[S Clark]

I'd had a stereo for all of my post high school life.  A receiver, reel to reel with dbx, Dual turntable, and decent speakers for the mid 70's, but nothing really audiophile. 
And then in 2003, fate led me to Danny Richie's living room-- I'd never heard anything that realistic before.  17 years later, his living room is still ear opening, but my system has taken a huge leap forward. 

[Bushkanicke]

Probably freshman year of college after visiting a hifi store in nashville. My wallet probably regrets that decision...

[tonnesen]

Sophmore year of college in East Lansing 1980, my dorm roommate critically auditioned various speakers at the local stores and settled on some variety of inexpensive Polk speakers that were marginally better than the other brands. I still didn't know about high end audio, but that was my first awareness of making a serious effort to get good sound reproduction.  Have fond memories of buying records, playing them once to record them on to cassette tapes, and then carefully preserving in protective plastic covers.  I hauled them around for 20 years from Michigan to California to North Carolina, and then foolishly sold all of my perfectly preserved LPs when I moved back to California again in 1999.  Complete collections of Talking Heads, Kraftwerk, The Who,  etc.  I hope some lucky person benefited from my mistake.   

[jcsperson]

I walked into a stereo store in Honolulu just to look around. I went into their "Magnepan room" and that was it. I'd never heard anything like that before. It was then that I learned what "soundstage" and "scale" meant.

That's when I realized my "hi-fi" stuff was just stuff and within a year I had a pair of MG IIIs and all-tube Audio Research amp and Modulus preamp. I've had to scale back since then, but that's when the light bulb went on.

[whell]

Sophmore year of college in East Lansing 1980, my dorm roommate critically auditioned various speakers at the local stores and settled on some variety of inexpensive Polk speakers that were marginally better than the other brands. I still didn't know about high end audio, but that was my first awareness of making a serious effort to get good sound reproduction.  Have fond memories of buying records, playing them once to record them on to cassette tapes, and then carefully preserving in protective plastic covers.  I hauled them around for 20 years from Michigan to California to North Carolina, and then foolishly sold all of my perfectly preserved LPs when I moved back to California again in 1999.  Complete collections of Talking Heads, Kraftwerk, The Who,  etc.  I hope some lucky person benefited from my mistake.

You and I probably went to the same stores in Spartan country back in the day.  There was a stereo retailer across from campus on Grand River, can't remember the name.  They're long gone now.  But, Flat, Black and Circular record store is still there, and thriving.

[cfranco]

Two different moments, first was when my son asked to buy a cd by Linkin Park we listened on the way home and I loved the Rock/Rap/Screaming, it hit me that I had been missing music in my life.  I grew board of the music after several years and began listening to books on cd instead of music.  I watched an episode of mad men and seen the stacks of lp's in the lead attorneys office and remembered the whole process of listening to lp's, I bought a very simple setup and that was my Boom moment.  Not only did the sound become full / immersive there was a commitment to the album that I actually really enjoy.  I have been hooked on LP's now for about 5 years and love each moment I get to listen.

[Bevin]

I first got the hi-fi bug back in the mid-60s.
My first separates system ever was an all Acoustic Research system, with AR-3as, AR integrated amp, and AR turntable.
Over the years I owned the Large Advents and other entry level components.
My current (July 2020) system is a 2.1 satellite/subwoofer home theater system using a Lenovo notebook and an 42" LG LCD TV set

-- Cambridge Audio Azur 640A V2 Amplifier
-- Paradigm Atom V.5 Monitors
-- SVS SB-1000 Subwoofer
-- Keces DA-151 USB DAC Digital Analog Converter
-- Tripp Lite LC1200 Line Conditioner
-- Tara Labs Prism 300A Interconnects
-- Onix "Black" Speaker Cables   

The Azur 640A is 12 years old and occasionally acts up. The volume control drops by itself, or the protection light comes on.

As a result I started looking at potential replacements. I first went to WHATHIFI where they recommended the Onkyo A-9010.

But the website of the local high end Taipei dealer where I purchased most of my current components showed an unfamiliar NuPrime IDA-8 for a mere 3000NTD (approximately 1000USD). The fact that the Absolute Sound awarded it Editor's Choice repeatedly as recently as 2019, left a real impression, as did NuPrime's explanation of Class A/Class D hybrid technology. 

I'm looking forward to a listening test.

So now I'm seriously considering that as the replacement for my Azur 640A. 

