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I bought a system, Sansui AU-101 integrated amp, Garrard SP25 and a jap-goldring MM cart, and BIG 3-way fret-grilled local boxes with Coral cone drivers. the BIG boxes, and the Garrard, did not last long. TD150 thorens/SME/V15III, and Celestion Ditton 15s. The ply/bitumen-pad box series! The first to be tweaked, thick black felt inserts with cut outs to meet the front side-lips!! New crossover caps BP-electro/ polycarbMF/ MFpp - laddered approx. ~90/9/1%), and clay&shot on the driver frames.

I guess the answer depends upon your definition. If you include my early low end/mid-fi days, it would be the unknown brand record player with speakers that I bought at the discount store in 1972 at age 15 before my later Realistic speakers and Pioneer receiver. My first rather high end component would be the Harman Kardon receiver I bought 8 years ago that now serves as the tuner in my system.

Pioneer VSX-D1SII—the best A/V receiver ever made. It was about 1992.

In 1975, at 26 years old, a stereo receiver. Now with 58 years on my sholders, my next goal must be Krell+Wilson Alexandria.

The first "real" thing I bought was pair of Dynaudio speakers and soon after a Luxman L-58A amplifier. That was around 1982.

A 25W Heathkit mono tube amp that I built myself, circa 1954. I was approximately 15 years old).

NAD 3020i amp—an excellent integrated amp, that still runs on my third system. Excellent acoustics, warm sound, although lacking in power, the NAD still rivals many leading amps of the modern market. Well done NAD, a true classic.

Magnepan MG-1—1979

In 1982, I bought my first stereo: a Garrard B200 deck, an Amstrad "Executive series" receiver, and a pair of Goodmans Q30 speakers.

Started reading and researching around '97. Bought my first high-end system in '98. Classe digital front end w/Bryston B60 integrated, and Paradigm Studio 60 speakers. Entry-level Cardas cable throughout. Even though my current system is literally five times more expensive and much better sonically, there are still quite a few times when I miss that first system. Really should have kept that B60.

I bought a Garrard turntable in 1957. Now I am 63, and I have a pair of Quad ESLs in my listening room and five B&W in my home theater room.

Yamaha Cr220 Reciever, Yamaha YP-B2 Turntable, and Yamaha NS-10M Speakers Bought in 1977 and I am still using all three in some way or another.

Thorens TD-124 in 1973

My first piece was a Fisher 450T receiver with a wired remote for tuning stations. About '67-'68 I think.

I built a crystal radio kit with a cat's whisker in 1954. In college a bought a Wollensak/3M real-to-reel stereo recorder with a built-in 3 watt/channel tube amplifier along with an inexpensive (it had to be) Garrard turntable. I then assembled some cheap whizzer coned 12-inch drivers in very large cabinets. These were great fun in the dorm in 1965.

Snell J mk.III was my first audiophile buy in 1986. Before that I never really listened and bought what seemed cheap and cool.

Garrard AT 6 changer to go with my home built 20 watt per 6L6 stereo and 8" home built folded horns (Popular Electronics). It was the year I graduated HS 1961.

A Nikko integrated amp with a Garrard turntable. And some very cheep headphones from about 1967.

Well, not "bought" by me but used & enjoyed & loved by me since I was 6 y.o. or so -- wonderful Williamson amp built ca. 1957 by my dad, following the famous magazine-article circuit description... P-P 807's, and he had physically modified the output transformer so that the plate leads emerged from the top of the end bell, leading to a pair of pretty ceramic plate-cap sockets ;) Power supply section on a separate chassis... all built beautifully into a turntable-drawer cabinet... I still have all of it, preamp too, also built by him, and Heathkit AM/FM tuner built by me and mom for Xmas '62 or '63... and the original magazine pages. (and Dad himself too I am happy to say)... Monaural heaven! Much later (heh), 1976 I think, I myself bought a Thorens TD-160 turntable, for $180.00 at "Sound of Music" (now long-defunct local chain store) in Dinkytown, Minneapolis that is, MN