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Your first amp?

What was it, when did you get it, and what did you really want?

I'll start, 1977, really wanted a Pioneer SX650 ( a powerhouse at, I seem to recall, 35wpc) but just didn't have the dough. Wound up with an SX450 (15 wpc) and gotta say, within it's power limitations, it was pretty decent.

Ah, back in the day when musical happiness was a receiver, a turntable, decent speakers (the JBL 100 Century was real nice), and to splurge, a cassette deck. In fact, I would say, in 1977, my 'dream system' would have been a Pioneer SX850, the L100's, a Philips GA212 turntable with a V15 type 3, and a Tandberg cassette deck.
128x128zavato
timrhu
2,779 posts
 
An Eico integrated amp back in 69. My dad got it at a yard sale. I don't recall the model, but it got me started in this hobby.
The first amp I purchased with my money was a Pioneer SX535 receiver. A great little 25 watt receiver.
stereo5's avatar
stereo5
6,388 posts
 
A Sansui 210 receiver in 1971. I wanted a Sony, but didn't have the extra 50.00 at the time. The system consisted of a Sansui 210 receiver, a BSR turntable with Shure cartridge, Sony TC 121 cassette deck with a Teac AN 50 outboard Dolby noise reduction adapter, and some cheap Panasonic 2 way speakers from a previous compact stereo system. I was in stereo heaven!
zavato's avatar
zavato OP
1,403 posts
 
Those are awesome first amps. It's both gratifying and sad at what satisfaction modest amps brought before we learned otherwise. I loved my Pioneer and was truly sad when, just within the last five years, a relative I gave the SX450 to, told me he threw it out not because it died (it was working well) but because he no longer wanted that sort of "old fashioned" music system. I would have taken it back in a heart beat. But so it is, once I gift it, it's the recipients to do with as he pleases.
dhcod
710 posts
 
Dynaco 70. I had a TransAudio receiver which was a Pacific Stereo house brand before it when I was 12 but I don't really count it. As soon as I understood that the equipment choice affected the sound, I immediately bought Dynaco. I did however end up working at Pacific Stereo during college and selling tons of TransAudio!!
wolf_garcia
6,696 posts
 
I bought a KLH Model 20 system in maybe 1970 that sounded amazing. This was the "turntable with amp" model without the tuner, and the speakers just kicked ass.
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