Biggest impact on you?

Around 1974ish I had a Sherwood receiver, Phillips TT and AR3a speakers. What was really popular at that time were reel-to-reel tape decks. So, I added a pretty good TEAC deck. Can't remember the model. The impact piece came when I went to the local Pacific Stereo store to see a demonstation of a new product by Pioneer. It was the RG-1 Sound Expander/Processor. It was meant to improve sound from tape decks. The place was packed that day and they sold quite a few. I was a buyer and I still have it.

In the late 80's I walked into a computer store here in NYC to have my MAC SE computer fixed. It turned out they also sold audio, and I saw some panel speakers in the other part of the store. I inquired if they were electrostats, since I had read about the technology in Audio magazine when I was in high school.

The salesman played what turned out to be Quad 63 US monitors with very long radio shack or low end monster cables, Quad electronics and CD. I was shocked when I heard what sounded like a live jazz trio playing right in the large showroom. I then went to listen to Quads at a true high end store, but this time with Spectral gear and MIT 330 shotgun cables. I was floored when I heard the price of the cables alone, and thought how can I ever afford such a system.

Being right out of college and in my first job I new I could not drop an entire years salary on a system. But I never got that sound out of my head.

Eventually someone told me about Audiomart and I soon entered the world of buying high end used audio, essentially recreating the system I heard in the high end store, except with Crosby'd ESL63's (which I had never heard until after I bought them)

But that original exposure to the Quads is what really opened my ears as to what was possible. In high school I had heard DQ 10's and infinity 1.5's (I think) that I wanted, but I could never get my dad to spring for high end gear, even though he loved music and played a compact stereo all the time.

Even today my ears seem to prefer point sources, and the speakers I live with (and g-d help me, now sell) in many ways sound like powerful extended versions of those original Quads. The designer, Andrew Jones, loves Quads as well, a listening preference which shows up in his designs.

I also remember vividly my first few exposures to tube amps.

I just recently met two different young audiophiles, one of whom heard my system and commented how unbelievable it was to hear what sounded like the maracas from Sympathy for the Devil playing live right in front of him.

So things have come full circle in a way. I told them both about Audiogon, and have offered to help guide them to find used or budget systems.

So difficult to pick one item, but I think it would be the Koetsu Rosewood Signature cartridge I had for 4 years. Really made vinyl come alive for me. Unfortunately, my current arm is a poor compliance match with Koetsu's, so I can't get another, without changing the arm, which I don't want to do

Hi Rbschauman,

If I may...chronologically:

Mid-late 70's: Hill Plasmatronics loudspeakers

Hiatus - LOL

2000's: BAT VK-75SE amp...Forsell Air Reference CD Transport with Audio Note 4.1X Balanced DAC...dedicated 20 amp circuits...AudioQuest Sky IC's...Studer A820 reel-to-reel recorder...Tape Project analog media...Dali MegaLine III loudspeakers.

Guess I kinda made up for that hiatus, hehe.

Regards,
Sam

MAGICO MINI 2 love them they look and sound wonderful.