I bought my first audio gear in a Post Exchange PX store in Baumholder Germany. I was a young soldier about 20 yrs old and bought a SAE amp and Preamp, Bose 901 speakers, Sony CDP-101 CD player and a Thorens TD 320 turntable. Where did you buy your first audio gear? What did you get?
sourced various components/cables from: reference audio (gardena), systems design group (redondo beach), audio concepts (long beach), definition audio (next to systems design group), sound factor (encino), christopher hansen 2 (west l.a.)
Can't believe nobody has mentioned Korvette's, that long gone 60's-early 70's era precursor to Target, or maybe Walmart - I was too young to know anything - my Dad got it for me for I think my 14th birthday. It was an "all in one" one piece (of crap) : turntable, 8 track player (recorded with the track changes mid song) and tuner. The speakers connected with proprietary plugs of the thinnest wire you can imagine. It was called the Broadmoor Designer, and may still be in my old bedroom in my Mom's house.
Got my first "real" stereo at Sound Plus in Jenkintown, PA when I was a freshman in college. They sold me all Yamaha (except cartridge). I thought Yamaha was by far the best. It was the best for the cash I had to spend I hope/guess. There were 5 or 6 stereo stores within a few miles of each other and they all had different equipment. Those were the days!
Army - Airforce audio video club in Germany in 1992 (? or there about). Adcom GFA 545ii, GFP 555ii, a Nakamichi CD player, and B&W DM640 speakers. Nakimichi is toast, but still have the rest, and it still sounds pretty good. My divorce present replacing the rack mount kenwood system the ex kept.
Luskin's High Fidelity in North Miami Beach in 1975. A Scott R74S Receiver, pair of Altec 793C speakers, Kenwood turntable (later upgraded to a Garrard Zero-100).
Audio Consultants, Evanston IL, 1970s. Simon (the owner) retired in 2019, and closed up shop. Helluva run (opened in 1967!), and it was a terrific store.
When I was in law school, living in a cheap apartment in the early 1980s, there was an electronics store that sold used stuff. I bought an Aiwa tape deck and a cheap reel to reel. I was an aspiring musician playing in a band and writing music. I used it to record songs I was writing and would bounce tracks back and forth between the tape deck and the reel to reel. Also used the cassette deck as a master from a PA System to do a "studio" recording (I call it more of a "psuedio" recording) of songs we were playing.
Manufacturer's Marketplace in West Roxbury MA. Great store, had the best close out deals. I purchased many things there in my early teens. My first CD player , a Sony CDP 101 was purchased there. Bought my first receiver there , JVC RX44.
Went to college in 1980 with a suitcase, hockey bag, 4 sticks & a clock radio - everyone had Marantz this, Pioneer that, AR, Advent & Kenwood... I was so envious of these other kids and their setups. Fast forward 2yrs. I left school for opportunities in Europe. Came home the spring of '83, walked into Tech HiFi in Saugus, Mass with a pocket full of cash. Left with JBL, 4311s, Crown PL2 and SL2 power & pre, SAE 180 EQ and a Denon, DP35F w/Micro Acoustics 3002 cart. I dropped everything I came home with in that one shot, lol - I was 22yo. Been on the wheel ever since
Lafayette Electronics... $5 tube amp (mono) and a 12" raw speaker from their bargain dumpster bin. I think I was in 8th grade. Later I "upgraded" by adding a 5" (ha!) "tweeter" and soldered a cap to it.
I had a hand me down system from the parents called a Zenith Mini Wedge. They saw I really liked music and ended up supporting my interest. This lead to the purchase of the following as a complete set:
JVC R-X80 Receiver
JVC KD-D40 Cassette Deck
Dual 508 turntable with a Stanton cartridge
Phillips CD100 CD player
Infinity RSa speakers
The turntable became a Denon DF-35F with a Grado cartridge and the CD player become a Denon DCD-1500 about a year or so later.
All where purchase from local non-chain HiFi shops in Pennsylvania, US
1st stereo was a $35 suitcase job from Great Eastern Mills in NY in 1964. 1st real system was from Campus Stereo in State College, PA; Marantz 1060 integrated, Electrovoice 15A speakers, and dome Garrard turntable. I was in heaven!
First set of separates. Radio Shack. Receiver TT and speakers, walked back and forth three times to get it all home. No car as I was 14 or 15 years old.
First step up. Proton amp and preamp, mission speakers, Phillips CD from The Speaker Shop in North Lima Ohio. Nick was the best, taught me all I know about audio. He and his wife were the best. Genuine, warm, fun music loving people I can honestly call my friends. Ended up working for them in perhaps the best collage job I ever had. Magical times.
Left with JBL, 4311s, Crown PL2 and SL2 power & pre, SAE 180 EQ and a Denon, DP35F w/Micro Acoustics 3002 cart. I dropped everything I came home with in that one shot, lol - I was 22yo. Been on the wheel ever since
what a great thread, and what fun to harken back to those times
at tech hifi circa 1980 that was the top tier we had to sell - crown and sae gear in particular...
... and i loved that microacoustics 2002e cart on my micro seiki tt, went through numerous styli ... electret condenser model with that loooong cantilever, super light, fast tactile sound
so many weekend mornings started with al jarreau, tower of power, michael franks, the crusaders spinning ...
