I no longer have my IEEE membership or I'd be tempted. Might have a friend that does, though then I'd have to think about getting some good stereo speakers (the JBLs went to the daughter a few years back).
Anyway, I only know one friend that still has a working "component stereo" setup. If I'm honest with myself, I'm not going back that way. And the money I'd spend on a nice amp and speakers, well, I could put that toward a new Mac Mini, which I'd use about every day...
I did build my first real stereo using kits - a Dynaco preamp (PAT4?) and 120W stereo amp. A pair of AR5s and requisite AR turntable was quite a setup back then.