A gentleman named Brian. He was a salesman at Sound World in Pocatello, Idaho 33 years ago. He was patient and informative. He let a 13 yr old kid play whatever he wanted and taught me what I should be listening for. I don't remember his last name which is either fortunate or unfortunate depending on whether I'm in the mood to thank him or curse him....no seriously he was instrumental in my forming an interest in this hobby. Music has always been my first love and as I am a social worker I have a very modest system but oh how I enjoy it. |
Mary, You're right on about Albert. While I've never met him, he has been a tremendous help to lots of us. Like Boa2, I've played instruments (guitar, bass guitar, clarinet, saxophone) since the age of seven, so the music came first. I wasnt aware of high end audio until I happened to pick up a copy of Stereophile in 1986, and soon was perusing Absolute Sound, Sounds Like..., and others, thus starting on my journey to my present system. I had a female friend (she's since moved away) who I took with me and my wife when we were getting some new equipment back in the late eighties, and between us and John at Sight and Sound in Morristown NJ (now defunct), that got her started on her path to audio nirvana ( I was going to say "audio zen" but too many companies these days are using that word). |
When I my parents took me to see "This is Cinerama" in the 50's. http://www.mtsu.edu/~smpte/fifties.html
To me, it is not a hobby. I watch TV sometimes, I listen to music sometimes. |
The guys in the "white van" selling those crummy scam speakers. I bought a pair in college and spent the next 10 years trying to improve their sound - re-inforced the cabinets, changed the drivers, added cross bracing, even found a pair of heil AMTs to add. Eventualy I picked up Stereophile and said - the heck with it. bought a pair a SnellKIIs and dumped the white van speakers for $25 at a garage sale.
- Have to credit my dad for really getting me started - back inthe early 70's he had a nice teac reel to reel, Crown separates, various JBL speakers - and eventually magnepans. Ever since I've been stubbornly glued to the "sweet spot". |
D_Edwards or Cinematic_Systems or "The Audio Fascist"
His only requirement was that I be willing to think "against the grain" and be willing to come to my own conclusions based on first hand knowledge and applicable experiences.
Guess thats why I'm in such isolation all by myself when it comes to audio. :) |
Loren Yuan...Audio Consultants - Libertyville, Illinois.
Back around 1987 he showed some kid (me) who couldn't even drive yet some Martin Logan Sequals (original not he mk2). Most hi-end guys seem to ignore the young guys (since they don't have money and probably no sale). Loren had the right idea...get 'em searching for the audio grail young and they'll be back when they have money!
I couldn't believe what I heard. It actually sounded like real intruments in the room with me...(much better than the the Fisher and Radio Shack speakers with the 15" woofers that me and my buddies were interested in at the time :o)
I was hooked! Throughout the years, Loren still gives me great advise about audio and electronics (theoretical and real experience) some great discussions and debates...as well as recommending some really good spots to eat!
Thanks!
Mike Kay |
Wonderful thread, Mary. Great stories about people's dads, too.
I credit Kieth Smith, old friend and drummer of our band from years gone by. Kieth had a friend who had Phase Linear and Advent. Our keyboard player had Dynaco and Sherwood. Later, Kieth's friend got some ESS Heil AMT 1's. All this stuff sounded terrific to me: our family had a magnevox (sp) console. Kieth and I worked the graveyard shift at Kroger. One night at work he said "you've got to hear these ESS bookshelves, the Tempests". So, after a midnight to 8:00 a.m. shift we hopped in his pickup and drove from central Ky. to Huntington WVa to hear them (forget the store). When I got home, I ordered a pair from, I think, Wisconson Discount Stereo. Used Kieth's Sherwood to drive them until I got a Luxman L-80v. This was in '78. Still use that amp. My Spica TC-60's now sit atop my old ESS's, separated by some rubber stoppers I swiped from the Chem. dept. at work. Those old Tempests make good stands, the passive radiators having long-since rotted out. Thanks, Kieth.
Steve O. |
At a high school house party in 1976, a guy brought his speakers, turntable, and Dynaco kit tube amps to provide music. I was immediately bowled over by the sound, and I've been hooked ever since. |
Stanely Clarke - Working in an early warehouse concept store (Standard Sales) when I was 16, they had a small room off the main showroom floor with stereo equipment. I was always deeply into music, but not hi-fi at the time.
I was helping the sales guys move some equipment in the room when a gentleman came in for an audition with a single LP in hand; Stanley Clarke's School Days. The salesman fired up the album on the ESS AMT-1B's, and my face fell on the floor.
I took home the store catalog and poured through the stereo equipment every night, like a kid with a newfound Playboy. My first system was a Kenwood receiver, Dual turntable and Marantz speakers. I stared at the gorgeous panel of that Kenwood receiver for months on end. For their day, those Marantz speakers were very well respected, and the sound from that system was spectacular!
The rest is history..... |
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The great music and artists fueled my interest in hi-fi playback. Unfortunately, in my youth I knew no one with the same interest. As long as I can recall, I just wanted to enhance the listening experience. Not having a clue what I was doing, I remember buying raw drivers and mounting them in cardboard boxes, and placing them on waste baskets to enhance the sound coming from a Halicrafters Shortwave radios AM stations. I also recall connecting a 3" portable reel-to-reel tape deck directly to the speaker leads in my parents TV to record the Beatles on Ed Sullivan. Not remotely hi-fi, but taking the microphone out of the mix significantly enhanced the recording.
I can't really remember when my desire to acquire "good" electronics began. Prior to being able to afford anything but the light bulb in a receiver, in the 60's, I recall sending in cards from Stereo Review for manufacturer information, and cherished the brochures I received.
I bought my first major system in the early 70's. I still have the ESS Heil Rock Monitors from that period, and up until a few years ago, they were used in a HT system.
In the last 10-15 years my disposable income for items like audio, significantly increased, and I started learning more about audio options, spending more time and money in a local shop in Indianapolis.
During these shop visits, I learned MUCH more from the shop owner Jim Jordan, and the folks that frequented his shop than any time previous -- many happy hours, thanks Jim!
Unfortunately, Jim has since moved to the left coast and is in another line of business but he is still keeping a hand in the audio sales world. As I made a purchase from him this year, I'm glad he's still involved, but sure miss his shop and the friends I met there.
Lastly, I credit sites like this for significantly enhancing my audio knowledge, and shining a light on equipment and tweaks that would have never appeared on my radar screen. Cheers to the Gon and all the posters Ive had the pleasure of meeting on line and in person! |
