[ecramer]

Went to a my sisters 50 birthday party in brookland over the weekend. I started talking to this guy about audio equipment and stereo equipment in general when he says  why don't you come over to my house and give my stereo a listen to. so my sister says i should go as he as a really good stereo.
So i jump in his car and off we go he only lives seven minutes from my sister. we get thier and we walk in the first thing i see is a set of wilson WATT Puppy's he then procedes to show me the rest of the stereo system a linn cdp and linn turntable  with a linn tonearm and cartridge i wish i could remember the name of i wish i could remember the names of the amp and pre amp he was using but i dont. well to make a long story short he put a 1965 recording of Louie armstrong live on the turn table for me. with that familure hiss a ocasional pop i closed my eyes and there was satchmo standing thier singing for me. THis was the first time ive ever heard a truely high end stereo system and i was just blown away. He then playd me cuts of a cd of Dayna Kurtz that i had brought along to listen to on the way in simply amazing I'v heard guys talk about this and that about top end gear but till you actualy hear some you just dont know. He told me he had about 80,000 invested in the system I think i'm going to have to get a second job and mabby a third. So anybody else on the list have an interestndg story on listening to thier first high end stereo.

[MaxCast]

I listened to a Vandersteen 5a, DNA-500, AR-??, TriVista SACD, LinnTT and was amazed.   Hearing my own music, hearing new music it is great.  The room could have been better but he has it dialed in pretty good.

[woodsyi]

I perfectly understand where you are coming from.  Not so long ago, I heard  a pair of B&W 800 and all ARC electronics.  Both of these may be overpriced, but they put out a very impressive music.  It got me started on this hobby.  Once you hear what recorded music can sound like, you want it too.  I think I am getting better sound in my room now than what I remember of this "ephiphany" listening experience, but my wallet is definitely lighter. Join a local audiophile group and listen to many systems, learn what types of gear plays your music the best and look for good deals.  You can get your Wilson Puppy sound for a lot less if you put in your due diligence.  Good luck.  

[JLM]

Back in the 70's I started out hunting for high end audio (whatever that means).  At that time high-end (to me at least) included McIntosh, JBL, and direct drive turntables.  Along the way I happened into a music store that had a couple of home audio rooms where the sales staff works on salary and were free to offer whatever they wanted (as long as they generated comensarate profit/square foot).

I listened to the usual suspects, including JBL L-300 speakers (shaped like an undercounter refrigerators but 3 times the size) that retailed for about $6000 USD in today's money.  They had a very good, typical hi-fi sound.  Then the salesman said, "Now listen to this," and switched speakers.  Instantly I could no longer tell where the sound was coming (they imaged so well) from within this typical retail setting with maybe a dozen pairs of speakers.  I had to walk up to them to realize it was coming from a pair a small (12 inches x 8 inches x 6 inches) two ways.  But the bass was amazing.  Then the salesman pointed to the coffee table sized matching cabinet.  This was the now semi-famous Irving M. Fried Model H with mass loaded transmission line stereo bass coffin.

I left not sure just what I'd heard, but the sound haunted me and I had to go back.  Each time the sales staff fed me more of that sound and more knowledge, pointing out the advantages of accurate reproduction and imaging over hi-fi sound effects.  A year later I bought the little 2-ways I heard and have owned Fried speakers ever since.  My main speakers are still mass loaded transmission lines, but of Martin King derived design and built by Bob Brines, and are single driver based.  The coherent natural sound, superior imaging, and incredible deep musical bass and the thrill it brings is still there.

[SWG255]

When I was a junior in high school I befriended a blind gentleman who before loosing his sight worked for several "high-end" audio dealers in Cleveland. His system was an interesting mix of home brew and off the shelf components. The most interesting parts were the gorgeous Empire 598 turntable and his speakers, consisting of a JBL 14" woofer crossed over at 800 hz. to Altec-Lansing sectoral horns. The electronics were a Sansui integrated amp and FM tuner. he also had an Ampex reel-to-reel tape deck. When he played Beethoven's Fourth through that system I was converted to a life-long audiophile.

BTW, I think Woodsyi's system sounds better than the one that got him started on his quest, just as my system sounds much better than my old friend's. Still, I'd wager that each of us had an epiphonal moment like these that got us started on the road persuing audio nervana.