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What was your first jump to audiophile class gear?

71.67.135.213
Posted on November 29, 2015 at 07:28:56
jsm71
Audiophile

Posts: 1123
Location: Cincinnati OH
Joined: June 16, 2011
 For me it was in the 80's after my wife and I had finally started to get ahead money wise. She green lighted the idea because she knew I wanted to and it was "my turn" to spend.

Old (but listenable) gear: Akia top of the line 2 ch receiver (remember those?), JBL L100 speakers (my wife's actually), Pioneer belt drive TT with Shure cartridge.

First high end gear: McIntosh MC7270 amp, McIntosh C37 preamp, wood cases for both, Thiel CS3 speakers (still have those in my HT), and Beogram 5000 TT. I admittedly had meter lust for the Mac gear and fell in love on first listen with the Thiels. The B&O TT was a dart throw and also based on looks, but its was a good table.

I think I got lucky because looking back that gear worked really well together and served me for over 20 years.

All new gear today in my listening room but that took two complete setups to finally get what I like.

 

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    ...
my review post here in October of 2000, Musical Fiedlity, posted on November 29, 2015 at 07:49:28
bullethead
 and I said ...

"I am really happy with my system all that it really needs now is a DVD-A/SACD player and some good interconnects to go with that and I will be set."

yeah right :!

about 100 thousand dollars later and I am content, yeah right :)

 

Magnepn MG1.6 - liquid, smooth, intoxicating..., posted on November 29, 2015 at 08:51:40
Green Lantern
Audiophile

Posts: 16952
Location: San Diego, Ca
Joined: November 12, 2002
Contributor
  Since: June 17, 2003
 Originally priced at an insane $1400 it's often compared to those costing 10x's as much.

Finicky yet at the same time accommodating, it's intoxicating sound is equal to audio's version of the 'gateway drug' IMO.

Bought em' in 2000; up til then I'd only heard sound that incredible in high end stores (from speakers too far expensive for me to have attained).

YMMV












 

My Dynaco system, 1971, posted on November 29, 2015 at 09:00:44
Feanor
Audiophile

Posts: 9873
Location: London, Ontario
Joined: June 17, 2003
Contributor
  Since: March 12, 2004
 My system consisted on Dynaco PAT-4 preamp, ST-80 solid state power amp, FM-5 tuner, and A-25 speakers. To complete the system I added a Lenco turntable/tone arm and a Shure cartridge.


Dmitri Shostakovich

 

1979: Mirror imaged Dahlquist DQ-10s. **, posted on November 29, 2015 at 09:03:10
regmac
Audiophile

Posts: 7366
Joined: April 7, 2002
 nt

 

Fisher 500C, Miracord 10H, and University 312's in DIY enclosures..., posted on November 29, 2015 at 09:19:45
Jim Treanor
Audiophile

Posts: 2167
Location: Pacific Northwest
Joined: June 1, 2003
 the year Nikita Khrushchev fell from power.



Jim

 

RE: What was your first jump to audiophile class gear?, posted on November 29, 2015 at 09:30:23
geoff
Audiophile

Posts: 3502
Joined: April 5, 2000
Contributor
  Since: September 10, 2003
 Advent 300 receiver, Dual 1237 tt w/ Supex cart, Large Advent Speakers. Pretty soon I bought a Belles One amp and another set of Advents that I stacked with the first pair.

 

RE: What was your first jump to audiophile class gear?, posted on November 29, 2015 at 09:52:19
Mike B.
Audiophile

Posts: 26356
Location: OR
Joined: September 27, 1999
Contributor
  Since: September 1, 1999
 I went from a suitcase Magnavox stereo to a Eico tube integrated, Garard 40 turntable and a pair of Utah Coaxials in home built boxes.


