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
My dad bought me a Sony ES 5.1 Theater system in 1999 for Christmas it was my first real entry into audiophiledom. Before that I had an Awia cdp and some cheap speakers to go with it.
i still have my harmon kardon arv 10, which has recently been put in a second room. my new stereo is a marantz, which lacks to fun of my earier much loved harmon kardon.
Sony str receiver
Technics Turntable
Bose 301

I wasn't really happy with the sound - but didn't know why, so I kept listening to it all through my college years. After all, it was B o s e - how can it not sound good?

Sony and Technics are b i g companies too, so I thought they must sound good - perhaps it was just the condition of my records or something.

I neither had the money nor the knowledge to see through the marketing hype... I could have had a much nicer system even for that money...

It wasn't about one year ago I started this audio-quest, thanks to internet and all the guys in sights like this. I spent as much as a brand new car on this hobby, only to listen to a kenwood exec system I got for $159.

I am still lost - but I am having fun.
In 1983 I got a JVC Home system/Boombox that had dual decks, a hide-away turntable with push button motoriezed ejection system. It had a battery pack to use as a boombox but at 27lbs it was hard to carry around and ate batteries fast......but man did I think it was cool! It cost me $450.00 and I thought I was the coolest kid around, I was really just a very young audio nerd! I think the first LP I actually bought was by the "Thompson Twins" oh man FLASSSSSSSH BAAACK!
My first component system was Dynaco SCA-35 w AR-4xs and AR Turntable . . . Just bought an H.H. Scott LK-72 and Dynaco PAS-3 and Stereo 70 and am really looking forward to getting back to tubes with my small Maggies