I cannot remember a time when music was NOT a big part of my life. I started buying 45’s when I was about 8 yrs old. It was only natural that I would try to find the best purveyor of the music. But I am still unsure that I am an audiophile. I don’t feel the need to change out equipment every year. I totally dislike most all the audiophile approved music, IE female vocals.
When did you get hooked?
For me, it was 1971 in the Mekong delta.....a fellow soldier sponsored a night-time social gathering and had his modest stereo rig set up for the party. I'm pretty sure that a Pioneer receiver (SX-424?) was involved, but the speakers were definitely a lowly pair of Pioneer CS-33s. Paul McCartney's album 'Ram' was on the turntable and the song 'Uncle Albert' penetrated my alcohol/herbal-infused fog in a manner that made me realize I would never be the same going forward. It was definitely a thunder-clap moment, not a slow evolution or awakening, and a huge debt of gratitude is owed to the unknown soldier who started me on my long journey.