Your first real hi-fi and subsequent upgrades

Started off my Hi-Fi 'Journey' in the early 70s with a system bought for me by my mother by mail order from Laskys, consisting of:

BSR Macdonald MP60 with Shure M3DM, Trio KA2000A amp and Lasky Criterion Mk X speakers. Not a fantastic system but served me well at University. I think I was one of only two students in my hall of residence with his own system. Too much time spent listening to music or playing football and not studying. Goodness knows how I ever managed to graduate.

Whilst a student, took  a holiday job working in an oil rig construction yard to finance the purchase of my first real hi-fi system:

Transcriptors Hydraulic Reference turntable with 9" fluid arm, Shure V15/III (replaced by the much better Sonus Blue Lable), Cambridge P50/2 amp (I couldn't quite afford the Lecson AC1/AP1 I really wanted) and Celestion Ditton 66 speakers (still used by my brother). Added a Pioneer TX 7100 tuner, Technics RS279US cassette deck (1st solenoid controlled deck) and fantastic Micro-Seiko Electrostatic headphones before leaving my stereo with my brother and heading off to my 1st job, then lived without a stereo system for around 3 to 4 years - purgatory! Then started all over again with:

Manticore Mantra/Moth with Audio Technical AT-F5, Audiolab 8000A (after a brief flirtation with Mission Cyrus One & Musical Fidelity A1 amps) and Heybrook HB1 speakers with Denon tuner and cassette deck. upgraded to Musical Fidelity MC2 speakers then briefly decided to combine hi-fi & home cinema with a Yamaha DSP-A1 Gold amp with Ruark 5.1 speakers.

Upgraded my AV system with Krell Showcase Pre and power amps (big upgrade in SQ), added Ruark Solstice speakers and also set up a separate hi-fi only system:

Shanling CDT-1000 CD player, Primare 928 pre amp & Mono Blocks (bought 2nd hand from the designer himself in Denmark), Revox B77 Tape Deck and an assortment of speakers, Rogers Studio 9 Pro, Magnepan 1.5, Magnepan 2.6Rs. Having stated that I would never move to music streaming, I borrowed a friend's Linn Accurate & Linn Klimax Renew (which I ended up buying), ate my words and have never looked back. Ended up also buying a Naim ND5 XS for my AV system with XPS and Chord Hugo, and a Marantz NA 7004 streamer for a bedroom set-up.

Finally, big upgrades to my main system:

Michell Orbe turntable with Tecnoarm & Dynavector DV20x2, Magnepan 3.6R speakers and finally Lindemann 830S Pre and 858 Dual Mono power amp, and TQ Ultra Black all round.

I am at long last exactly where I want to be (Tidal being the icing on the cake, if a tad expensive to supplement my LPs and CD rips & downloads). I am finally able to relax and listen to the music without ever feeling the need to consider any more upgrades.

In our house we had a Ferguson Studio 6 music centre (MCs were all the rage in the 1970s): 

My first system bought with my own money (while still at school in 1981) was an ITT one - my mum worked there and was able to get substantial discounts. It was an ITT HiFi8014 belt drive turntable (a rebadged BSR Quanta 700, below), an ITT casseiver (basically a Philips unit, I think) and ITT speakers. It was OK, deffo an upgrade from the Studio 6, which was very rumbly, and which was hogged all the time by my sister playing the Bay City Rollers et al.

While at Uni, in the late Summer of 1984 I bought my first "real" stereo, a Dual CS505, NAD 3020, JVC cassette deck and Heybrook HB1s (all second hand apart from the Heybrooks).

In 1985/86 I upgraded to a Heybrook TT2 turntable with a Syrinx LE-One arm (and an AT MM cart) NAD 7125 receiver and a Denon DR M22 tape deck. All second hand, apart from the Denon.

At the end of '87, I bought an LP12/Valhalla/Basik LVX/K9, upgrading the amp to a Nait 2 in July 1988. The Basik was upgraded to an Ittok LVIII in early 1989. My first CD player, a Nakamichi CD4, followed in 1991. No upgrades for the rest of the 1990s, apart from a Cirkus fitted to the LP12 in 1997.

