What Did Your System Look Like 20 Years Ago???

spiritofmusic

Well-Known Member
Jun 13, 2013
14,626
5,435
1,278
E. England
The biggest change Barry, is your room.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Hifi man

Blue58

Well-Known Member
Jan 20, 2013
899
685
1,155
London, UK
  • Like
Reactions: Pacha and Hifi man

spiritofmusic

Well-Known Member
Jun 13, 2013
14,626
5,435
1,278
E. England
Haha, you know I know that's not the case.
Now if you said, space to breathe, to a tight squeeze, I'd agree with you Lol.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Hifi man

Brucemck2

Member Sponsor
May 10, 2010
428
103
1,598
Houston area
Converted two car garage with no bathroom but plenty of RPG 4” absorbers and skyline diffusers
Genesis ribbons (forgot the model … “line source” wi/ built in “sub”woofers)
ARC Ref 2
VTL 750s in triode mode
Basis vacuum, Graham arm, Aesthetix with dual power supplies, Koetsu Rosewood Signature
Vibraplane for turntable
Meridian 800 series CD player
PS Audio Digital Lens
PS Audio regenerators for all but amps

Go back another 10 years
B&W 802s
Well Tempered table and arm feeding Mark Levinson preamp
Modified Denon CD player
ARC stereo solid state amplifier (200?)

Today, all-digital multichannel with active crossovers and DSP-based correction
 
  • Like
Reactions: Hifi man

Bobvin

VIP/Donor
Jun 7, 2014
1,719
3,075
665
Portland
www.purewatersystems.com
not chopped liver.....room was 12' x 18' x 10.5' with a bay window and stepped ceiling. DIY wall treatments. zoethecus racks.

Rockport Sirius III tt, Lamm LP2 Dlx phono, vdH Colibri cart, Emm Labs dac/Philips transport, Transparent Opus MM speaker cables,
Jena Labs switchbox, Placette RVC, Tenor 75 watt OTL mono blocks, Kharma Exquisite Ref 1D's.

the speakers look small; but they were massive and dense, weighed 550 pounds each.

still use the exact same relax-the-back zero gravity chair.

that system would still kick some serious ass today. the tt is now unobtainium. Tenor<->Kharma a dream combo.

So many of you all have been at it consistently for decades. I had about a 20 year hiatus, so 20 years back I didn’t have a system at all! While Mike and I lived less than a 1/2 mile of each other back then, I had no idea. Probably a good thing, my wife I’m sure is happy I wasn’t visiting Mike. Instead I was busy moving 2200 cubic yards of topsoil around and landscaping my property. No time for listening to music. I think my wife wishes I’d spend more time on the landscape now, but 20 years hasn’t made my back feel any better driving a manual earth mover.
 

jeff1225

Well-Known Member
Jan 29, 2012
3,013
3,266
1,410
51
20 years ago I had just moved to Seattle and had about 50 records. The combination of crap weather and awesome record stores is what really sent me on my way collecting.

-Quad 288
-McIntosh MA6900 integrated
-Ayre QBR DAC
-PC based music server
-VPI Scout

90% of my listening was digital, now I don’t have on piece of digital in the system.
 

Robh3606

Well-Known Member
Aug 24, 2010
1,484
474
1,155
Destiny
Blast from the past my HT/Main stereo. 4 way active mains and a DIY clone Urei 811 as a center speaker.

Rob :)
 

Attachments

  • picture2.jpg
    picture2.jpg
    112.7 KB · Views: 25
  • Like
Reactions: Hifi man

MRJAZZ

Industry Expert
Jan 20, 2014
410
214
350
Perhaps a little longer than 20 years ( 25?)......
Wilson WAMM’s
Jadis Defy 7 Amp
Basis Turntable
Krell Preamp/ Dac/Transport
 

Attachments

  • 9BBB418B-CE57-439B-B683-4810DE8C5B70.jpeg
    9BBB418B-CE57-439B-B683-4810DE8C5B70.jpeg
    655.9 KB · Views: 59
  • 0333B89B-920E-47D5-B9B3-BFB997C2E0A8.jpeg
    0333B89B-920E-47D5-B9B3-BFB997C2E0A8.jpeg
    660.1 KB · Views: 60
  • E1548712-6645-45E3-A8F2-6BE1BDCB010B.jpeg
    E1548712-6645-45E3-A8F2-6BE1BDCB010B.jpeg
    636.9 KB · Views: 55
  • 604ECA82-69CD-4061-9074-17AAEC82D41A.jpeg
    604ECA82-69CD-4061-9074-17AAEC82D41A.jpeg
    568.8 KB · Views: 60

Rhapsody

VIP/Donor
Jan 16, 2013
3,470
6,555
2,535
Brooklyn NY
Rhapsody.Audio
My system, 2001-
vivas.jpg trios_3-2.jpg trios_2.jpg soloroom_3.jpg
 
Last edited:

docvale

Well-Known Member
Mar 21, 2011
542
53
940
Briarcliff Manor, NY
It looks like many members had systems to kill for today, even if 20 years ago!

20 years ago my system was in a different room and a different continent. Probably the thing that has changed the least was my musical interests.
I had a Marantz CD4000, a Rega Mira integrated and ESB 40L speakers. I also had an old Pioneer tuner and a Lenco L78. With the exception of amp and CD player, everything was my father’s. At the time I was a med student and 100% of my listening was CD…
 

spiritofmusic

Well-Known Member
Jun 13, 2013
14,626
5,435
1,278
E. England
  • Like
Reactions: Hifi man

Rhapsody

VIP/Donor
Jan 16, 2013
3,470
6,555
2,535
Brooklyn NY
Rhapsody.Audio

spiritofmusic

Well-Known Member
Jun 13, 2013
14,626
5,435
1,278
E. England
You didn't go to the third pair of basshorns? Shame on you lol.
 

Rhapsody

VIP/Donor
Jan 16, 2013
3,470
6,555
2,535
Brooklyn NY
Rhapsody.Audio
  • Like
Reactions: Hifi man

Al M.

VIP/Donor
Sep 10, 2013
8,799
4,550
1,213
Greater Boston
  • Like
Reactions: Hifi man

Rhapsody

VIP/Donor
Jan 16, 2013
3,470
6,555
2,535
Brooklyn NY
Rhapsody.Audio
Nice system, Bob.

Hmmm, so you went from horns to being a lover of cone speakers? Why?
Hi Al,

I would not say that at all. I loved the Trios, even the Unos and Duos. I migrated to the Diesis horns as they sound more grounded and real to me, with about 85% of the alive sound sound that I got from the AVs.

The Avantagardes sound more ALIVE to me than most things that I have heard, but not necessarily "real" . Maybe a bit too much aliveness. Although give me a pair of Trios/BHs today and I would be a happy camper.

I would never be without a pair of full range ribbons in my life. I truly love the Alsyvox, but that goes back to the 80's when I loved the Apogees. I think I owned six different pairs of Apogees in the 80's and 90's, The Alsyvox were like "living in a past that I loved", except even better with 94db efficiency.

The Bayz omni directional also replaced my infatuation that I had for MBLs in 2003 when I had the 101s. BUT so hard to drive. The Bayz again at 94 db float my boat for the omni room encompassing sound field.

Oh yeah, cone speakers. Since I got the Magico A5's I have a new appreciation for cone speakers and look forward to the incoming M9s.

I'm the same way with cars. I LOVE THEM ALL, if they are early 50's to mid 60's, (artworK) I can never pick one of them that I prefer. Love them all, just like all of the speakers that I have experienced.

I also appreciate pretty much all of the other speakers that exist around the planet and are represented here on WBF by all of the users.

