I’m gob smacked. What were you’re aha moments?

I was a resident physician at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia, occasionally hanging out at Chestnut Hill Audio - one day Jack Rubinson (for all you Philly 'Philes - here's a shout out to Jack for all he did for all of us back in the day) has Quad ESL-63s out ---  Gob Smacked!! I moonlighted for 3 months, bought the demo pair, later added Gradient Subs (Gob Smacked again), sold them, missed them, eventually bought the Quad ESL-2905's because, well, you know, once you listen to Quads, nothing else will do....

Gob smacked at the results?
That's an easy one.
I was gob smacked by my beta qobuz 24 x192 on roon

My first post!! 1979 I was a sophomore in high school and had finally saved up my money from summer work to buy a pair of dahlquist dq-10’s. I loved them but they weren’t ‘aha’ because all music had been like that for me including listening to Drive my Car by the Beatles in 1971 on a rigged up Bogen receiver. Now cut to about three years ago at a friends who has every piece of equipment on the planet including Shindo et al that I’d never heard of. I had also stopped listening to music seriously for many years even though being a working soundtrack composer. At my friend’s house he put on Ella and Louis record through Tannoy Glenair 15. It was like hearing the music performed live. It haunted me and has since brought me back into the world of hifi after listening to music in my car only or on a Bluetooth speaker in my home. Now to create that experience again or at least something really good.

Directional fuses and high tech power cord.  Ha ha. Just kidding.

My first tube amp; CJ Premier 140,... from McIntosh MC7300. I listened for 4 hours straight. My first horn speaker, the Klipsch Fortee series 2. My first mono block amps, Conrad Johnson Premier 12’s. I sat and listened all day mesmerized by the everything I put on. My CJ Premier 350 solid state stereo amp. It was as if a vail had been lifted. I was transported to first row seats at the concert.  Finally my Pass Labs XA25. I quickly sold all CJ amps and found audio heaven. My Merging+NADAC was a complete eye opener to a endless quality digital world. I’ve sold my JA Michell ORBE turntable.