 

About 1975, posted on November 29, 2015 at 10:02:14
srdavis2000
Audiophile

Posts: 10707
Location: Deep South
Joined: January 11, 2003
Contributor
  Since: December 16, 2004
 Mcintosh MC1900 receiver, MC II speakers, Dual 1229 table and a Shure V15 cartridge.

 

1974, posted on November 29, 2015 at 10:05:58
Bill Way
Audiophile

Posts: 1884
Location: Toms River NJ
Joined: May 28, 2012
Contributor
  Since: December 14, 2012
 Servo-Statiks, ARC SP3(?), mac 75's, Thorens 150, Rabco SL8e, Koss ESP-9's... then Maggie 1U's, all fun.

WW
"Put on your high heeled sneakers. Baby, we''re goin'' out tonight.

 

RE: What was your first jump to audiophile class gear?, posted on November 29, 2015 at 10:30:34
SgreenP@MSN.com
Audiophile

Posts: 3538
Joined: April 23, 2007
 Bogen turntable..a year or so latter I started build Dynakits..PAS-2, Stereo 70, and then into a Bozak speaker.

 

With my second adult paycheck...., posted on November 29, 2015 at 10:50:03
farmdoc
Audiophile

Posts: 190
Location: No. California
Joined: December 8, 2002
 After 21 years of school, in 1977 I got my first job.( medical intern, large county/university hospital, three 36 hour shifts a week plus every day at least 12 hours, every 4th Sunday afternoon off). But I got a paycheck! ($13,000/year minus $455 for medical insurance).
I bought a pair of Rogers LS3/5a's and a Marantz 2275. The next year, a Linn Sondek LP-12.
Kept them all these years, the Linn proabably has less than 100 hrs. total.
Most of that time would be coming home at 10 PM, putting on Sergio Mendes, opening a Cecil's textbook, and waking up at 5AM with the stereo still on.
Still enjoy the Rogers in rotation with other speakers, should probably have the Linn updated and start using it again.

 

All came together yesterday......, posted on November 29, 2015 at 10:58:50
Mossback
Audiophile

Posts: 1871
Location: Washington, the State
Joined: November 17, 2001
 1997 discovered a guy in my neighborhood who sold vacuum tube amps some called SET. Bought a used 2A3 amp and got a bottlehead preamp. Cornwall speakers POS Philips SACD player too. Sold that gear never loved the Cornwalls. Mostly after that many vintage amps Wrightsound preamps. George and Brenda Wright were a few blocks south of us in Kent.

Yesterday a used VAC Sigma 160i integrated amp arrived. Total game changer.
All my vintage gear is headed to Audiogon. Then I'll have some cash for music.

In 1974 I owned a Pioneer SX1010 and Bose 901 speakers from a SE Asia PX not so sure I would call that high end.

 

Those are the ones...(nt), posted on November 29, 2015 at 11:12:50
mkuller
Audiophile

Posts: 38130
Location: SF Bay Area
Joined: April 22, 2003
 (nt)

 

1977 Dahlquist DQ-10s..., posted on November 29, 2015 at 11:17:46
mkuller
Audiophile

Posts: 38130
Location: SF Bay Area
Joined: April 22, 2003
 ...I had purchased a Kenwood quadraphonic system from Pacific Stereo in Long Beach about 4 years earlier and decided it was time to look for new speakers.

I heard quite a few different ones that didn't thrill me but when I heard the DQ-10s and the realistic sound coming from in back in in between them, I knew I had to have them.

Not long after that Dahlquist came out with their subwoofers and electronic crossover - that meant bi-amping and I was on my way.

About the same time I discovered TAS and The Audio Critic began to publish.

 

Me too. , posted on November 29, 2015 at 11:31:37
mbnx01
Audiophile

Posts: 7956
Location: Eagle, Idaho
Joined: October 22, 2004
 1977. Ran them with Kenwood Mono amp and Purist preamp.





