What started you on your audiophile journey .

My father had a Grundig receiver and 2 little Grundig speakers and then got a Dual turntable which he still has though doesn't use and switched to Noresco (Canadian rebranding of Philips) bookshelf speakers that were big enough to use as end tables.

When I was 14 I got my first LP's and played them on that system, loud when my folks weren't home. I think I was 14 when I saw my first stereo magazines and realized there was more out there than the little stereo store my dad bought stuff from. Hooked ever since.

My father is a professional musician, so I had a love of music from a very early age. I could sing the opening of Chabrier's España (the Mercury LP of the DSO and Paray) on pitch before my dad put the needle down when I was three years old. I always knew I was going to be a professional musician as well. However, my father did not have high end equipment, though he did have pretty much the best of mid-fi. It was my uncle who introduced me to the audiophile world. I first heard his Altec A7 Voice of the Theater speakers when I was eight. Couldn't afford my own high end system until many years later, though. Used to get by in college and afterwards with a pair of Cerwin Vega's, a Harmon Kardon receiver, and a Technics table. Still have the first two items, though they haven't been in my system in years.

There were many influences before that, but once I heard my new friend's stereo which was a great mid-fi, I got into it more seriously.

It was from a Sony transistor Radio from the 60's my mother had, which had bass and treble tone controls.. I was always trying to equalize the sound of the music the radio was producing.. The bass was always thin, so I boosted it to around the 2:00 position, then set the treble around the 12:30 position or slightly higher... then, would adjust the volume to where she liked it.. My Mom always like the way I set those controls... but hated it when I got too obsessed with playing around with her radio!

My hostel mate during university days back in the late 80s.