First taste of high end audio

PFL89
PFL89 Posts: 22
in The Clubhouse
OK, its Friday in July and it's hotter than the hubs of hell here in Michigan, so lets take it easy today and do a little walk down memory lane....

What was your first taste of quality Hi-Fi equipment? Mine was when I borrowed the rest of the money from my Mom to get my Pioneer 838 receiver, a Pioneer PL510A Turntable and a pair of Marantz HD-66 speakers. I was living at home and had just started working at Toys R Us, so I had more money than sense and began this long journey of chasing quality sound. At just 18, I thought I had died and gone to heaven!!

Of course, like a junkie lookin' for his next fix, it wasn't long before the upgrading began....more speakers, better receivers, better turntables and so on.

So, what's your story?? :p
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  • codycatalist
    codycatalist Posts: 2,662
    Sda SRS 2s with an adcom stack. I believe it had a GFA555. Fell in love and now have Sda 2Bs with a GFA545.
    Just a dude doing dude-ly things

    "Temptation is the manifestation of desire which equals necessity." - Mikey081057
    " I have always had a champange taste with a beer budget" - Rick88
    "Just because the thread is getting views don't mean much .. I like a good train wreck doesn't mean i want to be in one..." - pitdogg2
    "Those that don't know, don't know that they don't know." - heiney9
    "Audiophiles are the male equivalent of cat ladies." - Audiokarma Member
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  • polrbehr
    polrbehr Posts: 2,834
    After my parents split up and my dad moved to Fla, the first time I went to visit him he had this awesome (to me) setup - all I can recall is the components were made by Fisher-Studio Standard, and included 3 way speakers, an integrated amp with a flywheel-type tuner, and a turntable that had a speed adjustment that you made by watching the orange light on the edge of the platter. Before he moved he used to have some vintage marantz tube gear with a Garrard table, but I was way too young to appreciate it.

    It's been 43 years since then, and I probably still haven't equaled that Fisher rig yet, though I am quite content with my SDA/Adcom setup anyway.
    So, are you willing to put forth a little effort or are you happy sitting in your skeptical poo pile?


    http://audiomilitia.proboards.com/
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  • Joey_V
    Joey_V Posts: 8,570
    At Tweeter in Illinois. Heard the Polk lsi9 for the first time and I was smitten.
    Magico M2, JL113v2x2, EMM, ARC Ref 10 Line, ARC Ref 10 Phono, VPIx2, Lyra Etna, Airtight Opus1, Boulder, AQ Wel&Wild, SRA Scuttle Rack, BlueSound+LPS, Thorens 124DD+124SPU, Sennheiser, Metaxas R2R
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  • Viking64
    Viking64 Posts: 7,113
    edited August 2020
    When I bought my SDA SRS 2.3TLs from the dealer in 1992.
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  • invalid
    invalid Posts: 1,373
    Mark Levinson ML2's and B&W 808"s I can't recall the source.
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  • erniejade
    erniejade Posts: 6,321
    Mid 70's. A friend's dad had a marantz 2245 and JBL L100. After that it was all down hill for me.
    Klipsch The Nines, Audioquest Thunderbird Interconnect, Innuos Zen MK3 W4S recovery, Revolution Audio Labs USB & Ethernet, Border Patrol SE-I, Audioquest Niagara 5000 & Thunder, Cullen Crossover II PC's.
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  • BlueFox
    BlueFox Posts: 15,251
    Pioneer CS A700 speakers, AR-XB turntable, forgot the receiver since it was in the 70s. :)
    Lumin X1 file player, Westminster Labs interconnect cable
    Sony XA-5400ES SACD; Pass XP-22 pre; X600.5 amps
    Magico S5 MKII Mcast Rose speakers; SPOD spikes

    Shunyata Triton v3/Typhon QR on source, Denali 2000 (2) on amps
    Shunyata Sigma XLR analog ICs, Sigma speaker cables
    Shunyata Sigma HC (2), Sigma Analog, Sigma Digital, Z Anaconda (3) power cables

    Mapleshade Samson V.3 four shelf solid maple rack, Micropoint brass footers
    Three 20 amp circuits.
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  • CGTIII
    CGTIII Posts: 1,080
    With Magnaplanar/Subwoofer(s) in 1982 at SideTrack Audio in Auburn, Ala. I was standing, listening in disbelief. The salesman said, it sounds better if you sit down. It did. I don't recall what they played but was an emotional experience!
    Expect that there will be bumps in the road. Choose to not let them rattle you.

    Polk - Monitor 10As, SDA 2Bs, LSi9s, White RTi4s, S4s, M3s, various centers.
    Boston - CR7, CR6s, CR4s.
    Subs - M&K V4, M&K VX-7B, JBL SUB150P, Jamo Sub 250, and others.
    ​Thompson Adventures, Inc.
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  • joecoulson
    joecoulson Posts: 4,943
    Good thread @PFL89 !

    Mine (similar to Joey) was at Hifibuys in Gwinnett Mall in the northern suburbs of Atlanta.

    Heard the Def Tech BP towers and a full 5.1 setup in 1993ish and was just captivated. Was into car stereo but nothing compared to the wrap around sound of 5.1 over Dolby stereo. Still would like to have a pair of the DT flagship towers now.
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  • Clipdat
    Clipdat Posts: 12,953
    edited August 2020
    Part of it was when I was a kid, exploring the insane HT and car audio displays at Flanners Audio and Video on Bluemound Rd in Brookfield, WI circa mid 1990s.

