#102 – Office Setups & Upgrades

<h4>Kicking Off with a Familiar Chaos</h4> Michael and Damashe reflect on how their episodes often start mid-conversation instead of with a structured intro. Michael notes that this mirrors their real-life calls—jumping straight into discussions without formal greetings. <h4>Damashe’s Office Overhaul</h4> New Layout: Desk now faces the room instead of the wall, giving a more executive feel. Tech & Workspace Adjustments: Boom Arm Swap: Back to the Rode boom arm for smoother, quieter adjustments. Microphone Change: Using the Beta 87A after stashing away the Earthworks mic. Acoustic Challenges: Removing boxes increased reverb—plans to install sound dampening panels. Networking Upgrade: Exploring Ethernet setup, possibly running cables through the attic. Additional Changes & Plans: Coin sorter and bill counter now have dedicated spots. New storage system for organizing cables and tools. Plans to mount wall cabinets for more space. Top Wish List Item: Better climate control—the office lacks central heating/AC, making it challenging in extreme weather. <h4>Michael’s Office & Flexible Workstyle</h4> Garage Setup: Two-tier sit-stand desk (mostly used sitting). Logitech MX Keys keyboard, Mackie 1204FX mixer, and Vocaster 2 audio interface. OWC dock connects everything neatly. Living Room Workstation: Uses the DJI Wireless 2 Mic for portable calls and recordings. Primary workspace: the living room couch with his MacBook Pro and headphones. Recording process: Quickly reconnects his setup in the garage, ready to go in seconds. <h4>Apple’s Surprise Improvements</h4> Audio Switching Just Works™: macOS now remembers and restores audio devices when reconnected—something that was unreliable in the past. No more manually resetting inputs and outputs after unplugging an interface. MacBook Battery Life = Game Changer (but we won’t say that) Long-lasting battery means less time tethered to power, more time working from anywhere. <h4>Cellular Upgrades with US Mobile</h4> Damashe switched his personal and business lines to US Mobile, now offering: AT&T and Verizon network switching for better coverage. Unlimited data on a second line for free when both lines are on the same phone. Future dream: MacBooks with built-in cellular, making tethering a thing of the past. <h4>Closing Thoughts</h4> Thanks to Tip Jar subscribers for the support! Your contributions help keep the show going. Expect a new Mastodon bot account to automate episode release posts. Reminder: Tell a friend about the show! Repost on Mastodon or share with someone who’d enjoy it. Support Technically Working by contributing to their tip jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/technically-working Find out more at https://technically-working.pinecast.co Send us your feedback online: https://pinecast.com/feedback/technically-working/615a83bd-8831-44fd-b5d1-eef70e3480c9 This podcast is powered by Pinecast. Try Pinecast for free, forever, no credit card required.