Greetings and Happy Holidays from Boise!

Kaffeen

StereoHead
Greetings all! Kind of a long intro but I have a story to tell! Though I've posted several times over the past couple of months already, I thought a proper introduction is finally due before the year ends. I've known about AK for a couple of years but recently started taking a closer look. So far I've enjoyed the posts on AK. Lots of great discussions on so many topics. It's a great community. I'm mostly into vintage Pioneer but am open to all types and brands of gear, with the possible exception of white van speakers (more on those coming up).

I've been a fan of music for a long time. Back in the early 1970s my Dad picked up Panasonic and Lloyds multiplex system with 8 track at the PX that were more utilitarian than hi fi. I listened to a lot of rock and roll radio on those. In my college years I was exposed to a lot of high-end hi fi systems, and lots of new music which opened up a whole new world. I learned to play bass and spent some time in a rock band. My love of music and sound have continued to grow over the years.

In 1993 while living in Seattle I picked up what I think was a Pioneer sx 424 for cheap at a thrift store. Only 15 wpc but it had a great tuner, warm sound, and pulled in those fantastic college radio stations kcmu, kgrg, and kndd at the height of the grunge era. It was a great time to be there. I was using a set of whitevan speakers that a friend gave me after he realized what they were - he was embarrassed and just wanted to get rid of them. Though touched by his charity, best thing I can say about them is that, at the time, they were marginally better than my previous situation of no speakers at all. I soon traded to a set of Bose 301s, which some may say are marginally better than the whitevans. But I like them and they've served me well until this day. The sx 424 went off with an old girlfriend.

Later around 1994 I picked up a pioneer sx 850, again at a thrift store. This one certainly has more power than the 424 did, but it has never has worked or sounded as well as I think it should. It has a kind of harshness or edge to the sound, and the tuner can't pull in anything w/o static. I've had it worked on a couple of times but it's still not quite right, so it sits on a shelf awaiting another go at it when I feel like burning more cash or taking a stab at it myself. Around 1996 I picked up a Sony surround sound system (STR-DE515). Probably equal in power and distortion to the sx 850, but the sound is flatter and less dynamic than the older and much prettier silver face. I used it for a few years, was happy to have a remote control and all, but it was othewise uninspiring.

About three years ago after doing some reading and research I put together a budget audiophile system. It's comprised of a set of Paradigm Atom speakers from the local stereo shoppe and a Pioneer sx 3700 fluroscan receiver from ebay. For source it uses the tuner or my laptop. That's it. Total cost including shipping and taxes (but not the laptop) was about $300. What a great little setup this is! With it I have become something of a fan of Paradigm speakers as well as the sometimes-overlooked Fluroscans. This is now my home office setup, which makes working there that much more pleasant. Additionally, my main HT rig is an sx 3900, the Bose 301s on stands, and a 100 watt, 10" JBL sub. I think it sounds pretty good.

I look forward to getting to know some new folks and learning more about, well, just about everything. :) Greetings and Happy Holidays!
 
Welcome aboard! My in-laws live in Lewiston, so I've made the left turn on 95 just outside of Boise quite a few times!
 
Welcome to AK and Happy new year !
Im listening to KCMU right now from about 50 miles
away,The dial lives there alot~
 
Thanks everyone for the warm welcome! What a great place this is! Happy New Year!

(New Year's resolution is to start using fewer exclamation points!)
 
Welcome aboard! Good to see a fellow Boise resident here and good to see someone supporting the Stereo Shoppe, quite a HT setup they have there isn't it. :thmbsp:
 
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