Your first system and your journey...

My first stereo was a carpeted 8track player with built in speakers at the foot of my bed.
 Had two carpeted cushioned stools which slid under it.
  I was 10 or eleven years old, and I would play 4 8 tracks nightly,
bill joel 42nd st.
styx grand illusion and paradise theatre.
kiss destroyer.


Upon my my early teens, I ventured into my dads reel to reel, and old Beatles, waylon, strawberry alarm clock records and a bunch more were daily spun.

  Had a few stereos since then,lots of good gear.

currently happy w my current gear.
hope to get 10 more years from components.

My first real system incorporated 1950's era Heathkit tube components (preamp, power amp, AM tuner) that my dad soldered together on the kitchen table. I had a Garrard record changer with a crystal cartridge. A no-name speaker. I'd play classical, pop and kiddie 78's, 45s and 33s. I was maybe six years old. It was about 1958. I was in seventh heaven.

Though I did own a couple of the all in one TT systems prior, my1st actual system, purchased in 1970, was Dual1219 w/ Sure V15 type II, Sansui AU-555 integrated, Pioneer 63dx speakers, Teac  4010s R2R. 

1959 Zenith Portable w/ Cobra Tonearm
Up to 1968 Dad's system.
1968 Dynaco PAS 3X, Stereo 70, AR 2Ax, Thorens TD 124 w/ ADC Pritchard tonearm (used) and Empire cartridge (I think) 
1971 Dynaco Stereo 120 (big mistake)
1972 Klipsh Heresy's used Marantz 7C preamp.
1973 Phase Linear 700 (also used) and added a pair of Advent speakers to the Heresy's Revox R to R w/ dolby. 
In 1968 my dad bought and Ariens snow blower. The deal was I could do as many driveways as I wanted as long as I did ours first. God knows how much I made. I spent every penny on records and Hi Fi. A financial wizard I am not. 

Kenwood KR-77 receiver (24 wpc), Garrard SL-95B with Pickering cart, Allied Bookshelf speakers -12 inch woofer, horn midrange, ? tweeter (comparable to Klipsch Forte). Sixteen years old and Hendrix was still making records. Gotta love it...