2002 was a year of big upgrades - to a NAP 160 and NAC 62 (a Hi-Cap was added later in the year) and a secondhand Nak Dragon tape deck was acquired. The following year saw some more upgrades, to a Lingo 2 and my first MC cart, a Klyde (bought s/h from someone on this forum).  In 2004 I bought a Marantz CD6000 (upgraded three years ago to a 6004).

In 2006 the 62 was swapped for a 72, a Tramp 2 was added to the LP12 in 2010 and a T Kable in 2015. All this time, the one comstant has been the Heybrook HB1s.

Kevin-W, As I said in my op: I wish I still had my HB1's. They're superb speakers and much better than the Quad 11L's that I replaced them with. I also liked the fact that they work best against a wall.

Ah Kevin, that takes me back!  We had a music centre very much like your first picture - a Toshiba.  I wonder what it would sound like now?

This is a similar one from the net.

My recollection of dates and details are a bit hazy in places but the bug bit while I was at school during which time I had to endure a Dansette, then supplemented by an auxiliary speaker, a Grundig tape recorder, and a first Philips ‘stereo’ with the proceeds of Saturday jobs.

Starting work enabled my first ‘separates’ system: Golding G101, Sansui amp, Leak Sandwich speakers, all bought from Comet. I’d arrived! The Leak speakers were soon replaced by a SH pair of Goodmans Mezzos and the Goldring by a Pioneer PL112 and Shure M75J, which I tweaked first with an SME headshell and later a rigid ADC headshell.

I then discovered a proper Hi-Fi dealer in Chandler’s Ford near Southampton and in 1980 the PL112D gave way to an Ariston RD80 with Audio Technica 1005II arm and A&R P78 cartridge, later placed by a Linn LVX arm and Empire 2000 cartridge and finally a Elite 700 cartridge. The Sansui amp gave way to the glorious A&R A60 amp and the speakers by Keesonic KRFs. The Keesonics proved to be disappointing and were replaced in 1983 by the lovely Heybrook HB2s on Linn Kan stands.

Children then arrived and we moved to Southend. In 1990 I got my first CD player from Laskys: a Philips CD450. Surface noise gone! That year also saw the arrival of an Audiolab 8000A from Rayleigh Hi-Fi to replace the A&R. I was increasing my CD collection much more rapidly than vinyl. In ’91 we moved to South London and I looked to improve the CD player. I tried and bought a DPA Little Bit driven by a Philip CD 634 used as a transport from Sevenoaks Hi-Fi.

Looking for more oomph in 1992 I (unwisely) replaced my Heybrooks with a pair of Ruark Talisman MkIIs. I think I was seduced by the sparkle of the metal dome tweeter because the bass wasn’t really there. Thinking I needed more power in ’94 I spotted a discontinued Linx Pulsar power amp at Sevenoaks at less than half-price and so using the 8000A as a pre, moved to a two-box amp system. A little later the 8000A was replaced by an ex-demo Audiolab 8000Q. A Rel Strata II sub resolved the Ruarks’ lack of bottom end.

In those days I used to walk from London Bridge station to my office along South Bank, which used to take me past The Sound Organisation. I used to admire the stuff on display but knew I couldn’t afford it. Then one day I saw a bit of Hi-fi ‘exotica’ in the window - a used Theta DS Pro Basic II dac - at a silly low price. I had to have it, only to discover that it needed a better quality CD transport than my Philips. This was resolved in 97 by KJ West One providing me with a used Accuphase DP80L. What an enormous and hefty beast! By then my Ariston and vinyl collection had been consigned to the loft. It was all CD for me from then on. The CD system was supplemented by a Theta TLC and it’s ‘Goliath’ PSU, and I had the Accuphase internal clock and PSU upgraded by Trichord. I thought it the bees-knees.

Then in 2000 the Linx Pulsar died (apparently they were prone to this) and the hunt began for a new power amp. Audio T loaned me a few and I selected the Chord SPM600. In 2005 the 8000Q was replaced by the Chord’s matching pre-amp a CPA2200. Again I got a bargain by buying ex-demo.

At about that time I fulfilled a long-held ambition of building my own speakers from a kit by spending the entire two weeks of my summer holiday in my garage constructing a pair of HI-Fi World KLS3 Gold Mark IIs. These had carbon-fibre drive units and gold piezo tweeters. What fun! They were bigger than I bargained for but sounded miles better than the Ruarks. I was thoroughly pleased with the result and many a visitor expressed surprise when it was explained that I had constructed them.

