Thinking about the good old days...

MY "SYSTEM" consisted of a Concord 220 reel to reel connected by alligator clips to the 4x6 speaker of my Dad's Blaupunkt tube radio. 
There was classical and jazz shows on public radio, phone-in request stations for pop-tunes, and late at night when the parents went to bed, there was the "Underground Railroad" playing 60's rock bands (the extended songs). It wasn't much, but I had a lot of fun and enjoyment.
I never missed a chance to go to stores and listen to demo systems. I remember hearing a pair of Empire round-pillar shaped speakers playing the Beatle White album and couldn't believe how good they sounded.
$600 a pair! Aye, but Dad said "no- too expensive!" What can you do?
I bought a cheap pair of headphones, that's what!

Good ol' days?   I'm still living them with my long-standing high end anachrophile system.
And the music was better then too....

elliottbnewcombjr... I enjoyed your post very much,  thank you for adding links to the gear as I am a few decades removed from the era and it adds to the story.

My parents bought me a cheap all-in-one from Montgomery Ward when I was 8 or 9 because I wouldnt stop messing with my Dad's more expensive stereo. It had a particle board stand and the main stereo was meant to look like stacked components but it was all one piece. Turntable, tuner and dual cassette in one plastic box. In retrospect it was junk but I loved it as a kid. I listened to all my Dad's old records and I have no doubt this shaped my addiction to this hobby early on.

When I left for college I took my Dad's Sony stereo (another Montgomery Ward purchase)  and his vintage BIC Venturi formula 4's and I really thought I had something. I had a Sony discman hooked up to the aux-in and it was all I needed at the time. 

Infinity Rsb speakers driven by Marantz 2025 receiver with Sony PS-T2 turntable. Still have them all and all still in good working condition. First album was Three Dog Night greatest hits. Still have the album too.

My first real stereo (not counting the cheap all-in-one Electrophonic) began at age 16 with a Pioneer SX626 receiver I asked for and received for Christmas — was very pleased!  My initial speakers were a pair of Realistic Nova 7’s, but I upgraded to large Advents.  Then came a low-price Gerrard TT and a used Sony Reel-to-Reel.  That Sony was very nice! — a couple of interrupted hours of music that sounded better than my turntable.  I enjoyed this set-up until my mid-20’s, when my apartment was burglarized and most of it was stolen.  

At that time, I was using my brother’s Onkyo receiver, as the Pioneer was getting muddy-sounding. I felt really bad about his receiver getting stolen, and I didn’t have much money to replace it.  I finally donated the Pioneer to Goodwill when I was in my late 20’s.