My First Time

James Tanner · « **on:** 16 Jun 2008, 12:23 pm »

Hi All,

I had our traditional Fathers Day family barbecue on Sunday and was discussing with my sons their memories of growing up in a house with a crazed audiophile as a father. It got me to thinking that it might be fun to ask everyone what their first Hi-Fi audio system consisted of.

So here goes:

My First Audio System:

Dynaco Pat 5 Preamp (kit)
Dynaco 400 Power Amp (kit)
Klipsch La Scala stereo speakers
Dual turntable with AKG cartridge.
Pioneer 10 inch Reel to Reel
Teac -(forget the model) Cassette Deck (nice meters on the front though)

james

S Clark · « **Reply #1 on:** 16 Jun 2008, 12:36 pm »

Well, I wouldn't necessarily call it "Hi Fi" now, but it was a big step up back then.

Sherwood 8900 receiver with a solid 60 wpc
Large Advent speakers
Teac reel to reel with a DBX 128 processor
Dual turntable with Shure M91ED

Viajero5000 · « **Reply #2 on:** 16 Jun 2008, 01:40 pm »

My first system in my quest for better sound was an old Sony cassette deck and tuner with termite-eaten Sony speakers that I salvaged from my Uncle’s garage in 1996; I was awed by what a pleasure listening to music on that system was compared to my own Panasonic dual cassette tape recorder.
Therein started an obsession; I started visiting the local electronics market after school, and noticed a used Akai separates system at the dealer amongst all the flashy mini systems. It took me a lot of courage to ask for an audition given that the $200 price tag was well beyond my means at the time, but boy when I heard it coupled with some JVC speakers, I was absolutely floored; I had never heard music sound so open and listenable. I couldn’t stop thinking about it; managed to get some money from my parents and paid a deposit on the system, later pairing it up with a pair of Infinity SM65 monitors.
Although the above equipment is very lo-fi by today’s standards, it sounded amazing to my hitherto unexposed ears back then, and though I might have moved up in the hardware department since (currently PMC MB2 with Bryston/ Musical Fidelity KW series amp/ pre-amp), I still get the same thrill every single day (and am driven to bankruptcy almost as frequently) by this hobby.
So just as it was with that Akai system 12 years ago, I currently can’t wait to get my hands on a pair of those 28B’s....

rob80b · « **Reply #3 on:** 16 Jun 2008, 01:43 pm »

My first real system after numerous home built endeavours.

Pioneer SA-7100 Integrated
Dynaco A35’s
Akai 8-track recorder
Dual Turntable

Ron D · « **Reply #4 on:** 16 Jun 2008, 01:45 pm »

first system I purchased with my own money was back in around 1982:
Sony receiver (model??, about 50 w/ch)
Dual turntable (505?)
Sony cassette deck (model ?)
Brand "X" - unknown speakers - similar to Advent floorstanders

From there it was a couple of conversations with James who told me to save up for a 3B over a 2B and then it was a .5B/3B combo from Son ideal in Montreal and then it was all downhill from there. Damn you Tanner

predrag · « **Reply #5 on:** 16 Jun 2008, 02:00 pm »

That was back in 1979!
At the age if 14 my parents together with my grandparents bought me all in one system Grundig RPC 450.
2x50 healthy watts from same manufacturers speakers.
It had Dual TT with Shure cartridge.
I still cant´t forget it how overjoyed I was!
Last year to return this to my granddad (88 yo) I gave him my VW Golf as a present!

Mag · « **Reply #6 on:** 16 Jun 2008, 04:53 pm »

In my teenage years we used an RCA stereo console TT connected by phono jack to a tube PA amp which was wired to two homemade 12" speakers that my dad used in his Old Time Country band. I think it was better than what most people had but I didn't realize it at the time.

When I graduated from high school I got my first job as a rodman for surveying company. With some real cash I purchased a Bryston 2B, Technics TT, Hafler pre-amp. ESS model 10 speakers, Stax headphones and Sound Shaper II equalizer.

I then moved out and got my own apartment. There my place was B&E and my Bryston amp, Hafler pre-amp, equalizer and headphones were stolen. After that I just listened with ghetto-blaster and car stereo.

I got back into home audio around 2000 after nearly getting strangled to death in my taxi. Life is precious and I'm decided I'm going to enjoy it cause you never know when it could end.

After $20,000 invested my MC system is truly hi-fi. I wish I had this stuff in the '70's.

Viajero5000 · « **Reply #7 on:** 16 Jun 2008, 04:59 pm »

Quote: 'Life is precious and I'm decided I'm going to enjoy it cause you never know when it could end.'

