Big Bud
New Member
Hi all,
I'm a world traveler thanks to both being an Army brat and prior Army myself.
Because of this, I've been exposed to many different audio systems and components.
I remember getting my first Sound Design stereo (if it could be called that) in the late 1970s and quickly discovering I must have a semi critical ear because obvious distortion really bothered me.
It wasn't long when I was at Radio Shack putting a cassette deck on layaway. Funny how I had no guidance back then, or speakers would have likely been my first purchase.
A few years later upon joining the Army and being stationed in Germany for two years... the love for audio bloomed during that glorious heyday of what we now consider vintage audio. Poring over the AFEES catalogs, traveling to other posts (mostly by train) just to find that component I read about and check it out. Potentially buy it. Back in those days I had many of the audio specs memorized for my dream gear. The Phase Linear amps, Nakamichi cassette decks and the like.
I was the guy the guys in the barracks who was turned to when 8 men in a room got tired of trying to blow each others systems away. Then they wondered.... what if we hooked them all together? LOL yes, truly astonishing systems in totally terrible concrete wall rooms. But with knowledge of placements not just of speakers and listening positions but even wall lockers and beds, tone controls, equalizers and such, they could be tamed somewhat. Although usually... WAY TOO LOUD !
Upon returning to the states the love affair never died, but slowly matured through the years. That moment my first Klipsch's were plugged in and properly place was... yea, just WOW. No, they weren't the vintage LaScalas or other Klipsch speakers of my high esteem as I lived in an apartment, however the KG 5.2s were pretty accurate for their day, even more so compared to the Cerwin Vegas and other various speakers I had owned before then.
Then another twist, first becoming a bouncer in a nightclub and working the concerts that were at first booked there, then in bigger venues. Leslie's, gigantic JBLs, huge amps and speakers. Yes, apples and oranges you may say but it led to new appreciations for the capacities of equipment, live music and the accurate (or sometimes not) appreciation of the performances.
Moving into my middle age, I have helped friends put together systems that I would never have believed possible even 15 years ago. The accuracy, tonality, imaging and more can now push the limits of my senses. Fortunately I had the foresight as a younger man to wear ear plugs the majority of the time, both at loud musical events and shooting, etc....
I've rambled on too long, but I hope to find the audio family here that I've rarely had the opportunity to before.
Rock on my new friends
I'm a world traveler thanks to both being an Army brat and prior Army myself.
Because of this, I've been exposed to many different audio systems and components.
I remember getting my first Sound Design stereo (if it could be called that) in the late 1970s and quickly discovering I must have a semi critical ear because obvious distortion really bothered me.
It wasn't long when I was at Radio Shack putting a cassette deck on layaway. Funny how I had no guidance back then, or speakers would have likely been my first purchase.
A few years later upon joining the Army and being stationed in Germany for two years... the love for audio bloomed during that glorious heyday of what we now consider vintage audio. Poring over the AFEES catalogs, traveling to other posts (mostly by train) just to find that component I read about and check it out. Potentially buy it. Back in those days I had many of the audio specs memorized for my dream gear. The Phase Linear amps, Nakamichi cassette decks and the like.
I was the guy the guys in the barracks who was turned to when 8 men in a room got tired of trying to blow each others systems away. Then they wondered.... what if we hooked them all together? LOL yes, truly astonishing systems in totally terrible concrete wall rooms. But with knowledge of placements not just of speakers and listening positions but even wall lockers and beds, tone controls, equalizers and such, they could be tamed somewhat. Although usually... WAY TOO LOUD !
Upon returning to the states the love affair never died, but slowly matured through the years. That moment my first Klipsch's were plugged in and properly place was... yea, just WOW. No, they weren't the vintage LaScalas or other Klipsch speakers of my high esteem as I lived in an apartment, however the KG 5.2s were pretty accurate for their day, even more so compared to the Cerwin Vegas and other various speakers I had owned before then.
Then another twist, first becoming a bouncer in a nightclub and working the concerts that were at first booked there, then in bigger venues. Leslie's, gigantic JBLs, huge amps and speakers. Yes, apples and oranges you may say but it led to new appreciations for the capacities of equipment, live music and the accurate (or sometimes not) appreciation of the performances.
Moving into my middle age, I have helped friends put together systems that I would never have believed possible even 15 years ago. The accuracy, tonality, imaging and more can now push the limits of my senses. Fortunately I had the foresight as a younger man to wear ear plugs the majority of the time, both at loud musical events and shooting, etc....
I've rambled on too long, but I hope to find the audio family here that I've rarely had the opportunity to before.
Rock on my new friends
