What did your system look like 30 years ago?
ejr1953 I actively use my Tandberg 2080 for my garage/shop/speakers tossed out the window to back yard for picnics. Loaded with features, excellent FM, adjust phono sensitivity to match Phono 1 to Phono 2, Got it at Harvey’s, used shelf, another piece my friend Steve told me was coming out Those B&O systems were so beautiful they made me drool. |
Harvey’s Rt. 17 Paramus? That’s where I believe I bought a Tandberg TR2080 new a couple years after that picture to upgrade from the Hitachi. Beauty! Sold it to a collector in Norway a few years back as it was getting a bit old in the tooth but always a top notch sounding receiver. The Hitachi was my college receiver, the Tandberg grad school. |
Same as it does now except the Lux CL-32 pre is replaced (FINALLY) with an Audio Research SP-6B. Newly acquired Audio Research EC-21 will move the Hafler 500 (I assembled it in 1975 at my desk at my shop) to the bottom end--should be enough to drive the Tympani I-C's bass panels. Looking to purchase a used Audio Research tube amp of 100+ for the top. Shoulda kept my demo system from the shop--Audio Research D-150. Heck of an amp! Cheers! |
@mapman I remember the Harvey store on 17 quite well. It was on the northbound side and was pretty close where there’s now a Tesla dealer. I used to work in Hackensack so I passed Harvey 2X a day. Bought stuff from them over the years too! There also used to be a Leonard Radio on 17, and Rt 4 had a Tech HIFI. There was another place on Rt4- Stereo Warehouse. Not far, in Ridgewood, was the Sounding Board. Englewood had Stewart’s. Funny that these days when I pass locations that were former hifi shops I always think of what was there. I’m a bit north- in Rockland. We had one place in Nanuet. It was a good place until the owner retired and then the son took over. What a gannif/thief! He ran it into the ground. These days, the hifi shops in reasonable proximity to me are in white plains, mount kisco, and Cornwall. All three are quite different. In order of preference- mount kisco, Cornwall, then white plains. If I get ambitious, and I’ve done it, under 3 hrs and I’m in Binghamton/Vestal |
Interesting thread. Back then I had Duntech Princess loudspeakers, Audio Research Classic 150 amps, an Audio Research SP11 Mk II preamp, a Vendetta Research phono stage, a Basis Ovation turntable (had just gotten it, still own it) with a Graham 1.5T arm and a Transfiguration cartridge, and a Krell MD 1/64SBX (not sure of the model designation, it was then their best DAC) DAC combination. Cables were a hodgepodge, but I did have very short Siltech speaker cables. I think I may have replaced the ARC preamp with a Jadis JPL line stage in the summer of that year--the start of my descent into all tube electronics. |
Circa 1991, and the only system in my house at that time: Harman Kardon HK795i receiver Technics SL-230 turntable Stanton 500 cartridge Sony CDP-110 CD player Harman Kardon TD212 cassette deck EPI 1200 loudspeakers Most of the current audio equipment that I listen to these days is vintage, with the exception of my DAC’s. The electronics are vintage vacuum tube. The speakers are AR, KLH, and EPI. Almost all my current equipment is older than the system listed above from 30 years ago I still have the HK 795i receiver, TD212 cassette deck, and Technics turntable. I am just now trying to sell the HK795i. The TD212 is still around in case I want to listen to old cassettes, but that is a very rare occurrence. The SL-230 turntable is still very much in use and is now mated to an Ortofon 2M Red cartridge. It is one of a number of turntables hooked up in my basement audio systems. |
Allison Ones, Audible Illusions 2D, Kenwood KD-500 TT, Grace G-707 arm, Dynavector MR 23 Ruby, Premier head amp, oak plywood rack, Monster cable SC, Audiquest Ruby ICs, Mod Squad 405 amp, Dual C-901 cassette. The analog setup was used for 13 years minus the cartridge, and the amp was used for about 13 years on its was to 28. Speakers for about 13 years also. All bought new--Victor's Stereo on Erie in Chicago, Paul Heath Audio on Clark in Chicago, Quintessence in Naperville, And the TT/arm was bought from a couple of mail order warehouses in California. Bob |
Down to zilch.... Was traveling the country and Canada in a new 34' motorhome for 8 months at age 39 with spouse and Grace the Wonder Cat. Only thing kept was a Niles Audio CPM-31 switchbox, because I correctly thought I'd never see anything like it again. Still have it....still works. *S* Better than me, age-wise...;) |
Ah yes the Milty Zerostat (anti static gun). It was red. Good times. My older son (now past thirty) as a tyke turned up the volume all the way, gave us heart attacks and blew out my beloved three way Braun (810?) speakers. Amp was a Marantz, TT was a B&O, Tandberg Cassette Deck and hardware store 16G wire. Fun to remember. |
