Pictures of your earliest setups

joecoulson
joecoulson Posts: 4,943
in The Clubhouse
Wanted to start a fun thread (sorry for queso) for ones who want to participate. I found a couple pictures (one I will wait to post) of my early setups. The one below is circa 98 and is comprised of a Toshiba 27”, Sony DVP and a JBL HTIB. This was my first foray into HT and Even though it was puny, it sparked my imagination. Let’s see some of your early setups if you can dig out the photos!

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  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 33,593
    Cool idea for a thread!

    Somewhere I have identically one photograph (remember those?) of my college hifi. -Imma go a-lookin' for it presently. :)

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  • SCompRacer
    SCompRacer Posts: 8,457
    edited July 2020
    Not the oldest but an old one....the speakers were moved toward rack for the pic, camera lens limitations.

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    Salk SoundScape 8's * Audio Research Reference 3 * Bottlehead Eros Phono * Park's Audio Budgie SUT * Krell KSA-250 * Harmonic Technology Pro 9+ * Signature Series Sonore Music Server w/Deux PS * Roon * Gustard R26 DAC / Singxer SU-6 DDC * Heavy Plinth Lenco L75 Idler Drive * AA MG-1 Linear Air Bearing Arm * AT33PTG/II & Denon 103R * Richard Gray 600S * NHT B-12d subs * GIK Acoustic Treatments * Sennheiser HD650 *
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  • joecoulson
    joecoulson Posts: 4,943
    Wow Rich. For an early setup, that’s pretty high end. Thank you for sharing.
    Ps love how we both have clocks above the rig.
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  • spongebobsquarepants
    spongebobsquarepants Posts: 167
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    First setup after moving into my own place. The only thing that remains is the technics sl-d2 with a pickering xv-15 cartridge (thanks dad!)
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  • joecoulson
    joecoulson Posts: 4,943
    I bet it could still jam pretty loud.
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  • Viking64
    Viking64 Posts: 6,986
    edited July 2020
    Mine circa 1992.

    Seven channels of Polks. SDA SRS 2.3TL, a C100 center, 4.5 for front surrounds, 4.6 for rear surrounds. I even had the bass brace screwed into that slant ceiling. :o

    A brand new flagship Yamaha DSP Pro-Logic integrated. A 1988 Yamaha CD player. A 1984 Harman/Kardon cassette deck. A 1984 Sony Betamax VCR. A 1991 Sony S-VHS VCR. And a 1990 27" Zenith Advanced System Three TV that I kept for 20 years until I finally replaced it in 2010 with a Panasonic 65" plasma. :p

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  • joecoulson
    joecoulson Posts: 4,943
    Wow. That’s impressive Jim.
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  • krazypolk
    krazypolk Posts: 745
    joecoulson wrote: »
    Wow. That’s impressive Jim.

    What, that he kept that 27" Zenith for 20 years?
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  • joecoulson
    joecoulson Posts: 4,943
    That too
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  • Nightfall
    Nightfall Posts: 10,086
    I wish I had a picture. It was a silver face Pioneer SX something or other, Yamaha CDX-910, and Acoustic Research bookies.
    afterburnt wrote: »
    They didn't speak a word of English, they were from South Carolina.

    Village Idiot of Club Polk
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  • pitdogg2
    pitdogg2 Posts: 25,275
    My stone tablet broke on the way to the fax machine.....so I'll just explain.

    Yamaha AX500u integrated
    Sony es 501 cd player
    Cerwin Vega D7's
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  • mrbiron
    mrbiron Posts: 5,711
    edited July 2020
    Don’t have a photo of my Onkyo 606, RTiA5s, and some dated Panasonic Blu-ray player.

    Twas’ a simpler time...
    Where’s the KABOOM?!?! There’s supposed to be an Earth shattering KABOOM!!!
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  • Polkitup2
    Polkitup2 Posts: 1,621
    I bought this Bose system in 2000 and sold it in 2005. I always wondered why I didn't enjoy 2 channel listening anymore. I mean Bose was top of the line right? :) This was primarily my Home theater audio phase when I knew nothing about audio.

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    I replaced the Bose system with this Polk and NAD system in 2005. This is system that got me hooked on this insane hobby. That system rocked. This was my shake the house audio phase.

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    Ok, I played all the Led Zeppelin, Metallica, and Rush that the wife could stand so time to scale back a little and get more sophisticated. In with the NHT Classic 3. I am a budding audiophile now.

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    Ok, the NHT didn't give me the sound I wanted. On to 2008 and in come the Tyler Linbrook Signature speakers. These did a lot of things well.

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    Time for a change in electronics in 2009. Out with the NAD and in with Musical Fidelity. Also please note the change to MIT cables. Things are really sounding good now. I am getting into Jazz music a little bit.

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    Not enough juice with the Musical Fidelity A1, let's try some Wyred 4 Sound electronics. Very transparent sounding gear.

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    What? The Musical Fidelity CD player has been replaced by a DAC and a laptop.

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    Although an excellent speaker, Eventually the Tyler's had a flavor that seemed to permeate everything and it was time to move on. On to Martin Logan.

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    I replaced the Wyred preamp with a Parasound JC2. The Wyred I felt was a bit harsh sounding at times.

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    Then I replaced the Wyred amp with Bel Canto Ref500m. A little less transparent than the Wyred amp, but better sounding overall.

