What classics changed your hi-fi life?

[Rick O]

I can't even say the LP12 changed my life, as when we had our LP12 it was older than I was. I'm sure it affected my life though, but it can't have changed it.

[Filterlab]

Don't know the Kenwood 5020, although I have heard some Kenwood amps that have been very good indeed.

[Vinyl Grinder]

Don't know the Kenwood 5020, although I have heard some Kenwood amps that have been very good indeed.

Not that one rob..

[jimdgoulding]

Dyna gear and Dahlquist DQ 10's, but not together. Both showed me what could be.

[sastusbulbas]

Anyone remember early Nightingale Loudspeakers? Or large Dalesford/Kef kits?

Also a particular HK pre power, and a Rotel 1412 integrated, and a very small bright red Technics automatic turntable.

And my Kef R105.4

First ever thing though, a pair of small Wharfdales, I still remember spending hours watching those bass cones with rubber surrounds pumping in and oot.

Damn I have too many memories of old kit, the pro's and con's of living in Edinburgh at the height of the second hand shop extravaganza, just about every few weeks something got broke, bored with or replaced with something I liked better.
The days before ebay, where anything old or in teac wood finish went for cheap, before people knew what was worth what.

Memories......

I still liked the old Nightingale transmition line with a Kef B139, peerless mid (cupped rear) and Isophon tweeter on top in open bafles, and would like another mint Rotel RA-1412, even back then (late 80's if I remember) it was an expensive second hand purchase.

[enbee23]

For me, two amplifiers stand out from the crowd. Both of these introduced the world of hi-fi to me, introducing a higher-end sound for budget cash:

Audiolab 8000A



Pioneer A400




Speakers wise, my hi-fi life changed when I first heard a pair of Quad ESL 63s. At that point I knew I had to have a pair of electrostatics, the life in the vocals just knocked me sideways - gorgeous!

Quad ESL988



My first pair of real speakers and ones that convinced me I should get into hi-fi properly. Tannoy Mercury S Golds in 80s attire. Gorgeous weighty sound, perfect for synth bass lines and squelchy riffs.

My second pair of speakers were a pair of Mercury S exactly like that!

My first step onto the path of loudspeaker righteousness came a few years later with Rogers LS4a2. Just a smallish sealed two-way but they offered a hint of the classic "BBC monitor" sound which I followed up with several more Rogers (LS7t, LS5/8) and then a pair of Harbeth Compact7s which in many ways are still possibly the best balanced speaker I've had. Lovely things.

I resisted the lure of CD until 1992 when I jumped in at the deep end and bought a new Marantz CD-94 Mk2, one of the last in the country. It has made a good few "fancy" newer machines sound a bit stupid over the years and at the time was an absolute revelation.

[Filterlab]

My second pair of speakers were a pair of Mercury S exactly like that!

My first step onto the path of loudspeaker righteousness came a few years later with Rogers LS4a2. Just a smallish sealed two-way but they offered a hint of the classic "BBC monitor" sound which I followed up with several more Rogers (LS7t, LS5/8) and then a pair of Harbeth Compact7s which in many ways are still possibly the best balanced speaker I've had. Lovely things.

I resisted the lure of CD until 1992 when I jumped in at the deep end and bought a new Marantz CD-94 Mk2, one of the last in the country. It has made a good few "fancy" newer machines sound a bit stupid over the years and at the time was an absolute revelation.

CD-94 - what a machine! Wood sides as well, pure luxury.

The Mercs were grand, wish I'd kept them really just for the bass funk factor (I don't listen to funk, but I would if I had the Tannoys).

[Vinyl Grinder]

[QUOTE=enbee23;1320]
Just puzzled as to why there's a Musical Fidelity 'B1' stuck in the rack!

[Gromit]

I heard a cartridge today that would blow your mind... The ZU-modified DL-103 (it was on an LP12, though ) but I heard enough today even in an unfamiliar system to conclude that it was very special indeed, and I suspect considerably better than the 103Pro. I shall be investigating further with one in my system shortly.

This is what I'm taking about:

http://www.vendur.no/catalog/product...93c8529c8bca71

Marco.

Ooooh...most interesting!! I shall also investigate further

I like the 'bottom to top sexy wet analog realism' in the description.

[WikiBoy]

1969 in an all night illicit West Indian drinking club at the back of a shop in West Green Road, Tottenham. Can of Red Stripe in one hand, smell of a good grass doing the rounds and goat curry and rice and peas on the bubble. Mad stoned Rastaman playing import early ska and old calypso and some Sam and Dave etc on beaten up 45's. System Garrard SP25 (unknown Cart) feeding (I think from my memory) a Linear Concord L50, driving an enormous marine ply open baffle fitted with Goodmans 18inch and Midax and Trebax horns. Brain shaking, even building shaking. BUT what music, not Hi-Fi, not clarity, but shear exuberant body moving noise, it would eat you, you had to become part of it.

A defining moment for me when I realised that music and Hi-Fi were too different things. Every thing hifi then was designed to reproduce the human voice and an orchestra. For me it gave a purpose to my as then hobby to try and square the circle, I want that vibrance and life but I want the clarity as well.