[ljiminez]

It was 1968 when I heard a Dual turntable. It sounded significantly better than anything else I had ever heard. I started subscribing to High Fidelity magazine...cause hey, I didn't have internet service then.   

Anyway I learned that it wasn't really the Dual producing that superior sound. It was the Magnetic cartridge. Until the Dual all I had ever heard were Ceramic cartridges.

Nez

[Craig B]

I got started back in freshman year of college when I moved up from a JVC compact to my first component system, as modest and mid-fi as it was: a Pioneer SX-727 receiver, Pioneer PL-12D turntable and some long forgotten Cerwin Vega speakers. I upgraded the speakers and turntable over the next couple of years, but the big change was discovering the high end through The Abso!ute Sound, which prompted me during my senior year in '78 to sell all my old equipment and all my camera gear and buy a GAS Son of Ampzilla, GAS Thalia, Denon armless turntable, Infinity Black Widow, a Decca Gold cartridge and a pair of Magnepan MG-1s. That was the real start of my downfall. 

[Bigtuna]

Started playing with simple audio gear when I was 12 but the AUDIOPHILE moment came when I was a freshman in college.
I went to the home/showroom of Charlie Santmire owner of the "Sound Environment" in Lincoln Nebraska.  He sat me down in front of Magneplaner Tympani 1U speakers driven by an Audio Research D-75 amp and SP3A-1 preamp. Incredible  sound! I'll never forget the moment.
I still see Charlie every on occasion and have thanked him for introducing me to this wonderful hobby 46 years ago.

[Imago]

For me, it was in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan when I wandered in to Adelphi Bookstore and in the back, through a beaded curtain, was Custom Stereo. The salesman steered me away from solid state gear, and sold me a Dynaco 35 tube amp, which I still have!

Since then, I've had tons of tube hi-fi gear, my favourite being British... Leak, Radford, Woodside, Beam Echo, Acrosound etc.

Best amps ever are the Julius Futterman OTL monoblocks, the H3aa's, apparently named for his apartment number.

[dpatters]

1975 in college.
Marantz 1060 integrated
Garrard Zero 100
Advent Speakers

[JonathanWalton7]

Hello everyone.  I have always loved music.  And my background is primarily as a musician and pianist.  Fell in love with Beethoven early on at age 7 or 8, started learning piano by ear at age 12, haven't stopped since.  But as far as catching the audiophile bug, I fell in love with my parents old unused record player.  I had to figure out how to plug it into their old Emerson speaker system which was also in storage and hadn't been heard or used for probably a good 12 years.  It worked fine though.  I don't know if it was the discovery of the new sound that actually came out of vinyl, or the solitude I had at that time age 14, free to listen to music in the basement and doing what I loved as much as I wanted with no disturbance.  But yeah, that year was particularly great for me musically.  I should mention that portable 60mb MP3 players were just coming out, and CD players were the norm.  Meanwhile I felt like I discovered a treasure trove in my parents modest vinyl collection...and this was waaaay before hipsters were all trying to bring back vinyl.  It was the coolest thing listening to old Al Di Meola records, Journey, Stevie Wonder, a single of axel f I repeatedly played over and over, lee ritenour, Lee ritenour, jazz and r&b albums and others that have passed from my recollection.  My favorite thing to listen to was an epic bass solo by Louis Johnson on a song called Twinkle by Earl all ugh.  Still to this day, that bass solo has never sounded so rich and full than it did coming out of that vinyl player in my basement.  And they're all gone now.  Parents gave the collection all away one year to my dismay...but I feel privileged to have had that time with the old vinyl equipment.  I feel it sharpened my ears and my appreciation for the art of sound recording and audio in general.

[alexandre_]

It's been with me almost as long as I can remember. As a child I had a Grundig 211 with its original speakers (big woofer and paper cone tweeter in a sealed enclosure). I had a portable tape recorder connected to it too. One memorable album is a children's one that had a cover of The Police's De Do Do Do with lyrics in Portuguese. I loved the song and some others on the album.

[alexandre_]

Found a picture of the speakers!

