Perpetual Break

It was around 1972 or 1973 when I first heard about a musical instrument store that not only had a cool selection of albums, but also something I’d never really seen or heard before-stereo systems made up of separate components. Up until then, like the vast majority of homes at that time, we listened to albums through a console stereo and didn’t think twice about it. Discovering component audio was truly an ear-opening experience for me. Listening to music through speakers housed in their own cabinets and separated from each other gave the music a realism I’d never experienced before. Today, we’d call it a “soundstage”-a term that describes it perfectly.

For my high school graduation, my sister gave me my very first audio system, which may still be the most exciting gift I’ve ever received: a Sherwood amp, a Sherwood turntable, and speakers (though I can’t remember the model). The first album I played was Return to Forever’s “No Mystery.”

Now, I have a modest system-one that a serious audiophile would probably consider beginner-level at best. But that doesn’t matter to me; my system sounds great and brings me joy. With streaming now so prevalent, I can listen to music that would have cost me a fortune to acquire, even though collecting albums and CDs remains another hobby I enjoy.

Recently, my wife and I had some friends over for dinner, and one of them wanted to hear my stereo. Sitting in my listening chair, he started to smile, shook his head, and said, “Why don’t people listen to music like this anymore?” The thing is, some of us still do.

For a long time, I thought high-end audio was dead-but I was wrong. A few years ago, I let YouTube take me down the rabbit hole, and that’s when I realized I’d been missing out. High-end audio is still out there and very much alive. It’s a hobby you can dive into as deeply as your wallet allows; some systems cost tens of thousands of dollars, and treating your listening room acoustically is a whole other adventure.

When the brick-and-mortar audio stores closed, I kind of forgot about the hobby for a while. I got into home audio for movies and even wired my family room for surround sound, but it just wasn’t the same as having a dedicated listening room. Listening to music in stereo, the way it was recorded, remains one of life’s great pleasures for me.

I’m probably not done buying audio components yet-there’s always something new to lust after-but I’ve gotten every penny’s worth of enjoyment from the systems I’ve owned. Weekend mornings and evenings spent digging through my CDs are time well spent.

Cheers!