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Post by mfeust on Jun 3, 2019 16:17:05 GMT -5
In 1977 I bought a Pioneer SX-780, a pair of EPI 120C speakers and they throw in a Philips TT and AT cartridge.
Mark
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Post by SteveH on Jun 3, 2019 16:38:43 GMT -5
I was 15 years old in 1979, Had to save a lot of paper route money and this seemed like a fortune when in reality was one of the least inexpensive separate component systems one could put together back then. I am right there with you! I was 16 in 1978 when I made my first purchase. I owe it all to Winn-Dixie grocery stores. Everything still works today, I even use the speakers in my garage. Kenwood KR-2090 Receiver - 16 wpc RMS ADC Soundshaper II - 11 band graphic equalizer BIC 920 TT that would hold six albums BIC Venturi two-way speakers We have all come a long way!
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Post by strindl on Jun 3, 2019 16:42:23 GMT -5
I sure do remember. The summer of 1974, I put my first real audio system together. I bought everything at a stereo store in Milwaukee called "HI FI FO Fum", it was on 26th and Wisconsinum, in downtown Milwaukee. I still recall exactly what I paid for each piece as well. A Marantz 2230 receiver for $286.00, and a pair of the original large Advent speakers with the real walnut cabinet for $250.00 per pair. BTW, this was in the days when something called the "fair trade law" was in effect that allowed the manufacturer of a product to set a firm price that each retailer had to charge for that product. I remember Advent had fair traded their speakers and no dealer could sell a pair of the large walnut Advent speakers for less that $250.00. Those laws ended in 1975. Finally, I also bought a Dual 1218 turntable with a Shure M91ed cartridge for $150.00. Total cost of the system was $686.00. The dealer threw in the 18 gauge speaker wire.
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Post by jackfish on Jun 3, 2019 17:28:45 GMT -5
Fairchild 412 turntable with SME 3009 arm Sansui 661 receiver BIC Venturi Formula 4 loudspeakers
The receiver and speakers were brand new, what year was it?
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Post by gus4emo on Jun 3, 2019 17:35:57 GMT -5
1982 Sansui Receiver Technics TT Akai Cassette Deck Can't remember the brand, but a Reverb Technics Timer Bose 901s
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Post by DavidR on Jun 3, 2019 17:43:03 GMT -5
1982 Sansui Receiver Technics TT Akai Cassette Deck Can't remember the brand, but a Reverb Technics Timer Bose 901s What Series of 901s?
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Post by The History Kid on Jun 3, 2019 18:07:14 GMT -5
Mine was some kind of boombox with detachable speakers on it. Koss, Emerson, something or other from the Walmart bargain bin that was given to me when I was 7 or 8. The first system I got with my own money was the next system after that - an Aiwa NSX-AJ20, $125 in 1999 (after returning an Emerson shelf system that my family urged me to return). That was the last shelf system I owned. The first component driven piece was a Kenwood VR-414 out of a HTiB. Then the first AVR that I owned that wasn't a hot-box item was a Nakamichi AV-500.
...take your pick.
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Post by martindktm on Jun 3, 2019 18:40:50 GMT -5
This was really the first one I got as a gift by my parents... Dorchester unit all in one.
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Post by knucklehead on Jun 3, 2019 19:07:40 GMT -5
I bought my first stereo piecemeal, I bought the receiver in Yokosuka Japan at the Naval Exchange. It was a Sansui 500A receiver, 17 tubes. After returning stateside I managed to find a pair of used Acoustic Research AR2 speakers, and a well used Garrard TT. The TT was a frequent source of frustration, never tracked right. The Dual I replaced it with a couple of years later was much better.
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USAFRetired
Sensei
New Receiver onboard Denon RIP
Posts: 651
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Post by USAFRetired on Jun 3, 2019 19:09:35 GMT -5
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Post by SteveH on Jun 3, 2019 19:45:42 GMT -5
You all are a stimulant. I still have the early 80s power amplifier that I had in my 67 Chevelle SS, Thanks for the memories!
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Post by gus4emo on Jun 3, 2019 20:06:00 GMT -5
1982 Sansui Receiver Technics TT Akai Cassette Deck Can't remember the brand, but a Reverb Technics Timer Bose 901s What Series of 901s? Series IV, I later bought a series VI
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Post by gus4emo on Jun 3, 2019 20:09:46 GMT -5
This was really the first one I got as a gift by my parents... Dorchester unit all in one.
My parents got me something similar around 1977
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Post by DavidR on Jun 3, 2019 20:49:55 GMT -5
Series IV, I later bought a series VI I bought a pair of 901_II back in college in (I think) 1974. I got them for cost as a buddy worked there one summer. His brother in-law was a Production Mgr. It was late in the run for the series 2 and they were about to come out with the series 3 (which sucked). Bose had installed drivers destined for the ser3 that had foam surrounds and not the CTS drivers with cloth surrounds. The foam went after 15 years and Bose honored the warranty (5 yrs) as they felt responsible for the error. I got a pair of ser6 for $350 and used them for 20 years. I never liked them as much as the acoustic version. Bass not as good and port chuffing and a muffled sound with speech. I never found a preamp/amp combo that worked well until I set them up for sale with other gear for sale. This combo worked well. XPA-2 G2, Rotel Pre and Tuner. Short lived as they all sold quickly.
