Jump to content

Describe your first good audio system


RichardP

Recommended Posts

I recently went on a trip down memory lane while looking at Ebay audio items, where I saw nearly all the components I had purchased as my first good quality system in about 1975. That first system was a Harman Kardon 330B receiver, Small Advent speakers, and a Pioneer turntable. The next year I added the Advent cassette tape recorder. Those items are long gone, having been burglarized a few years later. In fact, another burglary in 1989 started me on my Klipsch journey: after having read the 1986 Stereo Review article raving about the Forte, I took advantage of a good insurance settlement and came home with a Klipsch+Denon system, and I've never looked back.

How about waxing nostalgic and describe your first good system, i.e., when you decided to step up from the family record player or the ubiquitous all-in-one console stereo center. I know there is a large age range here, and some of your systems (and memories) will be much older than others. In other words, what as your first step in this musical journey? You could even mention your first exposure to Klipsch speakers, if they were not your first.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The first system I had that cost more than a mere pittance was purchased in 1977 from a high end shop in Fayetteville N.C. Sound Systems Inc. Yamaha had just come out with their first high end equipment. I went in looking just to see what they had. Well I fell in love with a Mac 225 running a pair of Khorns but that was out of reach for a lowly E4 in the army. So I walked out with a Yamaha Ca600 integrated amp, CT400 tuner, B&O 1900 turntable, Tandberg 1900x reel to reel and a pair of Yamaha NS 600 speakers. I still have everything but the speakers as they were stolen when I shipped them home on my exit from the army. The reel to reel needs a new drive belt but other than that it is in great shape. The turntable needs a new lid as the spring that held it up broke the plastic tabs that it attached to and the amp sits on my spare equipment rack but the tuner is still in daily use with my current system.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I still have most of my initial stuff.

Electro Voice Interface "D" speakers 1978, still have, look worn but will shake foundation like the K-horns might in their dream

Yamaha CR 2040 (120x2) roughly 1980

LaScalas, roughly 1980

Audio Control C-120 (?) equalizer/real time analyzer

DBX "boom box" 1980 or so

DBX 3bx same vintage

Akai 747 open reel tape deck w/DBX 124 noise reduction unit (gave to friend)

Phase Linear 5000 (?) turntable (gave to same friend)

Pioneer CTF-1000 casset deck (gave to another friend)

all 3 above in fine working order

I upgraded to the Yamaha 2040 from a prior model

Today in living room I have

Klipschorns mated with a tube amp

CD player

The DBX & Audio Control goodies are still there but rarely used

Downstairs awaiting basement (HT room) being finished I have the LaScalas and EV's

Oh,,, can I sneak in I have 3 Academy's that I bought in 1994 or so. I know you said first system, but since I've accumulated it all over the years, it's "all" my first system in my eyes (just a matter of semantics 3.gif )

9.gif

Link to comment
Share on other sites

probably a little spoiled or lucky, except for the family console, which I took apart, but never figured out the next step, my first speakers were these slap dash jobs that Ralph Karsten of Atma-sphere OTL amps made, my parents were very upset that I spent $150 on the pair because they looked like a teenager after a night of partying, so I did not tell them Ralph also sold me a gold faced Fisher tube receiver for $40 with out a cover and a Garrard turntable with the cartridge (Shure of course) mounted on a shim

I moved up to audio legend Robert Fulton FM-1 speakers with 4 mid-range tweeters in a diamond pattern, then a belt drive Technics and a pair of scratchy old Dynaco ST-70s amplifiers, which I regret selling, fronted by a NAD pre-amp that had a special phono section for wider dynamic range

2.gif

Link to comment
Share on other sites

----------------

On 12/15/2004 2:50:03 PM cablacksmith wrote:

The first system I had that cost more than a mere pittance was purchased in 1977 from a high end shop in Fayetteville N.C. Sound Systems Inc. Yamaha had just come out with their first high end equipment. I went in looking just to see what they had. Well I fell in love with a Mac 225 running a pair of Khorns but that was out of reach for a lowly E4 in the army. So I walked out with a Yamaha Ca600 integrated amp, CT400 tuner, B&O 1900 turntable, Tandberg 1900x reel to reel and a pair of Yamaha NS 600 speakers. I still have everything but the speakers as they were stolen when I shipped them home on my exit from the army. The reel to reel needs a new drive belt but other than that it is in great shape. The turntable needs a new lid as the spring that held it up broke the plastic tabs that it attached to and the amp sits on my spare equipment rack but the tuner is still in daily use with my current system.

