Everybody's Welcome............list your very first system

[Clive]

Well it goes to show that I was never good with marriage councelling anyways, sorry it was the best I could come up with :twisted:

[Martyn]

Just discovered this thread which motivated me to rummage around in my filing cabinet...

My first system comprised:

Thorens TD 150
Rogers Ravensbrook amp
Wharfdale Linton speakers

This was c. 1973. The amp and deck are probably still doing good service somewhere. The speakers could be too - I guess they weren't too bad for the price. I don't have the receipt for this stuff, but I do have receipts for these subsequent additions:

1982: Sony TCK71 4-head cassette deck - 179 pounds Sterling (US$310 at today's rate).
1986: Marantz CD65 - 350 pounds Sterling (US$610).

I still have both of these units although the Marantz has been overshadowed by a DVD player and I use the Sony only occasionally. I can't bear to part with it because it's such a solid performer and was built when Sony audio gear was still good quality.

1987: Quad 33/303 amp/preamp - 100 pounds (used) and Leak 2-way composite cone speakers - also 100 pounds (used - already over 20 years old). Somewhere along the line I also picked up a Goodmans receiver and Akai reel-to-reel.

The Quad, Marantz, Sony, and Leaks moved to Canada with me in 1987. I had to change the transformer in the Sony, but the Q & M were dual voltage.

I picked up a wife too, who came with a Pioneer PL112 turntable, Pioneer SX-750 receiver (very similar to David Meek's SX-880), and another pair of Lintons. This stuff made it to Canada too - we still use the turntable occasionally, and the receiver and speakers are a terrific substitute for the usual crappy computer speaker systems.

I didn't replace the Quad until 2002 and the Leaks until last Christmas! I'd guess that both saw about forty years service and will no doubt go for a while longer yet. As you might have guessed, I suffer from only a mild case of that nasty upgrade-itis illness.

Cheers (this has been fun),

Martyn

[Clive]

I picked up a wife too, who came with a Pioneer PL112 turntable, Pioneer SX-750 receiver (very similar to David Meek's SX-880),.



Martyn

Can't ask for a better deal than that :T


A FUN READ TOO MARTYN, THANKS FOR SHARING

[brac]

Kenwood krv9020 with Klipsch forte II's. It was a great system for its time and the krv is still being used in my secondary system.
Brac

[FlashJim]

Hmm ... Yamaha RX-V450 receiver and JBL NSP-1 (mains, center and surrounds). :roll:

I guess it's time to get some real equipment, eh? :B

[Clive]

Just take you time Buddy everybody started somewhere. Lets us know when you wanna start :T

[FlashJim]

Just take you time Buddy everybody started somewhere. Lets us know when you wanna start :T

It's time! The wife is out of town for two months and I have a garage full of tools and I'm not afraid to use 'em.

My plan is sub first, then mains/cc.

[Clive]

Check in with those guys in DIY for some insights if you haven't yet :T

Are you saying you gonna build all your speakers :scratchhead:

[FlashJim]

Check in with those guys in DIY for some insights if you haven't yet :T

Are you saying you gonna build all your speakers :scratchhead:

I spend 99% of my time in the DIY section.

Building all of them is the eventual plan. The JBLs got me hooked and I wanted more. I figured I'd over-build a sub that I could use in the future system. Then build my mains and CC as a set. Then I'd build some surrounds down the road. I'd replace the existing speakers as I go, I'd never be without.

The process of building is the motivation. Not $$ savings.

[Lotus 78]

Ye gods I’m getting old.


First system:

Sansui receiver from the early eighties. I remember that is had a sliding volume control and cool blue lights on the input selector buttons.

A radio shack turntable

Sansui speakers. They had 10 or 12 inch woofer 2 mid-range and 2 tweeters all paper of course.

Technics tape deck.


Upgraded to:

NAD preamp forget the model (year 1986)
Hafler DH120 power amp.
B&O RX turntalble
Nackamichi RX (BX??) 300 tapedeck
Small Advent speakers

First “home theater”:

Adcom prologic processor with on board center and rear amps
The above Hafler amp for the mains
A Toshiba HiFi VCR
Pioneer Laserdisc
19in TV (boy those letterbox movies were small)
Boston A60 front
Above Advents rear.

