Do you ever reminisce about the old days?

13

Comments

  • Joey_V
    Joey_V Posts: 8,505
    edited January 2018
    Alright settle down.

    This thread is about old days meaning speakers and audio equipment of before.

    This is not a spot for ranting about unrelated topics.
    Magico, JL, Emm, ARC Ref 10 line, ARC Ref 10 phono, VPI, Lyra, Boulder, AQ Wel, SRA Scuttle Rack, Bluesound
  • Tony M
    Tony M Posts: 11,009
    You're right. Sorry...
    Here's one from the past that helped me through some tough times . I hope you all enjoy it as much as I did and still do.
    https://youtu.be/qsM7qCulsRM
    Doctor My Eyes
    Jackson Browne
    Doctor, my eyes have seen the years
    And the slow parade of fears without crying
    Now I want to understand
    I have done all that I could
    To see the evil and the good without hiding
    You must help me if you can
    Doctor, my eyes
    Tell me what is wrong
    Was I unwise to leave them open for so long
    'Cause I have wandered through this world
    And as each moment has unfurled
    I've been waiting to awaken from these dreams
    People go just where there will
    I never noticed them until I got this feeling
    That it's later than it seems
    Doctor, my eyes
    Tell me what you see
    I hear their cries
    Just say if it's too late for me
    Doctor, my eyes
    Cannot see the sky
    Is this the prize for having learned how not to cry
    Songwriters: JACKSON BROWNE
    Most people just listen to music and watch movies. I EXPERIENCE them.
  • stangman67
    stangman67 Posts: 2,179
    edited February 2018
    I do. In fact I was just looking through some of my old threads when I was super pumped about buying brand new Monitor 70's 7 years ago and that moved quickly to LSI15's and so on and so forth. Been one hell of a fun ride. My first set of real speakers was a set of use RT800's I got for 100 bucks in 2008ish when I was 19. Real good times
    2 Channel in my home attic/bar/man cave

    2 Channel Focal Kanta 3 I Modwright SWL9.0 Anniversary Pre I Modwright PH9.0X I Modwright KWA-150SE I VPI Prime Signature w/ Soundsmith Zephyr MIMC I Lumin U2 Mini I North Star Designs Intenso DAC I Audience OHNO ICs/Audience Furutech FP-S55N and FP-S032N Power Cables/Acoustic Zen Satori I Isotek Sirius
  • verb
    verb Posts: 10,176
    I go back right to HS when I play this album:
    61ks7u7554ly.png
    Basement: Polk SDA SRS 1.2tl's, Cary SLP-05 Pre with ultimate upgrade,McIntosh MCD301 CD/SACD player, Northstar Designs Excelsio DAC, Cambridge 851N streamer, McIntosh MC300 Amp, Silnote Morpheus Ref2, Series2 Digital Cables, Silnote Morpheus Ref2 Series2 XLR's, Furman 15PFi Power Conditioner, Pangea Power Cables, MIT Shotgun S3 IC's, MIT Shotgun S1 Bi-Wire speaker cables
    Office: PC, EAR Acute CD Player, EAR 834L Pre, Northstar Designs Intenso DAC, Antique Sound Labs AV8 Monoblocks, Denon UDR-F10 Cassette, Acoustic Technologies Classic FR Speakers, SVS SB12 Plus sub, MIT AVt2 speaker cables, IFI Purifier2, AQ Cinnamon USB cable, Groneberg Quatro Reference IC's
    Spare Room: Dayens Ampino Integrated Amp, Tjoeb 99 tube CD player (modified Marantz CD-38), Analysis Plus Oval 9's, Zu Jumpers, AudioEngine B1 Streamer, Klipsch RB-61 v2, SVS PB1000 sub, Blue Jeans RCA IC's, Shunyata Hydra 8 Power Conditioner
    Living Room: Peachtree Nova Integrated, Cambridge CXN v2 Streamer, Rotel RCD-1072 CD player, Furman 15PFi Power Conditioner, Polk RT265 In Wall Speakers, Polk DSW Pro 660wi sub
    Garage #1: Cambridge Audio 640A Integrated Amp, Project Box-E BT Streamer, Polk Tsi200 Bookies, Douglas Speaker Cables, Shunyata Power Conditioner
    Garage #2: Cambridge Audio EVO150 Integrated Amplifier, Polk L200's, Analysis Plus Silver Oval 2 Speaker Cables, IC's TBD.
  • Earthy
    Earthy Posts: 488
    I played that album (Kansas Leftoverture) over and over way back when. When a song comes on the radio, I am disappointed the next one from the album is not up.
    Polk Audio SDA SRS 2.3TL
    Parasound Halo A21
    Parasound Halo P3

