First Stereo System ??

1971 -72 System

This was my first real "quality" stereo system. I acquired these components in my early college years. These items were all acquired as closeouts or used pieces in Syracuse, NY.

1. Receiver: Fisher 201, about 15 watts/RMS. All transistor unit. Past the Fisher "glory days and prior to the sell-out to Sanyo.
Nicely made unit. Paid about $100 at Gordon Stereo.

2. Speakers: KLH 17. My first KLHs. 10" woofer and 3" tweeter. Walnut wood veener case and ivory color cloth grills. Paid $75 for the pair at Clark Music. I still have these speakers and the original boxes.

3. Turntable: Dual 1218 Nicely made unit but troublesome due to the idler wheel design. Paid about $50 for a used unit

4. B&O Sp-10. Paid about 15 for a used cartridge.

5. Tape: Wollensack Reel-to-Reel(!). Why did I buy this? Because thiss was before Dolby and high quality tapes. Reel-to-Reel was still considered as an important component for the "stereophile".
A nicely made unit, all metal contruction, dual VU-meters, walnut wood-veneer case. Original "list price" was $250; purchased as a closeout for $100 at Gordon Stereo.
 
1974 - 75 System

Making real money in senior year in college and in my first professional job after college. Now, I can but the stereo equipment I really like and want.

1. Receiver: harman/kardon 930. 45 watts/RMS. I have owned this unit for 30 years. I liked this design from an appearance and engineering perspective in 1973 and still do today. An extremely well-made unit. I still own and use today. I remail a loyal h/k fan and owner after 30 years. Purchased new from Tech Hi-Fi for $350.

2. Turntable: Philips GA-212. Simple elegant design. Again, I was impressed by the appearance and the engineering design. Had the green touch buttons to select speeds. Made in Holland.
Purchased new from Tech Hi-Fi for $110.

3. Cartridge: MicroAcoustics 282E. Has the unique electret (?) design. Sounded much nicer than the B&O cartridge. Another purchase from Tech Hi-Fi for about $85.

4. Speakers: Large Advents. in original wood veener case. I had these speakers refoamed in the mid-1980s. Paid $140 for a used pair from Harvey Sound. I recently sold these same speakersfor $175.
 
Takes me back a ways!

I remember my brother's first system in the 70s, a Miida receiver, and Onkyo tape deck, and the speakers I can't recall, but I remember they said "Sonic" on the bass reflex port. He bought it when he was about 18 and I was 7. My parents still have the receiver.

My first "system" was a Panasonic receiver that I found on garbage night, along with a Realistic Solo-3 speaker and a pair of cheap Emerson speakers from other trash night excursions. The left channel of the receiver was blown, so I just ran all 3 speakers off the right channel :p: . The faceplate was missing too. I was about 12 or so, finally dumped it when I was 18 or 19.
 
Hey Kam,

I thought I was the only one to ever have a Miida receiver!

I got mine used in about 1979-80 at age 16, along with a pair of 'house brand' L100 clones. The right channel of the Miida fuzzed out so I ran both speakers from the left, switched to mono. :p:

I finally donated that receiver to SA two years ago and promptly found another on ebay. I still have that one. If I had a camera I'd post a pic of it. I still think that the Miida has the best operating knobs and switches I've ever felt. When I bought my first Marantz receiver, the controls actually felt inferior! :eek:
 
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Interestingly enough, I just saw a Miida receiver at the Laurel MD SA store the other day. I wondered at the origin of such an oddly named receiver, :dunno: and here I see several karmites have had them. Hmmm, synchronicity at work....:rolleyes:
 
Hmmm...where to start?

After just about wearing out my parents' Magnavox console (still hooked on those Colloro turntables even today), I got a JCPenny #1985 All-in-one (Cass/BSR Changer/Rcvr). The next year the 1985 went to sis and I got a JCP #1770 (in 1979 I think). What a downgrade! Varco cartridge with a frequency response akin to a telephone and two barely-qualifying speakers to match! Always admired the MCS series at the time, especially the receiver with the 5-band EQ each with individual knobs and a pleathora of LEDS to match. Hey, you're young and stupid...still it looked pretty!

In 1985 I worked into an Akai AA-A35 Receiver (love the all-digital controls and the neat touch-sensetive volume strip!) which was excellent except for its lack of low-end bass. Some sharp rolloff around 80 Hz IIRC. Connected to it was a Sony TC-FX311 that never did work right from new. Occasionally the bias generator would go ballistic during play and you'd end up with supersonic squeals going out to the amplifier enough to kick on the breaker in the Parallax speakers after a few seconds (yeah, low end but they were cool -- 12" 3 way beasts!) and absolutely peg the wattage meters. Strangely, tapping against the microphone jacks with something metal would make it stop! Multiple warranty repairs visits couldn't fix it. I still have the Magnavox FL-1040SL CD player (indestructable! and fine sounding) and the matching Akai EA-A7 equalizer today. 14 flourescent spectrum bars and gobs of other glowing techno-glitz....coolest!