Oh, yes, I'm like that with guitars too:) Very fickle I am.
 

Al M.

VIP/Donor
Sep 10, 2013
8,799
4,550
1,213
Greater Boston
Hi Al,

I would not say that at all. I loved the Trios, even the Unos and Duos. I migrated to the Diesis horns as they sound more grounded and real to me, with about 85% of the alive sound sound that I got from the AVs.

The Avantagardes sound more ALIVE to me than most things that I have heard, but not necessarily "real" . Maybe a bit too much aliveness. Although give me a pair of Trios/BHs today and I would be a happy camper.

I would never be without a pair of full range ribbons in my life. I truly love the Alsyvox, but that goes back to the 80's when I loved the Apogees. I think I owned six different pairs of Apogees in the 80's and 90's, The Alsyvox were like "living in a past that I loved", except even better with 94db efficiency.

The Bayz omni directional also replaced my infatuation that I had for MBLs in 2003 when I had the 101s. BUT so hard to drive. The Bayz again at 94 db float my boat for the omni room encompassing sound field.

Oh yeah, cone speakers. Since I got the Magico A5's I have a new appreciation for cone speakers and look forward to the incoming M9s.

I'm the same way with cars. I LOVE THEM ALL, if they are early 50's to mid 60's, (artworK) I can never pick one of them that I prefer. Love them all, just like all of the speakers that I have experienced.

I also appreciate pretty much all of the other speakers that exist around the planet and are represented here on WBF by all of the users.

Oh, yes, I'm like that with guitars too:) Very fickle I am.

Bob, I really love your refreshingly non-dogmatic post!
 

Ron Resnick

Site Co-Owner, Administrator
Jan 24, 2015
16,216
13,681
2,665
Beverly Hills, CA
0A449A1B-A4CA-4C05-8303-CB707D01B33D.jpeg


23DF8859-2A97-4298-9646-29BF8C0DE162.jpeg



Benz-Micro Ruby 2 cartridge
Graham 2.2 tonearm
VPI TNT Mk. IV turntable and VPI SDS
Musical Fidelity kW SACD player
Aesthetix Io pre-amplifier
VTL MB-750 amplifiers
MartinLogan Prodigy loudspeakers
REL Stentor III subwoofer
Transparent MM2 interconnects and XL-V speaker cables
custom steel equipment stand with shot-filled legs
 

Lagonda

VIP/Donor
Feb 3, 2014
3,515
4,825
1,255
Denmark
Martin Logan Statement E2, Theta Casablanca, Theta Voyager, Theta Generations VIII, two Krell FPB 600c, Primare 928 preamp/phono, Nakamichi Dragon CT TT, Straigtwire Crescendo, custom made room treatment and 16 motorized acoustic blackout curtains. 0905C8D6-152D-44DF-9FEB-94A94F521CDB.jpeg E6FDC8DC-B87E-45F2-A5EA-0BEDBD52DE1A.jpeg 01072782-6218-4C75-9B76-24850155514B.jpeg E2D7512C-11BD-44FC-AD0F-CE2C97C91033.jpeg
 
Last edited:

About us

  • What’s Best Forum is THE forum for high end audio, product reviews, advice and sharing experiences on the best of everything else. This is THE place where audiophiles and audio companies discuss vintage, contemporary and new audio products, music servers, music streamers, computer audio, digital-to-analog converters, turntables, phono stages, cartridges, reel-to-reel tape machines, speakers, headphones and tube and solid-state amplification. Founded in 2010 What’s Best Forum invites intelligent and courteous people of all interests and backgrounds to describe and discuss the best of everything. From beginners to life-long hobbyists to industry professionals, we enjoy learning about new things and meeting new people, and participating in spirited debates.

Quick Navigation

User Menu

Steve Williams
Site Founder | Site Owner | Administrator
Ron Resnick
Site Co-Owner | Administrator
Julian (The Fixer)
Website Build | Marketing Managersing