[Clive]

Nothing Beats the experiences we have.

[jmprader]

First system circa 1971:

Pioneer SX-990 Receiver
Garrard Zero-100 turntable with Stanton 681-EEE cartridge
Quadraflex Q-3 speakers (Pacific Stereo house brand, ooooh my ears!!!)
Koss Pro-4AA headphones

High school additions: Scott 490 amplifier, Akai GX-280D R-R, Teac AN-80 outboard dolby, Sony SQ decoder, Sennheiser headphones.

Speaker replacements while still in high school: Dynaco A-25's, ADC 303AX's (both great) ,and Sansui 3000(?) imports (a bit tubby and tinny, but they impressed the chicks and guys)

College: worked in a hi-fi store...Sources: Philips GA-212, then a Sony TT2251 belt drive turntable, first with an SME arm, then an Infinity Black Widow, coupled with a Teac A400 cassette deck, then a Nakamichi 600. Amplification: Phase Linear 400 (screaming hot high end)/4000 amp/preamp combo, then to an SAE 60(?)/ SAE IX preamp, then an ESS amp (very few made) and finally a Sansui BA-3000 with the SAE IX pre replaced with a Dynaco PAT-4A just before graduation. Speakers: Large Advents (great stuff, sold a ton of 'em) and some Bose 901's (great for loud parties, not much else), then downsized to some EPI's bookshelf and Avid 103's when I trashed my car one too many times...

Then I slowed down for a decade or so to deal with grad school and start a family...I have been trying to make up for lost time since and will continue to do so until deaf or broke, whichever comes first.

[wkhanna]

Wonderful post, brings back lots of memories ( some fine, and some not so ).
Welcome to the group, your equipment bio/history marks you as a "90 percentile member", so I look forward to more of your input.
BTW, I just have to ask.........Did you ( as I did ) "stack" your Advents?

[Clive]

I trashed my car one too many times...

Then I slowed down for a decade or so to deal with grad school and start a family...I have been trying to make up for lost time since and will continue to do so until deaf or broke, whichever comes first.

I think it would be "DEAF" first >that we don't listen to our wives telling us "No more equipment" then we go broke because we didn't listen :roll: :T

Welcome to the Guide and thanks for posting ;x(

[jmprader]

Wonderful post, brings back lots of memories ( some fine, and some not so ).
Welcome to the group, your equipment bio/history marks you as a "90 percentile member", so I look forward to more of your input.
BTW, I just have to ask.........Did you ( as I did ) "stack" your Advents?

Thanks for the compliment. Worst part is that my long term memory is gradually becoming better than my short term memory...on the other hand, my entire life has been the process of learning more and more about less and less and in the end I will know a whole lot about nothing!

While I never actually owned 2 pairs of Advents myself, a couple of other fraternity brothers bought ADvents on my recc...so we stacked them when possible for parties. There was something very synergistic about it and the practice had a mini-cult following among sales employees. Once we had "double stacked" Advents for a soiree; with all 4 pairs owned in the house set up at once. We thought we were pretty cool, though my recollection is that it didn't have the additive synergy of just the pair of stacked Advents. My acoustic suspension/sealed box bias kept me away from ported subs until about 8 years ago...even though they've been great, I've now got the itch to do some DIY sealed or IB subs...

[wkhanna]

Worst part is that my long term memory is gradually becoming better than my short term memory......

Ah Yes……..the late 60’s and 70’s were harder on some us than others, and while I have been able to cope with most of the transformations and latent damage, the increasing amount of ear hair is one consequence that, for some strange reason, disturbs me most.

4 pairs owned in the house set up at once....

Quadraphonic Stacked Advents!!!! Sounds like Guinness world record material!!!!!

I've now got the itch to do some DIY sealed or IB subs...

And yes, the DIY section here is motivating many to take the plunge, myself included.

Edit: Hey.....My first Flip....and it didn't even make me dizzy!