I think I've just found the perfect justification for buying those 28B's.....

bummrush · « **Reply #8 on:** 16 Jun 2008, 05:00 pm »

Sony STR 7065,Philips 312,Infinity speakers.And i will mod my post by saying the music i listened to first was on a huge mono stereo enclosed in pine i believe my dad made,he played all kinds from what i remember,the ventures, louie armstrong,herb alpert,he passed in 1970,but i believe he left me the roots of good sound and variety in music,lucky to have old video of him spinning vinyl that a Aunt transferred to disc for some of us at a family reunion a couple yrs ago.The things you remember,cracking that old ventures album open and starring at that bikini clad women inside the the album.

af · « **Reply #9 on:** 16 Jun 2008, 05:23 pm »

My first system was a pair of Corner Klipsch, Bryston 4B, Bryston 1B, Dual turntable, that soon after setting up .. had to add a reel to reel, so I could play the speakers at almost any sound pressure level, other wise it wasn't too much fun listening to the turntable bounce across the table it was on....party time speakers for sure….best way to listen? …across the street on a lawn chair while drinking beers and watching the reaction of people walking past the house…no one ever complained.

Another aspect of this system…I knew I couldn’t have it at my home at the time… caused me to move out from the parents house… I just wanted to listen to a little rock and roll?…(hahaha – 1979?/80?)

alexone · « **Reply #10 on:** 16 Jun 2008, 11:02 pm »

in the early 90s:

cdp, stereo amp, two tapedecks, equalizer, speakers...all pioneer.

and a technics turntable.

and i loved it!

alex.

smerlas · « **Reply #11 on:** 16 Jun 2008, 11:43 pm »

Late 79 early 80

Harmon Kardon Integrated Amp 60 wpc
Harmon Kardon Tuner
Harmon Kardon Cassette Deck
Harmon Kardon ST8 straight tracking turn table with Sure Cartridge
Bose 301 speakers which were upgraded to JBL L50s

Purchased senior year before college with money from part time job, with the exception of the speaker upgrade.

Back in the day when you stopped by the local stereo shop and put your pieces on "lay-away". I would stop by each week and put money toward purchase with money from my paycheck, until the balance was small enough or I couldn't wait any more ,and finish paying for the unit.

Interesting to note that my parents home stereo was HK separates (tubes) and JBL wall speakers.

ec · « **Reply #12 on:** 17 Jun 2008, 12:32 am »

early 80's in high school

Harman Kardon 330i receiver (just sold it last year)
Dual 508 Turntable with an Ortofon MC cartridge came with inline RCA step up transformer
Rega 3V speakers
Harman Kardon Cassette deck (can't recall the model)

denjo · « **Reply #13 on:** 17 Jun 2008, 12:38 am »

Circa 1993, my first real hifi system consisted of:

Musical Fidelity A1 amplifier
Mission 760i speakers
Arcam Alpha 5 CDP
Audiolab 8000T Tuner (still using)

It was a very musical system! Like the lyrics to Rod Stewart's song "first love cuts the deepest", I have to say in Wordsworthian style that when in pensive mood my mind wanders to this system and .... sweet reverie!

Phil A · « **Reply #14 on:** 17 Jun 2008, 01:03 am »

My first real hi-fi system consisted of Mirage SM-3 speakers with Phase Linear Electronics. I think I had the 400 amp and 3300 preamp a 5100 Series II Tuner. along with the Phase Linear (linear tracking)turntable. I had a Pioneer cassette deck. I forget the model but it matched the RT-909 Reel to Reel which a friend of mine had and I traded him the Pioneer shortly after getting it along with a metal studio Pioneer 19 inch rack with various rack kits (for Pioneer components like the Spec 1 and Spec 2 amps) for his Nakamichi 2 speed 680 cassette deck. I think I started assembling that system in 1980. Before that I had mid-fi stuff like an old Akai rec'r.

jethro · « **Reply #15 on:** 17 Jun 2008, 02:34 am »

I'm a bit of a late bloomer.

Harman Kardon AVR-7000 Receiver
Hitachi DVD
B&W 604 S2, LCR6S2, 601S2, and ASW-1000

mclsound · « **Reply #16 on:** 17 Jun 2008, 05:28 am »

mine was a blue plastic case you opened up and there was a one piece record record player and small3" speaker in one probably worth $20 in 1977. ......I was 11yrs old and that was hi-fi to me.
john

ashtarul · « **Reply #17 on:** 17 Jun 2008, 08:11 am »

Denon CD player and intergrated amplifier paired with Tannoy speakers. For the life of me I can't remember the model number but I do remember they were second-hand and very cheap as I was a student then.

omegaspeedy · « **Reply #18 on:** 17 Jun 2008, 08:33 am »

I'm a late bloomer and started early last year with a Yamaha 659 AV amp and a Set of Wharfdale 9.5 speakers and a Pioneer DVD player. It didn't last long though but it sure got me started.

Eric · « **Reply #19 on:** 17 Jun 2008, 01:43 pm »

1977

Pioneer SX-1180 receiver
Teac Cassette Deck
Techniques SL-1200 Turntable
Stanton 681E Cartridge
Bose 601 loud speakers

Eventually swapped out the pioneer receiver for SAE separates