Arlo and Janis by Jimmy Johnson for August 18, 2015

Rationalization is a merchant’s best friend.

Still think it’s a toaster.

And you still should be! Nothing is better than great sound – and that doesn’t come from an ipod.

I’m still using The Fisher 175 stereo receiver I bought in 1968.

Is that the one with the 8 track or the cassette player?…….

Onward and upward into debt!

I’m still using the stereo system I started assembling back when I was in college. It as a few more components now, and a few worn-out componens were replaced, but I’m still very happy with it and it remains active as the centerpiece of my home theater.

As for speakers, that’s always the best place to put your money. A basic amplifier with great speakers will sound far better than a great amplifier with basic speakers.

Still, there is something to be said for a Surround system…

I cut my eye teeth on a 1940’s AM radio, a Philco console that stood higher than this table I’m sitting at, and had a pull-out that would play 78 records. It wasn’t hi fi or any fi that I know of. Now I mostly use a little Radio Shack box that has always crackled like mad when you first turn it on. I’ve been retired for 17 years, but when it was at the office I hooked it up with portable rabbit ears and it worked fine. I can hear the difference between it and a zillion-dollar system, but don’t care. Just give me a good, complex-enough classical piece, and I can enjoy listening to it with two paper cups and a string.

a couple of JBLs bought in 1970, one reconing, still going strong.

Whatever happened to those old reel to reel jobs?

Good speakers really are important….I don’t like mp3 because the sound is compressed….CDs are good, but the high notes are harsh. The best sound is still on vinyl…

There seems to be an echo n here today.

It sounds bad because it’s via Bluetooth.