Share your defining moment for HT Addiction...

[Aussie Geoff]

Hi,

For each of us there has been a moment when we listened, saw, lusted and started down the journey to HT addiction... For some of us it is recent, for others, we have been on this dark journey for many years...

This is the thread to share the defining point when we started....

For me it was sometime in 1995 or 1996 when I visited a Home Entertainment show looking at options for updating my stereo system. A demonstration room had an an all Meridian surrounf sound setup – Powered speakers, Processor and Laser Disk with AC-3 sound … They played Tina Turner live in concert doing Golden Eye… It was stunning – I still remember it clearly… From that moment I was hooked – mere steeo wasn’t enough – I needed to be able to recreate the surround sound and visuals in my own home….

And here (many thousands later) I am – hopelessly addicted … and loving it…..

Geoff

[Lex]

Well, I'd already been into this for a while, but the first time I heard Sonus faber Concerto Grand Pianos, it was a defining moment for me. I didn't own them that day, but they were left in my mind as something I wanted. It didn't take to long to make the dream a reality.

9 Sonus faber later, I am still loving them from the Extremas (yet another definining moment), down to my Lowly Tinos which currently are boxed up. All the rest (7) are in service.

Lex

[SpOoNmAn]

excellent thread, and I wont go into much detail.

I was already into home theatre when Pro Logic launched, had what I thought was a killer system with a Pioneer receiver, JBL speakers(my first loves) and so on.

Moved up to slightly higher end JBL with their SVA series in '98, got Pioneer ELiTE all around(receiver, dvd player, cd players you name it) and thought I was at the pinnacle. Less then a year later, I was already upgrading.

I was at my local hi fi shop, where I previously purchased all the Elite gear, and walked around to each room listening to speakers. Along the way I saw a lot of Mcintosh gear and so on. I went into one room where a movie was playing, and for the life of me, I cannot remember what it was. But needless to say, the pieces to the puzzle was the top of the line Elite receiver, and all Def Tech powered speakers. I never thought movies could sound so unbelievable. I walked out to the manager and started shelling out more cash, sold all the gear at home to friends who were getting into the hobby, so we all won.

I took the non powered route at the time and got their awesome towers, the BP30's, matching CLR2000 center, and BPX surrounds. I just didnt want the hassle of messing with sub volumes on the back of the speakers(I was missing out). They are more tricky when it comes to placement/positioning, but when the sweet spot for a room is finally found, its heaven to my ears.

Honestly, it comes down to loving the Bipolar sound. Ive heard all other offerings from other companies that deliver the Bipolar array, and none come close to what Sandy Gross has thought up. I find direct radiators to sound kind of boring and thin in comparison. Again, personal preference nothing more nothing less.

I now have their newest towers for mains and surrounds and coupled with the Halo and Rotel gear,sounds amazing. :T

[brucek]

Nothing has been so defining a moment in sound for me as when I travelled with my mother to visit a local fair around 1958.

In one of the exhibition rooms they had a demonstation of a new concept called stereo sound. There were a number of headphones hanging down from the ceiling that you could put on and listen to this new marvel.

I was hooked the second I put them on. My mom couldn't drag me away. I haven't been that impressed since.

brucek

[David Meek]

I've always been a cinema nut, so mainly my "defining moment" was for sound.

1980. Listening to a friend's new Infinity Reference Standard IIs on a Nakamichi stereo amp. He had a new album called The Wall. Put on some track called The Happiest Days Of Our Lives (who knew? ) and I sat there and listened to a damn helicopter fly all around his living room - from two speakers no less! I was hooked.

[jimmyp58]

Boy can I relate to that one David! For fun back in 1981, I taped my roommates album of "The Wall" so I could play it super ear-splitting loud and scare the hell out of our apartment-mates below us (bunch of girls the four of us guys all wanted to date). I had two pair of Bose 901 speakers hooked up to my Phase Linear amplifier --- 1,000 watts/channel!

I pushed this until the red LEDs were at the end-point and yes, we all believed the helicopter was on the roof!

P.S. We never got the dates but certainly had a lot of fun (fill in the blanks!).

[jimmyp58]

I can relate to what you are saying brucek. 1970, my 12th birthday. My mother (may she rest in peace) bought me my first "stereo" --- a Panasonic unit --- receiver, speakers, turntable, and yes, headphones. The headphones put me over-the-top. I guess that is where it all began for me; that was phase one. There have been three phases and I am in the third phase. This one though is going to last a lifetime though I don't know how long that life will be --- I think my wife is figuring that one out!

