Hello From Swansboro, NC

**Mark64** · **08-24-06, 12:59 PM**

Hello Shacksters-
I live in a coastal NC area with my wife, daughter, and step-daughter. I have another step-daughter who lives in the area with her 3 little ones, yes, that makes me a Papa at a young 42 :holycow: . I enjoy fishing, beach, weightlifting, staying up on audio/video/HT, and we are involved in our local church (faith in God has always been an important part of my life). I have been into audio for about 15 years or so , and more recently into HT. Like many of you, especially when I was younger, I did not have a budget to support my taste. Now I am at a point in life where with some budgeting and planning, I have begun to put together a decent system. It is a work in progress, and I'm always reading up/studying new pieces of gear and technologies. In the next 3 months or so I want to add a sub or subs which will complete my system (at least for now

) . I will post something in the sub forum soon to draw on what seems to be a great wealth of knowledge here. I know I'll get some good info/help here and at some point hope to be able to help others in some way. I'll post my current setup at the bottom, it is not the best but is nice for now. It is good to be here, hello to all.

Mark

My Equipment

Hitachi Ultravision 65SWX-20B 65" RPTV HD Monitor
Harman/Kardon AVR325 Receiver
Definitive Technology Mythos One Towers (Fronts)
Definitive Technology Mythos Three Center
Definitive Technology Mythos Gem Surrounds
Definitive Technology Mythos Gem Back Surround
Sony DVP-NC80V 5 Disc DVD/CD Changer
Sony CDP-C910 10 Disc CD Changer
Scientific Atlanta 8300HD Digital HD Cable Box
M&K MX-155SFLE Subwoofer (added Dec 2006)
Denon DRA-295 Stereo Receiver (To run additional zones in kitchen and back deck)

**akitaboy** · **08-24-06, 03:24 PM**

Welcome to the Shack Mark. Glad you could join us.

**Ayreonaut** · **08-24-06, 05:31 PM**

Welcome, Mark.

I like to vacation in the "coastal NC area." Must be nice to live there!

**khellandros66** · **08-24-06, 06:06 PM**

haha Definitives Mythos speakers were really nice, I am glad to see more people with them. Is that Hitachi a LCD, DLP, or CRT. My dad's Hitachi still produces one of the better pics I have seen in a while.

~Bob

**Mark64** · **08-24-06, 06:37 PM**

Bob-
My 65" Hitachi is a CRT RPTV. I got it on a really good sale ($3000 reg $3550) while our house was being completed back in 2003. It had to sit at the store for about 8 months, that made it hard to continue to watch our 27" Sony Trinitron. At the time I think I did pretty well, but that was right before the DLP and LCD's came down in price. I am very happy with the picture, if I were to get a professional ISF calibration it would probably be awesome. Space is not an issue so it is working well for now. Thanks for your post, and yes I'm also happy with the Mythos speakers. They were not my first choice, but were the best sounding speakers that my wife could also live with the looks of. That being said, they have a very good sound, but I think will be much better when I get a sub to take the bass load off of them.

Mark

**Sonnie** · **08-24-06, 10:48 PM**

Hi Mark and welcome to the Shack!

I'm sure you'll get plenty of recommendations on a sub... we are all about subs

Nice list of equipment there...

I have a close friend, Dave McAlister, who is from Wilmington area.... or at least lived there for a while. I think his family is from that area still. We lived in Florence, SC for a while too. We love that part of the country. Of course there's no place like home though... Alabama

**SurfHB** · **02-27-07, 02:22 PM**

Hi Mark....

I am only 30 minutes south of Wilmington. I am new in here, so just wanted to say hello to a fellow NC'er.

**Prof.** · **02-27-07, 04:16 PM**

Quote:

Mark64 wrote:

Hello Shacksters-
. I enjoy fishing, (faith in God has always been an important part of my life).

Likewise....Hi Mark and welcome..

**Mark64** · **06-12-07, 04:03 PM**

Thanks Shane and Prof! I had some computer issues which a neighbor finally helped me work out, as well as first my mother-in-law, then my mom being diagnosed with cancer. So long story short, I had not been active on the site for a few months. So thanks guys for saying hello and welcome to both of you to the Shack.

Mark

**nova** · **06-16-07, 05:30 PM**

Hello Mark, Welcome to the Shack. Yup, when I was young and had no money -no wife or kids either- I was fortunate enough to serve in the USMC. They paid me a decent wage and sent me to Japan where I was able to purchase a Kenwood rack system and a pr. of Bose 601's. Had me a nice little,...well I guess it was rather large by todays standard, HT system before any of us knew what a HT system could be. As I think back on it now, there were a whole bunch'a really nice systems owned buy a bunch'a guys with no money

**Mark64** · **06-17-07, 07:05 AM**

Nova-
Thanks for the welcome. I was in the USMC as well and served in Desert Storm. That was near the end of my enlistment and they actually extended my contract until that summer when hostilities had ceased. My dad has Kenwood seperates (purchased in the 1970's, KA-7100 integrated amp & KT-6500 tuner) which sound awesome. One of the pieces was damaged in a lightning strike and he never has gotten it repaired. Eventually, they will come to me and I'd like to take them to a good, reputable repair facility and have them fixed to use for 2 channel. Take Care,

Mark

**majorloser** · **06-17-07, 11:46 AM**

Welcome to "The Shack"

Plenty of good advice available here.

**nova** · **06-23-07, 10:18 AM**

Mark,

Sounds like we were in the Corps at the same time. I got out just before Desert Storm and was re-called to active duty a few months later to participate in operation Desert Storm.

Don't remember the numbers on my old Kenwood,... seems like it was a KM-205 pre amp, KM-205 amp (may have been 206, or 208, can' remember), separate tuner (maybe KT-76) an EQ, dual cassette deck, turn table, and KLA-500 speakers.

**SurfHB** · **06-26-07, 03:59 PM**

Hey Mark,

Thanks for coming by the house with your wife. It was great to meet you guys. Glad you enjoyed the movie stuff :-) Let me know if you need help with your Theater.

**Mark64** · **06-26-07, 09:10 PM**

Shane-
Thanks, we enjoyed seeing your theater room and watching the movie clips. I obviously need more practice at XBOX games

. When you get a chance, e-mail some of the links you mentioned about the theater info. It will be a while before we are ready to do anything, but I can start researching now.

Talk to you later,
Mark

**Mark64** · **06-26-07, 09:17 PM**

Nova-
Yes it sounds like we were. I got out in July 1991 after returning from the Gulf and processing out. When did you get out? (the second time). Those old Kenwood seperates were nice, very heavy as I remember. I will eventually get my Dad's old set refurbished (amp has problems) and use it for a 2 ch system if it is still in decent shape.

Mark

**nova** · **06-28-07, 09:34 PM**

Hmmm,... lessee. I originally got out in July of '90, then was re-called and got out the second time at the end of March '91. Spent some time with 5/10 at Lejeune (about 9 months), a year on Okinawa with the 7th Communication Battalion, and the rest of my time at HQ company 1st Marines at Pendleton.

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