    Home theater
    Polk LSiM 707, 706c, 703, 705
    Polk Blackstone TL3 for height
    SVS PB12-ISD Sub
    Denon AVR-X6400h
    Parasound Halo A51
    LG OLED65B7A
    Sony UBPX800
    Logitech Harmony Elite
    PC LSiM 703
    Spare LSIM 702 and 706c

    Home Theater #2
    Polk Audio LS70, CS350LS, LSF/X, S4
    Onkyo TX-NR808



  • Tony M
    Tony M Posts: 11,009
    Brings me back to some GREAT days when a friend would play Kansas ( he turned me on to them and ELP and Manfred manns's Earth band music.) in this great room over his dads' antique shop way out in the country. Right around the corner from the Belmont Boogie building in Va.. He had a Fisher tube amp he would warm up, he had a Leslie organ speaker with the rotating horn tweeter/midrange I guess that he'd warm up. He had 2 speakers with 4-12's , maybe 5 -5" mid's and 2-horns in each speaker. He'd warm up his fingers on the dual-sided, dual leveled keyboard set-up. A lot of fast warmup stuff but not loud. He also had a TT. I don't know what it was. He'd then put an album on ( after we smoked and drank some tequila sunrises before the testing to see if all was right with the keyboards ) and start to play keyboards JUST LIKE the song had. It was like watching a live concert keyboardist while hearing a live concert volume stereo. I have some cool memories hanging out there and his dad looked just like Santa Clause. Just like him! Danny could play the keyboards as well as anybody!

    Good times, but times were just getting ready to hit the fan life wise. But Man could he play. He took piano lessons since he could walk so there was NOTHING he couldn't hear and then repeat it after a little practicing. I heard Kansas for the first time on those huge Speakers. What a system it was! That album has been in rotation for 40 years almost wherever I've lived.

    "Dust in the Wind" and "Point of No Return" 2 of my favorites!
    Most people just listen to music and watch movies. I EXPERIENCE them.
  • verb
    verb Posts: 10,176
    Anyone remember these? One of my fave toys growing up. Yes as a lot of middle age men do acquire these toys to bring back memories, to proudly display on a shelf in the man cave.
    9cmbbgmxptr1.jpeg
    Basement: Polk SDA SRS 1.2tl's, Cary SLP-05 Pre with ultimate upgrade,McIntosh MCD301 CD/SACD player, Northstar Designs Excelsio DAC, Cambridge 851N streamer, McIntosh MC300 Amp, Silnote Morpheus Ref2, Series2 Digital Cables, Silnote Morpheus Ref2 Series2 XLR's, Furman 15PFi Power Conditioner, Pangea Power Cables, MIT Shotgun S3 IC's, MIT Shotgun S1 Bi-Wire speaker cables
    Office: PC, EAR Acute CD Player, EAR 834L Pre, Northstar Designs Intenso DAC, Antique Sound Labs AV8 Monoblocks, Denon UDR-F10 Cassette, Acoustic Technologies Classic FR Speakers, SVS SB12 Plus sub, MIT AVt2 speaker cables, IFI Purifier2, AQ Cinnamon USB cable, Groneberg Quatro Reference IC's
    Spare Room: Dayens Ampino Integrated Amp, Tjoeb 99 tube CD player (modified Marantz CD-38), Analysis Plus Oval 9's, Zu Jumpers, AudioEngine B1 Streamer, Klipsch RB-61 v2, SVS PB1000 sub, Blue Jeans RCA IC's, Shunyata Hydra 8 Power Conditioner
    Living Room: Peachtree Nova Integrated, Cambridge CXN v2 Streamer, Rotel RCD-1072 CD player, Furman 15PFi Power Conditioner, Polk RT265 In Wall Speakers, Polk DSW Pro 660wi sub
    Garage #1: Cambridge Audio 640A Integrated Amp, Project Box-E BT Streamer, Polk Tsi200 Bookies, Douglas Speaker Cables, Shunyata Power Conditioner
    Garage #2: Cambridge Audio EVO150 Integrated Amplifier, Polk L200's, Analysis Plus Silver Oval 2 Speaker Cables, IC's TBD.
  • Tony M
    Tony M Posts: 11,009
    I don't.
    They must have been way out of my price range.
    Most people just listen to music and watch movies. I EXPERIENCE them.
  • verb
    verb Posts: 10,176
    Tony M wrote: »
    I don't.
    They must have been way out of my price range.