Woke up to the "quality" out there when the Technics SL-210B gave way to a Pioneer PL-590 with a much improved cartridge somewhere around '89 or '90. Slow upgrades proceeded from there. Bumped the cart to a Shure V15-RS :) and a JVC deck that was somewhat forgettable shortly after that. Add to that some Bose 301 Sonata limited edition speakers somewhere around '95.

Acquired a Realistic TM-1000 tuner and SA-2000 amplifier at a flea market in '93 for $15 and stuck with it through my undergrad degree, then a Pioneer SX-850 from a thrift shop in '98 ($10!! A couple of fuses and it's been beautiful since!) along with a Technics SA-700 (same shop, same price. It needed the tape monitor controls cleaned). Okay, now I'm hooked on the vintage monsters! Still use the Pioneer, a Yamaha KX-850 (ebay) cassette deck, the same old Magnavox CD player, Akai EQ, Pioneer RT-909 open reel (flawless garage sale item from a friend -- only about 10 hours on it and free to boot! :) ) and a Technics SL-1950 with all the trimmings (and the same Shure V15 cartridge). Somewhere around 97 I bought an Onkyo TOTL receiver, but took it back because I hated the way it sounded next to my lowly Realistic amp and tuner. Go figure! Who wants the modern junk?

ha1156w
 
Well, My VERY first stereo was this
i-2.JPG


My first LP on that puppy was Queens The Game. I still have that song stuck in my head ,,. dunt dunt dunt...another one bites the dust........


Then when I was 14 or so, my pops gave me

Sherwood S-7110a Receiver
Superscope CD-302 tape deck
Early 70's DIY speakers

And I bought a cd player, Sony I think in 1986 or so.
Sounded great. Thats what got me into vintage stuff was that first sherwood. My brother still has it.
 
If I remember correctly, it was late 1974, I was 19....
The store: Tokyo Shapiro, a Cleveland area audio chain
Receiver: HK 330B w/ 20wpc
Speakers: Jensen 8" 2-ways (model 20?)
Turntable: some plastic Garrard poc with a Shure cartridge; that was replaced by a Dual 1228 about a year later...
I think the receiver and speakers are still at my mom's house....
They sure rocked my room in the basement!
 
It was a pair of QUAD II amps, QUAD 22 preamp, pair of E-V corner speaker (can not recall the name at the moment) a Thorens TD124 MKI tt with a Unipivot arm with Shure M3D cartridge.

Life was tough back then but it didn't mean I had to go 2nd class.
 
Great read and interesting to go down someone else's memory lane.
Mine was a humble Rotel rack system back in maybe '78 when I convinced my parents to go halves with me to replace the aging family Philips set which no one else was playing with.
IIRC, RA314 integrated amp, RP350 tt, RD15 tape deck and for the life of me, can't remember the speakers but they were 4-way.

Sure enough, I was upgrading the amp and tt inside of 12 months. :)

cheers
Jack
 
My first system was a locally made Pye Radiogram.

Built-in Garrard record changer; 3 speeds and ceramic cartridge ...wow

:p:

An AM/MW/SW radio tuner with a green magic eye, FM wasn't available in NZ back then.

Amplifier was a simple transistor unit.

The radio didn't sound to bad but the Garrard was crap and eventually broke.

All in a real wood cabinet on spindley little legs.



cheerio
 
I still have my first system.

All made here in my home state of Washington, Richland to be exact.

Spectro Acoustics

220R FM Tuner, analog with digital display.

210 EQ.

P303 Pre-amp.

P202 100W per ch amp.

500SR 250W per ch amp

I put it together in the late 70's

I have not had to do anything but enjoy the music with this system, no repairs, no scratchey pots etc.

Just after the SA was put together I added a marantz stack.

2110 tuner

3250 pre

170DC amp

5030 deck

6370Q TT

Yup! still have them too!
 
My system from 1975 was:
Sony STR-7045 receiver 30 wpc w/ real wood cabinet
Marantz Imperial 5G speakers 8" 2-way ported
Dual 1228 w/ Shure M91ED
Later aquired a Pioneer CTF-2121 cassette 1977
Still have the speakers and sony.
-Dave
 
My first stereo in the mid-60s was an anonymous (CRS, eh?) tube console stereo. If only I had mint copies of the LPs and 45s I played on that casket!
Took a Zenith all-in-one to college. In 72 I got a new SA-9100, a JVC tt, and a pair of Advents. Traded the SA-9100 in for a new SX-828, 'cause I couldn't afford the TX-9100 tuner, and y'all HAD to have a tuner back then (album-FM). Then a good friend came back from Nam with a super nice system, but he wanted to 'upgrade' and I bought his CS-88A. Yippee! A year later I got a new pair of CS-99A, too. I don't have either pair of Pioneers, but I have the Advent (though my niece has the 99A).
 
Originally posted by marantz1300dc
I still have my first system.