How many of us still has any of the gear we had 30 years ago? I still have my zerostat, but that’s about it. I’ve owned my turntable 23 years now- so my oldest piece of gear is a Marantz tuner. That’s either late 60’s or early 70’s (is there a Marantz serial number database?) my McIntosh tuner has been identified as having been made in 1973 (Rich Modaferri told me) both of these tuners came into my possession within the past few years |
Rotel RCD 990 (still have it!) Adcom GFP 565 Adcom GFA 565 MBs Thiel CS 2 2 AQ Midnight speaker cable Very poor system that was irritating and wildly unmusical sounding. Borderline unlistenable. Got a McCormack DNA 1 to replace and Adcom amps and liftoff. Then got Thiel 3.6es (also still own them) and Earth orbit achieved. Added tube preamp and better power cords and balanced interconnects (SMc modded for balanced operation) and Moon landing. |
30 years ago I was still using my Denon DP-60L with Grace F9e, C-J PV6 to Acoustat TNT-120 driving a pair of (45 y/o) JBL L100s (orange). I used a Sony 75ES CD player and a Sony 75ES DAT player. The analogue part of that system is still in use in my living room. Both amps have been recap’d and the speakers have been upgraded with a very high end crossover. The turntable still is on with stable speeds in both 33 & 45. |
Wow I had think about how long ago 30 years was Onkyo TX-35 Stereo Receiver b&w DM110i speakers (monster cable) cables then up graded to Onkyo TX 84 because the 35 just did not cut it... Onkyo DX 2800 CD Player, also had a 1985 Pioneer CD player that was fantastic pioneer linear LS 150 turntable with shure upgraded needle Teac tape deck and hi end NEC Hi Fi VCR |
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Nakamichi 530 receiver, B&O 2402 turntable, Magnepan SMGs (loved the sound, hated the tiny sweetspot) and a higher end Yamaha cassette deck with a "sendust" head, and of course, my speaker cables were those heavy, 8 gauge monster cables. A good friend built me beautiful, heavy, hardwood audio cabinet with leveling feet and I'm still using it today. He was an audiophile, engineer and a hobbyist woodworker, designing and building my cabinet as a warm up for building his own. I lucked out getting such a cabinet. |
First post on the forum and funnily enough, as I just got a completely new system following a ten year hiatus (due to the fact that my now ex-wife hated any kind of noise, mostly including music), I was reminiscing about my old systems and the path that brought me to here: 1990 - Sony CDP-490, which was my 18th birthday present - Trio Kenwood Ka2000 integrated amp inherited from my grandfather - Kef concentric driver speakers inherited from my father This was installed in my bedroom which was tiny, maybe 2m by 3m. The speakers were mounted on the wall above my bed and the CDP & amp in the space built into the underside of the bed. 1995 - bought from Moorgate acoustics in Sheffield after I graduated from univeristy - Arcam Alpa One CDP and Integrated Amp - Moraudant Short MS10 speakers I only had this system a very short time as it travelled with me from Sheffield to London where I started my 'career'. 1996 - bought from Hifi Lounge as was at the top of Tottenham Court road in London. I remember vividly they used to sell very high end systems and my exceptionally modest system felt paltry in comparrison to sounds eminating from the other demo rooms - Marantz CD 63SE MKII ostensibly because that was the MUST HAVE sub £500 CDP at the time - Cyrus 3 integrated amp; added the PSX-R later - Mission 771 stand mount speakers - Audioquest Indigo interconnect & speaker cable This is the system I owned the longest and travelled with me from London back to Manchester when I did my Masters and then to Chester. 2005 - bought from Adventures in HiFi in Chester - Naim CDX-2; later added XPS-2 - Naim 202/200; later added Hi-Cap - Dynaudio 52SE; later swapped for Shahinian Arcs in 2006 This was the system that made me feel I'd reall 'arrived' in the world of high(er) end audio. It was very exciting to buy and a crazy purchase only made possible by cashing in an endowment policy I no longer needed. Thish was the second poorest financial decision I ever made (after selling my flat in London to finance an MBA. I should have kept the flat, rented it out and borrowed the money!) But poor as that decision was, the system gave me a huge amount of joy. It moved with me from Chester to Croydon (where I lived happily without a TV for six months) and then into my girlfriend's house and then the family home after we married. I had it in a dedicated listening room for a few years and then when kids arrived and my wife's tolerance for noise and me disappearing upstairs to listen rather than watch telly evaporated, I ended up selling it all on. 2020 - bought from G-Point AUDIO and a huge milestone in my audiophile journey. I promised myself I would buy a dream (for me) system when I finally got into my own place and this is it! - Lukasz LDM Mini server - Lampizator Golden Gate DAC - Silvercore 833 monobloc SET amps - Horns FP10 - Hifidelity HFC CT1-U RCA interconnect & speaker cables |
