Your very first amp? What was the first amplifier you had?

[judsonw]

I cannot remember the first receiver that I had. I think it was a Sony (my friends actually have it and I am seeing them this weekend). My first integrated amp was an antique sound lab aq-1003dt. I still have it and love it. I will eventually upgrade it, I am sure, but I have not even gotten around to rolling tubes yet and have had it for a little over a year.

 

[WaynerN]

Dynakit (Dynaco, kit form) Stereo 120, PAT-4

 

[45rpmspinner]

The first piece of new equipment I ever bought was a Marantz 1030.
I was 15 years old, working 38 hours a week, for around $40 total.
As I recall, it cost something like $120.
Needed something to power the drivers, still mounted to the front baffle, I'd pulled from an old console.
The crappy BSR TT I used came from a junked console as well.

 

[BobHol]

Middle of the Line Kenwood integrated amp. 1976

 

[91r100gs]

Mine was a Realistic STA-21 receiver from the mid 70's. 7 whopping WPC

 

[AudioKeith]

Sansui AU555a with a TU555 when I was 15. Got me through my high school days and nights.

 

[chili555]

Citation 12 Deluxe. It sounded really nice with my Apt-Holman preamp.

 

[Turner-Table]

McIntosh MA-6100 and Pioneer SA-9100 Integrateds - got 'em at the same time...

 

[Fattner]

NAD 3020 ,$199.99 ,,,,, great unit

 

[BrianLW]

In high school, I had an Arkay amp driven by a Grommes Preamp.

The amp looked like this one. Mine would often red-plate. I never did get that sorted out.

 

[E-Stat]

That would be an AR Integrated purchased in 1972 to drive Advents. It taught me two important lessons:

1. THD is irrelevant to provide any useful knowledge about sound quality. Despite the fact that a McIntosh clinic test and presented graph verified a low figure...
2. It's resolution disappeared at low levels as it was a low bias design. I now pay attention to that important characteristic.

 

[Lavane]

Realistic SA-1000A integrated amp and matching TM-1000 tuner.
This was my first system bought in '76. I re-bought a pair a couple years ago, recapped them and now being used in my garage with a pair of Optimus 2B speakers.

 

[sax6]

Juliette receiver with an extrordinary built-in 8 track recorder that could actually.... record !

Sears speakers that mentioned >>>> acoustic suspension.

Then, I moved to Mirage, Kenwood and Technics just to say.

 

[twiiii]

It was such a bad experience I had pretty much forgotten. A Knightkit that was rated at 32/watts per channel. I bought the factory built version. It blew when one of the output transformers failed taking out the power supply, the output tubes and more. The estimate was to high and I bought a H H Scott.

 

[sqlsavior]

Pioneer SA-6500 II

 

[Northwinds]

My first power amp was a Toshiba SC-335 way back in 1981 (that I actually bought with my own money)

 

[sdw54]

Dad gave me his Bogen RR550 receiver and Bogen turntable when he updated to stereo in 1966. Was using 2 Radioshack 4" full range 4" acoustic suspension speakers that I made the enclosures for in woodshop.

 

[Bk1]

B&K ex-442 , bought new in late '80's ....
Still chugging away .....
-bk

 

[cgutz]

Electrophonic All in One

Then a Technics SA5370

Then a Sony TA4650 - still using it.

 

[trinhsman]

I only had cheap receivers (Sound Design/ Loyds), until I bought my first real amplifier..............AUDIO RESEARCH D-76A. Yup, went the full Monty on my first amp. First preamp was at the same time......AUDIO RESEARCH SP3A. I think that was a good start