so use USB instead. As with all electronics, it will definitely last as long as you take care of it and not abuse it. This is exactly as designed, but hard to implement correctly in practice. I have been happy with the purchase until this moment. The length would have been perfect had the upper portion allowed to even get his foot fully in the shoe. Overall, if youre looking for a condenser mic to go on stage, this should be in your shortlist. So basically you have to sit with the volume control in your hand the whole time to keep adjusting or return it and wait for a fix or buy another model. Granted, the 598s are open back just like the dt990s. Im 44 years old. Its a shame.