    Nah. I got that for Christmas one year among the obligatory socks, underwear, etc.!
    Basement: Polk SDA SRS 1.2tl's, Cary SLP-05 Pre with ultimate upgrade,McIntosh MCD301 CD/SACD player, Northstar Designs Excelsio DAC, Cambridge 851N streamer, McIntosh MC300 Amp, Silnote Morpheus Ref2, Series2 Digital Cables, Silnote Morpheus Ref2 Series2 XLR's, Furman 15PFi Power Conditioner, Pangea Power Cables, MIT Shotgun S3 IC's, MIT Shotgun S1 Bi-Wire speaker cables
    Office: PC, EAR Acute CD Player, EAR 834L Pre, Northstar Designs Intenso DAC, Antique Sound Labs AV8 Monoblocks, Denon UDR-F10 Cassette, Acoustic Technologies Classic FR Speakers, SVS SB12 Plus sub, MIT AVt2 speaker cables, IFI Purifier2, AQ Cinnamon USB cable, Groneberg Quatro Reference IC's
    Spare Room: Dayens Ampino Integrated Amp, Tjoeb 99 tube CD player (modified Marantz CD-38), Analysis Plus Oval 9's, Zu Jumpers, AudioEngine B1 Streamer, Klipsch RB-61 v2, SVS PB1000 sub, Blue Jeans RCA IC's, Shunyata Hydra 8 Power Conditioner
    Living Room: Peachtree Nova Integrated, Cambridge CXN v2 Streamer, Rotel RCD-1072 CD player, Furman 15PFi Power Conditioner, Polk RT265 In Wall Speakers, Polk DSW Pro 660wi sub
    Garage #1: Cambridge Audio 640A Integrated Amp, Project Box-E BT Streamer, Polk Tsi200 Bookies, Douglas Speaker Cables, Shunyata Power Conditioner
    Garage #2: Cambridge Audio EVO150 Integrated Amplifier, Polk L200's, Analysis Plus Silver Oval 2 Speaker Cables, IC's TBD.
  • steveinaz
    steveinaz Posts: 19,521
    Kansas "Leftoverture" is one of my top 5 albums of all time. It's timeless.
    Source: Bluesound Node 2i - Preamp/DAC: Benchmark DAC2 DX - Amp: Parasound Halo A21 - Speakers: MartinLogan Motion 60XTi - Shop Rig: Yamaha A-S501 Integrated - Shop Spkrs: Elac Debut 2.0 B5.2
  • msg
    msg Posts: 9,306
    Dude, you nailed it.
    I disabled signatures.
  • verb
    verb Posts: 10,176
    Ahhh the board. One of my teachers had a wooden oar. Yep I got it a few times. Mom had a special affinity for the orange hot wheels tracks. Ahh, memories! :smile:
    Basement: Polk SDA SRS 1.2tl's, Cary SLP-05 Pre with ultimate upgrade,McIntosh MCD301 CD/SACD player, Northstar Designs Excelsio DAC, Cambridge 851N streamer, McIntosh MC300 Amp, Silnote Morpheus Ref2, Series2 Digital Cables, Silnote Morpheus Ref2 Series2 XLR's, Furman 15PFi Power Conditioner, Pangea Power Cables, MIT Shotgun S3 IC's, MIT Shotgun S1 Bi-Wire speaker cables
    Office: PC, EAR Acute CD Player, EAR 834L Pre, Northstar Designs Intenso DAC, Antique Sound Labs AV8 Monoblocks, Denon UDR-F10 Cassette, Acoustic Technologies Classic FR Speakers, SVS SB12 Plus sub, MIT AVt2 speaker cables, IFI Purifier2, AQ Cinnamon USB cable, Groneberg Quatro Reference IC's
    Spare Room: Dayens Ampino Integrated Amp, Tjoeb 99 tube CD player (modified Marantz CD-38), Analysis Plus Oval 9's, Zu Jumpers, AudioEngine B1 Streamer, Klipsch RB-61 v2, SVS PB1000 sub, Blue Jeans RCA IC's, Shunyata Hydra 8 Power Conditioner