[SpOoNmAn]

offtopic....

I think I am the youngest here :cry:

You gentlemen were playing with audio before I was born.

[jimmyp58]

Now you're trying to make me feel really old Spoonman! :naughty:

[SpOoNmAn]

Im not trying bro, thats your inner self speaking :E

Ok, now THAT was uncalled for, I apologize :B

[jimmyp58]

If I didn't know you better I'd think you ARE trying to make me feel old :lol:

[SpOoNmAn]

lol, I wasnt at all, but now its entertaining

[Elmac]

Stereo sound I always was hooked on since E.L.O. and than Pink Floyd and The Wall,
but Home Theater when the VHS of Star Wars Trilogy came out as THX re-master, Thats when I went and got myself first prologic teac amp and upgraded from Mono VCR to 6 head AIWA HIFI stereo (that thing run me about $1500.00) and then in 1994 my first THX component, it was Technics THX certify prologic amp it was the most powerful and good looking amp at the time on the market, it was 130W per ch to FL and FR, Centr and Sur where 70W each. with 2 large analog power meters on the front, lid up in yellow (I paid for it around $3000.00). And at that time I told my wife that this was the last component I ever Bought (all my wife sad was "sure", was she write or what).... To make it long story short 3 years after that (start of 97)DVD came out , so the upgrading bug have started. I guess September of 97 is when I got my first DVD player and than in spring of 98 DD processor from Technics and than after that Technics 5 x 100W per channel Amp, and here what I have now. I just told my Wife that PJ will be the last thing I will buy for MY HT, The only thing she told me "I heard this before"
Oh Well she is always write, aren't they all.

[jimmyp58]

Spoonman, so you ARE getting a thrill out of making me feel old?

[David Meek]

I can relate to what you are saying brucek. 1970, my 12th birthday

Hey another 1958 baby! Jimmy, we're not old, we're just experienced. :B :B

[JonMarsh]

Sounds like two points are being covered here; getting the HiFi music bug, as well as the HT bug.

I was a "working" musician from 14 up, in bands playing pop, R&B, sould, and later, "psychedelic" music. But the stereo playback at home bug didn't hit until 1970, when I heard the Grateful Dead's "American Beauty" on a system using some largish KLH box speakers and a Janzen electrostatic tweeter array.


HT is another matter- I never had a TV in my home until after getting married (wife wanted one), and our first TV for a few months was a little black and white jobber that ThomasW bequeathed to us. I bought my (ex)wife a Sony Trinitron color set shortly afterwards (at her insistence), but for myself, I bought a Heathkit CRT front projection kit from ThomasW's stepdad, who could never get it working consistently for more than a few weeks at a time. After a day spent tearing it down, re-soldering the whole thing, re-assembling it and aligning it, I had my first stereo HT. Well, I did once I then went out and bought a VCR! This was Christmas of 1986. Almost 20 years ago.

~Jon

[aud19]

I was probably about 12 years old and I was listening to my dad's Beatles White album on 8-track on an old player my grandfather gave me, through speakers I'd taken off my wimpy ghetto blaster and connected to the 2-channel Pioneer reciever I'd pilfered from my dad. Which by the way was a beast (can't remember model though ). He stills has it and it is surprisingly powerful and clean sounding other than the static on the volume (needs a cleaning/servicing).

From there, after saving money from my job at 15, I evolved to some mamoth Pioneer towers with 12" subs in them :lol: (yes in my bedroom). I had my dad's Pioneer reciever so I figured Pioneer speakers were a good choice, what do you want I was 15! :lol: At least they were floor models so I didn't pay much for them. I think it was under $300 after taxes. Needless to say my mom was less than happy with that combination.

Then I got a job at Rogers Video. I had acess to free movie rentals plus a discount on purchases! I saved up enough money for a Pioneer VSX-4900S with DPL!!(which I still own in my secondary system) and bought a cheap set of Pioneer centre/surrounds and moved the system in to the parents family room. Later I added a LD player and upgraded my mains to Cerwyn Vega's :lol: (I was still young :roll: ) From there it was up to a Yamaha RX-V1, then a RX-Z1 and finally my Rotel and Energy combo I have today with my nice 51" Hitachi RPTV Miles ahead of what I had :rofl: But it all started with the Beatles on 8-track over a classic Pioneer reciever which strangely was silver, just like my Rotel gear....

