What was your first "audiophile" system...the one that got you hooked?

[BruceLet]

Mine was JSE Infinite Slope speakers, NAD receiver and a California Audio Labs cd player....Monster cables. Purchased at Harvey Sound and Lyric Hifi in White Plains, N.Y., early 1980s. $1000 for speakers was a huge leap for me. Pretty sure that Jeff Joseph was working at Harvey Sound at the time....The beginning of the Infinite Slope X-over used in his speakers.

[Mike]

Great question. I had a pair of Carver amps/preamp and B&W 801F's. Source was an Akai R2R and Pioneer TT with a Shure Cart. I think I had the Sony CDP-201 at the time. That system was amazing. Before that, I had IMF speakers and Sony monoblocks with a Pioneer preamp. After that I had some Genesis 44 speakers and Perreaux electronics.

But I still go back to my Maggie 1.6's with Sunfire subs and McIntosh amp/preamp and Avid TT as the system that really got the juices going. That "holy Sh!t moment".

[MDP]

The first system that got me was a modest system comprising of a Yamaha receiver,B&O TT and Klipsch Forte speakers!

Very fond memories!!!!

[still-one]

Dahlquist DQ-10's
GAS Ampzilla amp
Nakamichi 610 Pre-amp
Revox A77 tape deck

[jdandy]

Mine was an entire system I purchased from a friend in 1968. We both lived in San Francisco but he was relocating back home to Seattle and did not want to have to deal with moving the system. I bought a pair of McIntosh MC30 mono tube amplifiers, a Dynaco PS3X tube preamplifier, a Dynaco FM3 tuner, a Dual 1019 turntable with a Shure V15 Type II cartridge, and a pair of Altec Voice of the Theater speakers in the grey painted cabinets with the green horns and compression drivers mounted on top. That system could rock the house and rattle the windows. The Altecs were 16 ohm speakers and 102 db efficient with 1 watt so the McIntosh MC30's were loafing most of the time. Loved that old sound system.

[sheltie1]

I was in college..... a Yamaha receiver and cd player, a pair of B&W 602's, and Audioquest cables.

[bzr]

Marantz CD17KI Series, Wire World Atlantis i/c's, Plinius preamp, Plinius mono amps Kimber Kable 4TC & 8TC speaker cable to the original Paradigm Studio 80 speakers. Very musical system.

[Alpinist]

When I moved into my first place in 1992, I purchased Apogee Duetta Signature Speakers with Bryston gear. Still some of the most lifelike vocals and piano I ever heard.

Ken

[CPP]

The college years early 1970's, Marantz 2270, Dual 1229, KLH Model 6 speakers

[Kingsrule]

College:

Large Advents
Citation 11a
Dynaco ST120
B&O TT

[annapolis Raider]

College

Celestion SL6
NAD Receiver
Dual Turntable/Ortofon Cart

[Shadowfax]

I was lucky to have an older brother who spent all his time building Heathkits, Dynaco, and Hafler kits on the kitchen table when I was anywhere between 5 and 12. I got to hear them all thru various AR speaker models over the years. I was already hooked on Music and Good Sound before I ever had a system.

The first one was a Heathkit Receiver he built with a BSR TT and DIY Speakers he built.
First kit I ever purchased with my first income tax refund at 17 y/o was Onkyo Receiver and Tape Deck with Mirage speakers
First REAL kit was Hafler 945 and 9180 combo with Mirage M790s and a Marantz 67SE and Audio Alchemy DAC.

[MtnHam]

1959, age 15: Traded for a Kenwood integrated tube receiver, Thorens TD124 TT, AKG headphones, no speakers. Soon after added a Sony R-R tape deck. 2 years later, built a pair of speakers.

[Dizzie]

Large Advents with a Pioneer-built, Allied-brand receiver. Soon moved to a McIntosh 6100 integrated. Yes, I was sliding down the slippery slope. Something was not right. I heard much better performance in the showroom. Swapped my BSR TT for a Dual 601 and my jaw literally dropped. Maybe the only time that truly happened for me.

Gathering speed downhill I stacked the Large Advents and then moved to a Dahlquist DQ-10. Then my brakes totally failed, but that is another story.

