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Who Do You Credit For Getting You Into This Hobby?

I didn't know which forum to post this in so I hope it's alright to have done so in "Speakers".

When you look back over this obsessive hobby of ours, who do you give credit for helping you take the plunge? I am extremely grateful to Albert Porter and John Fort, who were salesmen at Arnold and Morgan (Dallas) in the mid-to-late 70s (I believe Albert might actually have been the sales manager), and spent a lot of time with me to assist in finding the best system for my tastes and budget. They also treated me the same as their male customers, and never made me feel like the minority (female) that I was in this particular hobby. Their love of the hobby was infectious, and I quickly became enamored with the quest for getting the sound right. That first small system was comprised of a middle-of-the line Yamaha receiver (1977), Yamaha speakers, and a Dual turntable. I still own the Dual turntable and have kept it for its sentimental value. It is currently not in use although it is still operational almost 30 years later.

So, thank you, Albert Porter and John Fort, for taking the time to help me all those years ago. It's also evident here at Audiogon that Albert continues to help all of us as we pursue this endeavor, a few of us much older than when we originally began the journey.

--Mary
mcrheist
seadweller
55 posts
 
Stanely Clarke - Working in an early warehouse concept store (Standard Sales) when I was 16, they had a small room off the main showroom floor with stereo equipment. I was always deeply into music, but not hi-fi at the time.

I was helping the sales guys move some equipment in the room when a gentleman came in for an audition with a single LP in hand; Stanley Clarke's School Days. The salesman fired up the album on the ESS AMT-1B's, and my face fell on the floor.

I took home the store catalog and poured through the stereo equipment every night, like a kid with a newfound Playboy. My first system was a Kenwood receiver, Dual turntable and Marantz speakers. I stared at the gorgeous panel of that Kenwood receiver for months on end. For their day, those Marantz speakers were very well respected, and the sound from that system was spectacular!

The rest is history.....
rushbattle
23 posts
 
I blame Aball.
R
mrmb's avatar
mrmb
299 posts
 
The great music and artists fueled my interest in hi-fi playback. Unfortunately, in my youth I knew no one with the same interest. As long as I can recall, I just wanted to enhance the listening experience. Not having a clue what I was doing, I remember buying raw drivers and mounting them in cardboard boxes, and placing them on waste baskets to enhance the sound coming from a Halicrafters Shortwave radio’s AM stations. I also recall connecting a 3" portable reel-to-reel tape deck directly to the speaker leads in my parents TV to record the Beatles on Ed Sullivan. Not remotely hi-fi, but taking the microphone out of the mix significantly enhanced the recording.

I can't really remember when my desire to acquire "good" electronics began. Prior to being able to afford anything but the light bulb in a receiver, in the 60's, I recall sending in cards from Stereo Review for manufacturer information, and cherished the brochures I received.

I bought my first major system in the early 70's. I still have the ESS Heil Rock Monitors from that period, and up until a few years ago, they were used in a HT system.

In the last 10-15 years my disposable income for items like audio, significantly increased, and I started learning more about audio options, spending more time and money in a local shop in Indianapolis.

During these shop visits, I learned MUCH more from the shop owner Jim Jordan, and the folks that frequented his shop than any time previous -- many happy hours, thanks Jim!

Unfortunately, Jim has since moved to the left coast and is in another line of business but he is still keeping a hand in the audio sales world. As I made a purchase from him this year, I'm glad he's still involved, but sure miss his shop and the friends I met there.

Lastly, I credit sites like this for significantly enhancing my audio knowledge, and shining a light on equipment and tweaks that would have never appeared on my radar screen. Cheers to the ‘Gon and all the posters I’ve had the pleasure of meeting on line and in person!
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