music playing on a mono system and I was a dead duck. That was 64 years ago and I'm still hooked.

An electric shock received playing with a record player as a kid. ⚡️⚡️ Sent me over the edge. 🤪

whoa - 13 year old thread

when i was in grade school i loved music and listened to 33/45's on my my dad's garrard record player hh scott integrated amp ar speakers

always paid attention since then

ask not for whom the JBL Everest calls
it calls for thee

Sounds nice and is very cool.

it selected me

My classsical cd collection is drawing me to go Farther, wider, deeper , 
Mods/upgardes glaore, Read my posts, ck out my YT vids. 
I'm approcahing the Everest peaks,, leaving another base camp with each upgrade, modification/addition.
Schnittke, Pettersson, Ravel, Carter, Henze, to name a  few which makes me spend $$$$$$,,with no remorse.
Straeming? HA!, No way,, , Most of my classical cds are not streamed, and my tube cd sounds wayyyy superior to digital streaming.

I became involved with this hobby through my grandfather and uncle. I have a cherished photo of grandad standing nest to his stereo cabinet he built himself containing the Lafayette integrated he also built. Taken in about 1965/66 in Eureka Kansas pop. 2,000 no audio stores for miles. He had an AR turntable with an Empire cart. and Electro-voice Baron speakers. I listened to this combo a lot as a kid. I bought the Yamaha NS 1000M new in 1978 at the age of 19. I still own them and am in the process of refinishing the cabinets. (added new KLE 5 way binding post last night) They saw a few too many parties in their early years.  They still sound fantastic especially now that I have way better electronics than my cheapo Kenwood receiver I bought with them at the time. I bought a stereo a full two years before I bought my first car. It took me that long to pay for it. I spent $1,600.00 in 1978.