Sometimes, we choose to use the Hi-Fi system that doesn't even sound the best, and one breaks down often.
Why???
That's because sometimes the Hi-Fi system we choose to enjoy music with is the one with the most meaning. This age-old system that has a combined age of over 300 years and looks like it came out of a time machine consists of:
Garrard SL-55 Turntable
Original owner: my dad
Age: approx. 60 years
Background: my dad brought it home after he finished his studies, and it has been sitting on top of a bookshelf in his study for as long as I could remember. Only recently did it get resurrected, and started to see the light of day again.
Sansui 5000x Integrated Amplifier
Original owner: my dad
Age: approx. 50 years
Background: my dad bought it from a relative in Chiang Mai who was closing down his showroom.
Sony CDP-102 CD Player
Original owner: my dad
Age: 42 years
Background: the same age as my brother. The cost of replacing the optical pickup was more than the price of a brand-new decent player.
TEAC V-70C Cassette Deck & Yamaha P-850 Turntable
Original owner: my father-in-law
Age: unknown
Background: my father-in-law loved listening to music, but he is now too sick to enjoy the music that he loves. I’m glad I get to look after them for the next generation 😜.
TS Audio Tube Phono Preamp
Original owner: my best friend’s dad
Age: unknown
Background: my best friend’s dad, an avid audiophile, lent me this phono preamp when I started to get enthusiastic about vinyls.
Canton LE102 Bookshelf Speakers
Original owner: another friend’s dad
Age: unknown
Background: I gave a bicycle sidecar to a good friend who was crazy (or stupid) enough to once ride our 🚴🚴♂️ bikes up to Chiang Mai together, and I somehow ended up with this pair of speakers instead. My friend’s dad is unfortunately no longer with us, but I’m glad I get to look after the speakers that he loved. 💌
They definitely do not sound the best. The Garrard turntable rumbles like a 10-wheeler running on an unpaved road. And the Sony CD player, being one of the first generations of CD players, sounds harsh and unrefined.
And they like to break down for fun. The Sansui amp has had multiple visits to the doctor. The TEAC cassette deck is still admitted in the hospital.
Yet each one of them carries stories and memories inside, and those sometimes are what matter most in our lives. 😊