Welcome:

I have been and audio nut since I was maybe 11.  I cut grass and saved hard to buy a stereo.  Looking through catalog houses and retail department stores at what I thought were amazing stereos.  As you can imagine, being 11 in the early 70's when everyone had a cool stereo there was much to learn.  I ended up saving my hard-earned money and buying a Soundesign component system.  An am/fm stereo receiver with built in 8-track tape player, two 'air suspension' speakers and a BSR ceramic cartridge turntable.  I even bought a stereo stand to complete the look.  (Yeah, I am going to write about it too.) 

About a year or so later, I was talking to my 2^nd cousin Clifford who was maybe 15 years older than me.  Clifford had the first real hi-fi I had ever seen.  Pioneer speakers, a Kenwood receiver, Garrard turntable/changer and a Sony 7" reel to reel.  I was blown away by not just the sound, but how amazing everything looked.

To my shock and dismay, Clifford sold his hi-fi.  Why I asked.  'Cause' he said. 'I am going to get the new Sansui 9090'.  I had never heard of Sansui.  Then he showed me a magazine ad and that was it.  I knew one day I would own a Sansui 9090, and so my journey began of reading magazines of all the reviews, finding hi-fi shops looking at all the gear, working hard and saving my money.  I sought out and found others who were also into hi-fi.  

 

That was more than 50 years ago.  When I look back at all the gear that I have owned it is almost embarrassing.  Especially now, my tastes have matured I am stunned at what I have in my stereo cabinet today.  I think many my age has all gone through the same treadmill of trade in and up, only to find years later, that it was never really a trade up.  But we will get to that another time.

 

For now, this blog is basically for anyone who loves vintage hi-fi and of course music.   Don't take anything here too serious.  It's just me talking about what I have had and learned.  I will welcome comments and thoughts, but remember this is a hobby.  It's fun, enjoyable.  There are really no right answers.  If it sounds good to you, then it is good.  That's what matters most.

 

I will talk about various systems and components.  What has worked for me and what hasn't. The people I've met in audio through the years and just how small a network it is of us who just love our vintage hi-fi's.  I still listen every day and it's just the best time ever.  So please, forgive the crummy cell phone and iphone shots of some of the gear I’ve owned.  I never really planned on doing this, and I would rather show crummy photos of what I actually owned, as opposed to sourcing photos on line.  You can do that yourself.  

 

One thing you will notice as I talk about music and gear, is my stereo stand.  It’s will be the most consistent thing you see.  I purchased it back in 1995, as my wife insisted that if the hifi is staying in the living room, that it has to look nice.  

I also want to say that I am not an audiophile.  I am a music lover.  I am also a musician and at one time early in my life worked as a studio musician.  So, I know how music should sound, how it is recored and have extensive knowledge of working in recording studios.  This has really benefited me when it comes to selecting components.  I don’t particularly care about the way something looks, I care about the way it sounds.  I don’t look at it, I listen to it.  

So, welcome to Vintage Listening and thanks for stopping by.

 

Norman a.k.a “oldhifinut”