Thinking about the good old days...

Yup, me too zerobias, I also had a Hallicrafters S-120.  It never progressed to me being a ham.  But I have always fancied the idea. 

The magic of my old stuff, I attribute to youthful exuberance and finally having the receipt of a high-end systems that I had been waiting for years to purchase.  The day and store that I bought the equipment from is forever etched in my memory.  Since then, many new components have been bought and unboxed, but nothing has felt like that first much-researched and hoped-for system!!

In the UK used to record the top 40 on Tandberg reel to reel from Yamaha CR800, Friday/Saturday night rock show with Tommy Vance, Annie Nightingale always playing Brothers in Arms as it was one of the first CDs, blues with Alexis Korner, big band special etc.- all gone (even the BBC big band itself)

Going to Andie’s Records in Bedford to get US imports, listening to Linn Sondek in Cam Audio, friend’s dad’s Stax headphones and Quas ESLs, taking Quad 22 for service back to the factory, dad getting SMC kit speakers, Bang and Olufsen, lusting after Alpine car stereos, buying outragiously expensive cassettes (Thats Professional) to record CDs from the library, window shopping down Charing Cross Road, Tower Records, Mole Jazz, Honest Jon’s. Bill Lewington’s musical instruments etc etc

Have a new Golf and it's not a patch on my 20 year old BMW E36 (180,000 miles) and Polo (170,000)- so many annoying 'improvements'- dangerous adaptive cruise, paranoid parking sensors, no clock, no low washer warning, terrible tyre wear and unremarkable fuel consumption, fiddly touchscreen to name just a few gripes and still totally soulless- they couldn't even supply a blue one- just black, white or grey/ silver- assume the US is full of black and white cars nowadays as well- used to love those 70's/ 80's colours

1934 Selmer Cigar Cutter, 1940 balanced action and 90's SA80, 60's Buffet, 50's Conn saxes all still blowing great- new Yanigasawa sits in the case unloved. Martin D28 and Les Paul still a work of art, Brinsmead upright piano nicer than a bright Yamaha.

@keithsax,

'In the UK used to record the top 40 on Tandberg reel to reel from Yamaha CR800, Friday/Saturday night rock show with Tommy Vance, Annie Nightingale always playing Brothers in Arms as it was one of the first CDs, blues with Alexis Korner, big band special etc.- all gone (even the BBC big band itself)'


I think a lot of us did something similar, albeit with more modest equipment. Rather naively I would always edit out the DJ/presenter of the recording. 

Only much later did I realise that's where the real nostalgia was to be found. 

It's a bit like those unphotographed streets and buildings where you grew up having now disappeared forever.

Even places of work, where you spent so many many hours. I guess we get caught up in living for the moment, dealing with current needs and demands, but guess what?

Memories really, really, matter 

Still have the Tandberg (with recordings) and Yamaha!

I have been doing "high-end" audio since 1969, both personally and professionally.....now retired.  Starting with Dynaco to many others most of you could identify with on my journey.

I knew I was hooked for life when I took a pair of the original Advents (Walnut) and staked a second pair on the top upside down...so the tweeters were close together.   From there yes there were Magnepans, Martin Logans, Dahlquist and many others....but those stacked "Double Advents" were the kick in my audio brain that set the course. 

I remember using 16g lamp cord with twin copper leads tinned with silver solder.....and thinking I was in heaven.  You know, the old "in for dime, in for a dollar"...ordering British pressings from a store in London and so very much more. 

Of course having friends over and perhaps a little "Blue Nun" and other items were a part of the "mood".