What were some of your early Hi-End audio gear/influences?


I am now in my late '60s and became interested in "real" audio gear in 1968.  KLH compact stereo, Dynaco, Garrard/BSR and more.  

I have owned most of the brands that you would associate with hi-end audio.  That said, I don't think any other product had as much influence on setting me down the road to the "real" music sound quality than the original Large Advent.  Thank you Mr. Kloss. 



whatjd
There was no early high end only good, better and best. For me the good turned to better and then best..................................then came high end and again it's low, mid and high. Technology is the driving force and what used to be best is relegated to low. And the cycle repeats.
I would say it was Dynaco A25s and JBL 99 that got be started on the never ending quest for better sound.What a great hobby though i love it.
@gillagth "Technology is the driving force and what used to be best is relegated to low."

A fair amount of gear that "used to be best" is still excellent stuff.  And no way the old "best" is now low end.
Two big steps for me.

In high school I got a Fisher 105 compact FM/phono 3 piece system and it totally blew away my parents’ Magnavox console.

Almost 30 years later, I replaced my aging Rectilinear III Highboys with a pair of Thiel 3.6s. The quantum leap in sound quality sent me down the upgrade path for the rest of my system.