Thanks Nkonor, coincidentally, I am also from Chicago! Hopefully something interesting will arise from this effort.
I am not looking for much, just a new acquaintance or two who would enjoy getting nerdy about audio. It would be fun to host some people at my home for a high dB music session, and it would be great to hear other systems as well. Could be very educational.
i recall a special moment back in the mid 90's in Chicago. I was in college at the time. I wandered into Audio Consultants in Evanston. I informed the salesman that I was a poor college student who would mind drooling over the equipment, and that I didn't want to take up any of the staff's time. The man told me to forget about that, he said he wasn't busy at all, and he was happy to assist in blowing my mind.
He led me into a room with a pair of B&W Nautilus Speakers bi-amped with a pair of Mark Levinson amplifiers for each speaker. He asked me what I'd like to hear, and with out hesitation, I requested Dark Side Of The Moon. I don't recall if it was vinyl or digital, I only remember the crazy looking speakers and the huge Levinson amplifiers. Mind blown, seeds of addiction planted!