Retired DJ and TV writer rocks head-spinning gear list [Setups]

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Three setups in one makes for hot fun in the Arizona sun.
Three setups in one makes for hot fun in the Arizona sun.
Photo: Tyler Botha

Arizona-based Tyler Botha, aka theallseeingeye on Reddit, is a TV-focused copywriter for a San Francisco startup and a retired pro DJ. The setup and epic gear list he sent to our attention does triple duty with a capable “WFH Desk,” a powerful “Gaming Corner” and a remarkably complete “DJ Desk.”

Talk about “complete.” Botha’s gear list, represented in the links below, is probably the longest one ever published in a Cult of Mac Setups article. You don’t have to be a DJ to appreciate it, but it helps.

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But it’s a dry heat

Botha’s triple-threat setup takes up one, south-facing room that gets a lot of sun in the Arizona summer. That means it can get hot as Hades in there.

It’s especially so because of all the analog circuitry from his DJ mixer and the heat coming off his Xbox Series X. That explains the 14,000 BTU portable air conditioner.

‘WFH Desk’ and ‘Gaming Corner’

The WFH Desk is where Botha spends most of his time, writing and reviewing TV commercials and videos. He uses a 13-inch MacBook Pro and noted his matching Magic Keyboard and Trackpad “are fantastic” for his work.

Though he has a formidable sound array for his DJ-ing, he uses a HomePod to listen to music at night. That helps avoid waking up his family. He also uses it for phone calls.

Because he regards his MacBook Pro’s camera as “shite,” he handles Zoom calls with a GoPro Hero 8 Black Action Cam and a Yeti Nano USB microphone.

“It’s annoying FaceTime doesn’t support the GoPro as a webcam though,” he said.

He used Velcro to attach a six-port Anker USB charging hub under the desk.  It charges a ReMarkable Tablet, a Kindle and Beats Pro headphones, among other items. A Senco wireless charging pad keeps his iPhone and Apple Watch charged and in reach.

Massive gear list = cable management issues

The WFH and gaming desks have cable management trays to hide their “spaghetti mess” of cables.

“It took a lot of trial and error to get all the cables hidden away as much as possible while also finding the best compatible USB hub to connect all the bits,” he said.

Also hidden in the WFH tray are a VAVA USB-C hub and two huge LaCie drives (one 1 TB SSD for music and one 4TB hard drive for backups).

He noted the VAVA hub is “OK” but the audio out is too low and the Ethernet isn’t stable enough. So he thinks he’ll upgrade to a CalDigit T3Plus.

He may also upgrade to a CalDigit Element Hub on the DJ desk so the controllers, mixer and power can connect to it and just one Thunderbolt cable will go into his 16-inch MacBook Pro.

Speaking of which, he expects to trade in his Intel-powered 16-inch MBP for a 16-inch M1X/M2 version when one becomes available. His 13-inch MBP is a work machine, so it probably isn’t going anywhere.

Botha said he’s also considering some LED strip lighting on the back of each desk.

Overlapping gaming, TV work

In the gaming setup, he’s planning to get a PS5 to replace his PS4. The 43-inch Sony 4K TV is five years old but “still does the job.”

It “doubles as a way to review the videos and commercials I write while using the DJ setup to review [voice-overs] and music tracks for radio and TV spots,” he said.

The TV and both consoles are networked via a 1 GB Ethernet switch that also serves both laptops into the router.

Tall desks for a towering DJ

Botha, who is 6 foot 5 inches tall, loves his Autonomous standing desks for obvious reasons. Finding quality tables that rise high enough – especially while he stands to mix techno, dark disco and indie dance music — wasn’t easy.

Though he retired as a DJ when he had a family, he still enjoys mixing for himself these days.

You can review his arsenal of sound-mixing and audio equipment in the list below and read about the “whole body feeling” he evokes with the music in his post.

Shop these items now:

WFH Desk:

Gaming Corner:

DJ Desk:

If you would like to see your setup featured on Cult of Mac, send some high-res pictures to info+setups@cultofmac.com. Please provide a detailed list of your equipment. Tell us what you like or dislike about your setup, and fill us in on any special touches or challenges.

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