----------------

Coincidentally, I just purchased a refurbished Yamaha CA-600 off Ebay for $50 to use in an office 2-channel setup w/Cornwalls; a pretty amp that matches my old Yamaha CT-410 tuner (which escaped the burglaries).

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Colin---You had Fultons? That guy made some good speakers. Remember that little 2-way, the FM-80? Fantastic little speaker and with a Peerless cone tweeter, no less.

I knew a guy who had the big Fulton modulars with the RTR electrostatic tweeters, a very good speaker, quite dynamic for a direct-radiator.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

To be honest:

-My old, but still good Aiwa bookshelf system as the receiver and CD player (before they went all getto)

-JBL HSL 610 speakers

The speakers were setup properly on stands. The receiver did not put in bass boost or anything, so it was fairly clean. It was good enought to where I could actually start to pull apart music and really hear what was happening.

I would rather have a cheaper system setup properly than a expensive one setup improperly - that was kinda the case.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest Anonymous

well due to the age range here, my first system was integrated nad stereo receiver, a yamaha cd player and a pair of altec lancsing satalites with a passive sub.... I fried the nad after about 2 months because i picked up a pair of my first klipsch's kg 2.2's and fried the reciever from abuse.... all the other stuff still works fine, the altec lanscing speakers are a little old and the sound isn't what i would call stellar, butthey still work and the yamaha cd player yet shines on

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I bought radio shacks best system back in 1975 at the age of 21. 75 watt receiver, turntable and a set of Mach 1 speakers which had a 15 inch woofer, horn midrange and horn tweeter. recently sold them to my brother so he could have 4 of them. have been hooked on horns since then. currently own 12 sets of the original Klipsch Heritage.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

All from about 1983-88'

*Technics SL-D?? Turntable - cheap little DD for about $150 with an Ortofon ctg.

*Technics SA-411 receiver - go ahead and laugh.

*Technics SB7 R&B Series speakers - not too bad and currently pulling duty in my study with a Carver MX-150 Receiver.

*Technics SB3 R&B Series speakers - bookshelf versions of the SB7's.

*Teac V33 cassette - dead but sitting in my basement, can't bear to part with it since it was a graduation present.

*Technics RS-M236X cassette - Just through the little guy out two weeks ago.

*SAE 5000A - What can I say, I used to Drew Alan Kaplan's catalog too.

*dbx 4BX Series II - Thought I was big time now 10.gif .

*dbx NX40 - Just because.

*dbx 200 - Had to hook all this stuff together somehow.

*H.H. Scott 830z Audio Analyzer - Bought it used from the store's pirate radio station for $85 (normally around $1,000). Still works great and in my main system in the livingroom.

*Numark EQ-2310 EQ - Hey, the Technics speakers needed it even if it was junk.

*Sony SB1 switchbox - Before the dbx 200 came around.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1988, a pair of 77 klipschorns with 2 adcom 555 amps bridged for 600 watts each, w/adcom 555 pre. I had this setup in my basement bar room witch was 11'w x 16'd with 7'ceilings, walls and ceiling was finished in knotty pine tounge and groove boards. It was the loudest thing you ever heard.3.gif6.gif

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I gotta join in the fun 1.gif

Pretty much through my teenage years and college, I had my trusty old JC Penny Boombox, with built-in 3-band graphic equalizer and cassette deck. It was actually a pretty decent sounding unit. During my junior year of college in 1991, I bought my first CD player - a Sharp DX-200, which I hooked into the auxiliary jack of that boom-box. I still got that very CD player still in my current system. It actually sounds pretty darn good with these Klipsch and that B&K amp.

boombox5.JPG

The thing still works, and still sounds pretty good, some 20 years later, although the cassette deck does not seem to work anymore. I think the belt in it has worn out, after all, it is 20 years old. May be tempted to take it apart and see if I can fix it. Another weird thing. When I turned it on, and tuned into one of the local stations, friggan Emerson, Lake, and Palmer's "Father Christmas" was playing! That was the very first song I remember hearing on that thing when I first got it for Christmas some 20 years ago!

