What is the first album (music) you heard on a high-end audio system?

Did it make you go "Wow"?

Do you own a copy of it?

Do you still listen to it? If so, how often.

Okay -- in response to my own question:

The first album I heard was Styx's "The Grand Illusion" on vynil. It was 1977 -- and it was playing on my brother's then "new" stereo -- which consisted of a Sony 3300 turntable, his Panasonic 165 wpc receiver and a pair of HPM 100's.

As an interesting side note, not only do I still own the original vynil record, but I also still own that very turntable and the speakers!

I listen to the album a little more frequently theses days -- I have to admit -- for some reason it has stuck with me.

The other album that I also recall under similar circumstances is Heart's Dog & Butterfly, which I first heard on my then "dream stereo", which was on a Technics SL-1700 turntable, a Sansui AU-717 and Celestion Ditton 22 speakers.

Oddly enough, I own all that equipment and the original album too ...

My "earth moved" experience also came in '77 at the KA house at Univ. of Maryland. They had a Phase Linear 700 & a pair of VERY big Cerwin-Vegas & somebody put on "Slow Ride" by Foghat & cranked it. I bought the album-"Fool for the City" as soon as I could & still have it somewhere. -Sandy G.

First really great system I ever heard was around 1970. It consisted of Rectilinear speakers, a Dynaco integrated amp, a large Teac RtR and a AR table with a Shure M44 (?). The album was Janis Joplin's "Pearl". I still have the album, and yes, I went WOW!

My first experience was with Queen Jazz-Fat bottom girls. It was incredible. The second was Roxanne from the Police.

The system was a marantz 2325 with a marantz turntable and large speakers. I cannot remember the speakers brand. They were 12 inch woofers with foam grills and very heavy-I helped the guy move. I believe they were imperials by Marantz because they had the acustic foam grills.

MM

1971 - the first New Riders of the Purple Sage album.

Heard it on an all Macintosh system, amps/pre and speakers. The sound was soooo smooth that all the salespeople and customers jammed into the small listening room to hear this new type of rock. Just blew us away, and I knew right then that my all Lafayette system was going into the garbage real soon!!!

Rush... '2112'

On a system my brothers' buddy had....

It was a Harman Kardon integrated amp...dont know the model #

A Micro Seiki TT..again ...dont know the #

and a pair of Klipsch Herseys....

I was about 13.... I guess....it was brought over to our house for a big 'Pot Party'.......and when I heard the opening of 2112 ....I was hooked right there!!!!!

It was back in 68 or 69 and my Uncle had just brought his family back from Germany. They had stayed there while he served his second tour in Vietnam (his wife was Austrian). Anyway, they brought this magnificent German built system back with them. I don't remember the make or model of anything, but it was all separates with beautiful wood cabinets and glass fronts that had a magical glow. I just stood and stared at it in awe for the longest time.

My Uncle was a big Charley Pride fan, so I know the first album I heard on it must have been one of his.

To say it was a Wow! kind of experience would be a major understatement. I often wonder what ever happened to that system.

-Dave

On a big Sansui. Don't know the model but I asked my friend, whose brother had *acquired* it from the rightful owner (!) how many watts and he said 80. It was beautiful..big green glowing dial lights, all wood cabinet, some black and silver trim on the faceplate. Matched with a big Sansui table, again unkown, and some BIG Sansui floor standing speakers....

When the middle part of the song was on..with Ted's drummer sliding the cymbal from one speaker to another...I learned then what the difference was between dept. store stereos aka Panasonic, Lafayette, General Electrics etc... and "Real Stereos"

:jawdrop: :jawdrop: :jawdrop:

Harry Chapin Greatest Stories Live 1976 on my brand new Sansuii system from Kelly's Stereo in Charlottetown

Alan

It was japan 1971 steppen Wolf For ladys only allright dont laugh it was a friends album played on a Dual turntable and i think on sansui sep's. That day is a little fuzzy.:beer:

Ron

Well, we had pretty good hi-fi at home when I was little, but, realistically, my firsh brush with 'modern hi-fi' at Soundscape in Baltimore, MD in 1976 was with Yamaha electronics, a Philips 212 turntable (probably a Sonus Blue cartridge) and Polk Monitor 10's playing the self-titled album by the David Grisman Quintet on (IIRC) Kaleidoscope records. One of the first 'modern' albums I bought, by no coincidence. Great music too (David's 'Dawg music', sort of a bluegrass-jazz fusion and unbelievably precise). This sort of music shows off the best traits of the early Polk 'monitors' and the classic British monitors (e.g., LS3/5A). I remember it vividly.

