How did you get into this hobby?

I think I've been a sort of audiophile all my life. I've always listened to music (started at age 3 with Beatles records, used to drive the household nuts!), and even at the age of 7 or 8 was always wanting "more" than the BSR turntable. Started into separates with a Radio Shack SA 10 amp - an output of about 3 watts per channel as I recall - at the age of 13, and then progressed through a series of Pioneer, Sony, and whatnot, until I settled down with an NAD system for about 7 years. Bought a Naim system after that, which lasted almost ten years, then got totally stupid.

This audiophile thing to me is sort of like a non-serious but lingering medical condition; every once in a while it gets bad enough to need treatment in various degrees, then goes into remission for an unspecified time. It was only life threatening once, when my wife gave me the choice of going to Florida or buying speakers. I went for the speakers...

Grado headphones. Went to replace my earbud headphones and tried out a few full sized and started hearing what I was missing. The guy told me to go next door to the hi-fi shop if I wanted to hear good headphones. Bought a pair SR-60's and within a year I had the RS-1's and matching RA-1. Then it was a better cdp then amp and speakers etc.etc.etc......

Trapped in the cultural pergatory of Wyoming in the 70s with one, yes one!! AM radio station playing only sunrise to sunset the best of George Jones and Tammy Wynette I HAD to get into this hobby. My jazz instructor in a former life played all the best hotels in Vegas backing up everybody with a big name. Learned jazz from him and that fueled the whole thing.

Blindly.

Much like Esoxhntr, I've listened to music since a very young age, the Beatles being the first (actually the Monkees...cause they were on tv, but I wouldn't want to admit it). Starting collecting records...back when Catcus records was around selling them for $1.99 to $3.99. Of course, the White Album was 2 records, so it took forever to buy that...

Had a dinky record player, then my step-father gave me his receiver...and woah, it was so much better. Then my parents finally bought a new system (old JVC stuff) and it was even better.

For years, all I had was a boombox at school, though. And like Stuartbranson, I bought a pair of Grado headphones when I wanted a new pair after doing some research on headphones...and it was uphill ever since.

Still a diehard music collector first, though...and audio system builder second...