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  • Tony M
    Tony M Posts: 11,164
    Hearing ESS AMT-1b's in a big room. They were positioned on the short wall.

    They're in my living room now. ;)
    Most people just listen to music and watch movies. I EXPERIENCE them.
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  • machone
    machone Posts: 1,510
    edited August 2020
    Back in the 70's in Macon, GA. Original Large Advents with a Phase Linear 700B. Second side of Yes Fragile. It was a jaw dropper.
    Mojo Audio Illuminati v3>>Quantum Byte w/LMS>>Rpi/PiCoreplayer>> Starlight 7 USB >> Mojo Audio Mystique v2 SE>>ModWright SWL 9.0 SE Signature>>Hafler DH-500 Amp+ (Musical Concepts Fully Modded)>>
    SRS 2.3TL (Fully Modded)...Velodyne Optimum 8 subwoofer
    1KVA Dreadnought

    Marantz SA 8005
    Pioneer PLX-1000 Turntable - Shure SC35C/N35X - V15III/VN35HE
    Yamaha TX-540 Tuner...Sony BDP-S570
    Sony PS4

    Separate subpanel with four dedicated 20 amp circuits.
    1. Amplification 2. Analog 3. Digital 4. Video

    "All THAT IS LOST FROM THE SOURCE IS LOST FOREVER"
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  • joecoulson
    joecoulson Posts: 4,943
    Had no idea high end and Macon had anything to do with each other....

    😂😜
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  • machone
    machone Posts: 1,510
    For a country boy like me it was awesome! 😁
    Mojo Audio Illuminati v3>>Quantum Byte w/LMS>>Rpi/PiCoreplayer>> Starlight 7 USB >> Mojo Audio Mystique v2 SE>>ModWright SWL 9.0 SE Signature>>Hafler DH-500 Amp+ (Musical Concepts Fully Modded)>>
    SRS 2.3TL (Fully Modded)...Velodyne Optimum 8 subwoofer
    1KVA Dreadnought

    Marantz SA 8005
    Pioneer PLX-1000 Turntable - Shure SC35C/N35X - V15III/VN35HE
    Yamaha TX-540 Tuner...Sony BDP-S570
    Sony PS4

    Separate subpanel with four dedicated 20 amp circuits.
    1. Amplification 2. Analog 3. Digital 4. Video

    "All THAT IS LOST FROM THE SOURCE IS LOST FOREVER"
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  • machone
    machone Posts: 1,510
    I think I remember the front end was some sort of preamp noise reduction thingy by Phase Linear.
    Mojo Audio Illuminati v3>>Quantum Byte w/LMS>>Rpi/PiCoreplayer>> Starlight 7 USB >> Mojo Audio Mystique v2 SE>>ModWright SWL 9.0 SE Signature>>Hafler DH-500 Amp+ (Musical Concepts Fully Modded)>>
    SRS 2.3TL (Fully Modded)...Velodyne Optimum 8 subwoofer
    1KVA Dreadnought

    Marantz SA 8005
    Pioneer PLX-1000 Turntable - Shure SC35C/N35X - V15III/VN35HE
    Yamaha TX-540 Tuner...Sony BDP-S570
    Sony PS4

    Separate subpanel with four dedicated 20 amp circuits.
    1. Amplification 2. Analog 3. Digital 4. Video

    "All THAT IS LOST FROM THE SOURCE IS LOST FOREVER"
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  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 33,909
    That was, I would expect, a PL 4000 "autocorrelator" preamp...

    27764267609_5ac3275a73_b.jpgPhase Linear 4000 Preamp by Willi Vintage, on Flickr
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  • oldrocker
    oldrocker Posts: 2,590
    My Mom's new in 1970 console unit. Can't remember the brand but it did have the 8 track player in it. Sure seemed hifi to me as a kid.

    Fond memories playing Boots Randolph Yakety Sax over and over, I mostly remember getting busted for playing it so much. :D

    So I hooked this old stuff up, found a recording of ole Mr. Boots and let it play.

    SX 950, GX-280D-SS, SH-8055 and some CS-99A's.

    Took me back a bit B)









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  • joecoulson
    joecoulson Posts: 4,943
    Very cool. Not many of us can recreate like that. Kudos.
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  • BlueFox
    BlueFox Posts: 15,251
    oldrocker wrote: »
    Fond memories playing Boots Randolph Yakety Sax over and over, I mostly remember getting busted for playing it so much. :D

    My parents had a Sears Console, which I guess cost big bucks in the early 60s. Since they both worked, I used to play it (loud) when I got home from school. So I came home one day, and was playing Chubby Checker Twist when I hear “What the h e l l are you doing.” Oops. Mom was sick and came home early. :)
    Lumin X1 file player, Westminster Labs interconnect cable
    Sony XA-5400ES SACD; Pass XP-22 pre; X600.5 amps
    Magico S5 MKII Mcast Rose speakers; SPOD spikes

    Shunyata Triton v3/Typhon QR on source, Denali 2000 (2) on amps
    Shunyata Sigma XLR analog ICs, Sigma speaker cables
    Shunyata Sigma HC (2), Sigma Analog, Sigma Digital, Z Anaconda (3) power cables

    Mapleshade Samson V.3 four shelf solid maple rack, Micropoint brass footers
    Three 20 amp circuits.
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  • joecoulson
    joecoulson Posts: 4,943
    You twist, she shout
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