However some years then past during which I found myself playing my system less and less. Maybe it was listener fatigue. I also noticed that the dome tweeters on my KLS3s were beginning to crinkle, caused by the gas inside leaking. Since they were no longer made different tweeters would be needed, which meant serious surgery to cabinets and cross-overs. So I promised the speakers to my son (who still has then) and replaced them with a pair of Focal 816 SWEs. My interest in my system was resurrected.

In 2011 my first piece of Naim kit arrived - an nDAC replaced the Theta. I didn’t take to the nDAC initially and needed two home demos to appreciate its qualities. I didn’t quite realise that the Naim bug had then bitten but it had and over more recent years a CDX2.2 has replaced the Accuphase, PSUs have arrived, and the Chord amps have been replaced with 282/SC/250. And the Focal 816s now serve in my AV system being replaced by Electra 1028be.

I’ve probably missed some bits of kit out, and many tweaks and lead changes, but I’d conclude by saying that over the past few years I’ve probably been playing music more regularly than at any time since I acquired this passion. I guess that’s pretty much the best compliment that I can pay Naim.

Mike

First "Hi-Fi" system was all Pioneer - PL 112D, SA 7500 II, TX 5500 II, HPM 60.

It was surprisingly good for the time - I was 15 years old...

By the time I got 19, system was Rega Planar 3 / RB 300 / Nagaoka MP 50 / A&R A60 / Harbeth HL Monitor Mk IIII. Oddly enough, 36 years later my speakers are the nth version of the same speaker - Harbeth SHL 5 Plus.

Good things in life never change... Or so little!

Claude

An unexpected journey.

1981 started with Thorens TD166, NAD 3020 amp and Celef Domestic 2 Super speakers.

1987 saw the turntable replaced with a Rega Planar 3 and the NAD with a Myst tma3 integrated amp.

1994 I finally succumbed to CD with an Arcam Alpha and retired my 13 year old speakers to be replaced by Castle Yorks.

The Arcam died in 2001 and was replaced by a Marantz CD 6000SE KI signature, and I lived very happily with the Rega and Marantz on shared duties with my Myst and Castles until 2013 when I felt that after 26 years of heroic daily service the Myst should retire. I duly set out to go and audition a Cyrus integrated only to be shocked to found it was worse in my system than what I already had. At the dealers suggestion I listened to some Monitor Audio Silver speakers but they were almost identical to my Yorks.

Puzzled I went home slightly disillusioned and by chance discovered I had a Naim dealer 5 minutes drive away (I migrated to Melbourne 10 years ago). I had never considered Naim before as I always thought it was too expensive. Imagine my shock when substituting a 152xs/155xs for my Myst I was left wondering what all the fuss was about. I was about to give up when my wife suggested trying the CD5XS in place of my Marantz. That was a revelation.

Suddenly I was listening to something leagues ahead of what I had been. Although my Myst was obviously not as good as the Naim pre/power combo it was not disgraced and clearly able to demonstrate the difference between the Marantz and CD5xs. I did not end up buying the CD5xs but actually bought a ND5xs which to my mind sounded at least as good, had internet radio and a FM tuner, a DAC and was considerably cheaper.

To this day I have the Rega (fully serviced), Marantz (rarely used now, transport only via optical link to ND5), Myst and Yorks. The ND5 is a wonderful piece of kit and I consider myself lucky to own one.

The point of my adding to this post is that synergistic systems can last a long time. There is a huge amount of skill by a good dealer in helping build a system (Andy at Audio Images in Sheffield put mine together). Finally I had almost but not quite forgotten the mantra of source first and although I had expected replacing my amp to be the logical step it took some lateral thinking to replace the CD. I would have wasted my money otherwise.

I will upgrade further, that may of course now be the amp but I am also open to consider other options eg XP5xs. Who knows where the next twist will be and whether or not it is enforced upon me. That is another story.

I discovered the forum after buying the ND5 and have learnt a lot from others on here, so thanks for that.

Mike

It was 1976. I was a student about to get my first hifi. I went in to Russ Andrews HiFi in Edinburgh to listen to a Rega planar 2, Nytech receiver and Tangent TM1 speakers.

