Your first component that was "special"


I got into hifi 40 years ago. I had a Pioneer receiver, Kenwood table, various entry level cartridges (ADC, Stanton, Empire) and Studio Design speakers. I wound up buying a Shure V15 Type 3 cartridge. That was the first piece of gear I bought that was way beyond ordinary. I had kept the cartridge until about 2o years ago- I sold it because by then no decent replacement stylus was available. Wish I still had it.

128x128zavato
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.  

Early 70s. Infinity Servo-Statik 1s; ARC SP3; ARC D-75 (for mid-range ES panels); ARC D-51 (for tweeter panels); Thorens TD-125 tt; Decca International tonearm, Decca MK 5 cartridge.

That system would challenge many today, IMO.