'A lie is halfway around the world before the truth gets its boots on'. -Mark Twain

 

2003: audiodharma Cable Cooker, posted on November 29, 2015 at 11:35:55
Luminator
Audiophile

Posts: 7338
Location: Bay Area
Joined: December 11, 2000



The audiophile who sent me this original XLO Reference Type 1 interconnect claims that it has been in use since 1993. Musically, what is one album which ended 1993? Joe Satriani's double-album, Time Machine. In hopes of burning-in audio products, we'd put these CDs on infinite repeat.

Time Machine includes the killer rock instrumental, "Speed Of Light." Why it was left off of Satriani's otherwise very good 1992 album, The Extremist, is beyond explanation. I think it was one late afternoon in early 1994, while I was practicing bowling at San Francisco's Japantown Bowl, before league. We snuck in Time Machine, and when "Speed Of Light" came on, this girl, V-Lo, put her hands on back of the seat behind the scoring console. She just shook her butt side-to-side, and ROCKED!

Anyway, when my colleagues purchased an audiodharma Cable Cooker in 2003, we had a dozen 1-meter Kimber PBJ interconnects, some of which had been in use since, you guessed it, 1993.

Conclusion: no matter how long a cable has been in regular use, it is NOT burned-in. For that, you need a proper cable burn-in device, such as the audiodharma Cable Cooker.

That XLO Ref Type 1 above has been in use for 22 years. And for over 2 decades, it has only been operating at a fraction of its true potential. 3-4 days on the Cable Cooker will unlocked that potential.

If I have not used a cable burn-in device, I am not at liberty to comment about a cable's sonics.

-Lummy The Loch Monster

 

1977..., posted on November 29, 2015 at 11:40:41
musetap
Audiophile

Posts: 31879
Location: San Francisco
Joined: July 8, 2003
Contributor
  Since: January 28, 2004
 Making $5.00 an hour took out a $1,000.00 loan and bought Klipsch Heresy, Thorens TD-145 with a
Stanton 881 cart and a Pioneer SX-750 at Systems Warehouse in SF.

Few years later bought some MONSTER speaker cable.

Maybe not audiophile gear, but an audiophile step and an advancement from the 4 speaker
(NOT quad) Fischer component POS I had had for a few years.

Ended up with a decent system, established some credit (paid off the loan in one year) and
ROCKED out at 19! Used that system for about 15 years.

Been a fun journey of bits and pieces ever since, but have ALWAYS been WAY more interested in
the music/media than the equipment, which is only a means to an end.

Spent WAY more at Tower Records and Banana Records that year than a grand, playing catch-up
and staying (relatively) current.

"Once this was all Black Plasma and Imagination"-Michael McClure



 

RE: Me too. , posted on November 29, 2015 at 11:51:48
mkuller
Audiophile

Posts: 38130
Location: SF Bay Area
Joined: April 22, 2003
 ...after reading the first issue of TAC, I drove to Quatre factory in the San Fernando Valley and bought two Gain Cells which were on sale and found a Rappaport PRE-1 preamp.

From reading TAS, I picked up a Kenwood turntable, a Black Widow tonearm and an ADC XLM cartridge.

Then I bought two pair of Fulton interconnects and two pair of Polk Cobra speaker cables.

I had a dedicated music room which was a detached garage made of cinder blocks which had been turned into a family room in the house I had bought.

I didn't realize how good this all was until the following year when I moved north to the Bay Area into an apartment.

 

RE: Me too. , posted on November 29, 2015 at 13:44:10
mbnx01
Audiophile

Posts: 7956
Location: Eagle, Idaho
Joined: October 22, 2004
 I had a KD500 with a ADC carbon fibre arm and a grace F9e.

I heard those gain cells were wonderful.

Good times. Late seventies to 1985 were the golden age of two channel hi-fi.