    Living Room: Peachtree Nova Integrated, Cambridge CXN v2 Streamer, Rotel RCD-1072 CD player, Furman 15PFi Power Conditioner, Polk RT265 In Wall Speakers, Polk DSW Pro 660wi sub
    Garage #1: Cambridge Audio 640A Integrated Amp, Project Box-E BT Streamer, Polk Tsi200 Bookies, Douglas Speaker Cables, Shunyata Power Conditioner
    Garage #2: Cambridge Audio EVO150 Integrated Amplifier, Polk L200's, Analysis Plus Silver Oval 2 Speaker Cables, IC's TBD.
  • tonyb
    tonyb Posts: 32,902
    aprazer402 wrote: »
    A snapshot look at my childhood... and maybe yours?
    When I was a child our area code was 402 but we didn't need to use it. And most of my clothes came from Brandies, Sears, Penney's, thrift stores, homemade or hand me downs.
    Eating out at a restaurant was a huge deal that only happened for very special occasions . Kentucky Fried Chicken, Pizza Hut, Goodrich, Roses Lodge, B & G was always a treat. Fast food was a bologna or pb&j sandwich to take outside in the yard . Eating ice cream was a treat on a hot day.
    You took your school clothes off as soon as you got home and put on your play clothes. We had to do our homework before being allowed outside to play.
    We ate dinner at the table. We went to school everyday and walked there all by ourselves or rode a bus. There was no taking or picking you up in the car, you walked!
    Our phone hung on the wall in the kitchen and had a cord there was no private conversation or cell phones! TVs didn’t have remotes, we had to actually get up to change the channel. There were no computers either. Girls & boys played Mother May I, Hopscotch, Cowboys and Indians, Cops and Robbers, 1,2,3 Not It, Red Light Green Light, Red Rover, Hide & Seek, Truth or Dare, Tag, Baseball, 4 square, Kick Ball, Dodge Ball, and rode bikes. Girls could spend hours playing Barbies or house. Boys played football in the yard and jumped their bikes with scrap wood ramps. Hardly anyone had their own pool!
    Staying in the house was a punishment and the only thing we knew about "bored"--- "You better find something to do before I find it for you!"
    We ate what mom made for dinner or we ate nothing at all. There was no bottled water; we drank from the tap or the water hose (warm).
    We watched cartoons on Saturday mornings, and rode our bikes for hours and ran around with our friends. We weren't AFRAID OF ANYTHING. If someone had a fight, that's what it was and we were friends again later, if not SOONER. We played til dark, sunset was our curfew.
    School was mandatory and teachers were people who you could TRUST and respect and you did or you met the "board of education" in the principal's hand.
    We watched our MOUTHS around our elders because ALL of our Aunts, Uncles, Grandpas and Grandmas AND our Parents best friends were also our PARENTS (they COULD & WOULD WHOOP Y'ALL!,) and you didn't want them telling your PARENTS if you misbehaved.
    These were the good ole days. Kids today will never know how it feels to be a real kid. I loved my childhood...!!!
    Kids these days will never understand how we grew up!!!