[jmprader]

Ah Yes……..the late 60’s and 70’s were harder on some us than others, and while I have been able to cope with most of the transformations and latent damage, the increasing amount of ear hair is one consequence that, for some strange reason, disturbs me most.

Quadraphonic Stacked Advents!!!! Sounds like Guinness world record material!!!!!

And yes, the DIY section here is motivating many to take the plunge, myself included.

Edit: Hey.....My first Flip....and it didn't even make me dizzy!

Ear hair: without a doubt, amont the three most irritating aspects of aging. Admission: I own some vanity tools to keep the foliage under control....

Quad Advents: the Grateful Dead had already caused permanent hearing loss among thousands with the Wall of Sound performances in Winterland and other Left Coast Venues. We would have been mere pretenders!

DIY: enablers are critical to the spread of the affliction...

[Pez]

When I was kid I had a couple of mini-boombox type systems - AM/FM with cassette. Eventually "moved-up" to a boombox with inputs for a CD player. Then in high school I bought an entry level Sherwood stereo reciever, received Sony CD player as xmas present, and was given 3-way Radio Shack speakers from my brother. However I wouldnt really consider any of those my first system cause I didnt really listen to music then, just wanted the stuff because my twin brother had his own. Never had anything in college except a 27" TV.

Skip to a couple of years ago and now we are talking. Had a roommate with a kick-butt HT system that got me hooked and took my first step in the world of surround sound when he moved out. Ever since then I have been very passionate about HT. My first true system consisted of:

Energy Take 5.2 speakers with S8.2 sub
Denon AVR-1602
PS2 for DVD player
Sharp 36" tv
Radio Shack Gold Series interconnects all around.

Since then I have gone through many upgrades and side-grades, too many to list. And thats only in a span of about 4 years. Oh what this hobby does to us.

[Danbry39]

My first real system was a Marantz receiver, I think model 2230, a BIC turntable, and a pair of ESP speakers. Although the speakers sounded great, I hardly think that they were related to the ESP line of speakers now, which cost tens of thousands a pair, especially since the entire system cost less than a thousand.

All I know is that I was in audio heaven. I set it up in my office after I bought it at lunch and blasted everyone's ears the rest of the work day.

Immediately after, I started visiting audio stores over and over, just because I got so into it.

Back then, in the early '70's, before home theater, there were tons of systems set up all over the place. The best I recall hearing was a pair of Klipsch La Scalas being driven by a tube amp. That system sent chills up my spine.

[joetama]

My first system was a Sony 'boom' box system it was 'cool' at the time. I got it for my birthday. But I was always angry because my brother helped my mother pick it out so he got one with less wattage than his so his would be louder.

Then when I moved to college I got my first REAL system. My dad had some old B&W DM330i's that my brother and I messed up when we were little, so I fixed them put them with a Alesis Studio 12R mixer, a dbx 2231 EQ, and a QSC MX-1500a. I also had a Kenwood 6 disk changer that some how I got for free. Then just upgraded one part at a time until what I have now. I'll always have a soft spot for B&W...

[wkhanna]

Back then, in the early '70's, before home theater, there were tons of systems set up all over the place. The best I recall hearing was a pair of Klipsch La Scalas being driven by a tube amp. That system sent chills up my spine.

Same time frame, the store ('Opus One' as its shingle read) were I bought my first system (all Advent) had a Linn Sondek TT, Transcripture Vestigial Tone Arm, can't remember the brand of cartridge, Marantz pre, Marantz tube monoblocks, and the most beautiful speakers I had ever seen, Dalquest floor standing three ways. It was many many years before I ever heard anything that came close.

[washingtonbob]

First stereo

Saved up my paper route money (1966) and bought a Knight Kit tube amplifier, pair of 8" speakers (homade bass-reflex cabinets) and a turntable with "ceramic" cartridge.

Found Knight Kit from an ad in the back of an old Popular Electronics mag.

Later added a Heathkit FM-3 tuner and a reel to reel recorder with the brand name "Recordio".