'A lie is halfway around the world before the truth gets its boots on'. -Mark Twain

 

1980s, posted on November 29, 2015 at 13:47:47
pbarach
Audiophile

Posts: 3307
Location: Ohio
Joined: June 22, 2008
 I started with an all-Carver system: The "Amazing" loudspeakers, CT-1 preamp, m100t amp, plus an AR turntable (don't remember what the cartridge was). I still have the amp and preamp in regular use; the other items were sold.

 

RE: Me too. , posted on November 29, 2015 at 13:50:08
mkuller
Audiophile

Posts: 38130
Location: SF Bay Area
Joined: April 22, 2003
 ...Gain Cells were great on the DQ-10s until the Threshold 400A came along.

Agree on the Golden Age of high end audio, but part of it was we were all discovering it together.

 

Empire 398, ADC1 and ADC40., posted on November 29, 2015 at 14:20:14
Kal Rubinson
Reviewer

Posts: 12436
Location: New York
Joined: June 5, 2002
 Used with Dynaco PAS3/Stereo 70 and a pair of Altec A-7s.

 

Cyrus II/PSX integrated, Linn Index II speakers, Pioneer PD9700 CD, posted on November 29, 2015 at 14:56:38
ppopp
Audiophile

Posts: 2994
Location: OR
Joined: October 10, 2002
 Later added a Michell Gyrodec/QC PSU/Tabriz-Zi/Ortofon MC30 Supreme.

Switched the Cyrus for Naim 72/140/Hi-Cap and a the Linns for a pair of PMC LB1s.

I had a basic separates system for a few years prior to that, but I bought it when I was a teen on some money I had won:
Dual CS-505/1
Sony TAF-35 integrated
JVC KD-D4 cassette deck (great features, meh sound)
KEF Coda II speakers

 

"audiophile" ..., posted on November 29, 2015 at 15:46:18
reelsmith.
Audiophile

Posts: 13134
Location: CT
Joined: June 7, 2005
Contributor
  Since: January 19, 2010
 I doubt this will count ...

I had been listening to a JVC compact with a BSR changer on top (with a ceramic cartridge) throughout high school and in my freshman year in college bought a H/K 330c receiver, Pioneer PL-12DII turntable with Audio Technica AT13ea cartridge and a pair of Genesis Physics Model One speakers.

That was in 1976. I never again experienced as dramatic an improvement. It was an absolute revelation.

Audiophile ...bah !

Dean.




reelsmith's axiom: Its going to be used equipment when I sell it, so it may as well be used equipment when I buy it.


 

Worked while in school, posted on November 29, 2015 at 16:00:05
G Squared
Audiophile

Posts: 8491
Location: Washington, DC Metro Area
Joined: November 16, 2004
Contributor
  Since: May 23, 2023
 Saved up for a NAD 3020, Dual 505 and pair of Cerwin Vega 10 in 3 ways (they pounded out Carry on My Wayward Son). It rocked. Music taste expanded and Maggie SMGA replaced the CVs.Bigger amp, sub, Rega table...

My gosh I suffered even then.
Gsquared

 

AR9, Audible Illusions Uranus preamp, Beard P100 amp, posted on November 29, 2015 at 16:40:59
Alex F.
Audiophile

Posts: 877
Location: Florida
Joined: February 29, 2004
 In the early 1980s I moved up from the disappointing (i.e., too sterile) Adcom GFP-1 preamp and Hafler DH-200 power amp. The Acoustic Research AR9 loudspeakers and my ears were finally happy after discovering the sonic realism of great tube gear. Thank you, George Bischoff, for introducing me to vacuum tubes that make beautiful music.

I still have the speakers and preamp.

 

Late 90s: Wadia/Krell/Avalon/Cardas 100% Made in USA.(nt), posted on November 29, 2015 at 16:48:16
kuma
Audiophile

Posts: 10273
Location: IN
Joined: July 8, 2001
 .

