I have a love affair with vintage audio gear. There, I said it. Even though this equipment tends to be large, uses a lot of power, and is expensive to service, I never worry about what version of software I’m running or a subscription renewal. The gear just sits in my rack, and when I need it, they do what I expect them to do. Over and over. Wow. Buy once and own forever. Incredible.

But this affair with hardware is more than just an aversion to software updates. It’s about sound and touch. The knobs on my 2254s adjust with a pleasant, mechanical click with the perfect amount of resistance and exactness that soothes the soul. And the sound, subjective maybe, but objectively superlative.

Then, there’s the ease of use. The parameters can be adjusted from the front panel with tactile-friendly control knobs, not by scrolling through a dropdown menu somewhere. And there’s no need to get used to a new gooey interface for a supposed new and improved version. I know the computer can do things vintage gear can’t. But would you prefer to push around a mouse all day or slide a smooth Penny and Giles fader with the touch of a finger? Yeah. I’m in love.