Grew up in Hong Kong, my dad had a Sansui stack with three way bookshelf speakers. My first 'system' was a Wal-Mart surround sound for $80 bucks.
Didn't get serious until bonding with my fiancé's dad around music and got me down the rabbit hole.
As A Youngster, What Unit Puqued Your Interest In All This?
I figure a lot of us here started hearing music through stand-up furniture stereos and/or composite units (mine was a Craig tt, receiver, 8-track). Then, one day I saw and listened to my cousin’s Pioneer Spec amps (with equalizer and oscilloscope) supporting a Beogram 4004. He also had a Teac R2-D2, but it was the 4004 that had the ever-lasting magnetic effect. What piece of equipment got you?