 

RE: What was your first jump to audiophile class gear?, posted on November 29, 2015 at 16:51:01
Ross
Audiophile

Posts: 1814
Joined: January 24, 2000
 My evolution:

Emerson tube HiFi console
8 Track Receiver and BIC TT with crystal cartridge, later added Crazy Eddy house brand 2 way speakers

Entry Level system in HS and College:

Heathkit AR1500 receiver, AR5 speakers, Dual 1229q TT, Empire 2000 EEE cartridge

After Heathkit died:

Upgraded Hafler DH101 preamp, Adcom 535 amplifier, Thorens TD318 Shure V15Vmr TT cartridge. Celestion 3 speakers.

Still have the Hafler, and my son uses the Adcom. Thorens was given to my father and the Celestion speakers were sold.

Onward and upward from there.

 

Was this audiophile class gear?, posted on November 29, 2015 at 17:15:04
M3 lover
Audiophile

Posts: 6604
Location: SW Mich
Joined: May 29, 2005
Contributor
  Since: July 4, 2007
 My first stereo was Dyna ST 70, PAS 3, FM 3 (all built from kits, and with success - they all worked and didn't catch fire), pair AR-4s, Dual 1009 with Empire cartridge (too long ago to remember the model).

It's been a slippery slope since then. ;^)

"The secret of life is honesty and fair dealing, if you can fake that you've got it made." Groucho

 

Snell E 111 NT, posted on November 29, 2015 at 17:32:04
lancelot
Audiophile

Posts: 1722
Joined: March 23, 2001
 NT

 

First REAL jump - 1977 Acoustat X, posted on November 29, 2015 at 17:32:42
E-Stat
Audiophile

Posts: 37666
Joined: May 12, 2000
Contributor
  Since: April 5, 2002
 Van Alstine FET-5 preamp, Ariston RD-11s turntable w/SME3009 arm (still have those) and Grace F9 cartridge.

Dream version came true four years later with Audio Research SP-6 preamp and had migrated speakers to four panel Monitor 4 version. :)

 

1966?, posted on November 29, 2015 at 17:38:26
PAR
 It depends on what you count as audiophile gear.

In 1966 I wanted ny first record player. My friend's dad had a real audiophile system with Avantic pre-amp, home built Williamson amps, sand filled baffle cabinets with 15" Stentorian drive units (we are talking UK hifi brands here).

He took me shopping and I came back with a Garrard turntable, a small tube amp from Laskys and a pair of Elac 7" drive units which I built into enclosures in my school workshop.

Does that count?

If not it's 1970 when that Garrard table became a Thorens TD124, the amp was a Rogers Ravensbourne (later in the year a Quad 33/303) and speakers were a pair of Quad ESLs. All in my bedroom at my parent's house.

 

Growing up pre transistor may have been responsible, posted on November 29, 2015 at 18:35:05
M-dB
Audiophile

Posts: 295
Location: Nor Cal
Joined: June 26, 2014
 for my comfort with tubes and vinyl. I managed to spend an embarrassing amount of time in front of my parents 1950 RCA console television with a 12 inch speaker. I honestly believe this preconditioned my sonic taste similar to my favorite comfort foods. And when I attend audio shows and see the dominant age group I've gotta wonder if we all have Howdy Doody in our DNA.



 

B&W DM5's in my dorm room :), posted on November 29, 2015 at 20:11:03
popsy
Audiophile

Posts: 2713
Location: oregon
Joined: March 4, 2007
 N/t

 

Not sure if sound reinforcement in the listening room is audiophile or not, posted on November 29, 2015 at 20:23:07
LWR
Audiophile

Posts: 66808
Location: The woods
Joined: August 12, 2003
 but those Altec A-7 Voice of the Theater speakers sure sounded great! Dynaco ST-70 driving them, Revox tape recorder, Mirachord TT, Pre-Amp was a H H Scott.

 

Probably not high end but a big jump por moi - Mac 6100, Epicure 11s, Dual 1249 w/Shure V15III^, posted on November 29, 2015 at 20:46:10
Road Warrior
Audiophile

Posts: 21654
Location: Dallas
Joined: August 31, 2004
----------------------

"E Burres Stigano?"


