What Was Your First System?

[Receiver2000 1,411]

Our family had some interesting hifi setups when I lived at home that varied from a Sears Silverstone record player in our rec room to a sweet Philco console in the living room.

My first stereo of my own was a Marantz 2270 with a Dual 1228 TT and AR3 speakers in the mid-'70's. The AR's had two controls at the rear wire posts for bass and mid-range adjustments!!!

[mbskeam 1,157]

this and home made speakers.

still have it and it works

[Receiver2000 1,411]

That's a beaut.

[Dennis47 694]

 

My first system was a Voice of Music also....at age 14

But it has been gone since long ago ☹️

[Receiver2000 1,411]

I remember the wonderment of it all. It hasn't diminished to this day. Only back then it was huge, huge money and I had to be so careful, traveling from stereo shop to stereo shop listening and listening (carrying my own music), because I just couldn't afford to make a mistake. I remember being wrapped up in specs but being such a novice, having to take my time and let my ears make my decisions. Can't say that the Marantz blue display, beautiful face with the Sarif font and big weighted tuning wheel didn't help with the decision. Just as the Carver face, with the bluing on a gun didn't contribute to that  decision  some 11 years later.

 

[Rob 3,082]

 I think I was about 10 years old or so when I got one of these. 45's and 8 tracks. 

[Receiver2000 1,411]

Deluxe unit. At that age I had a nice transitor radio. It did have a shoulder strap!!!

[4krow 3,297]

My parents abandoned an upright RCA console. Maybe I was 11. Fixed the TT, and the radio antenna just needed better positioning. Lasted a few years.

[ZappaPatton 435]

Bagged groceries and worked in a jewelry casting shop until I saved enough to buy a Carver HR772, a pair of Boston Acustics T830s and $400 worth of Monster Cable at 16 years old.

 

Still have the HR-772!

[gburke 349]

A "boombox" made by Sharp. Similar to this one

[niccolosito 315]

In 1970, I came here with my father to visit my sister in San Francisco and bought myself a Panasonic RE-7800 AM/FM/8-Track Multiplex receiver as pictured below. Enjoyed listening to Santana's first two lp's, CSN&Y's Deja Vu, lots  of Temptations and Simon & Garfunkel, all transferred to 8-track tapes at a neighborhood record shop for a small fee. Had fun with it for a few years in my little apartment.

When I migrated permanently to the U.S. in '76, I bought a real system as soon as I found a job-McIntosh MX113, Mc MC2105, B & O Beogram 4200 TT, JBL L-166. Still have it. Don't know whatever happened to the poor Panasonic. 

 

 

 

 

[Receiver2000 1,411]

I had a pair of JBL L-166 Horizons in the early '80s. Cool black eggcrate grills with beautiful walnut cabinets. The bass could flap your pant legs. 

Edited April 27 by Receiver2000

[Receiver2000 1,411]

This is the kind of record player that we had in our rec room when I lived at home. Ours was a Sears Silvertone. With detachable speakers!!!! It was on a metal stand with LP storage below. We loved it. Circa late 60's, early 70's.

[itchitch 2,778]

Thanks for the thread - I love to reminisce back to a simpler time.

 

My first "system" consisted of this Magnovox transistor radio with earphone jack with this tube extension speaker:

 

 

 

My upgrade was this Lloyds portable (8 D Cells) 8 Track player:

 

 

[Receiver2000 1,411]

Nice progression. I had the Silvertone (from Sears) version of that transistor radio. My Dad seemed to buy everything at Sears. Fell asleep many nights listening to it and it went with me everywhere on my bike.

[AndrewJohn 5,624]

35 minutes ago, itchitch said:

Thanks for the thread - I love to reminisce back to a simpler time

Say Itch, are those the original pieces?  Do you still have them?

[AndrewJohn 5,624]

My family had a Fisher 50 Amp, a BSR McDonald 310 Turntable and Fisher XP-55b Speakers.

 

At the time, in the 70's, it was pretty high-end for my Mom and Dad to put the cash out for that.  But everyone was musical, and played an instrument, and the classical record collection was pretty extensive.

 

I still have all three of those components - they need service (OK, the amp needs service, speakers and TT are not worth much... LoL.  It's in storage, or I'd post a picture.

 

I have most of the record collection, too.

[Receiver2000 1,411]

That's very cool that you have that piece of your family history. Here is a sweet little Fischer setup!!!

[iamjohngalt 989]

Pioneer SX-990,   

Dual turntable (can't recall the model),

Dynaco A-25 speakers.   

 

(I lost them all in a burglary from my apartment.) 

[Receiver2000 1,411]

Those were monster receivers!!!

[itchitch 2,778]

49 minutes ago, AndrewJohn said:

Say Itch, are those the original pieces?  Do you still have them?

 

I am hoping the transistor radio is a box...

My brother took the 8 Track player camping in 77... was never quite the same

 

[MHzTweaker 363]

I think I was 14 or 15

Technics SA-303  receiver

Pioneer CT-F650 cassette deck

Realistic Optimus 25 Speakers

Technics SL-D303 turntable w/Shure M97HE-AH cartridge

 

 

[Yamacarver 321]

Yamaha ca-810 integrated with matching tuner & cassette deck.

65wpc, no longer have.

[FredH 21]

I was introduced to high-fidelity stereo when growing up with this set-up, about the mid-'60s: A Fisher 500 receiver (the slide switches would become hard to slide and break off); a belt drive Rek-o-Kut turntable with just that little push button on the corner; and the weird Revere-Wallensak M-4 tape deck that played pre-recorded tape cartridges that could be stacked high, but the cartridge design never caught on with other manufacturers.  It sometimes pulled tape out of a cartridge and into the innards of the machine, never to be returned.  All three units had gorgeous wood cabinetry that matched Danish mid-century design.  I had to find these photos below out on the internet, and surprised that I found them so easily.

 

 

 

Edited May 5 by FredH

[Receiver2000 1,411]

That's some mighty cool looking equipment