My first stereo setup was purchased after a long hot summer of waiting tables at a big local seaside joint. Where I come from the equipment of the day came in the form of receivers - Pioneer, Marantz, Sansui.
I saved. When that glorious day came that I finally had the scratch it went toward a Sansui 9090db receiver, a nice pair of rather large Advent bookshelf speakers, and a Garrard turntable. Odd that I don't recall how much I spent on it, but it was substantial enough for me at the time.
While I don't remember what happened to the Sansui,. I still own and at times listen to my Pioneer SX1050 purchased sometime during the same era. I would many years later purchase a Marantz 2252b on eBay just for the hell of it. I've spent but a few hundred dollars over the years to keep the Pioneer operable, an investment well worth it simply because it's a great looking piece. It sounds pretty damn good, too.
Currently I'm listening to a simple setup;. McIntosh MC275 MkVI amplifier, Audio Research LS3 solid state preamplifier, Marantz TT-15 turntable with a Primare R32 phono stage, and a pair of Thiel CS3.5 loudspeakers.
I saved. When that glorious day came that I finally had the scratch it went toward a Sansui 9090db receiver, a nice pair of rather large Advent bookshelf speakers, and a Garrard turntable. Odd that I don't recall how much I spent on it, but it was substantial enough for me at the time.
While I don't remember what happened to the Sansui,. I still own and at times listen to my Pioneer SX1050 purchased sometime during the same era. I would many years later purchase a Marantz 2252b on eBay just for the hell of it. I've spent but a few hundred dollars over the years to keep the Pioneer operable, an investment well worth it simply because it's a great looking piece. It sounds pretty damn good, too.
Currently I'm listening to a simple setup;. McIntosh MC275 MkVI amplifier, Audio Research LS3 solid state preamplifier, Marantz TT-15 turntable with a Primare R32 phono stage, and a pair of Thiel CS3.5 loudspeakers.