Guess I'll step up. I'm a 32-year-old police officer with the Seattle Police Department. I'm married with three wonderful children. The youngest was just born this month. I graduated from BYU with a degree in Spanish Translation, believe it or not. After my wife got a job offer in Seattle, we moved here, and I started my current career.
I guess my first taste of hifi came as a teenager listening to rock LP's on my dad's modest system. Later, while in college, I got a pair of JBL Control 5 speakers for Christmas. I hooked them up to a JVC boombox and Pioneer CD player and thought I was in heaven. I gradually came to realize that it got better. A LOT better. But being a poor college kid meant having to forego most nonessentials.
Years later, after my wife and I had bought a house, I finally had the wherewithal to upgrade. I began my search for a new pair of speakers by consulting (what else?) Consumer Reports. I decided I'd shell out the 700 bills for a pair of I think it was Phase Technology 7T's (CR's top choice!). I never bought them. Somehow I got turned on to NHT 3.3's and decided I had to have those instead. By happenstance, I learned that the local audio club was selling their reference 3.3's. After some serious arm-twisting, my wife relented. I drove the 3.3's for over a year with a $400 Technics receiver. Yeah. I know. "You've come a long way, Baby."
A coworker overheard me talking audio one day and turned me on to the used equipment market on the internet. We became good friends and, with his assistance, I became a regular wheeler-dealer of used gear. The internet has been a godsend for my system. Without it, I'd still be in the audio Dark Ages. Component by component, I slowly pieced together the toy collection I have today. Eventually, I realized finding great deals on gear was even more time consuming than watching the stock market. I'm happy with my current system, so I'm taking a hiatus from all the buying and selling. I'm now turning my attention to the "fine tunes" that bring out the best in a system.
I'm also a home theater enthusiast, and I've combined my audio and HT systems into one. Lately, my gear has been playing far more Toy Story than music. I'm doing my best to raise my kids to be good audiophiles, but I worry they'll cringe if they ever hear Buzz Lightyear on a friend's TV.
It's been a lot of fun visiting this site and talking audio with all of you. Best wishes in your pursuit of the ultimate sound.
I guess my first taste of hifi came as a teenager listening to rock LP's on my dad's modest system. Later, while in college, I got a pair of JBL Control 5 speakers for Christmas. I hooked them up to a JVC boombox and Pioneer CD player and thought I was in heaven. I gradually came to realize that it got better. A LOT better. But being a poor college kid meant having to forego most nonessentials.
Years later, after my wife and I had bought a house, I finally had the wherewithal to upgrade. I began my search for a new pair of speakers by consulting (what else?) Consumer Reports. I decided I'd shell out the 700 bills for a pair of I think it was Phase Technology 7T's (CR's top choice!). I never bought them. Somehow I got turned on to NHT 3.3's and decided I had to have those instead. By happenstance, I learned that the local audio club was selling their reference 3.3's. After some serious arm-twisting, my wife relented. I drove the 3.3's for over a year with a $400 Technics receiver. Yeah. I know. "You've come a long way, Baby."
A coworker overheard me talking audio one day and turned me on to the used equipment market on the internet. We became good friends and, with his assistance, I became a regular wheeler-dealer of used gear. The internet has been a godsend for my system. Without it, I'd still be in the audio Dark Ages. Component by component, I slowly pieced together the toy collection I have today. Eventually, I realized finding great deals on gear was even more time consuming than watching the stock market. I'm happy with my current system, so I'm taking a hiatus from all the buying and selling. I'm now turning my attention to the "fine tunes" that bring out the best in a system.
I'm also a home theater enthusiast, and I've combined my audio and HT systems into one. Lately, my gear has been playing far more Toy Story than music. I'm doing my best to raise my kids to be good audiophiles, but I worry they'll cringe if they ever hear Buzz Lightyear on a friend's TV.
It's been a lot of fun visiting this site and talking audio with all of you. Best wishes in your pursuit of the ultimate sound.