How long ago did you catch the bug?

In many respects… the real high end stuff has always been primarily an old guy thing. As a young audiophile I used to drive up to Phoenix from Tucson to the Audio Research / high end audio store to look and listen. The only guys walking out with new Audio Research equipment we’re old guys. Us youngsters were there to dream…. Maybe buy a used budget piece of equipment. Like the shiny new corvettes… old guys! A small compensation for getting old.

I was part of a family band growing up and I would mess around with the PA equipment. Got my first audio system in 1971 and first really high-end system in 1974. So, let's see, that means something around 50 years in this hobby. Still intrigued by it all, in fact just got off the phone with Jerry at Audio Magic. I've had a variety of interests through the years, but Audio/Video has gotten the most consistent attention.

Around 48 yrs ago when I was 10. I remember it quite well. I was running through a large department store in 1974 with my twin brother to go check out their sporting goods section when I was stopped dead in my tracks running past a full display of blue light Marantz gear that was expertly displayed on isle racks with literature.

What a discovery to find such cool looking and well thought out gear that made music!

Well I wanted good sound in jr high as early as '73. Didn't but anything worthwhile until my inheritance in '80. 

1979, as a college freshman, at tech hifi in providence r-i, first hanging out, became a go-fer, then worked there part time on big sale days, then became a regular inventory clerk and sales person on fridays and holidays weekends through the balance of my undergrad engineering years

dual, technics, thorens turntables, micro acoustics, stanton, pickering, sonus carts, ohm advent and jbl speakers, harmon kardon, pioneer, sherwood receivers, higher end was sae and nikko phase linear separates, micro seiki tt’s (still have my dd40 w ma505!! )... discwasher record cleaners with the red fluid bottle in the wood handle, early akg and sennheiser 414 h-p’s with bright yellow earpads... jackson browne, michael henderson, commodores, chic, jazz crusaders, stanley clarke, earl klugh, chick corea ... fun times...