YOUR AUDIOPHILE JOURNEY WHEN DID IT START AND HOW DID YOU GET TO YOUR DREAM SYSTEM?

I started with a portable box record player with a tall spindle for both 45s and albums. I made cassette tapes to take outdoors by putting a mic in front of the speaker in the front of the box connected to a portable tape deck.  Then moved on to 8-track and finally CDs. I’ve had multiple systems over the years. Some I still use, some in storage and some I gave to friends and family. I finally moved to separate components when I went back to a music focused system after years with home theater setups. The system I have now is the best I’ve ever had but for me enjoying the music I love over the years is living the dream. This hobby is a journey not a destination IMO. As Hans says, enjoy the music.

In the late 70's my start was a Marantz 2265B reciever Teak cassette player and Cerwin Vegas speakers 

For myself: Beethoven’s Pastorale is his 6th Symphony, not the 7th.  That’s what comes from late night— or early morning—writing when you are tired but cannot get back to sleep.  
 

to continue, I am in the final stages of building my dream system, with only a DAC upgrade and a new streamer to wrap up my system; for the latter, I am looking at the Innuous Zen MK3 and the Aurender ACS10.  We have a smaller living room, so the speakers are smaller than I would like— oh, for my old Infinity RSIIbs that were destroyed in an Army move.

Fellas we can go back to my other post. They allowed us to put it back up. There is a long story about Zuesman that I will share with you guys. He has changed name 7 or 8 times. He has been kicked off the forums 7 times for his behavior. Very internet dangerous. Seriously. Will do a long post soon about being careful with guy that post on audio forums. 

When I was in my 20s I bought an inexpensive amp and speakers that really sounded great together but I didn't know it because I thought all systems sounded that good. Later when I decided to get something newer, I couldn't find anything that sounded even close to what I had. I couldn't believe how hard it was to get something that sounded nice. Later in life I stopped by an audio store that sold some high end speakers and then there it was.... B&W speakers that sounded even better that my original speaker system so I bought them. I always enjoyed music and from there out I was hooked.