Your First System


This should be good!!! Most of us have been in this expensive hobby for years now and have worked our way up to components we only dreamed of. I want to know what was your first system of separate components going back as far as you can remember. My first consisted of a Pioneer SX-680 receiver, a Technics SLD-1 turntable (I think that's the right model #), a Sharp tapedeck, and KLH floorstanding speakers. I was 16 at the time and thought I was the biggest badass on the block. Now, 20+ years later I have a ML 334, Meridian 507 CD, CJ PV10A, Canton Ergo 900 speakers, and a Transparent Power Isolator 4. I'm in the process of upgrading to a ML 390. It goes without saying the IC's and speaker cables are top notch as well. I know my system is WAAAYYYYY down the foodchain compared to what I've seen here but It would be interesting to see what everyone started out with.
pcook15
Back in 1996 I bought a JVC digital front (CD player don't remember the model) but it was about 150 $; JVC receiver RX 316 R (about 250 $). Before almost immediately switching to Magnat Transpuls 3000 3-way speakers that I bought on sale in Vienna, Austria for only 100 $ (MSRP of 600 $), I used an old ReVox monitor speakers (don't remember the number) 25 Watts only.
In 2004 I put together my first sound system: a Marantz SR4200 with Paradigm Monitor 5 v3's, Titans for surrounds, a CC350, and a PS1000 sub, and a Panasonic DV-578. The only changes I ended up making in 8 years was adding a PS3 for blu rays more than games, replacing the Marantz with an Onkyo TX-SR805, and replacing the DV-578 with a Panasonic DMP-BDT210. It was a reliable mancave HT setup, but too ugly to have in the living room.
GE 8 track. It actually had ok sound for what it is. I enjoyed Beethoven symphonies and the sound of music when I was a teenager...

Brings me back memories of grateful parents who have given me all my toys... then they bought me a complete Pioneer system which sounded much better - I thought it was sonic heaven then...

Strange how much I enjoyed that system, even more than I am doing now with my 60k+ system... Is it my age, or do we simply get used to higher quality, and it stops being amazing after awhile?
Liquid-Smooth, I was just reading your last paragraph and thinking back how much I enjoyed my first system. I seem to remember enjoying it as much, if not more than my current systems. I guess it may seem that way because it was a starter system and the real attention grabber, whereas now I'm more accustomed to having great sound as the norm. Great memories though!
What is the solution then? Is there a way to recapture that excitement again or is it gone for good? Please enlighten me...