Jason

P.S. Sorry Spoon, I'm younger :

[David Meek]

the 2-channel Pioneer reciever I'd pilfered from my dad. Which by the way was a beast (can't remember model though ). He stills has it and it is surprisingly powerful and clean sounding other than the static on the volume (needs a cleaning/servicing).

Jason, one of the stereo rigs I've had (an early one - say 1980-88?) was centered around a Pioneer 880 receiver - 60 WPC, silver face, analog power meters for the L/R channels, and a sweet, clean sound. I've missed it on occasion as my receivers have changed over the years - some times NOT for the better. It drove a pair of Pioneer HMP-100 4-way speakers.

In fact, thinking more about it, that was the first real "home theater" rig I set up. I bought a huge Zenith top-loading VCR with analog TV channel "dial-in" and started buying these new-fangled pre-recorded VHS movies. I think I paid $69/each for the first 5 or 6 movies I bought! That had to have been 1982 or so. . . I think.

[Aussie Geoff]

Jimmy, David,

Hey another 1958 baby! Jimmy, we're not old, we're just experienced.

As another 1958er I couldn't agree more - it ws a great year...

Geoff

[jimmyp58]

Amen!

[SpOoNmAn]

My dad was born in '58

:roll:

:B

:P

[jimmyp58]

Time to go to your room kid :rant:

[SpOoNmAn]

Time to go to your room kid :rant:

LOL, the best part is that Im serious. I wasnt born till '74 8)

Guess I have quite a few years left to encounter Upgradeitis over and over and over again :T

[David Meek]

Jimmy, David,

As another 1958er I couldn't agree more - it ws a great year...

Geoff

Hey, you too Geoff? Cool! My BDay is September 25th. What's yours. Jimmy?

Spoon, is it time for your pablum yet? :B

[jimmyp58]

February 5th

[SpOoNmAn]

real funny david

Feb 14th here.

[purplepeople]

Another defining moment in HT... members bragging about age and dates of birth in lieu of equipment demos. (heh!)

ensen.

BTW, 11 Dec 67... apparently, a good middle age.

[jimmyp58]

Spoon ....David was asking us old :fart: when our birthdays are. We all know you are 1/2 our age :cry:

[David Meek]

Allrighty then. Back OT. :blah:

Thinking more about this, after I'd heard Rick's setup was when I REALLY actively started pursuit of better components to make not only my music listening, but also my movie watching more immersive. I quickly found that in general, if it was good for music it was a pretty safe bet it was good for movies too. Then throw in a large(r) display size - OMG 27" : - and I was off . . . .

[Andrew Pratt]

Not to worry spoon you and i are the same age

Anyway there have been a few key moments in the evolution of my home theater from the early days to where I am now but there's a few that stand out more then the others. I remember buying my first real prologic receiver...it was a low end Sony that I owned for about a week before I'd upgraded it to the next model up to get the better remote and slightly more power (yes I know upgraditist set in early). I was using some speakers that were purchased from Sears...not even sure of the name (power something or other I think) Anyway I'd added some really awful surround sound speakers from Kenwood that I managed to get cheap at a pawn shop and for the first time I was watching VHS movies in true surround sound. I remember the first movie I was truely blown away with was the opening of Twister (still a favorite demo movie). The experience of listening to that movie in surround really kick started the HT craze I've been on ever since.

Several years later I was visiting my parents for christmas and had some money to purchase a new CD player so I went to some "high end" shops outside Toronto and ended up at a place selling Marantz and Paradigm. They happened to be setting up a pair of Paradigm Servo15's for a client running off some classe gear in a fairly small room. Apparently this client was a big Pink Floyd fan so they were using The wall as their demo clip as they played with placement and calibration etc. Listening to those two subs pound away is still my reference on what good bass should sound like...simply incredible given the small room :B

I guess the next jaw dropping experience came on a recomendation from ThomasW...those being to try out some Maggie MMG speakers. Hearing the imaging that those speakers could generate truely set another benchmark in how speakers should sound.

The most recent eye opener came when i got the Rotel 1098 pre amp. I knew that it would sound better then its lower end brother it was replacing but I was stunned at how much cleaner CD's sounded though it and how movie soundtracks improved in their smoothness etc.

