What hooked you to audio?


I was 16 and my sister got married. All I had in my room was an AM radio, but when sis got married I grabbed her room because it was bigger.

She had a Panasonic stereo system- combo turntable and receiver, which she left. I had no records but I started to listen to FM- WPLJ in NY. Oh, I got hooked- Queen, Chicago, etc. I realized I needed a decent hifi. I bought records at Alexander's and Korvettes

A friend- a year older, already discovered hifi and through him I learned about what I thought was an incredible system- a Dual table, Marantz receiver, and KLH speakers.

Then I discovered Tech Hifi. Their catalogs were eye opening. Yes, the Dual was nice, but the Thorens seemed real nice. The Marantz seemed nice, but the Mac stuff seemed real nice. Likewise, the KLH's seemed nice, but those Ohms with the Walsh driver seemed real nice.

This was all in the 2nd half of the 70's.

My first good table was a Thorens. I have a pair of Ohm F's in my garage. I once owned a Marantz 22 something for a short period of time.

Some deep and lasting hook!
128x128zavato
Dragon1952- you reminded me of something- when I was 15 or 16 I recall seeing a military PX catalog. You say Marantz and Sansui- that was basically the entire catalog!
My uncle gave me his old Webcor phonograph and his entire record collection - must have been in the 50's...I was doomed.
My uncle's JBL Paragon/MAC/Thorens system in the 60's. My dad bought EV Royal 400s, HK tube receiver and Rek0kut table. I was pretty damn spoiled. BTW, my mom still has those Royal 400s in her house. Not hooked up to anything, but they make good end tables.
My uncle had a big setup and I visited he and my aunt for a week when I was about 9. Played with his reel to reel and I was hooked. From then on I would pour over the ads in the Calendar section of the Sunday LA Times, ultimately saving my money for the lowest price Transaudio gear from Pacific Stereo!