I first audio serious audio was purchased off my boss when I was working in Iron Mountain, MI. I was there to build the new County Replacement Hospital, Dickenson County Memorial. I bought his Harmon & Kardon integrated, and a pair of DCS bookshelf speakers. I next bought a Sony CD player from Crutchfield. I traded that all in, and bought a stack of NAD, which I thought was the greatest stuff. Hey, when you're 24, and just getting into it, it was! Hah. Those were the good old days. I should have stopped there. My mania has spread, or rather gotten worse - DOH! 🤣
Pioneer SX-750 receiver, BIC turntable, and Bose 301 Series II bookshelf speakers. Purchased at Pacific Stereo, Pomona, California, February 1980. Receiver was nothing but problems and BIC turntable was crummy. Replaced them three months later with a McIntosh MA600 integrated amplifier and a McIntosh MR74 AM/FM tuner, and also a Dual turntable. What a difference! I still have the tuner to this day. I gave away my Pacific Stereo purchases. They were junk...you do get what you pay for.
One of those Rent To Own places, about 40 years ago. It was a Sansui rack system. I added a Pioneer CD player the second year they came out. I also swapped out the speakers for a pair of JBL 80t's. This wasn't exactly high end but I was only 17 at the time. Last I knew the Sansui rack was still playing for the folks I sold it to.
Gayla Sound, Rochester New York in 1983. I was clueless. I walked in with nothing Then walked out with a $3000 hi-fi. (you could buy a new car for $3000 then). Those guys sold me good stuff. The AR Turntable with Grace F9e. Still have that cart. Not using it now but it sounds great with a new stylus from Soundsmith.
As separates, 100w ss amp and preamp from Bellas. (Now power modules). Artesian Group monitors. Those had Focal duel-coil drivers. My daughter has that TT and speakers now. She was a seven YO then.
Stereo Warehouse in San Luis Obispo. In 1974, it was JBL L100's, a Crown IC-150 preamp, and a Harman Kardon Citation 12 power amp, all for $550. My roommate was a salesman at SW and set me up with an employee 50% discount. I still own all three components.
House of Stein on Portage Ave. in Winnipeg, 1972. A small Sansui integrated, Dual 1210 TT and some small speakers which forgettable brand I don't recall. Before long I upgraded to some 15" Tannoys and SAE separates at my brother-in-law's urging shortly after he infected me with the incurable hi-fi bug. I don't have any of that stuff now and I haven't lived in Winnipeg for about 24 years :)
Really cool to see all those small Hi-Fi stores, many I am sure are gone... tragically. And the great classic audio components and brands....wow I guess I am an old timer. This is when and where we got infected.... haha!
First stereo was a Sanyo rack system from Crazy Eddie's, probably 1979 or so. First high end gear was from Ear Drum in Nanuet NY. DB Systems 1B/2A/4B preamp, Bryston 3B, Logic DM101 turntable with a Signet tonearm and an Signet MK55E cartridge, and a pair of Energy Pro 22s, somewhere around 1983,
JC Penney's technically....1979, I had ordered an MCS receiver, cassette deck, turntable and speakers by mail order. System came in, receiver was broken. Took it back/return. Found out that Playback-The Electronic Playground in Danville, Illinois, was having a big sale. I went in and came home with a Project-One receiver, Pioneer cassette deck and Pioneer HPM-40 speakers. A Pioneer turntable came a little later on.
This started me down the road to this fine "hobby". Oh the money I could have saved had I just left it be at that. But then I would have missed out on a lot of fun and excitement! I certainly do miss a lot of the brick and mortar stores of the days then, Playback, Good Vibes, CMC, Graham's Electronics, even Radio Shack of the time. Nice memories!
Rogersound Labs in Canoga Park, CA. I was a commercial real estate broker at the time and worked a deal to pay me a commission in stereo gear at cost from their high-end showroom - Upscale Audio. A pair of Acoustat 2+2 speakers, New York Audio Lab Moscode 600 hybrid tube amp (300w/channel), New York Audio Lab tube preamp (Minuet in A), Oracle MkII turntable, don't remember the arm but incuded a Koetsu Black cartridge. I don't think I've ever been more excited in my life. I had just moved from a condo into my first single family home - 1980. That system kept me very satisfied for more than 20 years. If anyone remembers that company, the original owners remain friends today.
Remembering my first 'decent stereo', it was bought at a place in Montana called, 'LaBelles'. We really thought we had something there, and probably it was as good as anything in most places. Picked up a set of Wald speakers and a Marantz 1060 integrated amp. Think that I got a BSR 710X TT too.
@bigsecret - Wasn't there another stereo shop right next door? I think it was called Upscale Audio or some such. I bought a Sony 10-disc changer from Rogerssound for $725 in 1987 if memory serves. Still works today (with one laser replacement). You get what you pay for.
My family or college roommates always had stereo systems, but in my early twenties when I got my own place I was on my own. Got a Denon receiver and a Dual TT at Harvey's in New York City and a Nakamichi tape deck at Audio breakthroughs in Huntington on LI. I bought a pair of used Mirage speakers from a buddy and I was all set.
I started buying my audiophile gear at Sound by Singer by the mid 1980s.
My brother still uses that Denon receiver and it works and sounds great. Amazing stuff!
I had my first "OMG" experience visiting The Wiz in NYC when I head Mission Speakers. Bought them and then found out the tower speakers I bought had matching center channel, surrounds and sub. I didn’t even know you could have a home theater and immediately bought the entire system and never looked back. Top Gun was the first movie I watched on it and it was like being on the aircraft carrier, WOW! That step eventually led me here to Audiogon when I upgraded those speakers.
An all in one receiver TT and 8 track with speakers I cannot remember the brand , I cut grass to save for that thing, and could not have been more stoked to get it.
1977, I was 14. And I bought is at the Southern States Farm and Garden, I think it was in the aisle between the live baby chicks, and the wheel barrows. Rode my bike the next day to Penguin Feather records and got my copy street survivors, the stereo is gone, the record is stil around.
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