My (not very interesting) story.

The only music at home whilst I was young (other than the radio) was a Bush record player (all in one jobbie, padded black vinyl finish outside, 4-speed autochanger inside). The records were all K-Tel style cheapies from Woolworths.

One Christmas (think it was 1975), we visited my auntie and uncle's. My cousin was into music and hi-fi and I spent the whole evening going through his extensive record collection - Pink Floyd, Steely Dan, Queen, Led Zep all got played. I was hooked. His system was a Garrard SP25 (MkIII), home-made amps and KEF speakers (can't remember which ones).

All my available pocket money was now spent at the record shop in Marple. It was there the guy working in the shop played me Phaedra by Tangerine Dream. I'd never heard anything like it! They were to become my favourite band.

My cousin very kindly gave me his Garrard SP25 MkIII with Goldring G800. (He had upgraded to a Connoisseur BD1). My parents chipped in with an Amstrad EX220 amp and a bit of saving enabled me to buy a pair of Solavox (Comet's own brand) SP25 speakers (they were badged Wharfdale Denton XP2s). Later on an NEC cassette deck was added.

After university, my first pay packet was spent at Richer Sounds on a Dual CS505 Deluxe, Ortofon OM10, Rotel RA820BX and KEF Coda IIIs. Soon after a Fisher AD800 CD player was added. That was the first system that I owned that could really be called hi-fi (with the possible exception of the CD player!) and the obsession continues to this day.