[Jariten]

let's seee.....
it all started with a CLD 1650 Laserdisc Player and a Yamaha AX-700 Amp

ok it was only 2 channels...but it was cool...
then arrived the Pioneer AVX-D3S with Dolby Digital !! (AC-3 at the time)
of course I HAD to buy it along with the CLD-D704 Laserdisc player that had the AC-3 RF-out

I was using mo built speakers at the time using some Fostex speakers and VIFA high-frequency drivers...the sub was a 12" Yamaha sub.....

Then came the AVC-2500 ....and M&K S150THX for rhe fronts and B&W DS6 for the surrounds...Amp was a HCA-2205A Parasound

Then (currently) Halo C-1, HCA-2205A modified (caps/resistors/cables etc) 2 x MA500 THX Amps for rear surrounds
Speakers M&K 150THX for the fronts , M&K MPS2525 for side surrounds and M&K SS150THX for rear surrounds..Sub M&k MX5000MKII

Projector and all that good stuff..

Whew...this is an expensive hobby
but it's enjoyable ^_^V

[Jariten]

I'm no longer in Tokyo....!

I need to change that ^^;;;

[George Bellefontaine]

With me it started with sound. I got my first part time job at 15 years of age ( 1951) and bought a 3 speed portable record player. Then I started buying 78s, 45s and lps from 10" to 12". Like Jon, I was also into music as a musician. I played trumpet and picked up work here and there while holding down a job in the publishing industry. With a love of music it was only natural that I would continue to upgrade audio equipment over the years.

I was always a great lover of films as well and went to the movies two or three times a week, so when vhs ( I didn't go the Beta route) tape players and tapes became available I was one of those early adopters. As the players became better I then started running sound through my hi-fi system while watching the picture on a 20" Hitachi color tv. Well, things just progressed as my salary progressed until I ended up with a full blown dedicated front projectioon home theater.

[SpOoNmAn]

wow, you turned 60 overnight :E

:B

Thanks for the support Andrew.

I love reading everyones replies, very interesting reading.

[Charl]

Hey hey guyzos I'm a '74 model too!

I bought my first hifi about 10 years ago while at university - a Sony mini hifi with twin tapes and cd! We cranked that 200w pmpo sucker up :B

My stereo 'enlightenment' happened 3 years ago when I heard a pair of Sonus Faber Grand Pianos - that was the root of all evil!

I have since started ht and have been upgrading for 2-3 years, now ($15000 later) I own Rotel, NAD, REL and B&W. The first time I brought home the Eagle's Hell Freezes Over DVD (3 months ago) - I was totally dumbstruck! My wife and I stayed up 'till 2am listening over and over!

Now I'm already planning the next upgrade .... my wife won't miss her Cooper S too much, will she? :lol:
No dear, this is NOT an addiction.

[brucek]

OK, I've provided my 1958 first stereo revelation and now it's time to remember my first HT multichannel experience.

I was working part time in the late 60's to support myself through college repairing stereo equipment at a local HiFi repair shop. Several receivers started showing up that supported 'Quadraphonic' sound. To test these units out I purchased a few quadraphonic records. I remember the first time I set four speakers (RF, LF, RR, LR) around my workbench and tested a quadraphonics decoder. Amazing, I could actually hear something different coming from the rear speakers. I remember thinking that this idea had possibilities (read ProLogic) and actually ended up doing my final year thesis report on this subject - built a four channel integrated amp using the guts of a Heathkit quadraphonic decoder in it for the decoding.

Four channel quadraphonic matrixing was an encoding process where four audio signals were mixed down to two and cut on a record. When the resulting two channels were played back from the record through a decoding process that had the same algorithm as the encoding processor, the original four channels were effectively retrieved (again, read shades of future ProLogic encoding - no one thought to combine it with video at the time).

Like all failed experiments it seems if there are several standards available on the market, then they are doomed. (Geez, will the electronics industry ever learn to stop shooting itself in the foot).

There were three quad matrix encoding schemes used with records and appropriate decoders produced in those formats. Columbia (SQ sheme), Sansui (QS scheme), and ElectroVoice (Universal sheme).

There were receivers sold that decoded one or more of these schemes. Standalone decoders were also sold that could be used to create a four channel system from a stereo system. Just like any decoder, they had two RCA inputs that were fed from the preamps Left and Right outputs. Then it has four RCA outputs that you fed four power amps. The outputs would be Left front, Right front, Left rear, Right rear.
Usually they had a selecter dial on the front that would select between (1) Pass through of Left and Right channels unaltered (2) Some goofy synthesized matrix sheme (3) Matrix decoding of either QS, SQ, or Universal schemes.

