When did it all start?

Mid sixties, fold-up suitcase type Zenith stereo was my first unit(Dave Clark Five,"Glad All Over" my first LP and still have it!). Then Lafayette integrated and tuner and then a Dynaco SCA-80 and Dynaco A-25 speakers then on and on and on.......I have had many systems but I still don't consider myself an audiophile and still don't have a great stereo system. Maybe some day. Cheers

At a boarding school in New Zealand, late 1940's. The headmaster compelled us to listen to classical music on his state of the art rig. Although monophonic, it used two large speakers. I don't know what the electronics were, but the turntable had a cartridge that used removable wooden needles. The needles had a triangular cross section, and were frequently resharpened using a specially designed clipper.

I started loving music since I was 5 first by dismembering an old gromophone for curiosity but was warned by parents not to do the same thing with tube radiola that might kill if I go inside. Played my own records on tube radiola ever since that is a huge box built in arround mid-50's and than later-on picked up listened tunes with my small 1/4 vintage accordion.
Later-on I went to school of music and "upgraded" to 1/2 i.e. "half" accordion and finally as my height increased "upgraded" to 1/1 120 bass-chord buttons Weltmeister. I quit school of music leaning towards more to improvise than playing classics and started to play in bands and even on holiday occasions and parties and later-on added DIY sound pickup to be able to plug this one onto the head-amp having a gained knowlege from Radio Communications school... Gaining some bucks from party musical entertainments I bought myself a system and practicing instrument, playing were going more and more far away and went completely out here in US. I still have mine lying under the bad and collecting dust for nearly 10 years next to nice system I recently built.

I don't recall any particular epiphany that led to my love of good audio equipment, but I do recall my exposure to the Beatles "Love Me Do" as being a significant musical milestone as a young child (8 years old I think). I have an 8 year old son that has a special love of music too. All four of my children enjoy music, but it is easy to see that my 8 year old has an extra special affinity to music.

Warren,
My Dad had a Fisher reciever, Rotel turntable and AR speakers.

Anyway, it started for me listening to the above system, staring at album covers. Man I used to lay on the floor and stare at "Tarkus" for hours. My 'rents had no trouble playing loud music around this kid...and I love them for it. Not just one kind of music either...rock, jazz, bluegrass, classical....you name it.

Cheers,
Z