How old were you when audio gear first caught your interest?
Wondering how old people were when they first started to get interested in audio gear.
I first heard of Dual and Acoustic Research when I was around 13, but it did nothing for me, however, by the time I was 15 or 16 I definitely was interested. A relative had a Dual turntable, Scott receiver, Tandberg reel to reel and Rectilinear speakers (and he still has that gear, and the Rectilinears are still in use). I remember helping him get the speakers into his apartment. I also knew of Thorens.
That’s all back in the 70’s
Born in 1959, I had use of the family Magnavox console from 4th grade onward. First LP was bought at age 12, in 1972. First personal system age 17 was Dual TT, Marantz 2216, and Marantz Imperial 5 two ways. Moved to a Grado cartridge and Epicure 100 speakers before heading to college. I'd wager that I'd bought that first system at Sam Goody with money from the lifeguarding jobs.
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22 in Las Vegas while I'm the Air Force. Had returned from Japan for camera equipment and went back 8 years later for audio after 12 months in Korea where I dipped my toes. Discovered S'phile and TAS and in two years had: B&W CM-2's, 802's, Adcom 565's/GCD-575 cd player, Pioneer PD-75, three Teac tape decks. Went to Singapore on temp duty, got mesmerized and came to Sacramento, where I stayed poor. |
@tabl10s I grew up in Sacramento and left in 1973 for the Navy. Got out in ‘77 and immediately moved to Seattle for work with Boeing. Left there in ‘88 and started a new career in Seattle. I hear Sacramento has grown! |
Fall of 1959: I was visiting my Aunt & Uncle in PA... just 10 years old. My Aunt said "if you want to say hi to your uncle you'll have to wait till he's through listening to his music". He was in the basement I could hear the sound, so I snuck down there. The lights were off but there was a faint glow of tubes in the distance. The sound was everywhere, he motioned me to sit down and be silent. I sat there for 15 minutes listening to his newfangled stereo LP's. It was jazz. When he finally turned the the lights on I saw these monster speakers (Klipschorns) tucked in the corners, a TT, amp and pre-amp. I've never looked back. |
I was in law school. My first week there, I went to a wine party for the law school newspaper. The editor asked me what I'd like to do for the paper; in a rare stroke of genius I said I'd like to review records. He responded "That's great. We've never had a record review column." I bought John Lennon's Imagine album and Rod Stewart's Every Picture Tells A Story; wrote a review and sent it out to every major record company. For the next three years, I received EVERY rock album released, most of which I sold to my classmates. I took the money and bought a Garrard Zero 100 turntable, a Sony receiver and AR 3A speakers. My current system consists of Magnepan 3.7i's on Magnarisers, Conrad Johnson amp and pre-amp, Technics SL1200 GR2 turntable and Marantz CD player. Roughly 2000 CDs and 1000 LRs. My three sons have systems largely composed of my hand-me-downs. |
