Senior Audiophiles - Audiophile since the 60-70's?

Hi,

I believe I qualify @ 52. I've had three systems since 1970. System #1 was Audio Research/Thorens/Klipsch, #2 was Naim/Linn, #3 All Linn.

If I'm allowed 10 Consecutive years as a decade I would choose 1965 thru 1975 for music. If I must choose a decade as most would describe it, I would choose the 60's.

Audio in general keeps getting better and better regarding hardware. Since 1975 music is not as innovative and inspired as years past. Don't get me wrong, there are lots of pearls that have been dropped along the way since '75. They are just harder to find than before.

My current system is the most enjoyable I have ever experienced. If I had to explain, you couldn't possibly understand.

Patrick

I'll check in at being really into it beginning in 1972.

I wouldn't trade my exisiting setup for an earlier one, but I must say the music was just as much fun then as it is now.

My favorite decade was the 70's in undergraduate school. I had a Sansui AU6500 integrated/Thorens TD165 TT/Pioneer 2 way speakers, and my buds thought I had the best sounding tunes at school (Northeastern Univ).

The downside to this hobby is that it's like an Oroboros (Mexican tale of a creature that chases/eats it's own tail, I believe). Someone- please correct me if I'm wrong on that. Sometimes I feel that we're chasing the grail, looking for that last bit of "something" which is just around the corner with the next purchase. That 1970s system of mine had a total retail of less than 600.00 and I was immersed in the music.... I love my system now, love the music that flows from it, but it seems like it's always evolving and changing. My college system was packed, unpacked, moved, stolen, and recovered (Thank you Boston Police!), beat up, scuffed, covered with stickers, and did one simple thing: Produced beautiful music.

Been into it since about 1970 and I definitely have the best system now, that I've ever had. Things have gotten better over the years for sure.

I think right now is the best time I've ever had in audio, partly because of what I've said above. I think the audio hobby, in general, is in a bit of disarray, but if you do your homework, you can really assemble a great system, and enjoy it to the fullest.

My favorite decade was 1965 thru 1975, but that was because of the music, not the audio gear. I still listen to the music from that era more than anything else. The music from today is much slimmer pickin's.

I started my search for the Holy Grail back in the mid 60's when I was in high school. My father introduced me to "Hifi." I had a Heathkit amp and a pair of KLH 17's. I used a Garrard turntable at first and switched to a Dual both with a Shure M91.
My favorite system from the past was purchased in about 1977-78. It consisted of a Dynaco PAT 5 preamp, Dynaco Stereo 150, a pair of "New Advents" and a Dual 1229 turnatable with a Shure V-15II. I also had a Dynaco FM tuner and a Wollensak reel to reel. I also bought one of the first Advent cassette decks with Dolby at some point in there.
Since, I have had all kinds of stuff. I remember my first pair of Vandersteen Model 2's in 1978.
Fast forwarding to now, I have by far the best system I have ever had. No, the old stuff isn't even close. I now have a pair of Vandersteen 3A Signatures, Vandersteen 2Wq subs(a pair), Audible Illusions L-1 preamp, Theta Dreadnaught in a 4-ch configeration for vertical biamping and a Meridian 508-24. I still mess with different wire from time to time but at present, I'm using Tara Labs Master Generation II speaker cables in a bi-wire and Harmonic Technologies interconnect. I have never had a system so pure that just sounds right. This may be it for me. My ears will not hold up forever and I'm ready to retire from the race(more than one.)