Who R U?

I am a music major and fanatic about sound bringing happiness. In fact, you can say music is my life...

I have a nice hifi, but I love finding good mid-fi gears that sound nice. This way, I can have music every corner of my apartment, and also share this glorious hobby with my loved ones.

My love for hifi gears started very young. In Christmas time, I went by stores where they played music, and I was in heaven - and thought that's simply dandy that one can push a button and be in heaven...

Alas, I didn't know how expensive that button can become.
So, I am trying to find good mid-fi gears, so I can share this heaven without breaking their bank account.

A musician turned audiophile...

I'm a classically trained musician (cellist) trained in Indiana University (USA). I love pop, jazz, country, and classical music. I got hooked in this gloriously exciting hobby about 18 years ago - I thought it would make me a better artist...

I didn't know what I was doing, so I spent about 10k buying junk - breaks my heart to have to admit that. Now I am a bit smarter and more informed, I would like to share my experience so others don't repeat that mistake.

I always loved gears - the earliest picture there is of me is when I was about 1, I was fiddling with the vol. control of a gigantic radio, when they were that big...

It was Christmas time in South Korea, when I was about 7 or 8, I went to a market place and they were playing X-mas music in a festive mood on big speakers - thinking back, probably they were likes of Klipsch or JBL with Marantz or Sansui amps - spinning vinyl of-course.

I was so taken back and moved by the experience - I was in sonic heaven that I had never known. It was such an important moment in my life, to have realized that one can simply push (buttons) to happiness...

If more people loved audio, perhaps there will be less drugs in the world... Some audiophiles reported on the Audiogon that a liquid and transparent system is more addicting than drugs - I can't say from first hand experience, but it's worth a shot - offering hifi to drug rehab...

Anyway, of-course being 7, I didn't have mullah to get my own audio. I had to wait a quarter century bofore I could get my happiness buttons...

Now I have systems in every corner of my apartment, I am surrounded by music just about every waking moment of my existance... I am obsessed with quality sound, leading me to a more beautiful flower garden...

Since it makes me so happy in a truly profound way, I was shocked to discover that most people are blase about hifi! ...content with all in one home theatre system, or plastic boomboxes many corporations pump out

Since few people have the golden ear, mass audio manufacturers have decided to sell to the eyes, and not to ear, to my disappointment...

Being a musician, I am on a mission to bring good music to living rooms at an affordable prices... hence my love for gears like NAD, Arcam, Rotel, Rega, Parasound, B&K, etc.

I also hope to learn about new mid-fi possibilities - both classics and new (tubes especially). Sorry it got so long, but big ME is my favorite subject, and I get lost in it when I am talking about it

Looking farward to meeting fellow audio lovers around the globe...

__________________
Where so ever you want to go, music will take you there...

I'm Sam Arketah 24 from USA.

Well...I see I am the first response of 2013; wow...this is an old, but very worthwhile thread; I've enjoyed reading it, which is why I'm posting. My name is Jeff, I'm a journalist in Las Vegas, and reintroducing myself to my love of stereos and hi-fi ( I know that's real old-school) that I had in high school. I'm 55; my gear is primarily mid-fi: Arcam Alpha 9 integrated and power amp, which I bi-amp to B&W 805's. I have an Arcam Alpha 9 CD player (wonderful) and MCD (great); my surround system is powered by a Marantz SR 7005; I have a collection of other gear...I have upgrade plans...but so far....enjoying what I have. I love my music...; everyone....here's to a great 2013, and to a thread that lives on.

Arcamguy inspired me to respond. I am a 50 year old surgeon and I got into this byzantine hobby through my love of music. I am not a guy who listens to sounds, but a music-lover who listens to almost everything. My current system is analogue-based with a SME 30/2 table and SME V arm tricked out by Kevin Scott to include Kondo silver wiring through from the cartridge, outputs, interconnects and bi-wired speaker cabling as well as the internal wiring of my Living Voice speakers being Kondo silver. I am currently using a Transfiguration Orpheus cart, and Whest phono stage. Power comes from a Graaf tube amp as well as a solid state option of a Pass Labs 30W class A integrated. CD player EAR acute. I have a very hectic life, but music provides the grounding, and the serenity required to keep it all going. I am so grateful to all of the Audiogon responders for their thoughtful comments, that keep it alive for me. Sorry to weigh in so late, and I hope that I am not the last responder on this very interesting thread.