 

1970, TA-2000 preamp, KT-7000 Tuner, Stanton 681EE, posted on November 29, 2015 at 21:21:45
kff
Audiophile

Posts: 1033
Location: SE PA
Joined: October 19, 2006
 on a Dual 1219 and a Dynaco Stereo 120 kit (looking back the Stereo 70 would have been a better choice) to drive the AR-5 speakers.

My first system. How did people afford that back then...live at home and spend paper route money.

 

Amber Series 70 amp..., posted on November 29, 2015 at 21:32:53
JeffH
Audiophile

Posts: 4574
Location: Orange County, So Cal
Joined: April 5, 2000
 and my Snell E speakers. Purchased in 1981. Great combo.

 

Grace F-9E Cartridge, 1981 ........, posted on November 29, 2015 at 21:37:23
Todd Krieger
Audiophile

Posts: 37333
Location: SW United States
Joined: November 2, 2000
 The Shure V-15 Type IV was the cartridge darling of the audio press.... But the change to the Grace F-9E was a demonstrable improvement, even my college suite-mates, who were not audiophiles, noticed......

 

Vandersteen 2Cs, posted on November 29, 2015 at 21:42:11
jedrider
Audiophile

Posts: 15168
Location: No. California
Joined: December 26, 2003
 circa 1989.

Though I mated it with a Yamaha receiver and a SONY CD player.

My system is so much better now, but the class of loudspeaker I now use is no different than was the Vandersteen's.

 

1969, posted on November 30, 2015 at 03:27:14
Bill the K
Audiophile

Posts: 8385
Joined: June 3, 2006
Bought AR turntable from a friend. Used it with a Harmon Kardon amp and Fisher speakers. I did not buy the AR3 speakers which was also on sale. Did not like its sound! Graduated to large Advent in 1972, Technics turntable in 1974, Marantz amp in 1975 and Rogers LS3/5A in 1977. Made all kinds of strange purchases since then.

Cheers
Bill

 

Maybe next year..., posted on November 30, 2015 at 07:20:21
Ivan303
Audiophile

Posts: 48887
Location: Cadiere d'azur FRANCE - Santa Fe, NM
Joined: February 26, 2001
 Maybe.


First they came for the dumb-asses
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a dumb-ass

 

RE:1967---AR 2ax speaker (just one), posted on November 30, 2015 at 07:57:04
Salectric
Audiophile

Posts: 1358
Location: East Coast
Joined: February 23, 2003
 Unfortunately in 1967 I could only afford one speaker, in unfinished pine veneer.

My first audiophile stereo setup came a little later as I saved up to buy more gear. By 1970 I had an AR-XA table, all Dynaco electronics (PAT-4, Stereo 120 and FM-3) and a wonderful pair of Dyna A-25 speakers. I loved it!

 

RE: What was your first jump to audiophile class gear?, posted on November 30, 2015 at 08:52:45
colebearanimals
Audiophile

Posts: 270
Joined: February 13, 2010
 It was a revelation when I went from a Shure M97ED to a Ortofon MC10. That was in the mid 70's using a Yamaha receiver, Yamaha TT, and a pair of Speakerlab 6's. That Ortofon took it all to a whole mew level.
PaulB

 

RE: What was your first jump to audiophile class gear?, posted on November 30, 2015 at 09:36:59
bare
Audiophile

Posts: 1879
Joined: April 14, 2009
 Norseco Separates (`'67)
Tannoy Golds, Dyna; pat 4, St120 Thorens td 150II /Shure(s) in '71
Still have and use the Tannoys and the Thorens,
neither of which is going anywhere..until cold dead fingers basically.
Dynas were sadly Junk, despite Stereopile babbles to the contrary.

