Senior Audiophiles - Audiophile since the 60-70's?

Any of you 'seniors' go on a hiatus from audio for a time? If so, how long and did you feel much changed? Did you pull out old gear? Do you regret coming back (wink)?

Hiatus from audio? How would I be able to listen to the music? Hiatus from audiophilia (spending money on tweeks & equipment at least) is an ongoing project.

Graduated from Polk Model 10A to Rogers LS3/5A in late seventies; worked at Goddard SFC in early/mid 70s when they still used military grade audio tubes for some equipment - an audio buddy worked in maintenance heheh; bought prototype Berning 30 watt tube amp in 1980, graduated to BWS tube gear.

Man, you guys are young! Have any of you snuck through your mother's and two grandmothers' houses stealing every sewing needle you could find, just so your two pound arm could have something other than a cactus needle. I was doing this at age seven, so I could play the old mono tubed record player given to me by my grandfather. At least it was powered-didn't have to crank it up. Had grandpa's old classical 78s and my dad's old big band 78s (he actually loaded and unloaded commercial jukeboxes and got to keep the used 78s). Dad's old Philco was really nice for good mono FM.

Then at age 15 rode my bike two miles carrying a full sized accordion which I traded (unbenownst to my family) for RCA's first stereo record player - second speaker in the lid, ceramic flip needle. Grounded for a long time, but the music sure sounded a lot better.

Used Sears and Penneys all in ones until I got out of college - just about the advent of solid state times. Then in graduate school went to an all Dynaco system with a Garrard. It's been uphill ever since with hardware and software. Still buying vinyl (7-9000), RTR tapes, CDs (yuck), and SACDs --- make cassettes and OTR tapes. No interest in HT or surround sound. Semi-retired and finally get to listen a lot, including FM stereo.

I really get upset with the youngsters who are interested in CONVENIENT music -- analog is "just too much bother".

In my day we just banged rocks against our ears, and we liked it! Stoned head banging rockers we were. It was just a fad though. After a while the novelty wore off. No matter how hard we banged rocks against out selves we just couldn't hear anything anymore.
...............With appologies to the 10,000 year old man