That’s my first stereo same colour, even sounded awful! But it played music and got me on the upgrade road.
1 Like
Ha… some of us are still happily using stuff bought in our teens. In case you’re wondering how a teen financed the purchase of an LP12 and Gale 401s; Well, an engineering apprenticeship plus two other jobs on the side! If you want something badly enough you’ll find a way 
Mr Tibbs
14 Likes
What a lovely system , I can’t work out of that is an old system or whether it is a gloriously retro system. Like the Naim and the Quad tuner, both have wonderful legacy service back-ups.
Not sure if Linn can say the same.
2 Likes
Can’t show you any pictures, 'cos I haven’t got any.
My first record player was bought for me by my parents in 1963. It came from the factory shop at Mullards in Simonstone, Lancashire. Can’t remember the make but it began with an “s”, and was made by a Phillips (sp?) subsidiary, IIRC. No power, always had the volume control fully cranked up to get anything resembling a decent level
In 1964 they bought a stereo radiogram (GEC, I think), which was a definite improvement. Just as well, because the turntable ‘died’ at about that time.
In 1967 whilst at Edinburgh University, I decided I couldn’t do without music during term time and bought a mono HMV record player (a bit like a Dansette) from a friend, which I immediately upgraded with a stereo cartridge (well, some of my LPs were stereo!). Sounded quite good.
In 1972, not long after marrying SWMBO, we bought a Stereo (cor!) record player. Bush or Fidelity - can’t remember the make for sure.
Then in 1973, I finally persuaded her to let me get a ‘proper’ hifi, and bought a Thorens 160C with Shure cartridge, Trio 2000A amp, and Wharfedale Meltons.
1975 replaced the Meltons with Spendor BC1s, added a TandbergTCD310 cassette deck and cheapo Sony Tuner.
1976 replaced the Trio and Sony with a Rotel RX800 receiver.
Eventually went Linn/Naim in 1983. Long slippery slope of expenditure after that …
3 Likes
Cambridge P50 with R50s - dream system for me. I heard the T50/P60/R50s in a dealer’s and it was the first time I’d heard any system sound so life like. When I could afford it years later I bought TDL transmissiin line speakers, they were fine, but weren’t R50s.
I liked Celestion speakers too. The friend with LP12 used Celestiob SL600s, which were excellent.
2 Likes
B & O 1202 deck +
Armstrong 521 amp +
B & W DM2A speakers.
Not quite my first system, having moved on from a Garrard SP25 deck, and Wharfedale Dovedale squeakers … but that B & O deck I thought to be quite the coolest thing I’d ever seen.
5 Likes
Those are Meridian M2s by the looks of it. Cracking active speakers, had a pair myself.
1 Like
Hi,after moving on from a long ownership of a Hitachi ‘Music Centre’,my first system proper was as follows,
Mission DAD 7000 CD
AR EB101 Turntable
QED A240 Amplifier
Hey brook HB1 Speakers
Seems a long time ago now,but I remember it sounded pretty good.Unfortunately I don’t have any pictures of it!
1 Like
My profile picture, one of these was in the house when I was born, apparently Bach and Beethoven were very effective at keeping me quiet in the pram. It was still there when I was 18, I remember listening to Pink Floyd on it and wishing it was stereo, not realising that it has a connection on the back for a second speaker, not that there was space for one. It was really rather good in hind sight.
3 Likes
A generic picture of mine. I probably have a picture of it somewhere though.I bought it in the mid 80’s for GBP 900 if I remember correctly and used until a few years ago when it finally gave up the ghost and I went down the Naim route. Per GBP spent over the years and usage I got out of it an absolute bargain !
3 Likes
Unfortunately, I don’t have any photos of my actual system, but these were the components. The result of a holiday job working on an oil rig construction site whilst a 19 year old student. Pretty decent University grants in my day, and so most of my holiday job money went on music and music playing equipment.
A pretty dramatic upgrade from my previous system. I really wanted a Lecson amp and a Nakamichi cassette deck, but couldn’t quite stretch to them, so the Cambridge P50/II amplifier and Technics RS279US cassette deck were the best alternatives available at the time.
5 Likes
Bought one of these from a school mate’s dad.
He replaced it with a receiver made by a company called New Musical Dimensions (or something like that). Looked like a typical Japanese model.
Still think the Armstrong 425 was a good looking device, only let down by the vinyl wrap rather than wood or veneer.
3 Likes
This topic was automatically closed 60 days after the last reply. New replies are no longer allowed.