I picked up a pair of Ser2 with the correct drivers and had the EQ recapped with quality components and have never looked back. I think they do a great job as HT rear speakers.
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Post by Ex_Vintage on Jun 3, 2019 20:53:02 GMT -5
Ex_Vintage -- Did you have to have the speaker surrounds replaced? I assume the drivers originally had paper surrounds? The JBL's were 1976 vintage, The surrounds were foam. They were replaced about 28 years ago when my 3 year old daughter sat down in front of them and picked the foam away....... She is doing fine today with 2 of my grand children
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Post by cwmcobra on Jun 4, 2019 6:16:21 GMT -5
My first system I put together in my early college days. Built a Heathkit AR-15 amp, added a Crown tuner and a low level Dual turntable. Built speakers using drivers from Allied Radio with real mahogany wood enclosures. Sold it a year later to buy an engagement ring. The marriage has lasted 48 years, so I think it was the right decision. And soon after getting married, I "upgraded" to a Heathkit AR-1500 receiver, a Dual 1212 turntable and JBL 2-way speakers in Heathkit form. A little later added a Technics cassette deck, then a Pioneer reel-to-reel, etc. And here I am today with way more than that and probably not appreciating it any more than the first system. Because the first system was audio heaven at the time! Cheers! Chuck
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Post by 405x5 on Jun 4, 2019 7:42:54 GMT -5
For some reason I was thinking about my first stereo system. I would have bought it in my mid teens between 1968 and 1970 using money I had saved being a paperboy (delivered the daily newspaper on my bike).
It was a Nikko STA-8080 receiver, Akai GX-F35 cassette, Fisher XP65s speakers and a Sansui SR-212 TT which I still have stored in the original box. It got a lot of use. I couldn't afford McIntosh but spent a lot of time looking at them at The Music Box.
I found some file photos on the web.
Do any of you remember your first system?
Sure....but it wasn’t stereo...it was mono! (Lol) My grandmother 👵 bought 3 Singer Battery operated record players for each of us kids, except for my youngest brother who wasn’t born yet (I don’t think) One Of Those 3 was Stereo, with the speakers that could be removed from the travel 🧳 case and could be separated about 6 feet with the wires. My oldest brother got that one.... I was jealous and stole the thing when he wasn’t around. In retrospect (ha ha) my first audio tweak was to employ Duracell ALKALINE batteries (brand new concept at the time) to play longer before the batteries croaked and the thing would slow down. It went along great with my breakable copy of Meet The Beatles, that did fall off the closet shelf and break into pieces (oh well) View AttachmentBill After my toy 🧸 players (and much futzing with the vintage gear at my Dad’s house.... My first real stereo was AR all the way. AR 2ax loudspeakers AR integrated amplifier. AR XA turntable Empire 999VE cartridge, replaced by Shibata stylus Stanton 681 EEE, (originally with standard elliptical. Tandberg reel to reel deck.
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Post by thrillcat on Jun 4, 2019 11:37:14 GMT -5
The ol' Soundesign 6660. Sounded like absolute garbage, but it played music.
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klinemj
Emo VIPs
Honorary Emofest Scribe
Posts: 14,689
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Post by klinemj on Jun 4, 2019 13:08:41 GMT -5
In about '67, my Dad gave me his old system...all Heathkit...turntable, integrated amp, tuner, and speakers that he had built. Dad had bought a Sony all in one system for the living room, so I got the old stuff.
I used that until I got a Pioneer "all in 1" system...TT/receiver/8 track in 1 box w/Pioneer speakers. I saved my own cash for that baby. I used it until high school when I also used my own $ to buy a Pioneer receiver, a Technics (?) cassette deck, a decent direct drive TT (can't recall brand now...probably Technics), and I kept using the old Pioneer speakers. When I got to college, I ended up with DCM QED speakers, a Dual TT (first a 504, then also added a 6xx), a Harmon Kardon tuner, and kept the old cassette deck. It made great tapes for my car tunes.
Mark
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Post by gus4emo on Jun 4, 2019 13:27:52 GMT -5
Series IV, I later bought a series VI I bought a pair of 901_II back in college in (I think) 1974. I got them for cost as a buddy worked there one summer. His brother in-law was a Production Mgr. It was late in the run for the series 2 and they were about to come out with the series 3 (which sucked). Bose had installed drivers destined for the ser3 that had foam surrounds and not the CTS drivers with cloth surrounds. The foam went after 15 years and Bose honored the warranty (5 yrs) as they felt responsible for the error. I got a pair of ser6 for $350 and used them for 20 years. I never liked them as much as the acoustic version. Bass not as good and port chuffing and a muffled sound with speech. I never found a preamp/amp combo that worked well until I set them up for sale with other gear for sale. View Attachment This combo worked well. XPA-2 G2, Rotel Pre and Tuner. Short lived as they all sold quickly.
I picked up a pair of Ser2 with the correct drivers and had the EQ recapped with quality components and have never looked back. I think they do a great job as HT rear speakers.
I loved the 901s, the first pair was stolen, I left Hawaii after leaving the Army planning to go back, never did, I had left all my stuff with what was supposed to be a buddy, called him from Puerto Rico and sent him $$ so he could ship everything to me, he kept everything....yes I know, the second pair I gave to my nephew after deciding to change my set up....
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