That sounded quite nice, but what struck me was the sound coming from the big Linn/Naim system downstairs. That was when I realised what was possible. (I never did get downstairs to see exactly what it was!). And I couldn't afford the £4k it would have cost in 1976. That would have been a years salary in a decent job at the time.

I couldn't afford the Nytech, so I bought an Alba UA900 until I could afford a Nytech CA202 amp and Rega Planar 3 a couple of years later. Kept this for about 20 years, adding a Naim CD3.

Then upgraded to a Notts Analog Spacedeck, Bryston amps and PMC FB1 speakers. Recently added an NDS streamer and NA Dais turntable with Reed arm and Tron Seven phono stage. The PMC FB1's were upgraded last year to FB1+ but are still going strong.

Rega 2, NAD 3020 & Gale 'speakers in the early 1980's (with numerous diversions via Linn, Ion Systems, Cyrus, Roksan, Musical Fidelity, B&W & Epos 'speakers) to where I am today.

All a learning curve...

G

Early 80s A&R Arcam alpha amp, Heybrook HB1 speakers and a variety of sources. Then through a load of variations including Rotel amps, Mission speakers and Pink Triangle analogue with, usually at that time, Philips and Marantz CD players before losing patience with upgraditis and moving to B&O.  A couple of decades in the wilderness with B&O and surround sound before discovering local streaming via a Pinnacle streamer in the 90s and then working my way back around to a Naim Qute 2 etc etc.  

I forgot to mention the Linn Kan (I and II) I owned soon after the Epicures, which formed my Brit system along with rega Planar 3 and Naim Nait. 

I often think about the dent it would make in my mortgage balance if all the money spent on hifi went there instead.

HiFi is more than a hobby. It is a lifestyle fuelled by music addiction and deep pockets.

Still, at least I've never gambled in a casino. From that perspective, hi-fi is guilt free.

My first exposure to hifi was my dad's system in the late 70s to late 80s:

Aiwa Tape Deck, Kenwood Tuner, Luxman L60V amp and Advent speakers. He has an LP player (along with a small record collection) which I remember seeing as a toddler but I do not have memories of it being played!

This was a phase where I learn about balance control, loudness button, tape monitoring, recording from radio with the tape deck etc. I remember the woofer foam needs replacement often due to detioration but the sound was nice - warm and full but lacking in dynamics - perhaps due to the genres we listen to.

I then have the following set up along the way:

1) 1993-1995: Technics Portable CD player, Rotel 935BX amp, Mission 760i speakers

2) 1995 to 2011: Marantz CD63, Audiolab 8000S, Proac Tablette 50 Signature, (also the EPOS ES11, Rogers LS3/5a)

3) 2012 to _____ : Marantz CD6004, NDX, Roksan Caspian M2 (then Naim SN2), Harbeth P3ESR. 

Currently I am in the mist of tweaking my speaker position and may explore a new speaker next (possibly a M30.1) to get a fuller sound for better low volume listening. While I do like what I have now, I do not consider myself a blind Naim fan boy so I am still open to other makes. Would love to try a Leben amp on my Harbeth one day though!

@feeling_zen, I used to be obsessed with super bikes and the lifestyle that goes with it, in comparison hifi is a nice cheap hobby and comparatively risk free

In the last couple of years, I've pieced back together my first system.  The speakers are still the originals, but the tape deck and amp are recent re-purchases.  I suppose my first turntable - Thorens TD160B MkII with Mayware arm would complete the set, but that was added about 18 months after this first system, hence this lot must be considered as the first ones.

Pics here of the current incarnation up in the loft space:

Mine has been a long journey.  Leaving out tuners and cassette decks...

It started in 1971 when I was 16.  My first system was a Sinclair and Wharfdale build yourself system with a Garrard SP25.

In 1974 I upgraded to a Goldring GL75 with a Metrosound ST60 and Acoustic Research AR7 loudspeakers.

In 1975 I upgraded the amplifier to a Pioneer SA7500 and also got a pair of electrostatic headphones

In 1976 I upgraded the deck to a Leak turntable and the speakers to Acoustic Research AR2ax.

In 1977 I upgraded the deck to a Technics direct drive with an SME 3009 arm and a Micro Acoustics cartridge.  I also upgraded the headphones to a pair of Stax electrostatics.

