Your first system?

[the7comeback7kid]

Does anyone care about the home audio anymore? There's like 30 people on and there is only the you know what thread being posted in. Ya'll need to rekindle the love! Anyone remember their first real home audio system. First seperates?
Mine was a Polk r series with a denon receiver. I can still remember the chrisas morning feeling I got every time I turned it on for like a month! Hoping I get that feeling again when my neo's are done.

Would love to hear some other stories!

[woofersus]

A discussion about audio? That's crazy talk!

In any case, I'll bite:

My first "system" was an old technics receiver and a pair of big Jensen 3-way's. I later replaced the Jensens with some old pa speakers and added a homemade jbl sub. Then I got married, bought a house, and started caring what things look like...

[jvgillow]

My first surround system was back in high school, when I got an Aiwa all-in-one system with a dolby digital decoder. The center and surround speakers that came with it were... awful. I ended up using a Labtec 2.1 computer set as my rears and an Altec-Lansing 2.1 computer set as my center and only used the Aiwa stereo speakers & subwoofer. Everything was decoded and volume-controlled by my computer Soundblaster card so that I could get DTS as well as Dolby.

Eventually I got a super-cheap receiver (still only had Dolby decoding) and used a radio shack center and a couple KLH surrounds. The Aiwa fronts still sounded better than either of those, but not by much. I got my first SACD player when I still had those speakers and the crappy receiver, and it was still awesome.

[tooskinny]

My first system that I thought was great was Fisher bought from Bergners. It had those big box speakers with 12in woofers only two channel was available then. I had dual tape decks so you could do high speed dubbing on tapes. Yeah I was the sh*t :thumbsup:

[SoCalWJS]

First system was in High School: Concept 11.0 and Advent NewSpeakers. Bought from a Pacific Stereo (where I eventually worked for a couple of years right after High School)

I picked up a turntable later, along with a tape deck. Multi channel was still a ways away.

[m-fine]

I think my first system was a mono AM/FM radio with a carry handle. I also got a mono tape player of simmilar vintage. My first stereo system was a giant walkman with head phones, followed by several "box" systems with the all too cool detatchable speakers.

My first real taste of the hobby came in 1983 when I "helped" my dad upgrade his system. We did a lot of listening a different shops, local and in the NYC/NJ area, and we started buying these new fangled CD things which were great sounding tapes you did not have to rewind.

[corndog71]

I started with a portable am/fm stereo tape recorder around the age of 10. An early boombox but without the boom.

During High School I got an all in one stereo by Fisher. It had a turntable on top, radio of course, dual tape deck and 5-band EQ! I used to have the speakers resting on the headboard of my bed. That lasted until I went into the Marines.

In the Marines I mostly listened to walkmans. First tape then eventually I got a CD walkman.

The bug didn't really bite until 1995. In the process of installing my own car stereo I discovered a high-end audio shop across town. My first step up from the ordinary was a used NAD CD player and integrated amp with a new pair of Paradigm Atoms.

[nwboater]

My first 'System' was a mono amp I built (from scratch) in 'Radio Shop' in High School in 1957. Had push pull 6L6s for I think about 30 watts output. A friend in wood shop built a speaker cabinet for me that housed a 12" University something or other that had a tweeter attached in line with the woofer. The turntable was a Rek O Kut Rondine Jr. with a Shure cartridge. I thought it was fantastic at the time.

Next year a friend built an amp and 2 large speakers. We got a stereo cartridge for the Rondine and rented out the system for dances. Stereo was brand new at the time and we were a big hit!

Guess I should have kept some of this old stuff - seems it's getting valuable now. I still have a box of old tubes somewhere & I should take a look at them - might be some fun surprises there!

Rod

[k_t]

My first system was an aiwa htib about 5 years ago.

My first real system was a little over a year ago when I got an x series system. X-mtms, xcs, and xls' with an mfw15 and an onkyo 606. The first time I watched a movie (after I figured out audyssey setup) I sat on the couch with my mouth open for most of the movie. It sounded so good I stayed home more often just to listen.

Then a few months ago I upgraded to rocket 850s, big foot and elt525ms with dual mfw-15s and recently added an svs AS-EQ1. It just keeps getting better. As good as the x encores were, the rockets are that much better again.

Next up? I think I'm going to ninja master and no rez my xls' (or maybe try to diy something from gr research), add a nice little tube amp and maybe get into vinyl.

I have definitely been bitten by the bug. My girlfriend thinks I'm insane - she may be right :biglaugh:

[Jed M]

My first real non boombox type setup was a Kenwood Receiver and these huge Pioneer speakers that must have had 15 or 18's built in. They were cheap, loud and did I mention HUGE. I am sure they sounded like crap but back then (around 7th grade) I thought they were awesome. I still laugh when I think back to the look on my dad's face (a cross between :crap: and :doh! 1: and :eek: ) as my friend and I lugged them into our basement.

[k_t]

That just reminded me. My first system was in my truck in high school. Rockford fosgate separates in the doors and a 12 inch orion behind the seat with orion hcca amps.

The good ole days lol

[bunnyma357]

Pioneer SX-737 Receiver, Teac A-150 Cassette Deck (my friends were all going with 8-Tracks), My Dad's old AR-2 Speakers later replaced by Allison CD-9's which I still have, and a Garrard GT-55 Turntable with Linear Tracking articulated tonearm.

Donated the AR Speakers & Receiver to my brother-in-law, otherwise I'd still have them. TT and cassette deck died eventually.

Jim C

[beeboy]

1976, bagged groceries to save up for my first system. JVC JR-S300 receiver with the matching tape deck. Technics SLP-23A turntable and technics SB-5000 speakers. I had that setup for a number of years.

[the7comeback7kid]

Great stories guys. Love the vintage stuff you found pictures too. We need to bring back the time of full range speakers with built in 15" woofers! Where's bosshole? I bet he has a good story

[skullguise]

My first "system" (aside from portable mono cassette recorders) was this "lift and play" type of system that did AM/FM and records. The player folded up into a case on a hinge, so it looked like a large briefcase closed. And the speakers were plastic cases....

Graduated to a Fisher all-in-one with receiver, 8-track, and turntable. Fisher speakers with single full-range driver and passive radiator. I swapped the drivers with some better-than-average Rat Shack drivers, and enjoyed this for a while.

Just before college, I got an Aiwa mini-system, with receiver and cassette built in, and separate but cheap speakers.

At college, met a dorm-mate who was selling some stuff through a local wholesale vendor. Picked up some AR speakers and an Aiwa ADF-770 cassette from him, and got my dad's old Marantz 2238B receiver. Kept me VERY satisfied for a couple years at school, until I got my first credit card.

Nikko preamp, Adcom GFA-1A "cube" amp, same Aiwa cassette deck, and eventually an Onkyo CD player. 3D Acoustic cube speakers with Phase Tech subwoofer.

Once out of school, the REAL spending began :biglaugh: