Here’s how you gut a whole office and start over [Setups]

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De Jong gave his computer setup -- and his whole office -- a makeover.
De Jong gave his computer setup -- and his whole office -- a makeover.
Photo: Michael De Jong

How refreshing it must be to make over your computer setup and, while you’re at it, gut and refresh your whole home office. That’s what Michael De Jong did recently. And he shared his transition with Cult of Mac.

First, he tinkered with the setup, going with dual displays and adding a soundbar and a slick gaming chair. Later he gutted the whole office and added a whole raft of upgrades. Take a look at his photos and gear, new and old, below.

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Mac Pro setup and home office get a total makeover

De Jong told Cult of Mac he “created many desktop solutions for my needs over the years but I will share the latest setups with you that have graced my home office.”

We already covered one of his transitions in January 2022: “Trash can Mac bathes in vintage Apple posters’ glory.” That’s when he started making changes.

But a couple of years later, he gutted the whole office and started over. You can see the completely redone office in the photograph above and in the panoramic shot just above the gear list, which contains his new and old equipment, below.

Before: Trash can Mac Pro, curved display and vintage Apple posters

This is how the setup and office used to look.
This is how the setup and office used to look.
Photo: Michael De Jong

“The older picture is of my 2013 MacPro on the desk, a PS3, the Martin Logan Motion 4i speakers driven by older Sonos Amp, an MSI 34-inch curved screen, a G5 Tower and a 2010 Mac Pro tower shared with an Aukey keyboard, Razer Mousepad and Razer Mouse with an ioGear KVM switch,” De Jong said, describing the images immediately above and below.

Here's a tighter shot of the old setup.
Here’s a tighter shot of the old setup.
Photo: Michael De Jong

Transition: Dual displays and a new soundbar and gaming chair

But the setup above eventually began to morph into something new. At first the transition took gradual turns. The picture below shows the Paradigm soundbar added underneath two new displays.

“I wall mounted the 34-inch MSI with a 34-inch LG curve screen so as I have more pixels to work with. I also complimented the desk with a Noble gaming chair,” De Jong said.

During the transition, he went dual-display and added a gaming chair, among other changes.
During the transition, he went dual-display and added a soundbar and a gaming chair, among other changes.
Photo: Michael De Jong

After: A whole new office with new (and old) gear

“Two years later (present), I gut the office, paint, replace the carpet with better hardwood flooring and … Now I am currently displaying my California collection (wish I lived there),” De Jong explained. He’s from Canada.

And in the refreshed office, he now runs a 16-inch M1 Max MacBook Pro driving a massive, 48-inch Gigabyte Aorus FO48U display. That’s a $1,500 4K OLED gaming monitor.

Here’s how he describes his other upgrades and his use of them, in addition to some of his treasured older gear and future plans:

The PS5, the Logitech MX for Mac, Audioquest NightHawk Headphones, Panamax Power MP5300, Steel Arctic Series gaming headset, Canon colour inkjet, Brother laser printer also occupy this desk. And yet there is the new ATARI VCS with Vader look on my desk. I would prefer the classic wood grain cover and I will obtain that as a replacement part for the ATARI. I use this ATARI VCS at a Windows PC as well with the the other Logitech mouse. Speaking of Logitech, I also have one of the newer cams on top top of my Gigabyte display.

On the top shelf is a Mac Classic and an Apple IIc, they both still work. The G4 cube … still works, the classic iPod..doesn’t work. And the other gutted Mac Classic with the autographs of the Macintosh team (including SJ).

In the panorama you will also see my one gaming center in the corner. Here is a 50-inch Sony with 120 refresh rate, PS3 slim, Xbox One S, Nintendo Classic, the original ATARI VCS and countless odds and ends.

As for racing, I have the Playseat with a Logitech wheel setup for the Xbox and another Playseat with the Thrustmaster T300 wheel connected to the PS5.

The Gigabyte monitor (120 refresh rate) is on a Sanus cantilever so as I can move this Mac connected display over and above the Thrustmaster setup to race on the PS5.

So two sets of headphones has my personal sound covered. but since I sell high end audio gear presently, I will flank this computer area with a great sound system soon.

The gaming center in the corner features a Martin Logan Motion X which is a 5 channel sound bar with a Martin Logan Dynamo 1000 subwoofer.

The room is also fitted with lots of Hue Lighting and controlled with a Control4 Keypad dimmer.

So yes a fan of Apple, ATARI and Van Halen, California is Great!

I still have the 2013 MacPro cylinder and I will put it on the top shelf next to the G4 cube, but it is used elsewhere in the house until I replace it with a new Mac mini.

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Here's a panoramic shot of the whole new office.
Here’s a panoramic shot of the whole new setup, and you can see how De Jong transformed his space.
Photo: Michael De Jong

Computer and gaming gear:

Displays, webcam and mounts:

Input devices:

Media storage:

Audio and video:

Furniture, lighting and accessories:

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, challenges and plans for new additions.

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