In late 1977 I heard a Linn/Naim combination at a HiFi show and was blown away.

In 1978 I bought a NAC12 and a NAP160 along with an LP12 on which my SME arm was mounted.

In 1979 I upgraded the arm and cartridge to a Mission arm (which I preferred to the Grace normally used) with the ubiquitous recommended cartridge (which I can't remember the make or model).  I also upgraded to a pair of Mission 770 loudspeakers.

In 1980 I changed the power amp to a NAP250.

In 1983 (bit of a gap here as I bought a flat) I got my first CD player (a Sony) and bought a pair of Stax electrostatic loudspeakers (and the NAP250 struggled to drive them).

Nothing then happened until late 1987 when the whole lot was stolen by a burglar.

In 1988 I used the insurance money to buy a Linn Basik (I was now preferring CDs). a Mission CD player, a Musical Fidelity MVT preamp, a pair of Musical Fidelity P270 power amps and a pair of Magnepan MGIIIa.  In auditioning I much preferred the flat panel speakers but they needed really hefty amps to drive them.

After that, until this year, the only thing that got changed was the CD player.  I got a two box Arcam system in 1990 and replaced it with a one box system in 1997.  When that died in 2008 I replaced it with a Cambridge combination CD player and hard disk player - big mistake as it was OK but didn't have any impact.  The Musical Fidelity amps are fairly laid back anyway (compared to the Naims) but with the Cambridge server even more so.  The music was OK but seemed to have all excitement surgically removed.

The system got listened to less and less from 1990 as we moved to a new house with a bigger room but which wasn't suited to the Maggies (which need to be 3ft from a wall) and the furniture was all in the wrong place for listening. 

So, I didn't really listened to much music until 2010 when I got an iPhone.  Although the quality wasn't great I could listen to a huge range of music anyway through headphones or strategically placed speaker docks.  I loved buying MP3 tracks from Amazon as I could buy just the songs I like and not the whole album. 

Then, last year, I read about the Mu-so and bought one.  I was blown away because, even with a box that small, the music had the dynamics and detail back.  Also, the Mu-so is completely wife and family friendly (don't even ask about the Maggies and the trolley of power amps).  I now embarked on buting FLAC music and re-ripping my CD collection as FLAC.

Then one night I saw a pair of Naim Credo loudspeakers on eBay and bought them.  Looking around for something to drive them I got a Superuniti which has been an absolute revelation.  Sadly!  the Credos have now been replaced with a pair of the excellent Dali Rubicon 6s and the whole system sounds gorgeous (as well as having only one box I don't have to flip five power switches before I can listen).  I also bought a Project Debut Carbon USB deck for ripping the few albums I can't get on digital but I must say it's analogue feed into the SU is quite impressive.

So, as well as a long journey on kit I've also bought (and re-bought) music in 4 different formats: vinyl, CD, MP3 and FLAC.

Sorry, I realise I been rambling on too long.

sunbeamgls posted:

In the last couple of years, I've pieced back together my first system.  The speakers are still the originals, but the tape deck and amp are recent re-purchases.  I suppose my first turntable - Thorens TD160B MkII with Mayware arm would complete the set, but that was added about 18 months after this first system, hence this lot must be considered as the first ones.

Pics here of the current incarnation up in the loft space:

Just realised I only answered half the question.

I have documented my system evolution elsewhere but can't insert a link here, so just Google audiophile musings system evolution

Great topic. 

My 1st was Rotel RP830 T/T, with AT110E, Rotel 820A Amp and Wharfedale diamond speakers. The Rotel amp is still working in my mates Granny annexe, still sounds OK.

Actually it was the 820B, no tone controls. 

I've flitted with Cyrus and Arcam through the years, mainly at the lower end. But, love my Unitilite and Totem Dreamcatchers, suits my small home. 

Just need to the old Rega 3 up and running.  

In 1980 I spent my first student grant cheque (remember them!?) in Billy Vee's in London on a Sansui SR222 TT, NAD 3020, and Ram Compact speakers. Had as much fun with that system as I've ever had. Then...Michell Focus One, A&R A60, LP12, Royd Apex. Then started my Naim journey with a humble 92/90, and stuck with Naim ever since.