[MontanaAndy]

Started with Sansui system brought back from Nam in '72.
Some differing Pioneer and Kenwoods back in the day.
Magnapans in the late seventies and early eighties,
Bose 901 in the middle eighties. Then I moved into my current home, a 35 foot, 5/8 sphere geodesic dome. Very different sound envrionment
Martin Logans in in late eigities and very early nineties. Ended up letting them go because they were just too directional for proper placement in my space.
Began using some pro-audio gear to attempt to gain more sound dispersion and "fill" the dome's large volume of open space. Now I have some used some
Peavy cabs, and currently use Laney CT-15's and a pair of 15" Ross monitors, and a wonderful old pair of Voice of Music speakers from a 1950's era console unit.
Now, its evolving again, and I'm beginning the process of building one pair for my modest theater system, consisting of a pair of 2 or 3-way short, thin floorstanders with
a sub, and a larger pair of cabs using at least 2 fifteens (Old jensen woofers, and possibly a full range eminence guitar speaker for mids, and whatever else I need to make'em good!

 

[bweinel]

Ok.. wow this is going back a few years.. :heehee:

early 70s - Altec Lansing 'Voice of the Theater' A7
had to give'em up... they were too big to haul off to school...
mid 70s - KLH Model 23
Radio Shack Optimus 3-way Bookshelf
pretty good for dorm rooms....
- Acoustic Research AR 3a
felt like I had hit the jackpot on a set of these...
Late 70s - Acoustic Research AR-90
bought'em brand new and still have'em... great sound for a vintage speaker!

Bill

 

[dkfan9]

My evolution doesn't stretch back as far as many here (born in 90), but it might be interesting for some:

Starting from early childhood, it was mostly clock radios and the like. I must have had some sort of tape player because I had a few Elton John and other tapes in the early mid 90s. Sometime around 98 I got my first CD player and some CDs, a Sony boombox that's probably still around somewhere.

We had some fairly nice Boston Acoustics computer speakers from 97 or 98 on, with a sub that for its small stature produced some nice near field bass. The clarity from the bass on these things compelled me to listen to music on these sometimes instead of on my bookshelves that I'm about to introduce.

Sometime later, maybe around 2002 or so when my family moved, I got a real stereo system (the old living room system for my parents) with stand alone speakers. Not sure what brand the receiver or tape player were, but the CD player was a Technics. Speakers were Acoustic Research AR215PS. At some point, my dad mounted them on the wall in the corners of the room for me, which improved the sound dramatically vs. their previous location under my computer desk (the soundstage impressed me, though I wouldn't have known to call it that). Eventually, the receiver's power button and a few other buttons became essentially unusable, and my dad got me a Sony shelf system to replace the component system. However, I kept the AR speakers (I'm pretty sure he sold the new ones at the flea market). I still use this setup in my bedroom system (though I'm noticing boominess around what I'm guessing is the frequency the port kicks in and a lack of low end overall, so I'll probably upgrade receiver and add a sub soon).

Sometime during our teen years, my brother got a used Bose Wave Radio, which impressed all of us with its bass clarity and volume for such a small device. This device stuck with me, even if listening to it nowadays I'm more in tune to its flaws. During these years, I began listening to more music on headphones (just basic CD and headphone walkman esque systems). The enveloping sound of headphones would stick with me, too.

During college, I didn't evolve much on speakers, though I ran into some friends with setups that impressed me. I used a set of PC speakers I picked up on vacation once from Radioshack, and headphones for more critical listening. The low end Sony standalone sets, and eventually when one of those sets went bad I upgraded slightly to some brand I can't even remember. At the time, I was very into Death's Individual Thought Patterns and Mingus's Black Saint and the Sinner Lady, and these headphones put me in bliss (or took me out of overwhelming anxiety) when I needed them to with their reproduction of great basslines.

After college, I got a pair of Sennheiser HD428s, which took everything I loved about the previous cheaper headphones and knocked it up a few levels, while being way more comfortable. Eventually, I began to grow tired of headphones' limits and wanted something closer to the feel of being at a live show. And that's how I arrived where I am today, with a Denon X2100W powering a pair of Klipsch R28Fs. The power of a live show in the mids and highs, bass surpassing every speaker I'd had extensive experience with, and better soundstage than my bookshelf system. And these things have me loving lead guitar like I'm 15 again. Oh, and now I've got a constant desire to watch action flicks with bombastic soundtracks.

 

[bret191]

, I might as well jump in on this. Back in the 70s I remember a set or two of KLHs I think one was a 23 and the others were 20s and still have that set "garage duty". Just replaced the mids in it also. Bose 901s I got at a yard sale for about 15$ that were all beat up. Really didn't even like them for that price either. A set of pioneers but don't remember the model but they where OK, Yamahas NS1638 and still have that set too. I built two set with SB Acoustic drivers last year, one was J.B.'s Mandolins and The Tributes. The Mandolins are in the living room and the Tributes are in the man cave.

 

[TomFord]

Good thread OP.

Wow. Haven't had a chance to read all of the posts, the ones I have were impressive. Had forgotten how much of a rookie I am.

2014 - Pioneer AJ series for 5 channels didn't care for the sub. Went with the
NXG BAS 500 subwoofer
2014 - KEF R700, R600C, and the legendary LS50

Kept the Pioneer bookshelves, as they were just too great of a deal to return. Same can be said for the towers, yet didn't have the additional space for additional towers.

Extremely pleased with my system. Only thing I'm even remotely considering adding is the Oppo 105. It's the only way I can get the Sabre 9018 DAC integrated into my system in the multiple ways I want it

 

[Philm63]

1998 - Yamaha bookshelves (2 large and 2 small – cheapies – can’t even recall model numbers…) and a Klipsch KSW-150 Sub.

2005 – Infinity Primus 250 towers, Primus 150 bookshelves (surrounds) and a Primus C25 center – this was a major step up in SQ for me - and that old Klipsch subwoofer rounded out the package nicely. This was in a small apartment, mind you – the neighbors were NOT pleased…

2006 – Moved to a larger space (my present home) – upgraded the sub to an Infinity PS-12 thinking I needed more bass; silly me. Put the old Klipsch down in the basement with one of my old AVRs and some bookshelves from Radio Shack for a cheapie basement system. Hey, I have a pool table down there; gotta have decent tunes, no?

2012 – Infinity PS-12 sub stopped working – replaced with an Energy ESW-C10 sub.

2014 – I started watching more movies at home and thought I needed more bass, so just for giggles, I pulled the old Klipsch subwoofer out of the basement, dragged it upstairs and added it to the living room with the Energy – hey, two subs! Got REW - moved the subs around a bunch, wound up co-locating them, and had decent bass. Finally. At least I thought so.

2015 – Chane A5rx-c towers, A2rx-c center, Definitive Technology Pro-Monitor 800 surrounds, and a PSA S3000i sub. This is where I am now, and by far the best sound I’ve ever had.

 

[alatham]

1998 - Yamaha bookshelves (2 large and 2 small – cheapies – can’t even recall model numbers…) and a Klipsch KSW-150 Sub.

2005 – Infinity Primus 250 towers, Primus 150 bookshelves (surrounds) and a Primus C25 center – this was a major step up in SQ for me - and that old Klipsch subwoofer rounded out the package nicely. This was in a small apartment, mind you – the neighbors were NOT pleased…

2006 – Moved to a larger space (my present home) – upgraded the sub to an Infinity PS-12 thinking I needed more bass; silly me. Put the old Klipsch down in the basement with one of my old AVRs and some bookshelves from Radio Shack for a cheapie basement system. Hey, I have a pool table down there; gotta have decent tunes, no?

2012 – Infinity PS-12 sub stopped working – replaced with an Energy ESW-C10 sub.

2014 – I started watching more movies at home and thought I needed more bass, so just for giggles, I pulled the old Klipsch subwoofer out of the basement, dragged it upstairs and added it to the living room with the Energy – hey, two subs! Got REW - moved the subs around a bunch, wound up co-locating them, and had decent bass. Finally. At least I thought so.

2015 – Chane A5rx-c towers, A2rx-c center, Definitive Technology Pro-Monitor 800 surrounds, and a PSA S3000i sub. This is where I am now, and by far the best sound I’ve ever had.

Philm
I also have the Chane towers and center and love them too here in Suwanee.

 

[Lumen]

1969: Motorola Console AM/FM turntable with swing-out speakers
(Hand-me-down. My first hi-fi system. Fond memories of music played.)

1972: Generic Kenwood "bookshelf" with wood over curtain grill
(Hand-me-down. Extremely fond memories of music played)

1974: ESS Heil AMT-1
(My first new, very own, personally chosen speaker pair. Start of Audiophilia-Nervosa. Very good SQ.)

1984: Acoustic Research AR-9
(Bought used, but only sounded different, not better. Expansion of Audiophilia-Nervosa)

1989: KEF 105/3 Reference Series
(Demo pair. 1st foray into true high-end territory. Full-blown Audiophilia-Nervosa)

2006: Revel Ultima Salon
(New. I have arrived! Sounds like a musical instrument rather than a mechanical device playing music. Banished Audiophilia-Nervosa and now off the upgrade merry-go-round!)

2014: Bowers and Wilkins CM9, CM2 Center, and PSB Image B5 with REL T-9 Sub
(New. For HT system)

2015: PSA XV15 sub
(Used. For HT system)