[burau34]

Cambridge Audio integrated amplifier and a pair of Monitor Audio speakers


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[Elescher]

I was 13 yrs. old. Marantz 2215b receiver and House Brand speakers from local retailer. I think tt was Philips GA 212 and I had a killer Tandberg cassette deck. At 18 I moved up to modified Dynaco mono tube amps, Sonab spkrs, Rega tt, Dynavector Ruby cart, Soundcraftsman pre. w/built in equalizer. I also had a pair of Maggie MG-2bs and Nakamichi cassette deck. Pretty sure Monster spkr. cables.

[mauidan]

Dahlquist DQ-10's(after doing the mirror imaging mod)
GAS Ampzilla amp
ARC SP 3A-1 with Paoli Mod
Cotter Step-up Transformer
Linn LP-12
Koetsu Rosewood
Fulton Cables

[Randy Myers]

Hmmmm.... I remember convincing my mother to get me a Pioneer Receiver & Turntable with Burhoe Speakers.... I later added a Superscope 8-Track component player (yes they actually made an 8-track component player) since I had a ton of 8-tracks at the time.

My first very high end component was when I was working for a stereo store while in college... we had a Nakamichi traded in and I grabbed it... what a deck...

[bestbettinc2]

My first system I bought was in 1979 when I was stationed in Japan. I had a Pioneer Spec 1 pre amp, Spec 2 & 4 amps, Pioneer pl 7l turntable with a shure lll cart, Pioneer ct f1000 cassette player, Pioneer sg9800 eq, Pioneer F 28 tuner, DBX 128 ,teac 1506 reelto reel, 2 JBL L300 front stage and 2 Bose 901
Rear stage.
That was my first system and boy did that ever spoil me. I also go a great Japanese album collection.

Had that system for 10 yrs. Until a fire broke out at my house. I was able to save few things.

Now that I am in my pre retirement years I am starting my anolog system.
I have built a decent home theater system . My front stage now are custom crossovered JBL 250 ti B&W HTM1 center channel, and 2 Velyodyn dd 10 subs
Surrounds are ESS ATM 1 just been reconditioned.
Rear stage are Paradigm signature ADP and one Velodyn dd 15 sub.
The Jbls are powered bi amped with the spec 2 & 4 thru my spec1 preamp and all my stereo anolog components including my Thorens 320 with a Ortofon 2m black cart. Lost the pl 7l to fire.
The other speakers run thru my Lexicom lx 7 amp managed by a Marantz 8802.
One of my major regrets was not being able to save about 500 Japanese virgin vinyl mostly master edition lps. I have bought about 300 albums in the last few months from all different vendors. Masters, Mofi. and even un sealed originals. I have found only about 30 mostly mofi 45 speed double lps the compare to that old quailty Japanese vinyl.
Now I am saving for a Nottingham table and cartridge to play those
quality lps. There goes another $10,000.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk

[Ventura_Rodriguez_Vallejo]

Luxman DP-07 cd player + Luxman DA-07 d/a converter. Rotel Michi FM tuner. SONY datman DAT recorder. Luxman CL-360 tube preamp + two McIntosh 250 (mono configuration each) tube power amps. Mission 767 speakers with Cyrus LFAU active low frecuency filter and bass amp + PSX external power supply.
This was my first true "audiophile" system.
And it is it until today.

Enviado desde mi Luno mediante Tapatalk

[the professor]

My first audiophile system was: DQ10's and Crown amps.

[astrotoy]

My parents had a Heath kit system that my dad put together in the '50's. Mono at first, then converted to stereo. In college, I started with an AR TT, back in 1963. I was in Cambridge and the AR factory was across town. I remember having a problem with the TT and I took the MTA (before there was a T) over to AR. They fixed it on the spot and upgraded it to the newest model, all for free. Much later, in the late '70's my first real high end equpment was a pair of Magnepan 2167-F (IIRC) the predecessors to the MG-II's. I had bought an early copy of the Absolute Sound which had a rave review. A local store carried them, and I bought a pair after listening to them.

Larry

[courage]

18 years ago, i saved a lot just to get this. This is my first audio system. Every time i drop by the store i audition this until i have enough money to buy. It was expensive back then.. This was loud and the bass is crazy.. Borrowed the pic from the net but this is the exact model i have..

We are talking about thousands of PMPO power he he he

[Mr Peabody]

I was hooked on music before gear. I gravitated to anything music came from as long as I can remember. I didn't have money as a kid but spent any I got on 45's, LP's at yard sales. I got a record player in 5th or 6th grade.

