[rmurray]

Well this is great folks. I never wanted to bore anyone with this stuff but here's my big chance! My first experience with 'hi fi' sound goes back to 1967. A demo using a Thorens table fed through a Sansui receiver (20 huge rms watts) and transduced into startling reality by a pair of Fisher speakers. Wo, that was the beginning of a life of chasing technology. Anyway Bryston amps ,goog old JBL and ,for now, a Cary cd player has brought me closer than I ever would have imagined then. My ears are older but my wallet's bigger ha ha.....I will still go further . In this quest the journey never ends.

[gtaphile]

My first system; back in 1975

Home made speakers - JBL LE175 compression drivers, 2202 bass drivers, silver bullet tweeter 
Integrated amp – HK forget the model was 2X60 W
TT - Rega Planar 2 with Stanton 881S

System #2, 1985

JBL 4411 Speakers
Bryston 4B, Bryston .5B
Rega Planar 2
Nakamichi BX125
Audioquest Emerald cables

I remember the acid test - my uncle visiting from the Middle East. He had a tube receiver, Thorens TD 125 with two tone arms and a single Altec Voice of the theatre speaker.  I so wanted to impress him but he shook his head in disapproval whenever he visited.   

[denjo]

Circa 1980 whilst in University

Portable Sharp radio/cassette deck with equalizer! That was all I needed then and boy was I happy! No cabling, no separates, no speakers to choose from, no tweaks to add! Just plug, play and enjoy!

Fast forward 2009. I see deja vu happening with my son and his iTouch! Such innocence and simplicity!

[94cdnm3]

In 1987, my last year in University I had completed a very decent car audio system for my 1978 Honda Accord Hatchback. Within a month, my car had its windows broken in 3 times. Nothing was stolen thanks to the alarm system but paying the comprehensive deductible was killing me so I decided to part it out and sell all the components. This led me into putting together my first home system comprising of:

A Sony direct drive turntable, a Yamaha TX-540 Cassette deck, a Yamaha R-5 receiver and a pair of Paradigm 3se's.

Current setup: Oppo DV-980H Universal player, Bryston B-60 biamped with 2B-LP, Totem Arros and Dreamcatcher Sub. Eventually either a BCD-1 or a DAC-1 (Thanks James for your input!  )

[veloceleste]

Nikko 6065 receiver
Large Advents
BIC 960 Turntable
Shure M95 cartridge

[1oldguy]

Lets see

1988
Mach 5000 from radio shack
And Receiver also from radio shack...Not sure it was built by them but maybe just had the brand name written on it,same with the speakers.
and a Sony Record player.