All made here in my home state of Washington, Richland to be exact.

Spectro Acoustics

220R FM Tuner, analog with digital display.

210 EQ.

P303 Pre-amp.

<snip>
Wow! Someone else actually has Spectro Acoustics gear!! I have a 210R EQ that has worked flawlessly for 25 years...at the time I bought it, it was the most expensive piece I owned. Nice stuff...
 
First System

I walked into Tech Hi Fi and bought a Kenwood 6200, Elac Miracord turntable, with Studiocraft speakers, advent casette deck, and koss 4a headphones. With an original pressing of the MC5 Kick out the Jams, I thought I was all set, until I traded the Studiocraft ( house brand from Tech Hi Fi) for a pair of OHM F's. I was hooked. I recently puchased a 6200 for old times sake, and will always want another pair of OHM F's. I still have the advent deck and my original Voice of America RTR.
Larry
 
My first system was a Sony HP610A compact unit (had a built in Dual 1228 TT). It has a beautiful teak cabinet and a very nice sound. I still have it , and recently had the TT re-built. There are certainly nicer sounding stereo's out there, including what I replaced it with several times over, but it's still one of my favorites. Memories sound better on it.
 
The Spectro Acoustics 210 EQ was the last thing I added to the system.

$300.00 in Jan of 1980 at Freds Sound of Music in I think, Gresham, OR.

Still have the box, Manual & Receipt.

It has the gold lettering, but I do have an earlier one with white lettering.

The company was founded by brothers Robin & Bob Gudgel.
Bob was at Tapco in 74'' & earlier did some prototype circuit design for Bob Carver/Phase linear.

They made some nice gear that has stood the test of time!
 
Hey all,
My first system that I would consider 'real' would have to be the the one I acquired while living in Calgary during... well, let's just say it was within the last decade...
First, I found a Technics SL-1200 MkII turntable complete with a good Shure stylus for $6 at my local sally ann (I still can't believe I was ignorant enough to talk the guy down from $8...I didn't know what I was getting...I just knew one of my DJ friends might like it and I didn't have much money!).
Next I got a cheap secondhand Realistic mixer-preamp for about five or ten dollars at a local pawn shop.
Then I traded a non-functioning Sansui quad amp, a 31" TV, and a fancy-shmancy Sony editing VCR (all of which I had acquired for a total of around $125 from a Value Village store I was working at) to a local repair/resale shop in Calgary for the following:
Nikko Alpha 440 power amp; a massive but crappy-sounding pair of JVC 'block-rawker' speakers; and a pair of Nuance floor-standing two-way speakers.
At about the same time I found an Empire 698 turntable for $10 at a yard sale, and a Harman Kardon top-loading cassette deck for a couple of dollars at the sally ann.
Once I realized what a kick-ass system I had cobbled together for just under $175 Canadian, I realized I could never turn back, especially with a seemingly never-ending supply of great vinyl from the sally ann... and working where I did quickly yielded more goodies (once I started looking for 'em!): a Sansui G-5500 receiver (I think that was the model...), a Marantz 6300 turntable, and a Thorens TD-166MkII in fairly rapid succession. I also found a Pioneer SM-83 tube integrated amp at a small thrift shop; I got it for $5 because I thought there was something wrong with it when it glowed inside!
Now, not only do I have a lot less luck, but I also have to turn down most 'non-essential' equipment I find because I just don't have the room to spare
But man am I in a state of Sonic Nirvana! All hail the Vintage Gods!......
Cheers,
-Paul
 
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For me it all started in November 2002 when I picked up a Marantz 1040 int amp for $10 from a market. The controls were scratchy and it had a few problems. This was my introduction to quality audio components, I was amazed at how much better this amp was than cheap tandy and other no name amps that i had used up until then.

I used it with some 6X9" phillips car speakers that I mounted into some old boxes. The sound from this was good when compared to what i had before, however they lacked deep bass. I then found a 1060 for $95 in a local second hand shop. I just had to have it for it was very clean inside and out and worked well. Next came along a reconditioned marantz 6110 turntable for $100, which I bought since it matched the amp. I added a Teac CD player which cost me $10 and a phillips tuner ($30). After that I thought that i needed some real speakers as the ones that i had were a bit of a joke. I searched for a long time and then went and bought some one year old Reveloution floor standing speakers for $800. These are very well made. They use 2 8" bass/mid drivers which are mounted into their own seperate ported encloursures. They have a sweet midrange as well as plenty of bass. For the price I think it would be hard to find something better.

The system was then complete, it had decent componets and sounded allright. Then began the continuing upgrades.

I replaced the phillips tuner with a kenwood ($25).
The kenwood tuner was then replaced with a marantz ST310($20 1980 model, nothing like the 70's models).
Finally a few months ago a aquired a sansui 4000 receiver which replaced the marantz int amp and tuner.


Right now I am quite happy with the system, however I plan on getting a new CD or DVD player within the next year. Any suggestions?
 
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