[1Michael]

The first system I bought at about the age of 14 was a Fisher Quad system and a Tecnics ( Direct Drive) Turntable with a Quad cartridge. I dont know why 4 channel never caught on because Quad recordings sounded so cool! 30 years later and now we have 7.1. DUH. I guess I was ahead of my time, HeHeHe.

From there I got a pair of Altec Lansing Voice Of The Theater speakers in 85 and learned how to rock the house 8O

[gc8ej25]

My first system... about a week ago. It's already addicting.

B&W 683
Rotel RB-1070
Marantz SR4120
Oppo DV-980H

[impala454]

Depends on what counts as a "system" but I'll bite:
Sony 51" triple gun HDTV
Sony STR DE595
Sony blah slim DVD player
Sony 3-way fronts w/8" woofers
Sony 3-piece center + surrounds
Yamaha 8" powered sub

What's ironic is I'm not a big fan of Sony anymore :P

[wkhanna]

The first system I bought at about the age of 14 was a Fisher Quad system and a Tecnics ( Direct Drive) Turntable with a Quad cartridge. I dont know why 4 channel never caught on because Quad recordings sounded so cool! 30 years later and now we have 7.1. DUH. I guess I was ahead of my time, HeHeHe.

From there I got a pair of Altec Lansing Voice Of The Theater speakers in 85 and learned how to rock the house 8O

I remember having a Craig car receiver/cassette head unit I got in 1974 that had a Quad function.
We would listen to the Who’s Quadrophenia a think how cool we were. ops:

Those Altec Lansing’s where big step up!

[wkhanna]

My first system... about a week ago. It's already addicting.

B&W 683
Rotel RB-1070
Marantz SR4120
Oppo DV-980H

That is one heck of a start, gc8ej25! :T

[PewterTA]

My humble start back in '93...

Pioneer 5.1 Pro Logic Receiver.
Yamaha Tower speakers L/R
Pioneer Center & Rear Surrounds
19" GE TV
Pioneer Tape Deck
Magnavox VCR
Playstation 1

[Stage1]

Bet you can't beat this....A Candle system with an 8 track, tuner and record player all in one. This would of been around 1978. 30 watts max power, but of course this wasn't loud enough so I hooked a second set of speakers I found in the garbage dump by splicing into the stock pair. I think my parents bought this at Kmart. Man was I cool!!!!!LOL. Isn't technology GREAT! 8)

[cug]

When I started in the late eighties / early nineties, my first "real" system was:

- Bowers & Wilkins Matrix II
- Yamaha C-85 pre
- Yamaha MX-1000 amp
- Sony CDP222ESD cd player
- Kenwood KX880D tape
- Kenwood KT980 (?) tuner

This was after a couple of years of adding parts to the system. It started with the cd player, an old amp (can't remember) and DIY speakers.

Oh, and I forgot: before that I was only using the BASF components from my mom in the living room.

[make_or_break]

Greetings from a newbie.

Mid '70s...high school...Pioneer compact stereo, model number who knows. Kewl blue display. Pulled the built-in BSR changer out and rigged it for a Technics SL-23 belt-drive table, which I still have...someplace. A-T cartridge. EXTREMELY bright (back when I could still hear up in that end of the spectrum...sigh)

Bought a Pioneer CT-F1000 tape deck shortly thereafter (still have this monster as well, though it's pretty much frozen...but still looks impressive when the power switch is in the business position, though); talk about mismatched components. Lowball speakers went shortly thereafter...replaced with a homebuilt pair made up of Radio Shack and Speakerlab parts. Kept the Pioneer "receiver" as the core through college; re-installed the BSR and gave it to my Dad when I finally decided to update to NAD and Nakamichi electronics (i.e., I--woo-hoo--got a job after graduation).

30 years later...that bloody Pioneer is STILL going. Even the built-in cassette tape deck still works, although the mechanical counter as well as the VU meters bit the big one a decade or so ago. Dad thinks he got his money's worth out of it.

[Alloroc]

Hey there make or break... welcome to htguide :later:

[Ron526]

OK I'll tell
Amp- EICO (kit) Cortina 3570 w/FM tuner
Speakers- Utah 3 way 10,6,1.5 (I think)
Koss kit headphones (I think)
I still have the amp and speakers and it still plays and sounds OK.
This is vintage late 60's stuff.