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    Now getting serious, replaced the Bel Canto and Parasound JC2 with Mac gear in late 2013. This was just an all around great upgrade. Glad I didn't start here, I would have missed all the fun along the way!

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    How does the Mac DAC compare to the Wyred DAC? Mac loses!
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    Into Vinyl in 2014. Souped up the Rega P3 with Grove tracer platter and sub assembly and it is still in use today.

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    Replaced the Martin Logans with Harbeth Hl5+ in late 2017 and have had them since. The system has been pretty stable since then. Some power and cable changes along the way. No more MIT, all Audioquest now. I like both MIT and Audioquest, I feel if you could mash them both together you would have the perfect cable.

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    No future changes planned as of today :)
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  • joecoulson
    joecoulson Posts: 4,943
    That’s awesome. Thank You for sharing and so cool you recorded all your steps.
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  • OleBoot
    OleBoot Posts: 2,627
    Sorry, no pictures, I didn't have my Box Brownie handy in 1970, apparently. I had a Garrard SP25, a Teleton amp and some Leak two ways with a grille that looked like an air vent. That's all my geriatric mind can remember.
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  • spongebobsquarepants
    spongebobsquarepants Posts: 167
    Wow, these are amazing!
    @viking64 holy cow! What a setup!

    @Polkitup2 I always figured the da1 dac in my mac integrated was top notch... now I'm not so sure ;)
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  • VR3
    VR3 Posts: 28,522
    Fun time
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    - Not Tom ::::::: Any system can play Diana Krall. Only the best can play Limp Bizkit.
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  • aprazer402
    aprazer402 Posts: 3,136
    Nice thread Joe! No photos. My first real starter system was 1973ish. Kenwood KR-4400 receiver, Dual 1225 turntable with a Shure M91E cartridge, Utah M-1500 speakers with 15" woofers and a Lafayette top loading cassette deck. All for just under $450.00. I was happy. Started reading Stereo Review, High Fidelity... along with almost weekly visits to hi-fi stores which created a desire for more and better... :)
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  • audioluvr
    audioluvr Posts: 5,557
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    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
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  • joecoulson
    joecoulson Posts: 4,943
    Trey! You baller!

    Thank You @aprazer402, the thread was my wife’s idea. Can’t take credit.

    Keep it going.
    Mark, waiting on yours...
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  • xschop
    xschop Posts: 5,000
    All my Polaroids are faded.
    Don't take experimental gene therapies from known eugenicists.
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  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 33,593
    edited July 2020
    xschop wrote: »
    All my Polaroids are faded.

    That sounds like a line from the lyrics of a sad, sad song. :|


    Actually -- it reminds me of this one, come to think of it...


    https://youtu.be/TxipVM_0CBA
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  • joecoulson
    joecoulson Posts: 4,943
    C’mon Mark....
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  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 33,593
    yeah, yeah -- I am goin' through stuff here like a madman.
    You know how everyone cleaned house the first coupla weeks of the COVID-19 lockdown?
    Mrs. H & I are late bloomers.


    50149247828_dba8fc08f1_b.jpgDSC_0045 by Mark Hardy, on Flickr
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  • pitdogg2
    pitdogg2 Posts: 25,275
    Lmao
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  • joecoulson
    joecoulson Posts: 4,943
    Well, throw on that Songs From The Big Chair cd and get to findin’ it!
    :smile:
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  • Clipdat
    Clipdat Posts: 12,931
    Radiohead OK Computer spotted!
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  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 33,593
    edited July 2020
    What's goin' on in that photo is -- I have... ahh... a few CDs that have been acquired mostly from the annual "Five College Book Sale" up here in the Upper Valley. It is a big (huge) deal every spring (well, not in 2020 :() and it is an outstanding event for collectors/readers of books of all sorts. They also tend to get a good selection of CDs that sell for reasonable prices (typically 50 cents to 2 dollars). I had two (dump find) CD racks full of such things, arrayed in no particular order. Since I am doin' all sorts of stuff upstairs anyway, yesterday I bit the bullet* and combined and alphabetized the whole shootin' match on a third dump find CD rack :)

    Good times.

    So -- some CDs in that collection that are a little outside of my mainstream tastes. :)
    I also discovered that I had two copies of Eurythmics' "Greatest Hits". :p One was apparently $2, while the other was $0.50 (oddly enough).

    EDIT: Also mixed in there are some CDs from opening acts we saw (such as an amazing African guitarist called Senie Hunt - now living here in NH), etc. :)
    Heh -- there's even a Shakira CD in there :p I found that one at the ol' Harvard town dump, though (i.e., no money was spent to acquire that one).
    ____________________
    * In other words, I was working on one project upstairs, so - before finishing - I turned 90 degrees and started on another one. That's pretty much my style. Ready, fire, aim. :|

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  • xschop
    xschop Posts: 5,000
    mhardy6647 wrote: »
    Heh -- there's even a Shakira CD in there :p I found that one at the ol' Harvard town dump, though (i.e., no money was spent to acquire that one).
    ____________________

    I would have left that one in it's final resting place there.
    Don't take experimental gene therapies from known eugenicists.
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  • Jimbo18
    Jimbo18 Posts: 2,334
    First pic is from 1972 in Monterey, Ca. Second one is from 1974. Speakers not in picture were AR 2Ax's or I might still have had KLH 5's.w59r3tsvplmb.jpgcyavs4mavcw7.jpg

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