Recommended low-budget audio, sound, and studio gear for enthusiasts, podcasters, and professionals. Repairable, refurbished, and aftermarket equipment.
The global pandemic brought with it that remote-work became the norm. Video and audio podcasting equipment has been battle-tested by influencers and consumers, and the borders of consumer, enthusiast and pro-gear have blurred. Which gear to chose for a long-lasting setup?
Repairability: In 2023 understanding details and shortcomings of particular gear becomes relevant not only for professionals, but also for consumers. Most of the hardware out there (microphones, audio equipment, and video podcasting equipment) are not built for lasting very long. The recent right to repair bill has been broken before it came into existence, so to understand if a device can be repaired is very relevant if you are aiming for owning your equipment long-term.
New or refurbished?
The question: “is newer really better?” comes up when to look for audio and podcasting gear (spoiler: no).
USB microphones: why they suck
The hype and the market drifts towards USB microphones for podcasting, and so initially did I. I had quite some background with sound and audio on Linux, although all this was very dated information. So, I asked about TRUST microphones on /r/linuxhardware — more specifically about the Trust GXT 252+ Emita (ca. $100 on eBay). The microphone looks good on paper, and there are many positive reviews on YouTube. I had also been eyeballing the Marantz Professional MPM-1000U (Large Diaphragm USB Condenser Microphone), as the current price tag of $69 new (and around $35 on eBay) was quite appealing.
The Samson Go Mic USB (a portable USB condenser microphone) seemed to be the even better option, as there are some YouTube videos of people disassembling it and repairing a switch. As the switch is the key part of planned obsolescence, repairability (and knowing what to fix) is a great starting point for finding great hardware.
/u/sia1984 on Reddit pointed out the fact on why USB microphones are actually that cheap -namely because
“Direct USB microphones have the DAC (or, in that case, ADC) included which is as cheap and small as possible. Audio interfaces are basically ‘the DAC’” (sia1984)
And essentially, what was made clear in that post: there are good and working sound-cards for Linux which are much better. Generally: be careful with USB microphones (such as the Blue Yeti and Blue Snowball), as they are degrading massively over time, as user PossiblyMarsupial pointed out on Reddit. Currently, I cannot recommend to anyone buying USB microphones second-hand on eBay, unless you are of the tinkering nature. They will simply have more issues when bought second hand. Get a decent Linux supported sound card with XLR input, and get yourself a SHURE microphone second-hand. It really beats the crap out of any USB microphone, believe me (I tested this repeatedly and can confirm).
The built-in obsolescence of modern-day hardware and the “right to repair”
This “degradation of the capacitors in the ADC” is a problem which might not be fixable, actually. Read up on “built-in obsolescence”, which is a thing since 1924, and is at its peak now that we are facing saturation on almost every market. The Repair Association argues that “we have the right to repair everything we own” and the EU wants to introduce a ‘right to repair’ for phones and tablets by 2021. As long as we don’t even have access to most of the repair manuals out there, we have to pick other gear and devices — ones which last longer, and which are more repairable.
“Our Manuals Could Make Repairs Safer, But You Can’t Have Them” (Apple)
Update 04/2022: Apple announced a Self Service Repair Program in 2021, but as of April 2022, is seemingly not available yet. In the meanwhile also Google announced a repair program for their Google Pixel series, and repair feels a bit hyped.
Update 01/2023: Apple’s repair program exists, but is a joke. You can find more information in these videos:
Suggested great external sound cards for Mac and Linux (suitable for stationary as well as mobile/notebook setups)
Back to sound cards and your mobile sound production setup.
If you want to buy new: get a Focusrite Scarlett Solo (3rd Gen) USB Audio Interface with Pro Tools for $100 (other Focusrite gear works fantastic on Linux as well).
If you are okay with buying used (I really do strongly suggest this, as it is not only more sustainable, but you can get much better bang for the buck), you have a much larger variety of options out there:
- In case you are shopping for a stationary PC, seriously: get the ASUS Xonar DX 7.1, PCIe x1 (90-YAA060–1UAN00Z) which you can pick up for $60 on eBay if you are lucky. This essentially is one of the best sound cards for Linux (here is a nice report), and it can show a whooping 116dB SNR (Signal to noise ratio).
- In case you are shopping for a notebook or setup “to go”, I suggest digging through Alsa recommended sound cards and see if you find a matching piece on eBay. Suggestion: Native Instruments Audio DJ 8 (which can go as low as $80 on eBay if you are lucky)
Verdict (also called: tldr)
- USB microphones are not that great, as parts show decay. If you absolutely want them, check on /r/linuxhardware for reports first.
- There are some great external USB sound cards out there, which you can use as a “base” (recommended: Focusrite Scarlett Solo) and add a professional XLR microphone to it (recommended: SHURE microphone refurbished).
- There are a few great older devices, which work great on Linux and are also a great way to save a few bucks by buying them refurbished. Older is better in audio equipment. An excellent choice is the Native Instruments Audio 8 USB, 8 inputs, 8 outputs. Toggles for phono preamps on 4 inputs.
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You can read my overview of reviewed and suggested services and tools for the Nomad Nerd if you liked this article.
