Vote

After several years of living with a cheap all-in one unit, my parents let me pick out a new stereo system at a ~$200 budget as an early graduation gift during my senior year of high school (in 1977). I chose a Pioneer SX-550 receiver and a Pioneer PL-115D turntable with an entry level Empire cartridge. The speakers were some very cheap off-brand to fit the budget, but it completed my first "real" system. Within a year I was able to afford to step up to a pair of Infinity Qe speakers and an Audio Technica cartridge. Shortly thereafter I also bought a Technics cassette deck. Over time, the Infinity's 4ohm load proved too difficult for the Pioneer receiver (it blew the output transistors several times) so a year later I bought a Harman Kardon HK-505 integrated amp and relegated the Pioneer to use as a tuner. This system happily carried me through college and the first few years of my career before jumping into the world of hi-fi in a much bigger way.

Two open backed speaker boxes made out of 1x8 mahagony with orange burlap grille cloth, each containing one mismatched 12 inch speaker bought at Goodwill that came out of a floor model radio, and a 16mm war surplus movie projector speaker box, the metal chassis tube guts from a Magnavox portable mono record player with knobs attatched, and a Garrard turntable pried out of the top of a console hi-fi from my friend's garage, mounted on a base made from orange crate wood. I never enjoyed music more.

Well, the first set-up for me was an Emerson reciever with a built-in cassette deck and a BSR turntable on top. It gave me a few years of fun until I was 14 or so. The first real piece of gear was a very early Denon cd player, which still works. Not that it gets any use, but it does work. I'll keep it for sentimental reasons!

Harman Kardon reciever, technics turntable, and Mirage bookshelf speakers way back in 1984

My first audio system consisted of Pioneer SX-828 Receiver, Pioneer PL-51 turntable with Ortofon MC20 cartridge, Soundcraftsman RP 2212 equalizer, Nakamichi 1000 cassette deck and Dynaco 30 speakers. Even with current upgrade to Krell 650 Monoblocks, Krell KPS 25, Oracle turntable, Nakamichi Dragon and Wilson Grand Slamm speakers, I still keep every original piece, although some of them are relegated to the Game Room. And the receiver and equalizer are still working fine.

my Very first was years ago,,my mom got me a one-piece sears unit with a turntable ,8-track,am/fm and 2 speakers with one 5 inch? speaker in each cabinet. i upgraded to a kenwood reciever,cassette,tuner,...then many systems later i have Bryston......ahhhh!!!

Marantz receiver, JBL L-100 spkrs, Thorens Turntable, Teac open reel tape deck, zip cord,

Lenco Turntable and turntable with Sure cartridge, Radford MA15 mono valve amp kit with a later addition, a Quad mono(symilar sound and power (15W). Lowther PM6 Acousta's. Forgot the rest --- Oh my Dad's borrowed Ferrograph reel to reel tape recorder.

Pioneer SX-3700 receiver, Technics SL-D303 turntable, Technics RS-M205 tape deck, and Acoustic Research AR-93 speakers. I had to mow lawns to pay for all this and I was listening in mono for a year or so until I could afford my second AR-93.

Marantz 1060 AR 3a's

Sony TTS3000 turntable,Shure SME 3009R tonearm, Ortofon S15T cartridge, Marantz 7C preamplifier, Marantz 8B power amplifier and a used pair of Klipschorns

My first real component system was bought when I was a junior at university, working three part time jobs trying to get an education. Music has always been very important to me and I can not imagine life without it. The system was a pair of Radio Shack Optimus Ones, Dual's top of the line turntable (this was 34 years age and I can not remember the model number), and an integrated 50w amp kit I built myself. I believe it was an Echo brand. I had to put myself through school and was poor as a beggar. I had more money in my system than in any other thing I owned at the time. School paid off and I have owned many systems since.

BSR record changer, discreet four-channel integrated amp, and four small speakers purchased as a package from Radio Shack around 1975. It was about $125 for the whole deal, paid for with paper route money.

Nad C521i CD player Nad C370 Amplifier AAD C600i Loudspeaker XLO Pro interconnect Performance integra speaker cables

It was the eminently pleasurable Superscope all-in-one turntable receiver with plug-in speakers. It was truly a purchase made with pride by a wide eyed 13 year old. My first upgrade was adding a Panasonic portable cassette deck. Carefully placed between the two speakers, it made memorable recordings of the various hits of the mid-to-late '70s! You know, "S.O.S," "Rubberband Man," "Billy Don't Be A Hero," etc.

