The first system you had that was "high end/audiophile", by you standards

My first high end system was classe 15 amp, cal icon 2 mark 2 power boss cd player, adcom gfp750 preamp, dunlavy sc3 speakers, with tara labs wire and interconnects. It was as good as i had the money for then, but boy do i have a hell of a lot better now.

I should have read the thread title better, my previous post was the 1st system I ever owned. My 1st "audiophile system" I purchased through the American PX in Frankfurt back in 93, Klipschorns, Adcom 585LE(w/optional fan kit), GTP750, GCD750, AC515 Enhancer, and cables were all German made. 

Bose 901 IV, Kenwood integrated amp 125 WPC. SONY reel to reel & cassette deck. DBX 3-BX compressor / expander. Dyna-kit FM10 receiver. Sennheiser SD-650 headphones. 

Infinity Modulus 90 Sub sat system for music
Krell KSA 100s music amp
2x custom ordered Adcom 545 Mark II amps with white face plates to match TV
Fosgate Audionics Model III Surround preamp
Adcom music preamp (forgot the model)
Adcom 5 disc changer for my Hollywood parties
Bang and Olufsen Beolab 8000 speakers for fronts (self powered)
KEF Center channel
Velodyne ULD 15” THX sub for HT
Sony laser disc player
California Audio Labs CD player for solo listening
Bang & Olufsen white 27” TV with built in Faroudja line doubler
Matching B&O S-VHS VCR in white
Motorized B&O TV and VCR stand
B&O RL 65 rear panel speakers in white
Blue Straight Wire ICs
Monster M series 1.5 speaker cables
2x Standesign 5 tier black matte crinkle PC stands with built-in wire management and level adjusting shelves w/ spiked feet

This was my starter system. The TV and VCR started the ball rolling and the Christmas bonus paid in Sound Advice gift cards came in real handy and I had everything else in short order. I set it all up in the loft at work above my boss’ office and broke it in with a Pink Floyd The Wall and T2 laser. Shortly after, I moved into a split level 3,550 SQF lakefront house and turned the second largest bedroom into a dedicated room that also house my Pedulla MVP Signature bass and SWR Redhead. My all black ‘58 Chevy sat close by in the covered circular driveway with its competition sound system on standby and at the ready. All my material needs were covered, although I soon lusted after the Levinson 38S, I think it was? That cover shot and review in Stereophile had me hook line and sinker. I’m sure you can relate if you were around. 
 

Oooh, that intangible HIGH END… Even if it the setup was a tad uneven I’d say my first venture was back in 94 when I got my poor student mitts on a pair of Gradient Revolution dipole speakers I’d had my eyes on for a looong time. They were rather tatty after spending a fair bit of time at hi-FI shows and expos but the dealer gave me about 70% off and to me they truly were the bees knees. I remember my desire for them even outweighing the, then so iconic VR4s. I had to flip my beloved Audio Innovation 500 for a Thule IA150b just to somehow satisfy their thirst for power and ran them with a Quad CD67, Ace teacher ICs and TC8s. Few years later life took a turn and a looong period of moving, on account of education and later, jobs, between tiny apartments all over the world. Not ideal for the hobby…Still have the Gradients even if they don’t get much play time, Thule went bust and the amp died but the Quad still does service as transport. Just recently got back in to the hobby and an Italian little jewel seems dead set on sending me way deeper down the rabbit hole. The rather breathtaking little Grandinote Shinai landed in my home a few week ago. Truly an astonishing piece of kit that delivers both detail, harmonies and stomping musicality in a way I thought no integrated ever could. It’s Grandinotes entry leve amp but at €12000 I guess it actually qualifies as real “high end” even with today’s rather insane costs to stay on top of this here game.
Next step, DAC, interesting and very much not so at the same time…