Podcast kit upgrade or how to get another gadget fix

One of the reasons I originally started to podcast apart from trying to mimic Radio 4 was, and I’m not sure I should confess to this, the opportunity to get hold of some new ‘tech’.  A childhood obsession with a reel to reel tape recorder made digital if you will. 

My current podcasting ‘rig’ is the same one I used when I first started and follows the time honoured tradition of not splashing too much cash just in case we didn’t get along.  In retrospect it hasn’t been the easiest to live with, whilst all three major hardware  components, Tapco Mix 100, Griffin iMic, and Behringer B1 mic are all individually great they don’t always play well together, the iMic and Mix 100 being the main culprits.  I always spend an inordinate amount of time getting the levels right, monitoring via headphones never seems to work predictably and for some reason there is always some line noise to deal with in the edit. 

         

I’ve been pondering for sometime about swapping the mixer and iMic for a dedicated USB audio interface, something along the lines of the M-Box 2.  My hope is that it will eliminate the need for endlessly playing around

until the levels are right plus it’ll plumb directly into the PC without the need for extra cables.  It also means my current DAW Magix Music Maker might end up in retirement as most USB interfaces come with some kind of bundled software, in the case of the M-Box it’s Pro Tools LE.  The question though is do I go through this process whilst in the middle if the current BTHP series on the Royal Navy or wait until it’s finished?