You may laugh, but the first system I ever had consisted of a Sharp Mini system with a Kenwood turntable. I did improve a bit when I switched to a Sony ES 5 disc (w/variable output), a Carver amplifier and a pair of speakers I built myself using Peerless drivers and a Leap-designed X-over(thanks Madisound). It was heaven at the time. I was about 16 years old. Ah, those were the days.

My first really decent components were a Yamaha R-300 Natural Sound receiver, Mesa turntable, & Boston Acoustics A-60 speakers. This was a special package offered by a local hi-fi dealer in the early 1980's. I listened to a lot of vinyl & FM broadcasts through those components. I later upgraded(?) to a Technics turntable with Grado cartridge. I still have the receiver & turntable, now mated with PSB speakers and a Sony DVD player. While it's my secondary system, it gets its share of use. And, I still like the sound of it!

Dual table, Stanton cartridge, and a Fisher integrated with choices for vinyl equalization, soon replaced by Scott kit integrated and tuner (pride of soldering!), AR-2as, cheap-ass wire and interconnects. I replaced the 2as with Bozak kit speakers (pride of gluing, soldering, and finishing!). Model numbers long forgotten, same as ex-wives, but the pleasure lingers. Coveted Mac and Klipsch, but they were beyond my budget, good only for drooling and 2-3 hours of wasting the local dealer's time playing jazz when he was a Bach-man. Cool guy, indeed, to put up with a kid who liked music, had no funds and few prospects. Have a decent 'modern' system currently, after many versions, changes, tweaks but truthfully, in spite of imaging, soundstage, spread, lack of distortion, and all the current audiophile passions, it was better then. Few of today's systems, while potent, have the magic of yesterday's first hearing and the immense pleasure of music, reproduced with lots of distortion, pops and clicks, slow bass, low highs, rumble, flutter and pure enjoyment and awe. We knew no better back in 1962.

I started with a super cheap trial stereo (by winthrop) at age 13, but the first 'real' stuff came in, oh, 1978: a Pioneer SX-535 receiver, a BIC-960 turntable, and acousti-phase monitor speakers. Despite their legendary terribleness, I still have the acousti-phases and they go ok with my rotel rx-855 receiver (itself an '80s era relic). of course, the joseph audio rm25si speakers are on deck, and the last link to that first stereo -- 26 years ago -- finally will be retired.

Yamaha 5660, Infinity Alpha 50 Floor Speakers, Alpha 20 Bookshelf Speakers, Alpha Center channel.

I clearly remember mine. A Fisher Model 400 tube receiver, a Perpetnum-Ebner turntable with Shure cartridge, and some "homemade" speakers with ElectroVoice components. Still miss the Fisher, still amazed by how long those P-E turntable control levers were, still thinking how sorry, yet still amazing, those speakers were. Didn't take long to upgrade the speakers —next were early KLH.

My first system was largely home-built. I started with an old Magnavox console which had a 12" speaker I removed all of the electronics and speaker, and replaced that speaker with a 12" woofer. In the space where the receiver belonged, I mounted an 8" coaxial speaker. For electronics, I used a three-tube RCA design liberated from a small suitcase-style record-player. I can't remember the turntable, but I used A GE VR cartridge and Lafeyette tube preamp. Because of the efficeincy of the speaker, I got glorious mono sound.

Pioneer SX-1010 receiver, Philips GA-212 turntable, and Ohm F speakers Every penny I earned from my first summer job went into that system. My parents thought I was nuts, but I loved it!

Bell mono amp,Altec 12" coaxial speaker, Rek O Kut turntable, Livingston tone arm,G E Magnetic cartridge

Marantz CD Player, NAD 310 integrated, Wharfedale Diamond 7.2 (the real ones, not the ones from china!) That was in 1996 when I was 16.

An imported affair with a BSR turntable in the top and two speakers. Each speaker had a captive speaker wire and one 5" driver, but the front baffle had two chrome rings glued on. My parents bought it for me at Fedco when I was about 12; it must have cost them $60.

denon drv-95vr receiver technics slp-520 cd player boston acoustic t-830 (1986) the receiver is still used daily in bedroom system (tertiary system).

EMI 319 speakers Fisher X100B amplifier Dual 1009 turntable Pickering cartridge V15?

Marantz 2245 receiver Benjamin Miracord Turntable Privately made 3-way Speakers

The year is 1978. Kenwood KR-4070 receiver, large Jensen 4-way speakers, Marantz cassette deck, Technics semi-automatic turntable w/ADC cartridge, and Koss Pro-AAA headphones