Other albums that made impressions like that on me: The "Sonic Fireworks" D to D's on Crystal Clear (IIRC), The "Charlie Byrd" D to D (Crystal Clear, 45 rpm), Mannheim Steamroller's (i.e., Chip Davis') "Fresh Aire III" (American Gramophone), and of course, the MoFi half-speed masters (first one I heard, and owned, was Steely Dan's "Katy Lied").

Many of my favorite LP's of the era, unfortunately, sucked sonically (e.g., Who's Next, IMO the greatest single R&R album of them all).

Pink Floyd Dark Side of the Moon at a Sam Goody's in Jersey about 74. The rest is history, Thanks To Dynaco.

Jim

Days of Future Passed by the Moody Blues on my dads system in the early 70's, I know it was a Sanyo but to me it was the cats meow cause i loved that album. I had the cassette, 8-track and album. Now i have the CD also and the original album is still in my collection. I also have the Sanyo that my dad passed down to me Its a DCX8000k and still works.

i am gonna guess 'Phaedra' by Tangerine Dream back in about 76; a friend of mine had just gotten his Ph.D. in psych and passed the boards and gotten a 'good job' at the local high buck mental hospital...he went out and splurged on a gigantic pair of JBL's (acres of walnut!) and MacIntosh electronics -- forgot the TT.

we had smoked....a LOT....and let's just say, we set the controls for the heart of the sun...quite unforgettable. and of course, i own Phaedra on vinyl, and think it still sounds as mesmerizingly intergalactic as it ever did. i would have to say it is my DSOTM.

shrinkboy

'Phaedra' by Tangerine Dream Wow!! Brings back memories...

/me jots the name down on my list of 'Why the Hell don't you own this anymore, you Dolt!!"


First? Beatles, Sgt. Pepper. Dynaco PAS-5, Dynaco ST-120, Dual 1229/V15-III, Altec VOTT.

Circa 1977: My Technics 5650 (?) 55 watt receiver hooked to a pair of Infinity Qa's, and a Dual 505 TT. My friend came over to christen my new system. We dropped Heart's Baracuda on there and cranked it. Fell in love with Nancy Wilson right there and then.:nutz:

EDIT - I overplayed and ultimately killed that album. I still have a nice copy of Dreamboat Annie that I pull out and look at...er...um...listen to every so often.

Seargent Peppers on a Pioneer SX1180, Bose 601's and A techniques turntable - In 1978

This happened sometime in 2001.

The music: Miles Davis's "Kind of Blue" on SuperBitmap CD

The system: 47 Labs Flatfish CD player, Gaincard amps, and Power Humpty power supplies; Magnepan 1.6QRs.

I was so stunned by the sound and clarity that I couldn't step foot in the store for another four months for fear that I'd empty my bank account. Imaging, depth, soundstage, it was all there. I could hear finger noises on saxophone keys. I was amazed that such a small, simple, SS system could make such wonderful music.

And then I went back, bought the Magnepans, and started building my system :D.

Hello Audio Karma!
I'm also known as tonyv1 in the Polk Forum.
It was 1977, I brought "Look to the Rainbow" by Al Jarreau. Heard them through Magnepan MGI and I swear I was at the concert. 24 years later I finally got my own Maggies. Boxes be damned.

Originally posted by tony2v
Hello Audio Karma!
I'm also known as tonyv1 in the Polk Forum.
It was 1977, I brought "Look to the Rainbow" by Al Jarreau. Heard them through Magnepan MGI and I swear I was at the concert. 24 years later I finally got my own Maggies. Boxes be damned.

Welcome to AK Music Tony2v! Stay a while and have fun.

et

Thanks tentoze. Lots of reading to do to get up to speed on. I usually hang out at the MUG forum.

Fall 72 after my folks found a house and Robert got his system hooked up. Bose 901s in the front, JBL walnut grilled speakers in the back, the album was what I picked out for my birthday in July and was the just released Eat A Peach.
Lost my LPs but have it on CD, but it has been a regular listen for close to 32 years.

I know this is going to sound funny..... Dire Straits- money for nothing in vinyl. The system was my uncle's Kenwood KR 9600, I am not sure what kind of speakers he had, or turntable. It was the first good sounding system I had heard, I was only seven years old. :D

Yes... I have the LP and I play it quit often, really loud just like I remembered my uncle doing.