How old were you when audio gear first caught your interest?

@elliottbnewcombjr 

Im really enjoying hearing about each person’s journey 

5 years old using my Dads tube amp with overhead loudspeaker powering our black & white tv’s sound, watching Claude Kirchner and the Terrytune circus. I must have been out of my mind! 

When I was 6 (1954), my two brothers and I watched a B&W TV in a console, I think an Admiral. 

I was the designated 'slapper', I had the magic touch to slap it on the side, to straighten out the picture ... I had no idea I was jiggling tubes inside of it.

Age 40, Quit Smoking, what Incentive might help?

I decided, the bills were getting paid (just barely), so as a treat, to help me quit, I would spend my tobacco money on Music or Music Equipment. 

A carton a week then, 1988, was $700. a year, that was my budget.

Well, I gave myself a ’rise in pay’ along the way, whatever 52 cartons cost, that’s my new limit. It got up to over $3,500/year before I stopped when I retired, it’s probably over $5,000. now.

I never thought what over 20 years of Smoking Money would add up to.

Anybody still smoking? Do it!

Oh Yeah, Inheritance. I inherited $8,000 many years ago. I bought a NEW Onkyo Integra System: Receiver/CD/Dual Cassette some other NEW stuff I forget

I grew up in a household that had a table-top radio/phono combo that played only 78s (with osmium-tipped styli) and, although I was an avid music listener as a kid, I never paid any attention to the sound because I had nothing with which to compare it.

However, around 1953, my grade school buddy’s parents bought a VoM console that played LPs and, on a visit, he played a Mantovani LP.  I was amazed by what I visuallized as a cascade of violins pouring out of this box.  It was stunning.

After 2 years of voracious reading, I became the owner of a primitive component system (record changer, integrated amp, bookshelf speaker) and I was hooked before I even got to high school.