[coyotetu]

Yeah, I'm only 20, so... my first system is not quite as nostalgic.

Onkyo TX-SR674S
Boston Acoustics CR67B bookshelfs (2.0)

Rather meager setup, looking forward to going whole hog on my second system.

[David Meek]

Rather meager setup, looking forward to going whole hog on my second system.

Hey, that's the fun of your (our) first system. You love it, then you grow out of it, then you look back at it with a lot of fond memories.

Hi, make_or_break, welcome to The Guide! :welcome: Yeah, my Pioneer SX-880 and cassette deck were still going strong when I gave them up. I sometimes wonder where they are and are they still pumping out the music.

[chrisn]

A pair of minimus 7's with removable grilles connected to a portable stereo, and eventually to a Scott integrated amp (from the 80s) hand me down. I really liked it and it lasted for many years before it blew up. My uncle gave me an extremely large AM/FM tuner with wooden case, perhaps it was Sears. The thing was so huge my cat slept inside when I removed the rear cover.

Around the same time I had an old Realstic receiver. Compact, sounded decent, and the tuning needle/indicator changes from yellow to orange when it is mono or stereo as well as when the station is "in tune". That didn't mater since the needle didn't line up with the numbers on the display. The display was really cool, it was pitch black with the numbers backlit in blue. I replaced all the bulbs, which promptly burned out in a week or two. It had to be tuned by ear, as the color changing needle ceased to light, and the numbers, which you couldn't see, didn't match. Couldn't get stations past 105-ish either. I kept this, even after it broke and recently fixed it. The needle started working as well. It sits under my bed, I think.

$2 bought me an early to mid 80s Techincs receiver with digital tuner, undoubtedly their bottom of the line receivers. It had a sliding volume control I can only describe as effed up. I kept it as a spare until the death of my Scott and Realistic. For quite some time I used it as subwoofer amp. The subs were radio shack 10" DVC car subs bought on clearance for $10 each. I wired them in series, as each coil was 4 ohms and even then I knew 2 ohms was a no no, but it sounded bad, so I wired up a 2 ohm load to each side of the Technics to try it out for a minute. Know what? It lasted for years, until I had to use it to power the "mains". It is my garage receiver, currently. All of the spring loaded button have ceased to function for the most part, but it still works

VCR was whatever was handy, and most often "modified" by removing all the "extra" parts that all VCR's had. What I mean is my VCR's usually had no case cover and had most of the loading mechanism removed so I could unravel eaten tapes easier. I was shocked to find one unit, a Panasonic Hi Fi with Spatializer, lying in pieces in a rubbermaid storage container in the basement. I have no idea how it got there.

Turntable is a Garrard SL55 found in my grandmothers attic, works fine for playing Men at Work: Business as Usual.

Had some cassette decks, got rid of them. Still have a Teac 1230 (I think) reel to reel, found on the curb, though not on garbage day??? Works great, the entire tape is some guy doing the same gitar riffs over and over. It sits in the basement.

The little speakers and cheap receiver were replaced by a set of Dayton Budget Project's I built myself, powered by a hand me down Realistic STA-2000, which sits next to me as an unused sub amp for my computer system. Still works great, though the loudness button must remain "on" cause it won't stay off. The DBP's were soon accompanied by various small speakers, then some larger ones, some bipoles and subwoofers, and on it goes.

Currently have a pair of Pioneer receivers, a 516 7.1 and a 517 5.1. These satisfy my HT needs and will likely suffice for some time. I do plan to upgrade my 2 chanel system, in what way(s) I am not sure.

Still need a decent TV. DVD player is a JVC which I can't justify upgrading as it works fine. Also have a PS2 and an atari 2600, but I rarely play video games and have them neatly tucked away. I also have a very neatly organized closet with drivers and speakers and "stuff". Speakers are always revolving, as they did in the past. I just cannot remember them all. Haven't bought any commercial speakers in a very long time, nor do I ever plan to resume such practices.

