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Cult Classics for Young Future Audiophile

My young nephew turns 10 this week and I would like to buy him his first stereo, assembled from used classics that I will clean, restore etc and wrap up in big boxes.

He is taking piano and saxophone lessons, is generally very creative and artistic and has expressed an interest in Charlie Parker. As his Uncle, I am encouraging him to listen to music as much as possible while he is "working" on his artistic interests.

Can anyone help with ideas for assembling a high end, classic system that will be fairly reliable, inexpensive and whet his appetite for music and high end audio?

At first I thought a kid his age might enjoy some of the big classic receivers or amps from the 70's with multiple LEDs , VU meters, tone controls etc. -- remember Yamaha "Natural Sound" -- but he is very smart and technical and would also get the mimimalistic, straight wire with gain, audiophile approach.

Apt Holman amp and preamp? Classic Hafler amp and preamp? A pair of used Maggie SMGs? With one of the less expensive, discontinued but still new in box SACD players?

I would like to keep this well under $1000.00 -- closer to $500 would be ideal.
cwlondon

Showing 1 response by cwlondon

cwlondon OP
1,210 posts
 
All great ideas and thank you very much, everyone.

While it makes perfect sense to buy newer gear that sounds good and works well, I was hoping to indulge my audiophile ego and encourage the obsessive, purist enthusiast tendencies to see if he responds. Hence, my interest in Maggies, Apt Holman, Haflers, etc.

To give you an automotive analogy, if he were turning 16, I would rather give him a BMW 2002 tii, than a newer "hot hatch", even thought the latter would probably be more reliable and faster.

Correct me if I am wrong, but it just seems a lot more interest and stylish to me. Or do I completely misunderstand kids' thought processes? Maybe an MP-3 jukebox would make him happier?!?!? Or would it be "cool" to have thin planar speakers like his Uncle?

I will probably persist -- just in case he too, might one day have the sublime pleasure of worrying about the quality of his AC outlets etc......
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