My journey

[sugdenfan]

Hi all I'm John. I introduced myself in 2014 and felt it was time to tell my journey.
It all started in 1980 and my first job in Ashton U Lyne near Manchester. Between the bus station and my place of work was an old fashioned type hi fi shop. Real family affair, father and son establishment. After passing the shop several hundred times I finally plucked up the courage to step inside. Remember I was only sixteen and the Not the Nine O'clock News sketch had filled me with dread! Talk about friendly, within ten minutes I was sat in front of a pair of Mordaunt Short Pageant, A&R Cambridge A60 and a Ariston RD11. The album was Supertramp Crime of the Century and I was literally dumbstruck. I had never heard music sound this way. That was it I wanted that sound and so began my hi fi journey. Within months I had a Thorens TD166, Nad 3020 and a pair of Mordaunt Short Carnival. Cartridge was Nagaoka MP11 with QED 79 strand.
The turntable became an LP12, obviously it was the 80's! Naim, Exposure, Sugden and Quad amplifiers have come along. LInn, Ruark, ProAc, Kef and Usher speakers have all given me enjoyment.
My current system consists of a Michell Orbe and Thorens TD2030 turntable, Primaluna pre and Quad QMP. Chord Qutest and Project RS transport. Speakers are Usher Dancer One. I still enjoy music and still play Crime of the Century all these years later!
Tbh I sometimes wonder what that first ever system would sound like today?

My turntables:

[hifinutt]

welcome , great album . my favourite is surely , their first album

[sugdenfan]

Hi Phil. Thanks for comment. I probably haven't moved on from the 70's. And my wife stuck in the 80's. We are red hot on music quizzes until we get to the 90's��.

[walpurgis]

Hello John. Welcome to AOS.

Join in and chat with the members, it's a friendly place.


Enjoy the forum,
Geoff.

[sugdenfan]

Hi Geoff, my goodness 43000 posts. I've probably read 43000 pages! I come on most nights and have a look at what people are saying. I enjoy that, especially the system page. It is such a fascinating hobby that I would imagine if you looked at all the systems of the community there would probably be no two alike. How I ended up with my system is a complete mystery! Regards John

[walpurgis]

I'm not as prolific these days.

[Pigmy Pony]

Hi Geoff, my goodness 43000 posts. I've probably read 43000 pages! I come on most nights and have a look at what people are saying. I enjoy that, especially the system page. It is such a fascinating hobby that I would imagine if you looked at all the systems of the community there would probably be no two alike. How I ended up with my system is a complete mystery! Regards John

Yeah but us northerners would choose quality over quantity, like what this post is Welcome to AoS John

[Barry]

Welcome to AoS John.

Nice introduction, and nice system with which to start your journey. I used to use Sugden gear in the '70s, before transferring my allegiance elsewhere.

Enjoy the Forum
Barry

[sugdenfan]

Thanks Barry, I was and probably still could be called a sugdenfan after all it is my username! I owned the au51 pre/power and phono. The power amp was a beast. Moved to the A21se and then the masterclass. Loved them all but couldn't resist valves, so now use primaluna. The new Sugden range looks amazing and I imagine sounds the same. A trip to Heckmondwike is like stepping through a time machine. Worth a visit.

[Barry]

Yes my first Sugden combination wasthe C51 pre with a home built power section of the A21 (a friend of mine knew Jim Sugden and was able to get the parts, boards and transformer for me at cost). Later I did the same with the A51, as 12.5W was insufficient for my Quad 57 speakers.