I must be really old.

WireNut · « **on:** 1 Jul 2017, 11:46 pm »

Does anyone on AC other then myself remember the days before the internet, AudioGon, USaudiomart ect, when we could only buy and sell thru
a printed/mailed magazine sent to our mailboxes that was called Audiomart and came only once a month?

I used to wait by the mailbox each month for my publication to arrive.
I wish I still had a copy of it to upload to AC.

I must be old.

If anyone has a copy it would be great to see it after all these years.

Please post if you do.

FullRangeMan · « **Reply #1 on:** 1 Jul 2017, 11:59 pm »

I started buy overseas in 1974 at UK Cauldron Promotions, by mail cause I have see great stuff at the NewMusicalExpress music news, I had to send the price in the NME and send the money inside the envelope and risk being stolen.

After it I bought at AudioQuest, New Albion and Sheffiels Lab.
Forster Reed at NewAlbion was great to deal and a gentleman.

thorman · « **Reply #2 on:** 2 Jul 2017, 12:08 am »

Funny you mention Audio Mart ( by Mail ) .....Like you I couldn't wait for it to arrive....I sold my Audio Research SP11 ( MK1 ) and sent it off to California . Boy have things changed sense then.....By the way I am 72 years old ( still Selling/Buying ) . I wish now I kept one of the Audio Mart Papers.....

dB Cooper · « **Reply #3 on:** 2 Jul 2017, 02:33 am »

Quote from: WireNut on 1 Jul 2017, 11:46 pm

I must be old.

Welcome to the club...

veloceleste · « **Reply #4 on:** 2 Jul 2017, 09:54 am »

Quote from: dB Cooper on 2 Jul 2017, 02:33 am

Welcome to the club...

Different parts of my body are different ages. . . . . . .

JLM · « **Reply #5 on:** 2 Jul 2017, 12:22 pm »

I'm so old I can barely remember how we functioned before photocopiers, fax machines, and computers. Do recall my aunt having a crank phone and having to go through the operator to place a call (after everyone else on the party line hung up). We easily accepted levels of risk back then that are criminal today (holding babies while being a car passenger, smoking in hospitals, using DDT, etc.). Yet we put man on the moon primarily with a slide rule (remember those?) and we haven't matched that feat since.

It was hard to be an audiophile back in the 70's. Magazines and stereo shops were the only sources of information, so hardware options were severely limited, especially if you didn't live in a major metropolitan area. (I didn't have a full time job or car until 1978.) Adjusted for inflation, prices were much higher than today. Vinyl was the only hi-end source option. Cassettes and FM were about the only other half-way viable options.

And speaking of Audio Mart, we didn't have home delivery services like FedEx or UPS back then either.

Dieterle Tool · « **Reply #6 on:** 2 Jul 2017, 12:23 pm »

I think I'm a couple years your junior 'nut, I don't remember Audiomart. My earliest recollections of buying used gear was from the back of Stereophile magazines.
I would leaf through all the cool ads, then hit the classifieds hoping there would be something I wanted within striking distance.

John from Musical Concepts had an ad there every month, same spot. I think that's where I got my start.

-dieter

Toni Rambold · « **Reply #7 on:** 2 Jul 2017, 01:33 pm »

Phil A · « **Reply #8 on:** 2 Jul 2017, 02:00 pm »

Since you're old, look at the bright side - you can now save money on audio equipment

dB Cooper · « **Reply #9 on:** 2 Jul 2017, 02:04 pm »

Toni, can you scan that Audiomart to pdf (or I'd do it if you mail it to me)? I had a sub for a year or two.

Mike B. · « **Reply #10 on:** 2 Jul 2017, 02:12 pm »

I go back to the infrequent Stereophile magazines coming out of Pennsylvania. It was a half sheet affair Gordon produced at home.

WireNut · « **Reply #11 on:** 2 Jul 2017, 02:28 pm »

Quote from: Toni Rambold on 2 Jul 2017, 01:33 pm

That's It

. Its like a collectors item now. I haven't seen that in decades. Wish I still had a copy or two.
Thanks Toni, brings back a lot of memories.

Can anybody make out the date on that issue?

It looks like April 28 1954 but that can't be right. Maybe 1984

Toni Rambold · « **Reply #12 on:** 2 Jul 2017, 02:38 pm »

My pleasure !

Audiomart issue #289, 26 April 1994.

... btw, I still reread old TAS record reviews and spin the analogue records:

WireNut · « **Reply #13 on:** 2 Jul 2017, 02:48 pm »

WireNut · « **Reply #14 on:** 2 Jul 2017, 03:25 pm »

Quote from: JLM on 2 Jul 2017, 12:22 pm

I'm so old I can barely remember how we functioned before photocopiers, fax machines, and computers. Do recall my aunt having a crank phone and having to go through the operator to place a call (after everyone else on the party line hung up). We easily accepted levels of risk back then that are criminal today (holding babies while being a car passenger, smoking in hospitals, using DDT, etc.). Yet we put man on the moon primarily with a slide rule (remember those?) and we haven't matched that feat since.

It was hard to be an audiophile back in the 70's. Magazines and stereo shops were the only sources of information, so hardware options were severely limited, especially if you didn't live in a major metropolitan area. (I didn't have a full time job or car until 1978.) Adjusted for inflation, prices were much higher than today. Vinyl was the only hi-end source option. Cassettes and FM were about the only other half-way viable options.

And speaking of Audio Mart, we didn't have home delivery services like FedEx or UPS back then either.

I can remember driving on the highway with my uncle in the blizzard of 76-77 listening to Carol King on 8 track tape in that big old Ford LTD.
That LTD wasn't big enough for the blizzard as we came to a hult on the highway with snow up to the doors.
We where stuck for hours. Carol King on that 8 track sounded pretty damn good. That was a fun time.

Charles Calkins · « **Reply #15 on:** 2 Jul 2017, 03:50 pm »

Talking about getting old. Anybody remember Heath Kit? Or Stereo review and Hi Fidelity magazines.

Cheers
Charlie

SteveFord · « **Reply #16 on:** 2 Jul 2017, 04:09 pm »

On yeah.
Dynaco in kit form and Advent was the bees knees.
Never saw that particular magazine, in NJ we had The Want Ad Press. Picture a printed Craig's List that came out once a week.

Phil A · « **Reply #17 on:** 2 Jul 2017, 06:35 pm »

Quote from: Charles Calkins on 2 Jul 2017, 03:50 pm

Talking about getting old. Anybody remember Heath Kit? Or Stereo review and Hi Fidelity magazines.

Cheers
Charlie

Unfortunately - yes I remember them well

JakeJ · « **Reply #18 on:** 2 Jul 2017, 07:05 pm »

Quote from: WireNut on 2 Jul 2017, 03:25 pm

Carol King on that 8 track sounded pretty damn good. That was a fun time.

Ah, memories. Thanks, WireNut. In 1974, junior year in high scool, a good friend got a '68 Chevelle and he installed a matching set of Craig Power Play 8 track head, amp, and speakers in it. We used to cruise the school parking lot and drive-ins with ZZ Top Tres Hombres or Led Zepplin Stairway to Heaven blasting so loud that the other kids would come out of the cafeteria bldg. 150 yards away! Nobody could touch that car stereo for a couple of years. Man we had us some fun in that old Chevelle.

hibuckhobby · « **Reply #19 on:** 3 Jul 2017, 12:21 am »

Speakerlab and Pacific Stereo catalogs. Many hours spent dreaming.