 

RE: What was your first jump to audiophile class gear?, posted on November 30, 2015 at 10:32:01
dbphd
Audiophile

Posts: 1674
Location: Montecito, CA
Joined: September 6, 2006
 I suppose it might be 1967 as a post doc with an AR turntable, Shure V15 II, Marantz Model 18 receiver, and AR3a speakers until I discovered Audible Difference in Palo Alto, then it was a Proceed PAV and Amp 2 and KEF Reference 102/2 speakers.

db

 

RE: 1974, posted on November 30, 2015 at 13:16:07
SgreenP@MSN.com
Audiophile

Posts: 3538
Joined: April 23, 2007
 Bill...what I remember is that those Infinity's would still be at the cutting edge today. Wonderful.

 

Hmmmmmm..., posted on November 30, 2015 at 13:37:56
genungo
 What is "audiophile class gear"? A list of inclusions and exclusions would be most helpful.

 

Circa 1982..., posted on November 30, 2015 at 13:39:13
welly
Audiophile

Posts: 1648
Location: QLD
Joined: January 22, 2001
 I got these... Bought them out out of the left over money from my Student Grant after year 1 at Uni.

WALKER CJ 55 With Linn S shaped arm (LVV)




Creek CAS 4040




Mordaunt Short Festivals




Cheers

Welly
He hoped and prayed that there wasn't an afterlife. Then he realized there was a contradiction involved here and merely hoped that there wasn't an afterlife.
- Douglas Adams


 

RE: What was your first jump to audiophile class gear?, posted on November 30, 2015 at 13:41:42
Marantz 2325
Audiophile

Posts: 10
Location: North Carolina
Joined: January 5, 2015
 Excellent topic for a thread jsm! Thank you.

In 1976 I bought a Marantz 2325 reciever, JBL speakers and a Marantz tt.

They sounded great. The pursuit of audio excellence has continued since.

 

Dynaco Mk 3 mono blocks about 1973 (nt), posted on November 30, 2015 at 15:25:45
rrob
Audiophile

Posts: 762
Location: Kansas
Joined: February 7, 2010
 ..

 

I wondered the same NT, posted on November 30, 2015 at 18:47:46
Byrd69
Audiophile

Posts: 2881
Location: East Syracuse, New York
Joined: August 23, 2004
 .


Your interest may vary but the results will be same. (Byrd 2020)

I can't compete with the dead. (Buck W. 2010)

Cowards can't be heroes. (Byrd 2017)

Why don't catfish have kittens? (Moe Howard 1937)

 

A Pontiac Fiero, or Miata (nt), posted on November 30, 2015 at 19:20:46
Byrd69
Audiophile

Posts: 2881
Location: East Syracuse, New York
Joined: August 23, 2004
 .


Your interest may vary but the results will be same. (Byrd 2020)

I can't compete with the dead. (Buck W. 2010)

Cowards can't be heroes. (Byrd 2017)

Why don't catfish have kittens? (Moe Howard 1937)

 

Early '80s, bought my 1st house, 1st good system., posted on November 30, 2015 at 19:42:20
vinyl phanatic
Audiophile

Posts: 1596
Location: Washington DC
Joined: May 22, 2006
 Bought a pair of Canton Quinto 540s in '80, and a couple years later upgraded my Yamaha CA-600 integrated amp to a Hafler DH-220 power amp and a Hafler DH-101 preamp. Kept me happy for a long time, and I even ended up coming back to Canton a few years ago, with the bigger Ergo Passiv floor-standers that I lusted after, but couldn't afford back then. The Ergos were ca. $2,500, whereas the Quinto 540s with the factory stands were $1,150 (which was pushing my budget as it was). Pics are obviously not my stuff, all of which is long gone, but it was a nice stroll down memory lane finding them. I do still have the Yamaha integrated, and it is very handy to have, since, having pre-out and power-in jacks, it can serve as a stopgap if either the phono pre, preamp or power amp decide to go on the fritz.









