The first system you had that was "high end/audiophile", by you standards

1974: Dynaco SCA-35 integrated amp, an AR-XB turntable (don’t remember the cartridge, but probably a Shure), and AR 4xa speakers.  All bought with summer job earnings after my freshman year in college.  

@whart , Darn close. In 73 I had a pair of large advents and a pair of Klipsch Heresys a Fuzzlinear 700 and a  Marantz 7C. I did not get into ARC stuff until much later. I did pass through CJ territory. By the time I knew anything about Quads I had drifted into Acoustat. 

@mijostyn:
The Marantz tube preamp has withstood the test of time. I gather than the ARC SP3-a-1 (updated to some other nomenclature) is also still a contender, though I found both the SP3 and the later sp10-mk ii, though glorious in some respects, to be simply too noisy for the Avantgarde horns. But, in the right system, with a different sensitivity to noise, and perhaps some mods (I did have the SP 10 back and forth to Minn. many times, including for some "hot rod" version), they are classics too.
I much wanted to put a Marantz 7 tube in the vintage system, but I didn’t want to pay the tariff given the nature of the system and the fact that I have another, "main" system to play. But, those are the bomb. After what, more than 60 years? ( suck at math)

Bill - Dad had the 305 = half a concert grand in a furniture grade cherry cabinet. Still with 2 x 12”, 1x 8” and 4 cone tweeters, they could rock.

I was a CJ guy, consider the beginning of ARC to be SP-6….. i know, just a kid.

When I was 18 I moved out on my own (ok with a roommate)
I had a decent job and bought the best system I could afford.
Nikko receiver, realistic speakers, Garrard turntable with a Audio-Technica cartridge.
Bedroom system. Sly’s “Sex Machine” Lol!