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Which components knocked you out on first listen?

I've been listening to stereos since 1973 and I am still waiting to be truly knocked out by the sound of a component. I have sat in showrooms across the country and have been pleased by what I have heard but never truly blown away.
The closest I came was when I listened to a Meitner str-55 amp and VTL preamp a few years ago, sourced by a Linn Ikemi and Revel loudspeakers. However, I also have been moved by a
Apple computer cd drive, circa 1994 through a Creek 4040 and RA Lab speakers, estimated cost about $1,200; maybe more so than the Linn,Revel 10K system. How about you?
cody

Showing 2 responses by sherod

sherod
1,681 posts
 
Around 1977-78.Walked into my first high end dealer and strolled into their main listening room, and what I heard just blew me away. Out of these tiny speakers, with no subwoofers ( Roger's LS3-5a ) driven by the then top-of-the-line electronics( all tube Audio Research ) with a top turntable(Linn LP-12) and Koetsu Rosewood I heard the most amazing and life-like sound I had ever heard reproduced next to live.Sitting mesmerized in a sound-drunken state, I officially became a true audiophile.
sherod
1,681 posts
 
In my case, my first inital listen to those "knock-me-out" components lasted most of the afternoon. I was so impressed that I came back many times to have more of those "knock-me-out listening sessions. Thank goodness that the dealer liked me or he probably would have asked me to leave sooner for being a tire-kicker. If I wasn't so broke at the time, I would have bought the entire system in a heart beat. I used to have wonderful dreams about those listening sessions for many years thereafter, and even today, 30 years later, I still have fond memories of those times on occasion.
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