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Which components knocked you out on first listen?

I've been listening to stereos since 1973 and I am still waiting to be truly knocked out by the sound of a component. I have sat in showrooms across the country and have been pleased by what I have heard but never truly blown away.
The closest I came was when I listened to a Meitner str-55 amp and VTL preamp a few years ago, sourced by a Linn Ikemi and Revel loudspeakers. However, I also have been moved by a
Apple computer cd drive, circa 1994 through a Creek 4040 and RA Lab speakers, estimated cost about $1,200; maybe more so than the Linn,Revel 10K system. How about you?
cody
thesaint519
162 posts
 
The system that first knocked me out as a novice was at a Legacy Audio road show. They had the Whispers being driven by their high current amp. It was at that time that I publicly vowed to somehow - someday buy a system that could, again, emotionally move me to tears. After the journey began and I learned more about audio, my taste evolved. The system that first knocked me out since the acquisition of audio experience and knowledge was this:

Levinson 390S
Levinson 33H monos
Revel Salons

And it is this system that I currently own as a result of that experience. Needless to say, it moves me everytime I hear it.
ivmotor
1 posts
 
Elite dv47ai...first time I heard multichannel sacd. The rest of the system is 49txi, jmlab electra, parasound.
bombaywalla's avatar
bombaywalla
1,958 posts
 
My 1st official KO came in December 2001 when Gayle Martin Sanders of Martin-Logan was touring showing off his Statement E2 electrostatics.
These speakers were driven by all-Krell electronics & cabling was MIT everywhere. I don't remember the Krell model #s except that the FPB-600C monos were driving the Statement E2s.
I had auditioned a # of M-L speakers for my home but just could not get to like them. Neither am I a Krell fan for various reasons.
However, what this Krell-Statement system did was pure sonic nirvana! The immediacy, the transparency, the purity of timbre, the feeling that I was sitting at the venue of the music event, the sheer power, the nimbleness of the amp-speaker combination to reveal all the nuances was just over-whelming & awe-inspiring. On the effects side - the bass was truely moving (pun intended) as all items not securely bolted to the wall or floor rattled & moved when Gayle Sanders played a certain church organ recording & those bass notes went 20Hz & below!
I've been to a few dealerships & been impressed but this experience was a total KO!
route9's avatar
route9
55 posts
 
when i first heard magnapan speakers back in the early 70's.the clearest most open sound i have ever heard.it took over 25 yrs.,but i finally got a pair of 1.6's.
r_burke
212 posts
 
About 7 years ago when I purchased my Vandersteen 2C's my wife went with me for the final look/buy. She asked to see/hear something significantly better.

The owner took us into his high end room and let us listen to Apogee Grands powered by 4 giant (not sure what they were) tube amps.

I have lusted after the Apogees ever since.
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