Old, upgraded equipment: a low-tech approach for sustainable sets

My recordings were made on computers that are around 15 years old, using Mixxx. This is no coincidence: ecology is at the heart of my artistic approach. So, instead of chasing after the latest machine, I chose to make what I already have last longer — and optimise it.

1) Why choose old equipment?

• To reduce the ‘invisible’ footprint:
  The manufacture of a computer (metal extraction, transport, assembly) has a very heavy impact. Extending the life of existing Macs means avoiding a significant part of this footprint.
• Practising the ‘right to repair’:
  A reliable DJ setup is not necessarily new: it is a familiar, mastered, well-maintained setup. Replacing a hard drive with an SSD, increasing RAM, cleaning, reapplying thermal paste—these are concrete acts of sobriety.
• Gain resilience:
  A ‘simple’, stable computer that is rarely updated and does not depend on cloud services can become more predictable when used live. And on stage, predictability is crucial.

2) Mac Pro 2010: the tower as a sustainable ‘tool’

The Mac Pro 2010 (tower) embodies a modular approach: it can be maintained, upgraded, parts replaced, and storage optimised.

From a responsible standpoint, the most useful upgrade is not ‘power for power's sake’, but reliability:

• SSD to speed up loading and responsiveness.
• Sufficient RAM for stability (library, analysis, effects, recording).
• Maintenance (dusting, ventilation, cables) to reduce heat and noise.
• Organisation of backups (library, playlists, exports): true sustainability also means data sustainability.

3) MacBook Pro 2011 + OpenCore Legacy Patcher: extend instead of discard

Old Intel Macs are often ‘abandoned’ by Apple in terms of official compatibility, even though they are still capable of many artistic uses. OpenCore Legacy Patcher (OCLP) allows you to install recent versions of macOS on certain Intel Macs that are not officially supported, extending their lifespan.

This choice has a very ‘permaculture’ aspect to it: we observe, we adapt, we reuse, we make and do with what we have.

A few important (responsible and pragmatic) points:

• Check model compatibility:
  OCLP only works on Intel Macs, and compatibility depends on the models listed by the project.
• Keep a cool head:
  ‘Installing the latest version’ does not work miracles: some features may be limited depending on the hardware, and you have to accept a degree of experimentation.
• Secure:
  Make a full backup beforehand, be cautious about updates, and ideally have a plan B (a second disk/partition/boot key).

4) An aesthetic of simplicity

Ultimately, this technical choice says something: a way of being a DJ that does not separate ‘sound’ from ‘the world’. Making people dance, yes — but in line with a vision: repairing, prolonging, sharing, circulating energy (human and electrical) rather than wasting it.

This simplicity is not a constraint: it is a creative framework. A simpler, more sustainable setup also means more mental space for what matters most: selection, narrative, listening, intensity.