I talked my dad into buying me a Realistic receiver at 16, earned the money to buy a cheap set of Centrex 12" 3-way made by Pioneer. Bought a used Pioneer PL-51 turntable. Man, I thought I arrived at that point.

went through receiver and stuff from there. I kept the PL-51 for over 20 years though.

My first taste of quality gear in the late 80's I worked for a stereo store and was able to purchase a Kenwood 3300d components. Kenwood occasionally put out some mid to high gear just to show they could. This KA-3300 integrated actually had a built in DAC, talking about being ahead of the time. I matched it to a set of Infinity Kappa 7's. I was going to buy a set of Electro-Voice Pro speakers, my first encounter with WAF, LOL. She couldn't be convinced road carpet cabinet would match the décor.

I had that system for several years, wondered into a true high end store that sold Krell, Dynaudio, Linn, Merridian etc. One day my Kenwood CDP went out and the parts to fix it couldn't be had. I remembered how this store was open to my visit, was hospitable and played me some systems, so I wandered back in, left with an Arcam Alpha 9 and from there............ Once I realized all the music could sound better and better I was hooked.

[HARLEY]

I believe that John Sollecito was the major engineer of JSE speakers (John Sollecito Engineering=JSE). He is still making great louspeakers at Sourcespeaker.com!!

[joeinid]

Welcome to the forum HARLEY, thank you for joining.

[Duke97]

Adcom GFA 555, Adcom GFP 565, Rotel RCD 865 BX (finally died last year) & Cambridge Soundworks Ensamble. ...from that point on, I was hooked!

[Melbguy1]

My first full size system way back in 1991 comprised the following gear;

- Nakamichi Amplifier One integrated
- Infinity Reference 60's
- JVC XL-Z1050 cdp
- Technics RS-BX626 tape deck
- Cambridge Audio T-500 tuner
- Standesign audio rack
- Audioquest Slate biwire sc's
- Audioquest ic's

That was a really nice system. The Infinitys, JVC spinnner & Nakamich amp were a great combo for the money, and I got 18 years of joy from that .

[JGlacken]

My first decent system was back in early 1970s:
Dual TT-Sure Cart.
Kenwood Receiver
Large Advent speakers

[mikeyeatslife]

College days in the Frat house. I was older and had a single room.
-Pioneer Turntable
-Pioneer Receiver
-Advent Speakers
Couldn't tell you the models - not the bottom of the line. I had a job and a little bit to spend.

Light my Fire and Touch Me - both by the Doors - were played countless times for visiting Sorority girls.

Fond memories of that system, and the girls.

[jnk]

College (post-grad) with Densen electronics (CD/Pre/Power), Triangle speakers, Clearaudio Evolution t/t, Nordost cabling.

[rrwmd]

Sonographe/Conrad Johnson SD-1 CDP
Counterpoint SA-3.1 preamp
Sumo Andromeda Amp
Thiel CS3 speakers

[Keith_W]

In university:



... with my system. Mission 760i speakers, NAD3020i amp, Marantz CD-52.

That was my first system with separates, at least. Prior to this I had computer speakers driven with a Sony Walkman.

[audioEP]

Dunlavy SC-IV
Threshold electronics T400 and T3
Well-tempered turntable
CEC transport
Sonic Frontiers DAC

[joeinid]

Welcome audioEP, thank you for joining.

[Jack in Wilmington]

This was my first system after I got out of the Navy and got a real job in the early to mid 70's. To call it "audiophile" might be a stretch, but it got me started to where I am today.

Sansui 661 receiver
Elac Miracord turntable
Radio Shack Nova 8 speakers ( which I still have today ) but long ago put on the shelf )


This got me through to the mid 80's when I upgraded to a Sony receiver and Garrard turntable. Then to the early 90's when I went to my friends house and he had a Pioneer CD player. I was fascinated and started to save for one and when I went to my local HiFi shop to buy one and got to listen to B&W and Paradigm speakers, I was hooked.

[audioEP]

Welcome audioEP, thank you for joining.

Thank you Joe, just found out about this site - it seems friendly and balanced - excited to be here!

[Devg]

This - a His Master Voice (aka HMV) all in one record player and it comes with a pair of bookshelf speaker.

[joeinid]

Yes, we are friendly but are all a little unbalanced

Don't be shy.

Thank you Joe, just found out about this site - it seems friendly and balanced - excited to be here!

[Ventura_Rodriguez_Vallejo]

This was my first system after I got out of the Navy and got a real job in the early to mid 70's. To call it "audiophile" might be a stretch, but it got me started to where I am today.