 

RE: Early '80s, bought my 1st house, 1st good system., posted on December 1, 2015 at 06:12:15
marlin
Audiophile

Posts: 154
Location: Sandy, Oregon
Joined: November 20, 2012
 In 1975 I bought an all Spec Pioneer set-up including 9500 tuner, CTF-9191 cassette, Empire 698 table, and HPM 200 speakers. $2900 for the system.
I still remember carrying the 200's up to my second story apartment, what a job.
Sold it to a friend after 10 years, bought it all back for my son 20 years after that, still have most of it in my garage.
Outstanding sound from the 200's, they were parted out as the cabinets were in really bad shape.
The 9191 I had was a lemon from the get go, though I knew others that had no problems with theirs.
Without music what is there?

 

1963: McIntosh MC225, C11, MR65B (nt), posted on December 1, 2015 at 07:04:40
briggs
Audiophile

Posts: 1674
Location: Connecticut
Joined: April 16, 2002
 nt

 

RE: What was your first jump to audiophile class gear?, posted on December 4, 2015 at 14:35:32
mondial
Audiophile

Posts: 891
Location: S.E. ASIA
Joined: January 14, 2007
 Hi ,

Mine was the Michell GyroDec turntable w/ the Odyssey RP1 XG mk 2 tonearm given to me by my father for having good grades during second year medical school back in 1987 . Saw one in an audiophile friends house & was impressed how it loooks .

Mondial

 

RE: Fisher 500C, Miracord 10H, and University 312's in DIY enclosures..., posted on December 7, 2015 at 06:02:49
geezerrocket
 Years ago I was working with a gentleman who at the time was in his mid 60's. He related how he used to be a audiophile, and how hearing loss turned his interest to photography. He then told me that I could have his Fisher 500c and a Benjamin Miracord 10H that he had purchased from the bx/px in 1964 while serving in the Air Force. The 500c suffered a small nick in the upper left corner of the face plate after surviving a 6 foot fall as a result of the 1964 Alaskan earthquake.

I accepted his generous gift and after some research I decided to buy a rebuild kit from the late Charlie Kittelson (Vacuum Tube Valley), as well as a Pickering cartridge. I was floored! It absolutely destroyed my Adcom separates in every quantifiable way.

This for me was the gateway drug to the joys (and sometimes misery) of vacuum tubes.

I still have both pieces and while the 10H has been long retired, the 500c still sees action in a secondary system.





 

It partly depends on where you're coming from, posted on December 7, 2015 at 12:18:52
Inmate51
 I was a middle school band musician, and took piano lessons. Some of y'all didn't. I listened to recordings of piano, orchestra, etc. Some of y'all didn't.

Fast forward...

The natural/real sound of musical instruments was burned into my brain by 10th grade.

It was in college, as a music major, when I really heard the differences among various makes and models of instruments, and began to think about them, that I decided to pursue a future in audio and acoustics.

:)

 

2004, posted on December 9, 2015 at 12:49:39
Bromo33333
Audiophile

Posts: 3502
Location: Ipswich, MA
Joined: May 4, 2004
 I moved, had some cash left over, and a house that was big enough.

Thiel CS2.4, Arcam AVR200, NAD S200 Stereo amp, NAD541i CD Player.

I still have the Thiel Speakers. I sold all the rest of it.


====
"You are precisely as big as what you love and precisely as small as what you allow to annoy you." ~ R A Wilson

 

RE: What was your first jump to audiophile class gear?, posted on December 10, 2015 at 06:55:10
krankkall
Audiophile

Posts: 296
Location: New Mexico
Joined: April 5, 2014
 June 1981.................................................

Bought a brand new set of small speakers; B&W DM14's.

I was 27 years old at the time, and my friends and family considered me LOONEY TOONS for spending over $600 on a pair of SMALL speakers!?

Steve

 

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