So there is an awful lot of history on my past equipment. I hope you enjoyed at least a small portion of it, though it is not as glamorous as some others posted above. Please, feel free to donate to the cause My hearing, I think, is still fine.

[wkhanna]

Fun read, chrsin!

You must go to the ‘Mission Accomplished’ section on the forum, if you havn't already. I think you will enjoy the reading about all of the ongoing the speaker-buildings projects, considering the background you have. :T

[chrisn]

Oh, I have Going to build the TMWW RS3 ways and Undef's Aether's, have most of the parts already.

Glad you enjoyed the read

[audioqueso]

Wow... our VERY first system.. that belonged to us, right? Not my parents. Let's see... no way in the world I can remember the model, but let's see...

I remember the speakers... it was a set of Pioneer 3-way speakers. I received them for my 16th birthday, I believe. Best Buy had them for like $55 bucks. I saw them on an ad. My mother got them for me. I remember being so excited. Fake wood veneer. They were like 2-3' tall. 10" woofer if I remember correctly. My father gave me some old Kenwood integrated amp. I can not remember what was my source. I think I either used a portable CD player or my sister's karaoke box that had a tape deck and CD player. I remember my friends always thought it was cool to come over to my place cause my room had a good stereo.

I had those speakers for a long time. I went off to the military and kept them. I bought a pair of Infinity Reference IR-5s and didn't want to sell them. I gave them to my best friend, and hooked her up with all new other stuff. I was emotionally attacked to those speakers. ha ha I'm sure if I heard them now, I'd wonder what was good... but that is the story of my first system. The end.

[kmcheng]

My first system:

Sony KDL-46XBR2 LCD TV
Comcast Cable Box
PS3

You must be saying: you are kidding me. Okay, so here is my first "real" system:

Cambridge Audio 540 v2 Receiver
B&W M1 speakers
B&W PV1 subwoofer
PS3
Sony KDL-46XBR2 LCD TV
Comcast Cable Box

This setup lasted about four months before I got a second PV1.

Another month went by and I got an Arcam CD73 to play my CDs.

Four weeks later I switched my L-R speakers to 805S and disabled the center channel. (No space for the matching HTM4S.)

Five weeks after that I got a Bel Canto S300i to power the 805S so that my CD listening does not go through the Cambridge Audio receiver at all.

And now I am looking to replace the Cambridge Audio with something that can do HDMI audio.

This has been an expensive and frustrating journey, but also one that is a lot of fun.

[David Meek]

Kmcheng, just wait until you've gone a few years into upgrading/replacing. It's an amazing thing at many times and frustrating at a few. Good luck! :T

[Roteller]

My First System

I remember when I was 15 years old I had great summer job that payed me enough to get a loan for my first system.... mind you my mom co-signed on the loan.

System included a Harman Kardon PM 665 Integrated Amp, Which I still use in my beater system along with a HK TD 202 Casette Deck, Technics Stereo Graphic Equalizer SH 8066, Nikko Turntable NP 100, a Sony CD Player, can't remember the model # but I do remember paying about 850.00 for it back in 1983. All this pushed my Cerwin Vega D9's.

The speakers and CD Player are the only pieces of that system I no longer own. Everything else is still functionable, except for a small LED Light that flickers on and off on the equalizer once and awhile. But just keeping that system around for the last 25 Yrs kept me in touch with my youth.

That old sytem sure did entertaine quite a few Parties....Oh those good old days..... Now I fool around with Rotel gear mainly. AIN'T TECHNOLIGY GRAND!!!