[Bob Stark]

My 6 year older brother Steve and I shared a bedroom until I was 11.  We had one of those little all-in-one records players with the speaker on the front that you could carry easily in one hand.  We would listen to 45's we started to accumulate most every night as we went to bed until mom or dad would tell us to turn it off and get to sleep.  Our older brother Bill built his own system  out of an Eico integrated amp, Garrard turntable, and fairly small cylindrical speakers made by a company in Rockford, IL. called Leonhardt.  We all thought that was a dream setup.  The love of listening to music was installed in me very early on.  When I finally made some money in a factory job, I bought my first stereo--Garrard turntable, Pickering cartridge, Pioneer 424 receiver, and 20th Century house brand speakers.  Every year of college I traded that in and bought a slightly better system still using now a Pioneer 727 receiver, Philips GA-212 turntable/arm with a Stanton 681 EEE cartridge, and Atlantic 5 speakers.  The speakers were just OK but funky looking.  I heard a Magnepan Tympani IV setup with Audio Research tube amps and preamp.  THAT was AWESOME!  Started reading The Absolute Sound and anything I could about high end sound.  My buddy Steve and I were down at 20th Century and listened to a pair of Jensen floor speakers with 15" woofers play Rocky Mountain Way at high volume.  That was also memorable.  After college, my wife and I moved up to the Chicago suburbs.  I started hanging out at Paul Heath Audio and Victor Stereo in Chicago.  I was deep into the bug by then.  Bought my first high end system--Allison Ones, Quad 405, Mitsubishi DA-P10, Kenwood KD-500, Grace 707, with Microacoustics 2002E.  I had that Quad 405 amp for 28 years--had it modified by the Mod Squad in 1985.  Bought a pair of Vortex Screens by Von Schweikert in 1991.  Also added an Audible Illusions 2D preamp that was awesome.

The real obsession started again with the discovery of Audiogon in about 2006.  The opportunity to buy used allowed me to buy a much better than I would have at list prices system. I've gone through quite a bit of equipment, cables, tweaks, etc. since with the sound of live music deep inside my head.  The VMPS 626R with the addition of VMPS 215 VSS subwoofer really opened my ears to great sound.  I've had many lucky acquisitions, along with some well thought out buys and now my system is pretty much completed as long as things don't break.  The main players are VMPS, TRL, Nuforce, Lenco, Pete Riggle, Charisma, Whest, and Modwright.  Cables are from Clarity, LessLoss, Aether, Teo, JW, WyWires, Darwin, and Amadi.  The addition of PPT stuff a few years ago brought the sound to levels I did not thing I'd ever smell.  I'm just now completing my basement listening room which has been quite a fun time.  My brother Steve has been a great help in doing this.  He had maybe more fun than I did while helping to build out many custom features.  I will have plenty of space for more records, CDs, cassettes, and DVDs.  I was out of room before.  We also did the rest of the basement--it's close to finishing now. 

[FullRangeMan]

A victrola.

[AdeCardiffUK]

When I lived in Sydney in 1977 and walked into Miranda hifi store.  They had a pair of huge Infinity speakers with countless drive units playing the end of the 1812.  Wow!  I was then captivated by all the fabulous silver fronted systems in their branded cabinets.  Yamaha, Marantz, Teac, Luxman, Sansui, Pioneer, Akai, etc.   

[McGee1987]

Hello World!
  Hello Audio Circle; I have loved listening to music since 8 track tapes on really crappy portable and in car players. Most vinyl I own is country music and it was my mothers.
My first HI-FI purchase in 90' was a Denon integrated receiver, Denon dual cassette (still have), Denon CD player, Sony LD/CD 5 disc combo player and Klipsch KG 2.2's (still have).
This was what I settled for until I bought Klipsch ChorusII's in 92' as my Mains and the KG became stereo surrounds. I would love to own a pair again, ignore the ratings i could run them at 600watts clipping and not break a sweat. I swapped the Denon for ADCOM Pre-amp and 555 II main amp 200st/600mono and a their 60 watt for the KG,  I cant remember the model.
Oh this was back in 97'. Now i have a Rotel Surround and multi-channel amp that are almost dead. Onkyo HTB 7channels and its crap. Until I have new speakers I am not buying new power. My music taste is all over the place.
I am not a fan of the new Klipsch speakers they all sound like crap, so over the years I have been searching for the Holly Grail in speakers and finally settled on GR Research designs.
It has taken 10 years to dig out of economic problems and looking at building to save money and get the quality I want. And now 2020 is the best year ever to do that. 
I can not cut a piece of wood square to save my life so this will be interesting.    Shawn

[Budget_Mike]

Started for me a few years back with an interest in setting up a home theater system, then migrated to a good pair of headphones and REALLY realizing everything I was missing! That bridged to tons of hours of research, videos and learning the verbiage to now setting up a serious HiFi 2 channel system to listen to my new obsession with vinyl and obtaining the best sound possible.