To take advantage of the matric decoding you needed an appropriately encoded record using the same scheme.
The synthesized matrixing schemes were used when you played a record with two normal stereo channels and you wanted synthesized four channel sound (albeit crappy). The synthesized decoding simply manipulated the phase relationships between the two stereo channels to create the four outputs. It basically sounded like a bad DSP.

Anyway, this 4 channel matrixed system died from lack of interest and was replaced not too many years later with a 5 channel matrixed system called ProLogic.......and so on.................................... :roll:

brucek

[jimmyp58]

ah, quadrophonic sound. Boy do I remember that well. I think the Moody Blues were one of the first groups to put out quad albums.

Great memory!!!

[Bam!]

Hey duders!

I'd love to join in on this conversation.....but the only problem is I wasn't born yet when you guys discovered this quadrophonic sound :B :lol: :lol: :lol:

I'm one of those young spring chickens! : :lol:

[Adz]

Yeah my parents told me about Earthquake in Sensa-round, was it?
Was that the oldtimer's version of DTS/DD in theatres?

[jimmyp58]

I vaguely remember Earthquake (early-stage Alzheimer's) but I think you're right about Sensa-round being a previous generation's DD/DTS.

That's good....

[brucek]

Yeah my parents told me about Earthquake in Sensa-round, was it?

Believe me, for sheer volume and the ability to shake a theater, nothing you hear today comes even close to the early 70's sensurround.

They had a couple of specially made Altec Lansing walk-in horns with dimensions of about 8' x 4' x 4' in the rear corners of the theater driven by their own amps.

They were actually fed with noise generators and didn't turn on until certain sequences called for them.

I remember the first one I went to and I couldn't believe the size of those horns at the back of the theater. The movie was Roller Coaster and they lit those bad boys up when the guy first pulled the lever in the movie to start the roller coaster, and I remember actually being concerned the theater might cave in - it was quite effective. Dust floated down from the ceiling tiles and everything shook big time.

I suspect they decided it was a dumb thing to do to their old theaters and dropped the idea......

brucek

[Chetk]

Well, for all of you guys that were born in '74, I've got you beat. I'm a '77 man myself.

I remember when my dad went to Conn's and bought a Pioneer Dolby Surround Sound receiver and hooked it up to a center speaker, two massive side speakers, and his rear speakers. That was so cool watching VHS movies in the mid to late 80s. Now, I've got the Parasound C1, five M&K 150Ps, and the M&K MX-5000. All for the purpose of getting the same sound as the guy who authored the DVD. God bless Dolby Labs, THX Ltd., and DTS.

[aud19]

Hey another 77 man!! :T

Jason

[Andrew Pratt]

Cool Avatar Chetk

[CWD]

Audio addiction

When I was 15, my good buddy's dad upgraded his system to a huge Pioneer reciever, Pioneer speakers, and a Garrard (sp?) turntable. It sounded wonderful to me and got me hooked. My Soundesign all-in-one receiver/turntable/8 track player with crummy speakers was never the same. Of course, when you are 14 and you "buy" something with S&H Green Stamps (remember those?), you can't be too picky. I had a good summer job when I was 19 (1977) and saved up money to buy a Philips turntable, Kenwood integrated amp, and some Ohm E speakers that sounded great when playing Hotel California at the Hi-Fi store.

College, marriage, kids, work, and a general lack of discretionary funds had me using this same stuff until 1995! Then I got a bonus check for closing a big contract and decided I had to upgrade my system, so I might as well add home theater to the mix. I bought a mid-line Denon receiver and a set of 5 NHT Superzeroes and subwoofer, but resisted buying a laser disc player because I had read something about DVD that would be the next big thing. Pro-logic movies were wonderful with my Mitsubishi Hi-Fi VCR and 31" TV. In 1997, I bought a Toshiba SD-3006 DVD Player as soon as I could find one and the addiction has completely consumed me since then. I now have 2 full home theater systems: one for me (that includes DVD-Audio and SACD with kick butt music performance) and one for the family. Glad my income has kept up with my obsession! Now Hotel California is on DVD-Audio and it sounds light years better on my Rotel/Outlaw/Paradigm system than on my faithful Ohm Es back in 1977.