2. misc-audio
  3. 178368-148323

How did you get started in this hobby

As a college kid, my roommate had KLH speakers, the Beatles Sgt. Peppers came out and homegrown Flemington flash came on the scene. My eyes were opened along with my ears. I visited a local audio store Audiolab and another not too far away Soundex. The effect on my listening, I was stunned by what I was hearing and how the management just let me listen to all the gear knowing I was just window shopping. I'll never forget Soundex( out by Willow Grove Pa)  letting me listen to all their rooms at different price points and more than a few occasions.One room had $30,000 each in electronics and $100,000 speakers. Well, I could not afford even the entry-level stuff but again my horizon was broadened. So off I went to NYCity with my roommate in tow. I ran into an audio store while he waited in the car and asked the sales guy what I could buy with the meager dollars I had. I picked up a pair of AR speakers, and a Dual Turntable, my roommate had an old HH Scott that was in his father's food store that did not work. I got it fixed for free by the teacher of the electronics class in my High school where  I would occasionally substitute teach ( babysit) to get beer money for college Thursday night beer sessions at the Extension bar.

Much later a fellow employee who was an audiophile got me connected with his buddy an audio salesman who sold me his Snell c2 mk.2 speakers and another of his friends who was looking to sell his Adcom GFP 400 pre amp/tuner and GFA 555 amp along with thick monster cable. Adcom was just starting up around 1980 and was thirty minutes away in New Brunswick NJ. For a box of donuts, they went over my gear and made some changes to the amp and preamp. I remember their CD player had a tendency to jump if vibrated that was fixed as well all while I waited for  just for a box of doughnuts.  Woo that was my system for almost 40 years.  I wanted something different, I found out about Audiogon and bought within a week a Technics SU G 700  and Canton speakers about two years ago at tremendous savings from local audiophiles one in bucks county near New Hope Pa., and another in Freehold NJ. That's my story. from start to finish.

Based on what I've seen here I am not an audiophile but someone just interested in listening to good music with good gear at good savings and who is intrigued by the character ( good and bad) I see on here and the stellar systems they have.

scott22
ghdprentice
7,224 posts
 

@artemus_5 ​​​@cleeds

 

+1 For me as well… a lifetime pursuit… something constant through career changes, partners, lifestyle changes, where I lived.

 

I always had state of the art audio systems and a huge music library when I was out four wheel driving 12 hours a day all over the Southwest as a geologist. I had a 100 wpc system in my motel room with detachable speakers in Beatty, Elko, and Eureka Nevada…. Across Arizona, New Mexico… etc.

In airplanes I had separate earphones, DACs and amps across Europe, Asia and Mexico for decades… I collected all sorts of local music when living in Japan and Scotland. As technology advanced I had access to thousands of albums as I worked in China and Mexico… Portugal… on and on. I got some $1,000 bills in mainland China for overusing cellular data. Fortunately I was an executive by then and the company covered it.

Yeah, hobby would be somewhat of an understatement in my case. Also, to me the rewards far exceed just a hobby. I put on a Celtic album and I am swept to the North shore of Scotland where I hiked down to the water without seeing anyone for hours… and in the distance someone played the bagpipes… music triggers emotional responses back into rich experiences.

 

Then there has been my home systems.

bigtwin's avatar
bigtwin
1,236 posts
 

My first "system" was a crystal radio with ear plug, back in 1965.  I went to sleep every night with that plug in my ear.  For me, that journey has never stopped.  It happens, not that it matters, that I now have a very high end system.  None of my friends or most everyone I've ever met are "audiophiles" (whatever that means), and they don't share my passion for music.  Sometimes when people are in my home they will show an interest my my stereo, and I will say sit right here and let me show you just how good music can sound.  How it can be an emotional experience.  I'll say just close your eyes and let it wash over you for the next 5 minutes.  I might play a duet of acoutic guitars.  It never fails to amaze me how most of them will only sit for about two minutes before losing interest and getting out of the chair.  And there in lies the difference between most of the good folks on this forum, and the great unwashed masses of humanity.  They just don't share our passion for the music.  🤣.  Now, loving beautiful equipment is another story onto itself...........

ghdprentice
7,224 posts
 

@bigtwin 

 

Yeap… you got it. 

bkeske's avatar
bkeske
5,597 posts
 

@bigtwin

re: Crystal radio set. Yep, me too, about the same time. My father strung the wire between two trees in the front yard, and ran it into my bedroom window to the radio itself. It fascinated me, and, I too, used to fall asleep finding a station that interested me, and most all did.

Then it was the old console radio/stereo set we had. Again, fascinated by it, and spinning LP’s at a very young age.

So, it always interested me, and I always sought out the best gear I could get for the money I had. I wasn’t really influenced by my friends, as most just had ‘normal’ stuff in their bedrooms. I realized I had a pretty decent setup in my first dorm suite in college, but also became interested in some other folks equipment who shared the same interests as I.

Started getting serious in the. 80’s, but work life took over, and just dealt with mostly the same stuff for a long time until only the last few years, when I decided to dedicate myself to it fully. When I brought up my old Kenwood 2055 TT from basement storage, well, that’s when it just got crazy. Now, I’m amazed of the sound of my music I’ve been able to achieve.

But really, the gut fascination is the same as that 7 year old kid and his crystal radio set. Just a bit more complex now 😉

dekay's avatar
dekay
5,658 posts
 

bigtwin:

A Tiny Tim crystal radio was my first "personal" piece of gear (around 1959, or so) and I still have it.

It doesn't work now, but I assume that the original ear plug/piece may be the problem.

My father would borrow it during heavy storms, which knocked out power, in order to get updates on local tornadoes (central Iowa in the late 50's early 60's).

It was eventually superseded by a battery powered transistor radio that my older sister received as a gift.

 

DeKay

More to discover