Sansui 661 receiver
Elac Miracord turntable
Radio Shack Nova 8 speakers ( which I still have today ) but long ago put on the shelf )


This got me through to the mid 80's when I upgraded to a Sony receiver and Garrard turntable. Then to the early 90's when I went to my friends house and he had a Pioneer CD player. I was fascinated and started to save for one and when I went to my local HiFi shop to buy one and got to listen to B&W and Paradigm speakers, I was hooked.

Hi, Jack.
Beautiful "retro" Radio Shak speakers.
Do you remember what was the Pioneer CD model? Was it one incorporating the "Legato Linear" DAC circuit?
I'm interested in that type of filterless DAC behavior, since my separate Luxman DA-07 DAC uses a filterless "fluency dac" converter, one that obviates Shannon-Nyquist conversion method, and it sounds simply great (it does not sound "digital", in the sense that any possible harshness or arfificial character are removed).
Recently, I learned that Pioneer "Legato Linear" models used a non-lowpass filter tecnology, and since I've never heard one I'm intrigued in its behavior.
Thanks.

Enviado desde mi LG-E430 mediante Tapatalk

[Jack in Wilmington]

Hi, Jack.
Beautiful "retro" Radio Shak speakers.
Do you remember what was the Pioneer CD model? Was it one incorporating the "Legato Linear" DAC circuit?
I'm interested in that type of filterless DAC behavior, since my separate Luxman DA-07 DAC uses a filterless "fluency dac" converter, one that obviates Shannon-Nyquist conversion method, and it sounds simply great (it does not sound "digital", in the sense that any possible harshness or arfificial character are removed).
Recently, I learned that Pioneer "Legato Linear" models used a non-lowpass filter tecnology, and since I've never heard one I'm intrigued in its behavior.
Thanks.

Enviado desde mi LG-E430 mediante Tapatalk

I don't remember the model of the Pioneer, sorry. I was so fascinated with the technology, as this was the first CD player that I had ever seen. It took what I think was called a magazine that held maybe 5 or 6 Cd's at a time if I remember. I had just gotten my first PC so I was kind of overwhelmed with all the new technology at the time.

[Dave1959]

I think 1986, possibly 1987, bought these as a package in the UK for ₤300

Mission Cyrus One Integrated Amp
Mission 700LE Bookshelf Speakers
NAD 5120 Turntable

The amp and speakers are still going and sounding good, used by one of my sons as speakers for his computer audio set up.

[gadawg]

First "Audiophile" system was a complete SAE stack with ...
P101
E101,
A1001
Infinity RS2.5
Technics SL-1200

all of which I bought all from a dealer in a small town that was not going to carry it any longer and sold it really really cheap! Not sure the manager knew what it may have been worth. :-)

[Kuoppis]

My parents' Panasonic integrated system was the rave when I was a kid, first own system featured Sony CDP, Yamaha tape deck and receiver, DIY Visaton floor standers.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[harri]

First audiophile system ? I think it was 1972 and it used to have: Tandberg TR-200 receiver, Garrard turntable and B&O 1700 speakers.

[Penthouse-D]

Christmas 1972. I was 12. Kenwood receiver, Garrard turntable, and a pair of 2 way Marantz speakers with the foam grills that would start disintegrating the second you opened the box. A part time job at Crazy Eddie's in Paramus N.J. a few years later really did it…..

[Jose]

Scott Intergrated
Nikko 220 Power Amp
Radio Shack Speakers

[Ventura_Rodriguez_Vallejo]

I think 1986, possibly 1987, bought these as a package in the UK for ₤300

Mission Cyrus One Integrated Amp
Mission 700LE Bookshelf Speakers
NAD 5120 Turntable

The amp and speakers are still going and sounding good, used by one of my sons as speakers for his computer audio set up.

I think it was about that time when I acquired the Cyrus II SE + PSX additional power supply. They're still alive and very well (it seems that gear has been constructed to resist a nuclear attack). Here in Spain I never saw the I version being commercialized, so I'm intrigued about its sound and performance.

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[Glareskin]

1980 a pair of Philips MFB speakers wit pre-amp. I don't think it would qualify as 'audiophile' in this time.

[Phil A]

I guess my first separates:

Phase Linear 300 amp
Phase Linear 3500 series two preamp
Phase Linear 8000 turntable

Mirage SM-3 speakers
Pioneer CT-F900