your first system-

1976 bought at the PX in Torrejon Spain. Sanusi  9090,Pioneer PL530 Tt, Teac 5500a RR, Pioneer CTF 8282 cassette deck and four Sansui 7500SP speakers.  Rocking the casbah. The neighbors loved it. I still have it all.

The mid 70's were a time when a teen with a dream and some side job/hustle could walk into one of the ubiquitous stereo stores that were around and say- one day. And the dudes who worked in the stores, often half stoned, didn't mind the company

Great topic.

My first two systems were MCS or Modular Component Systems back around 1974 or so. Don’t remember much about the model numbers but my second system had a MCS 3233 receiver, 33 WPC. Had MCS speakers, turntable, cassette deck, headphones. Also a Realistic 5-band EQ. Wired up with the included interconnects and upgraded 18-guage zip wire. System sounded great and this second system was put together around 1976. Totally enjoyed it but it did push me to move on to  a high end system after that one. Mowed lawns and did odd jobs like land scaping and working in restaurants to finance my audio fix.

In 1979, I became a proud owner of a Bryston 4B, paired up with the Apt Holman preamp, Rega Planar 3 turntable with an Ultracraft AC-30 tonearm. The cartridge was a Supex SDX-1000 with a Jeremiah Braithwaite ST-17 Phono Amp. All this going to a pair of Shurlyn 820 speakers.

I had a pair of Energy 22 Reference monitor speakers on loan until the Shurlyns had some modifications to them for better sound.  I also had a Connoisseur BD2 turntable until I received the Rega. I still have the Connoisseur today.

Unfortunately my system and about 130 vinyl albums were stolen in 1981... 

I can trace every piece of gear I own to my first cheap stereo system, I never started with a clean sheet, I always upgraded one thing at a time. I learned a lot doing that way over the decades. 

russ69, that is absolutely brilliant. It's like the guy who owns a vintage 1954 Porsche Speedster ... who has replaced the seats, the engine, the chassis .... Seriously, talk about lineage!