    Yep you nailed it

    But I believe Joey meant audio gear. Lol

    Not much I miss from the old days audio wise as today's gear is by far better in every way. Sure, there were some exceptional pieces here and there. I had a particular liking for the old tube console stereos.
    HT SYSTEM-
    Sony 850c 4k
    Pioneer elite vhx 21
    Sony 4k BRP
    SVS SB-2000
    Polk Sig. 20's
    Polk FX500 surrounds

    Cables-
    Acoustic zen Satori speaker cables
    Acoustic zen Matrix 2 IC's
    Wireworld eclipse 7 ic's
    Audio metallurgy ga-o digital cable

    Kitchen

    Sonos zp90
    Grant Fidelity tube dac
    B&k 1420
    lsi 9's
  • aprazer402
    aprazer402 Posts: 3,087
    edited April 2020
    verb wrote: »
    Ahhh the board. One of my teachers had a wooden oar. Yep I got it a few times. Mom had a special affinity for the orange hot wheels tracks. Ahh, memories! :smile:

    Only saw one nun, a Sister of Mercy, in grade school, use her long wooden pointing stick to rap kids with only occasionally, she was probably in her mid 70's back then. So she probably was old school. I'm sure they would have reprimanded her if they saw her doing it. The other younger nuns, in their 20's, were quite cool and hip in the late 1960's.
  • delkal
    delkal Posts: 764
    edited April 2020
    I miss the days when you could buy a new component, hook it up with the RCA cable in the box (or lamp cord), turn it on and rock out. Just enjoy the music. It sounded great!

    Now, before I even think about listening to music........I have to plan a day ahead and turn everything on so everything warms up!
  • mantis
    mantis Posts: 17,031
    I remember this tread.
    Yes I still do it a lot. The more things change the more I want to stay the same. With all this technology today in 4k Atmos etc and all the issues with the internet driving basically everything now, I'd rather be more like it was.
    Dan
    My personal quest is to save to world of bad audio, one thread at a time.
  • xsmi
    xsmi Posts: 1,786
    I still own my Polk Monitor 4's and Klipsch KG 4's. Anytime I want to reminisce, I can just rotate those into the system.
    2-channelBelles 22A Pre, Emotiva XPA-2 Gen 2, Marantz SA8005, Pro-Ject RPM-10 Turntable, Pro-Ject Phono Box DS3B, Polk Audio Legend L800's, AudioQuest Cable throughout.
  • PSOVLSK
    PSOVLSK Posts: 5,021
    xsmi wrote: »
    I still own my Polk Monitor 4's and Klipsch KG 4's. Anytime I want to reminisce, I can just rotate those into the system.

    It’s funny, but of all the speakers that have been through here, I still have the R50 that led me to Club Polk. Not sure why because it’s not like they’re this great speaker that I just can’t let go. As a matter of fact, they’re probably one of the worst I’ve had. Though I still say they are shockingly good when given nice, clean power.
    Things work out best for those who make the best of the way things work out.-John Wooden
  • audioluvr
    audioluvr Posts: 5,420
    I use to have a Sharp Receiver with built in 8 track. When my mom would pass out my sister and I would crank Thin Lizzy. Good times until she woke up...
    Gustard X26 Pro DAC
    Belles 21A Pre modded with Mundorf Supreme caps
    B&K M200 Sonata monoblocks refreshed and upgraded
    Polk SDA 1C's modded / 1000Va Dreadnaught
    Wireworld Silver Eclipse IC's and speaker cables
    Harman Kardon T65C w/Grado Gold. (Don't laugh. It sounds great!)


    There is about a 5% genetic difference between apes and men …but that difference is the difference between throwing your own poo when you are annoyed …and Einstein, Shakespeare and Miss January. by Dr. Sardonicus
  • Kex
    Kex Posts: 4,893
    My very first speakers were Cabasse, with a NAD stereo integrated. They were beautifully constructed, and sounded fantastic with the NAD, which never lacked the power to drive them. I had to move for professional reasons, so I gave the whole system to a friend.

    That said, I absolutely do not reminisce about the old days, but I do remember how good those speakers sounded at the time.

