When did it all start?

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

In the 50s my dad had a Capehart council record player and tuner with built in speakers. I undergrad school I bought dyna audio gear and roomed with a guy who had a Hartley 24" woofer which we mounted into a sewer pipe. Everything was pretty reasonable and gradual after that until in the early 70s, I heard the Infinity Servo Stats. Life has not been the same since. I have had 14 different speakers since then, countless amps and preamps, seven different turntables, 12 cd players, six dacs, 17 different types of cables, 35 different line filters, 11 different feet, etc. Life is great!

My interest in music goes back to as early as I can remember, just something I always loved and was always around. Everyone used to sing around the house as well as the family get togethers, always there was music.

The first time I became interested in well reproduced audio was when my Dad brought home an album around x-mas early 60's. He put it on the Zenith console and I was just amazed at how natural and good it sounded. Couldn't put it into words but I really loved the sound and the music. The album is Pops Christmas Party, Arthur Fiedler and the Boston Pops and is a shaded dog recording that I have to this day. My older sister still remembers how much I loved listening to that album during the holiday seasons. It probably spured my interest in participating and playing music through my school years. The serious hi-end of it all started in the mid 80's.