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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
mikeys
41 posts
 
my first system consisted of a marantz sr 430 reciever a marantz sd 221 cassette deck and a small pair of epi speakers,i only had the epi's for a few weeks and then went out and bought a pair of advent 5012's
timothyharnett
1 posts
 
Garrard record player, Sony TCFX310 cassette, Amstrad Executive receiver and Goodmans Q30 speakers at 16 yo. I thought I was spending a fortune - little did I know until later.
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drubin
3,274 posts
 
My first component system was a Dual changer (model 1015?) with a Stanton 500E cartridge, a Fisher AM/FM receiver, and a pair of 10" or 12" 3-way house brand speakers from Cal Hi-Fi. This was 1968. For my $500, I could have just as easily gone with AR and Dynaco had someone given me some guidance, though I probably could not have tackled a kit.
hens
173 posts
 
Garrard 401 (hand-me-down)
Aiwa cassette deck
Denon DCD1000
Kenwood tuner
NAD 3020
Electrovoice Crystal speakers

A real hotch potch of components, but I loved this little system which I can blame for getting me into this hobby back in the early 80's.
akidwholovesmusic
1 posts
 
As a kid, I had always wished to be the age I am today (36). I wanted to have the finances to buy all the audio equipment I would dream of. I remember when I was 14 years old, I had a paper route and saved up enough money all summer long to buy a Marantz receiver in 1981, from Leo's stereo. I don't recall the exact city, but in the Los Angeles area.

I remember getting up on Saturday morning and waking my mom at 930am so I could be there when they opened at 10am (god, she must have hated me then). We went down to the store and I knew exactly what I wanted. I can recall my parents keeping the receipt for me in their safe, and even though I had other pieces of audio equipment before, that was my first piece of real home stereo equipment that I earned and found myself.

That September I started my freshman year of high school, and the quest was on...

Today I have most of the things I dreamt of as a youth in my house and in my car, but nothing can compare to how my system sounded in my own room when I was 14. That was priceless.
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