Along with that boombox, I've also inherited my parent's integrated turn-table, 8-track, and cassette deck. I also remember that little blue turn-table/speakers setup me and my three brothers pretty much shared all through our childhood days. I don't even remember what the exact model/brand of that thing was (I think it was Emerson), but it sure has gotten plenty of use/abuse over the years.

After moving into my own apartment, I went and got this Sanyo shelf system. Again, not a bad sounding unit. Also, I mostly used it as speakers for my computer, along with the built-in CD player and cassette deck.

shelf-system.JPG

Shortly after buying my house (nine year ago now), I got my first "real" system, consisting of a Yamaha R-V702 pro-logic reciever, delivering something like 85 watts to the front three speakers, and 20 watts to the rear surrounds, as well as the some Yamaha speakers and the YST-SW40 subwoofer (which I am still using as a second sub in my current system). I added the Infinity RS200.5 towers shortly afterwards, although I've never did get around to getting the rest of the matching RS2000 series Infinity speakers. I've had that system right up until about two years ago when I got my current Klipsch/Denon/B&K based system. The old system is half-way setup in the bedroom. At least the Infinity towers and the reciever is, although everything is still not hooked up, as can be seen in the picture.

towers.JPG

What turned me onto Klispch? Well, first, my older brother has some Klipsch KG4.2s, which I now do remember hearing before, and thought it sounded good. But what really turned me on was the humble little ProMedia V2.400s. Even after getting the Yamaha/Infinity setup, I still was using that Sanyo shelf-system as speakers for my computer. I wanted to get something a little better, especially something that can actually produce some real bass, as that Sanyo system is kinda lacking in the bass department. I kept hear about these "hot new ProMedia speakers" and I just had to get a set. Took friggan 6 months before I could get my hands on, as Klipsch was so back-logged with orders for those things. Once I got them, and hooked them up. Wow! I was friggan impressed! Gave my Yamaha/Infinity setup a run for its money (and that was a $1,500 setup).

When I upgraded the Yamaha reciever to a Denon AVR3802 reciever, I wanted to get some better speakers, at least some better surrounds to match the Infinity towers. Went to the Tweeter, which just opened its doors that weekend. I saw those Klipsch RF-3IIs, and I fell in love! The rest is history.

Yes, what a fun trip down memory lane.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

"Yes, what a fun trip down memory lane."

So true, Steve.

My first "good" audio system was purchased while stationed in Ludwigsburg, Germany in '83, bought at the Robbinson Barracks PX in Stuttgart:

*Carver M-400t "cube" power amp

*Carver C-1 Sonic Hologram preamp

*Carver TX-11 FM stereo tuner

*Carver DTL-100 CD player

*Nakamichi DRAGON 3-head cassette deck

*Denon DP-62L manual turntable with Stanton 981HZS MM cartridge

*JBL L112 Century II monitors

This sure blew away my all-Technics audio system I bought my sophomore year in high school (1978).

Link to comment
Share on other sites

About 1974 or 75 i got a sony 7065 reciever and a pair of koss pro4aa headphones. I used them till i got a pair of ar2ax speakers and a pioneer turntabe.Then got pair of altec speakers forgot model,,,,i was always keeping an eye on LaScalas but to high for me. Then i decided to sell altecs and order LaScalas no matter what...i paid cash up front full price..lol salesman looked at me kinda funny counting 20 dollar bills out.Now i look back and i should have got a discount but hey i still got them.Rick

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...