Your first component that was "special"

It started out...On my Sting-Ray coaster bicycle (1965) with a banana seat and the whole bit taking a decent ride into Jamaica, Queens to the Lafayette Electronics store near the old elevator train. I purchased a complete stereo kit consisting of mini preamp and power amp, turntable, and speakers. It cost $109, saved from a $1/week allowance, and the ride back to my apartment was insane. What was I thinking? This is how I learned to solder, and the damn thing made music! Pure joy.
Kenny

Have you seen what Schwinn Stingrays sell for these days? 

Zavato - Yup, and l'm doing better than my $1/week allowance as well.

BTW - Reading my comments, it's not elevator train but elevated train (L train). Like the lyrics you get wrong in a Rolling Stones song, us kids grew up in apartments with elevators, so to us they were elevator trains. And, still are today.
Kenny

My panic room purpose built in 1994. Built to withstand and help me cope with newly born fraternal twins, a very stressed out wife, and very stressful job. 

For XX years all I did was move speakers around in that room (long side, short side, corners, a few inches this way, that way). Helped me learn how sound waves work, cope with audiophilia nervosa, and all it cost me was my back.

Some of the green taping still remains in spots because either those spots sounded "really good" or I can't get the tape off without serious effort. Seeing them is a reminder of what I went through so I leave them be. 
I now use speakers in that room that don' t really like to be moved.  

I knew elevator meant elevated train.

As a kid I rode the #7 to Shea