30 years ago I had a Sansui AU217 driving mission 700s on Target stands and fed from either a Sansui cassette player, a NAD4020A tuner or a Townshend Rock mk2 with Rega 300 and a Dynavector 17D2 with a Tom Evans phonostage (the board was made by Tom but most were put in a box by Michell Engineering and sold as the iso, mine was a pre production test sample and I sourced my own box and an over sized transformer). |
Snell Type J IIs w/lead loaded Snell stands & Apature Accuflow speaker cables bi amped with a pair of B&K ST140 amps, Audible Illusions Modulas preamp, PS Audio Digital Link, Magnavox CD650 cd player used as a transport, AR EB101 TT w/Infinity Black Widow arm and a Sumiko Blue Point, all Linn interconnects. Total cost = $4,500.00 all purchased new. Enjoy the music |
How about in the late 1970's? Philips turntable, Shure V-15, PhaseLinear 400, stacked wood Advents, Kenwood tuner. 1979: Kenwood marble TT and SME arm replaced Philips. Forty years ago: The same amp and pre-amp brand I have now (Audire), but upgraded models, plus stacked B&W DM14's, which are still in use on my televisions, one with Hafler electronics donated by a friend. |
This system I scrimped every penny I could come across to put together at the time.It had a synergy that was hard to beat,and was awfully cool to look at,let alone listen to.Pre amp was an MFA Magus c,MFA D-75 stereo 75 watt tube amp.Most all tubes were NOS Brimar,which really made those both very sweet sounding.Speakers were Flatline hybrid,with a 6ft.ribbon tweeter and cone midrange and woofer.Flatline speakers was owned and designed by Allen Perkins,who now owns Spiral Groove turntables.My table was the RPM-2,with an RPM arm and Sumuko Bluepoint cart.RPM was Allen,s turntable company at the time,and played way above it’s price range for the day.I had a Rotel 350$ CD player,and a Cary dac.Although I wasn’t all that impressed with cd at the time,still was convenient.I had Icor interconnectes and XLO speaker cables and power cords.All sat on Sound Anchor stand with Navcom feet under everything.I sure wish I had kept that system,for the money it made astonishing sweet sound,that was hard to beat.Better than most set ups I have heard through the years. John. |
1990 - Turntable: Linn Sondek, Syrinx Arm, Accuphase AC-2 Cartridge Headamp: Counterpoint SA-2 Preamp: ARC SP-6B Amplifier: ARC D90 Speakers: Thiel 3.5's, Maggie II's CD Player: Phillips 880 2020 Turntable: Dual 701, Accuphase AC-2 Cartridge Headamp: Counterpoint SA-2 Preamp: ARC SP-6A (recapped) Amplifier: VTL S150 Speakers: Thiel 3.5's, Maggie 1c's. Disk Player: Oppo 105 Only the AC-2 Cartridge and the Thiel 3.5's are the same ones. In between I had for eight years switched to a 5 channel surround system, but returned to stereo only when I downsized as I turned 75. |
Wow, you people were a heck of a lot better off than I was in 1981 - I was 24, living in my first apartment in Chicago, $385/month, and saving up for law school: Onkyo TX-15 Stereo Receiver Biamp 12-channel PA Mixer through which all sources were routed TEAC 3-head tape deck CD Player (I think it was a Sharp) TEAC R2R Technics TT Boston Acoustics bookshelves Quadraflex floorstanders 21-inch Sony TV w/remote VCR I thought I'd gone to heaven with all that gear. Buddies would come over to use the mixer to make DJ-style mix tapes with crossfades. We would even mix in movie quotes I'd saved on VCR cassettes. Hi tech and high times! |
This was 45 years ago: 1975 System Technics SP 10 in custom plinth, AT arm, AT cartridge,* ARC SP3-a-1, Dual 75a and old Quads. I still have the SP 10 and old Quads refurbished and running in my vintage system, and the Dual 75a is just sitting, needs to be refreshed. (Early high-end Shibata) Thirty years ago, it would have been a pair of Crosby Quads, either an ARC Classic 60 or Dual 70 mk II amp, an ARC SP 10 mk ii preamp and Well Tempered turntable that had been heavily tweaked. |
I had to do some thinking on this one. I sure wish I had photos of it. I still have the Gyrodec /Ittok with a newly ordered Sumiko Pearwood cart. The Maggies are serving as my rear channels in the HT. Michell GyroDec / Linn Ittok LVII arm /Linn Asak cart. Denon DCD-1500 Nakamichi ZX-7 Luxman LV-105 Magnepan MG-1 imp. |
