I'm going to be 50 this year. I first became interested in good music when I got turned on to classic rock when I was in the 11th grade. Up to that point I listened to top 40, which looking back did have some great stuff that I still enjoy. But the Grateful Dead took sound reproduction very seriously and I suppose this rubbed off on me. But it wasn't until I was in the military in my early 20's and saw some great equipment in an on-base electronics store in Japan that I really became intrigued with stereo gear. I didn't have the money to buy anything at that time. When I got out in the mid 1980's I bought a Yamaha integrated amp, CD player, and Genesis Physics speakers. I was hooked. My first foray into high-end territory came in the early 1990's, with Magnepan 1.5qr speakers, Arcam Delta 290 integrated, and California Audio Labs delta/alpha transport and processor.
Overall, I credit being a Deadhead for getting me interested in the high end.
Overall, I credit being a Deadhead for getting me interested in the high end.