    I’ll get really good speakers again at some point, but what I have now suits my needs reasonably well and is convenient to use. All the tube stuff is just sitting idle in boxes. I’m looking forward to the future, not reminiscing about the past.
    Alea jacta est!
  • verb
    verb Posts: 10,176
    Oh yeah! Plenty of times! Ouch! 😀
    Basement: Polk SDA SRS 1.2tl's, Cary SLP-05 Pre with ultimate upgrade,McIntosh MCD301 CD/SACD player, Northstar Designs Excelsio DAC, Cambridge 851N streamer, McIntosh MC300 Amp, Silnote Morpheus Ref2, Series2 Digital Cables, Silnote Morpheus Ref2 Series2 XLR's, Furman 15PFi Power Conditioner, Pangea Power Cables, MIT Shotgun S3 IC's, MIT Shotgun S1 Bi-Wire speaker cables
    Office: PC, EAR Acute CD Player, EAR 834L Pre, Northstar Designs Intenso DAC, Antique Sound Labs AV8 Monoblocks, Denon UDR-F10 Cassette, Acoustic Technologies Classic FR Speakers, SVS SB12 Plus sub, MIT AVt2 speaker cables, IFI Purifier2, AQ Cinnamon USB cable, Groneberg Quatro Reference IC's
    Spare Room: Dayens Ampino Integrated Amp, Tjoeb 99 tube CD player (modified Marantz CD-38), Analysis Plus Oval 9's, Zu Jumpers, AudioEngine B1 Streamer, Klipsch RB-61 v2, SVS PB1000 sub, Blue Jeans RCA IC's, Shunyata Hydra 8 Power Conditioner
    Living Room: Peachtree Nova Integrated, Cambridge CXN v2 Streamer, Rotel RCD-1072 CD player, Furman 15PFi Power Conditioner, Polk RT265 In Wall Speakers, Polk DSW Pro 660wi sub
    Garage #1: Cambridge Audio 640A Integrated Amp, Project Box-E BT Streamer, Polk Tsi200 Bookies, Douglas Speaker Cables, Shunyata Power Conditioner
    Garage #2: Cambridge Audio EVO150 Integrated Amplifier, Polk L200's, Analysis Plus Silver Oval 2 Speaker Cables, IC's TBD.
  • zarrdoss
    zarrdoss Posts: 2,562
    I miss the way this forum used to be. Back when I picked up some SDA 2B's, hooked them up and it was magical. Then I got on here and found out that was just the beginning. In a lot of ways those were one of my favorite SDA's.
  • afterburnt
    afterburnt Posts: 7,892
    I miss WLIR (I think) coming in so loud and clear that you could make some pretty decent cassette tapes off of it for the car. WPLJ came in good too but neither compared to sitting in the middle of Manhattan that was just amazing! Oh yeah, when FM was new! The Cream set me on a path to no return. I do think about when most cars just had AM and doing late nights listening to full-power stations from 1000 miles away.
  • pearsall001
    pearsall001 Posts: 4,981
    All the time...I miss my rotary phone.
    "2 Channel & 11.2 HT "Two Channel:Magnepan LRSSchiit Audio Freya S - SS preConsonance Ref 50 - Tube preParasound HALO A21+ 2 channel ampBluesound NODE 2i streameriFi NEO iDSD DAC Oppo BDP-93KEF KC62 sub Home Theater:Full blown 11.2 set up.
  • txcoastal1
    txcoastal1 Posts: 13,124
    All the time...I miss my rotary phone.

    Lol

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BtUEEZ2eYl8
    2-channel: Modwright KWI-200 Integrated, Dynaudio C1-II Signatures
    Desktop rig: LSi7, Polk 110sub, Dayens Ampino amp, W4S DAC/pre, Sonos, JRiver
    Gear on standby: Melody 101 tube pre, Unison Research Simply Italy Integrated
    Gone to new homes: (Matt Polk's)Threshold Stasis SA12e monoblocks, Pass XA30.5 amp, Usher MD2 speakers, Dynaudio C4 platinum speakers, Modwright LS100 (voltz), Simaudio 780D DAC

    erat interfectorem cesar et **** dictatorem dicere a