HAVE A GREAT ONE FELLOW AUDIOHOLICS!!!! :T

[wettou]

40 Years ago a Philips turntable with speakers

30 Years ago a mini hifi system Technics with all Aluminum speakers

20 years ago moved too much and don't remember except for an Onkyo, and Boston speakers

13 years ago my first home theater system:
- Yamaha RX-V2092 (still in the garage)
- Mitsubishi VHS HSU-580
- Sony CD player
- B&W DM 602 & 603
- Definitive technology surround speakers
- M&K Sub woofer
- Sony 32 i SXRD TV

10 years ago: (and still working now in the garage converted as a exercise room)
- Sony TA-E9000ES Pre/pro
- Parasound 5x250 Amp
- B&W DM 602 & 603
- Definitive technology surround speakers
- M&K Sub woofer
- Sony DVP-S7700ES DVD player
- Toshiba 42i RPTV

7 years ago: ( now in a small room 12x13)
- Integra Research RDC-7 pre/pro
- Integra Research RDA-7 multichannel amp
- Integra Research RDV-1 DVD player
- B&W Nautilus 802 (L/R) HTM1(C), 803 (SR/SL), Custom Series (BR/BL)
- B&W 2500 Sub
- Sony SCD-XA777ES
- Sony CDP-CX90ES multi changer
- Pioneer Elite Pro-1000HD
- Sim2 HT300 Seleco projector 720p (dead)
- Stewart-Film Screen LuxusA Electriscreen 100' diagonal 16:9

2008 Today:
- Classé SSP-800 pre/pro (soon)
- Classé CA-5200 amp
- Classé CA-2100 amp
- B&W Nautilus 802D (L/C/R), 802 (SR/SL), 803 (BR/BL)
- JLAudio Fathom F113 sub
- Sony BDP-S301 to be replaced soon by S550
- iMac music sever
- JVC DLA-RS2 1080p
- Stewart-Film Screen 10 feet wide

This should last me an other 10 years I hope :T

[tylerdurden]

When I was 13 my dad gave me his Fisher 700 tube receiver, Fisher XP-15 (monsters) speakers, Dual United Audio 1019 turntable. I still have and use all of it. The receiver is having issues right now. But they are all in Absolute Perfect condition!

Bobby

[FroDaddy]

I'm guessing it was 13-14 years ago when I was 16-17 years old when I bought my first surround sound system. I remember researching Dolby Pro Logic using the Crutchfield magazines and drooling over Laserdiscs and AC3. Laserdisc was completely out of my price range, and surround sound was a stretch for me.

I think I bought my first system from Service Merchandise; it was a Maganavox HTIB with an amp and 5 channel speakers. It wasn't a tiny system, the speakers were kind of decent for an HTIB. Actually, I still use the left and right speakers in my garage to this day! I had a 2 head VCR to start with, and then upgraded to a 4 head at some point.

I remember I upgraded a year or so later Pioneer receiver from Circuit City for $125, Yamaha 3-way left and rights from Service Merchandise for $100, a matching Yamaha center channel from Sound Advice on sale for $75, and I used my boom box speakers for surrounds. I thought for sure I'd have some bass after the upgrades, but it wasn't as loud as I thought. I mail ordered a Kenwood 8" 50w powered subwoofer from Crutchfield for $250 and remember having to use the crossover on the sub since there was no true subwoofer channel with Dolby Pro Logic. I kept this audio setup for about 10 years. My first DVD player was purchased when my VCR started going out. It was an RCA that had DTS, but I didn't upgrade my audio to Dolby Digital because I didn't think it would give me that much of an improvement, LOL! My first DVD movie was Gladiator, IIRC.

I moved into my house about 3 years ago and began upgrading because the system couldn't keep up with my new room size. I stepped into the world of Dolby Digital with a Denon AVR-4800 THX receiver and a Polk Monitor 5.1 surround system, and was completely blown away! Since then I've changed alot of things, but in the past year I've slowed down a lot because I'm almost "there". The latest adventure is a DIY LCR speaker project I'm starting this weekend (the Statements) and passively bi-amping them with dual Emotiva LPA-1's. Other components in the system are a Denon AVR-4806ci, PS3, HD-XA2, an IB subwoofer and dual Buttkickers for tactile effects (both are EQ'd), and a Samsung 61" DLP. The goal is to put together an audio system that can satisfy me enough to last me several years without wanting to upgrade. I'm there with the LFE side of things, so hopefully this next step will get me there with the main channels too. (Do room treatments count as an upgrade? LOL)

That's my story and I'm sticking to it :W