How we choose the studio equipment we buy

Us project and home studio owners are always buying gear. Here’s our top 10 reasons for buying ..

1. Gear that we absolutely need. This is essential stuff that we haven’t been able to afford before, like studio monitors when we have been making do with hi-fi speakers, or an external hard drive for backup and archiving.

2. New innovate tech. This is stuff that we never knew we needed before we saw it, such as a reflexion filter or Melodyne.

3. An eBay bargain. This is stuff that we never wanted until we found it dirt cheap.

4. Gear that we don’t want but our clients do. Like NS10s (it still hurts).

5. Nostalgia. This is hi-end hardware that we always wanted but could never afford. Now twenty years have passed, software does it better and nobody wants the hardware anymore. Except us.

6. Gear we just desire. This is stuff we don’t need, but just somehow want. Usually if we leave it a few days the desire fades.

7. DIY. These are kits that are the right price, level of challenge, and we know we will enjoy building. Even if we never actually end up using them.

8. Gear that looks good! It will take up too much room, we won’t use it, it will be impossible to maintain, but who doesn’t want an SSL or Forte console in their studio!

9. Gear we need to solve a problem. Such as a UPS or a mic splitter box.

10. Peer pressure. This is gear we think we need in order to appear “‘professional’.

Do you recognise yourself in any of the above? Right now number 10 is calling us. We have a Mackie Big Knob that we want to replace with a hugely expensive Grace Design m905. There’s nothing actually wrong with the Big Knob but .. well, you know how it is!

Thanks for reading and watching.
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