Hi folks.
First audiophile experience (though I didn't know it): spinning vinyl on my dad's system. Now I realize how cool the piece was. I forget the brand, but it had wood sides, built in tuner, a whole row of like ceramic rectangular push-buttons and a built in Garrard turntable. Mostly listened to FM until I found a box of jazz LPs in our basement at about age 15. Turns out my dad was cooler than I thought; didn't know it because he never listened to the stuff anymore.
First audiophile mentor: high school band teacher. We had about a 1 hour conversation on the tour bus to the Jazz Festival in Moscow, ID, where we were playing. Lionel Hampton, Freddie Hubbard, Gene Davis. Man, didn't know I had it so good. Anyway, my band teacher would wax lyrical about McIntosh gear.
First audiophile purchase: Magnavox CDB-650. Borrowed $125 from my sister and the rest was supposed to go to a student exchange trip. My parents were PISSED. I still went on the exchange.
First system: Kinergetics KCD-40 running directly into a Forte 50A hooked to Totem 1s. Really a superb compact system.
Then I got out. House. Kids. Now looking to get back into it. Excited about tubes, horns and open baffles. Might pursue vinyl.
