Back to the history - your first setup ever

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I miss this early 80's gear like lost members of my family. I wish now I had hung onto them.

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My KR-720 receiver was badged Trio but was exactly the same. It had really cool tuning lock where the LED arrows would light up red either right or left and turn to green when tuned accurately to a station. The images are from the US and of a 120V unit.

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My Akai CS-F11 was in a silver finish and I preferred it to the newer Yamaha deck I use in my second system now. The build quality was excellent and it was used almost daily for 23 years until it eventually died, just after sounding like a Freddie Starr speeding up - slowing down singing sketch.

I also had a Trio cdp from this time but can't remember the model number. At the time it cost me an arm and a leg from Rackhams in Birmingham. There were only a few players and discs to choose from as compact disc was a new technology. A Dual CS505 turntable and a pair of paper-coned B&W DM10 standmounts completed my first real separates system, all housed in a posh glass-fronted Technics rack on castors.
 
Wow GPI, you started with some nice gears! Akai were highly thought of back then and you also show your age mate Did they have any television back then?
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Cheers Thaiman, but I haven't mentioned my first 'separates' which is embarrassing. At the tender age of 17 when just starting my first job, I ordered a Sharp system from a neighbour's mail order catalogue. Well, I thought it was good. The custom cabinet was so big it took up one wall of the house! 😱)
 




Salora KS-330 speakers, Technics RS-X20 amplifier/tapedeck, Technics SA-X20 tuner, Technics SL-J11 turntable and Technics SL-PJ27A cd-player. In front of the Technics stuff is my beloved and much missed iRiver IMP-900, which I should've never sold. Old Sharp 21" CRT tv and beneath at an old Sharp VCR.
 
Not heard of those speakers. A US brand? I bet that Technics system would still sound good today. Pity about the LP on show there - one of my pet hates.
 
[quote user="gpi"]Not heard of those speakers. A US brand? I bet that Technics system would still sound good today. Pity about the LP on show there - one of my pet hates.[/quote]

They're Finnish. Though to drive little bludgers, 55 watts at 4 ohm and a rated efficiency of 83db. According to my dad, who gave them to me they were quite expensive, bought them in the 70's, about 700 quid per pair, which to him was a lot of money back then. They don't sound half bad, but I damaged one tweeter and it's nigh on impossible to find a replacement tweeter. They're too big for my room though, too much bass.

The Technics stuff doesn't sound too bad, it's true but the sound is EXTREMELY and I mean extremely warm, much too warm for my tastes. I've got the stuff in the picture set-up in a different room now though, and it's a fun listen.
 
The one I just bought is my first component system (although I had my dads one when I was younger - can't rmember what it was)

I have a CA azur 640c v1, a marantz pm6002, mourdant short 902i's and gale T50 stands
 
Philips FA-630 amp with matching "3-way Hi-Fi Loudspeakers" and Audiodek CD changer. Despite the claims made on the speakers' grille, they had no crossover! Sounded awful in comparison to today's stuff.
 
What a great thread! I remember getting a JVC amp and tape deck in about 1985. Can't remember the models, but the amp was about £60 and the deck £150 - it had a reversible head, woo hoo! I used my dad's old Garrard record deck and then got a pair of Wharfedale Diamond Mk2's in Comet for £65. With standard interconnects and some 79 strand cable for the speakers from an electrical shop.

I think the Diamonds made the system. Still got 'em too, sentimental value 🙂
 
Wow, I had some AE109s, they were great speakers weren't they? I had them with a Musical Fidelity amp and a Marantz CD67 player. Unfortunately, we were burgled and it went - yes lead filled floor standers and all....

Still, gave the chance to rethink the HiFi with the insurance money. Yum!
 
[quote user="tone42"]Wow, I had some AE109s, they were great speakers weren't they? I had them with a Musical Fidelity amp and a Marantz CD67 player. Unfortunately, we were burgled and it went - yes lead filled floor standers and all....

Still, gave the chance to rethink the HiFi with the insurance money. Yum![/quote]

Sorry, not got the hang of this. That last was supposed to be in answer to d_a_n1979 from a couple of days ago.... Should have included the quote, doesn't really make sense otherwise...
 
[quote user="tone42"]What a great thread! I remember getting a JVC amp and tape deck in about 1985. Can't remember the models, but the amp was about £60 and the deck £150 - it had a reversible head, woo hoo! I used my dad's old Garrard record deck and then got a pair of Wharfedale Diamond Mk2's in Comet for £65. With standard interconnects and some 79 strand cable for the speakers from an electrical shop.

I think the Diamonds made the system. Still got 'em too, sentimental value 🙂[/quote]

Sounds like a fun first system. The Wharfdale Diamonds are cracking little speakers. I still use 79 strand in my second system, bought about 27 years ago. Nothing wrong with it for small 2-way bookshelf speakers.
 
In 1979 my system consisted of the following: Pioneer Amp SA 706, Marantz Tuner ML 2060, Wharfedale Linton speakers, Garrard Turntable SP25 MkII (?), Hitachi cassette deck.

I still have and use the Marantz Tuner. Overall, great sounding piece of kit
 
Rega Planar 2 with Linn K5, Technics SA-160L reciever (still going), Phillips CD player (unknown model, but first of the bitstream ones), Aiwa ADF-400 cassette deck and JPW Minim speakers.
 

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