Is your now then?

My first was a Sansui 7070 receiver with Bose 901’s Pioneer pl112d turntable, the year is 1978 At this time it was all albums with some radio. I lived in a fringe area for radio so I installed a 50 foot mast and fm antenna. The combo of Sansui and Bose would vibrate nick nacks off shelfs of houses across the street. The Sansui could double as an arc welder on weekends. My first over budget addition was a Nakamichi Dragon cassette deck that is still in my system today and I still does not receive the respect it deserves. Our best outlet for equipment was American tv who carried everything you could want. They had a licked high end room that I was able to visit after my Dragon buy. We got to play with the new Carver system they set up. I can’t recall the speakers think they were B&W. I sat in there for over two hours damaging my ears with pure joy. This was the first time I recall hearing things in a recording that never came through the radio of my Pioneer entry level tt. Last thing I recall was walking out of the room extremely disappointed knowing I could never afford to spent that much money on a “stereo” system. Now is today and I am in a position to buy what ever I want and I happily progressing through the journey. I am now hoping to pull the trigger on a high quality r2r DAC. To answer you question. Am I trying to get back to that day with Carver? Kinda of but also aiming way higher because I can!

@notnow0329
You brought back Seinfeld to me with George and his future in-laws “you want to get nuts? Let’s get nuts!”

Do you think we strive to return to the past and remain in those influential times? Are our choices psychological, nostalgic even....?

If you don't enjoy music today as much as you did in the past, this would probably be true. I do think I enjoy it as much as before - both the music itself and the thrill of improving my sound system. Difficult to say though; what I find most enjoyable today (detail, timbre, tone) is not what I was craving as a teen (volume, bass, bass and more volume)

Then #1 – late 60s, 70s. Revox A77 reel to reel, Revox amp, Thorens TT, Dynaco and then Bose 901 speakers. Formative period. Looking back? Sometimes yes. But mainly nostalgic, such a sense of freedom back then, progressive and engaging music - not due to the sound.  

Then #2 – 1980s – I was into programming and bought into the digital delusion at the time. A bit is a bit, right? Bought DAT recorders, taking over from the reel-to-reel. Looking back? Not at all. Never play my DAT tapes (and seldom, my CDs).

Then #3 – 90s, 00s – I was told my system would sound good if only I got a big beefy amp. So, moving up the Krell line, I ended with the big FPB600, plus huge Dynaudio Consequence speakers. Looking back? Sometimes, yes. The bass was mighty. But all in all, no.

Now – last ten years – OTL amps with matched speakers, plus an improved vinyl setup.  Closer to the sound I was always looking for.

Technology «marching on»? I don’t believe in the theory of the march of productive forces through history. What happens is development in some areas along with setbacks in others. Often due to tech over-optimism. The naive idea that solid-state sounded as good as tubes, and that CDs would be ‘perfect sound forever’, are examples.

In the late 50's-early 60's my parents bought this "375 watt" console, beautiful woodwork, very lousy sound quality.  One of my high school buddies brought a scope over and found that this system produced only about 8 watts per channel before the distortion climbed "through the roof".
When the Sgt. Pepper album was released, I set in front of one of those plastic stereo portable units with the "fold down" turntable, my first experience of "stereo sound"...and was "hooked" on audio.
I went off to college with a Kenwood integrated amp, Dual 1219/Shure V15, Wollensak reel-to-reel and Large Advents.
Since then I've had lots of other components, am now at a point where I'm pretty much "done" with upgrades!