Where did you buy your first audio gear?

Rodger Sound labs a long long long time ago

Harman Kardon citation team Electronics Sheboygan Wisconsin

Really cool to see all those small Hi-Fi stores, many I am sure are gone... tragically. And the great classic audio components and brands....wow I guess I am an old timer. This is when and where we got infected.... haha!

First stereo was a Sanyo rack system from Crazy Eddie's, probably 1979 or so.  First high end gear was from Ear Drum in Nanuet NY.  DB Systems 1B/2A/4B preamp, Bryston 3B, Logic DM101 turntable with a Signet tonearm and an Signet MK55E cartridge, and a pair of Energy Pro 22s, somewhere around 1983,

JC Penney's technically....1979, I had ordered an MCS receiver, cassette deck, turntable and speakers by mail order. System came in, receiver was broken. Took it back/return. Found out that Playback-The Electronic Playground in Danville, Illinois, was having a big sale. I went in and came home with a Project-One receiver, Pioneer cassette deck and Pioneer HPM-40 speakers. A Pioneer turntable came a little later on.

This started me down the road to this fine "hobby". Oh the money I could have saved had I just left it be at that. But then I would have missed out on a lot of fun and excitement! I certainly do miss a lot of the brick and mortar stores of the days then, Playback, Good Vibes, CMC, Graham's Electronics, even Radio Shack of the time. Nice memories!