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

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.  

I was 9 years old. My uncle was an audiophile (of course I had no idea what that was at the time -1967). All I know that my dad (who worked for his older brother at the time would get his old equipment when he upgraded). I have a very clear memory visiting my Uncle Marv’s home and seeing what I know realize were Thiel speakers (taller than I was at the time), a very impressive reel-to-reel which I can picture but don’t recall the brand, Thorens turntable (which inspired my first college purchase - and which I’m certain was stolen by my landlord my junior year. He left my Marantz amp, so at least he knew what he was doing).  I also remember tucked away in the reading nook at the far end of the room were several large electronic components - all black with very cool aqua-marine lights.  lol). 

My very first pair of speakers in jr high were hand me down bookshelves from him. 

After he passed my aunt gave me first choice at his record collection. Although she wouldn’t let me have a huge multi volume collection of either Teleman or Vivaldi concerti. Probably Vivaldi. They were reserved for his oldest son.  

After college and outgrowing the obligatory dorm room Marantz my first system was a Technics table (of course), used Polk SDA2s which made my ears bleed and constantly popped fuses, one of the first Carver CD players and Hafler DH220 amp and DH110 pre modded by Musical Concepts.  Kept those for 20 yerars with recaps, etc along the way.  

My Stepfather always had a console stereo. First was a RCA,one of those blonde wood models. Then he got a Motorola console with reverb....of course I wasn't allowed to use it...lol.But I was with my uncle i was,like maybe 9 or 10 and he took me to a neighbors house Harry.He had separated units...Amp,tuner,Reel to Reel, and Speakers...Wow cool stuff.I really didn't like the music he was playing it was Dixie land  bands...But that's went my mind clicked, to separated units...

After working summers and part-time after school, I had saved enough to order Electro-Voice speakers, a BIC turntable, and a Pioneer SX 737 receiver from The Stereo Warehouse in San Luis Obispo in 1975 at age 15. It was my gateway drug to countless systems over the decades...