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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
ebm
9,311 posts
 
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.
audiotomb's avatar
audiotomb
1,112 posts
 

Nakamichi cassette decks

NAD

Bang and Olufsen turntables

keegiam
731 posts
 
@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.
jameswei
883 posts
 
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.
gillatgh's avatar
gillatgh
381 posts
 
@keegiam , that depends on how old you are. The best of the 50s does not come close to the worst of the 90s. Certainly there is the best of any timeframe and still a good listen but trying to compare it equally with the best current offering it can never be as good. Technology advances. 
That's not to say that yesterday's best cannot be better than today's worst.  But at some point, depending how far back you go, today's worst will beat yesterday's best every time. IMO
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