# Lessons from selling 2,500 MIDI recorders Hardware product development isn't as hard as you think - **Source:** [Hacker News](https://news.ycombinator.com) - **Published:** 2026-07-19 - **Topic:** [Entrepreneurship](https://brifing.si/c/entrepreneurship) - **Original article:** - **On Brifing:** https://brifing.si/s/a0db450f-595d-454c-bc04-781486332277 ## Transition from software to hardware The founder of Jamcorder ventured into hardware product development after a software career. Selling 2,500 MIDI recorders challenges the industry's bias that hardware is difficult. Simple design and right strategies proved hardware manufacturing easier than commonly believed. ## Unexpectedly smooth process The entrepreneur who manually assembled the first 500 units reported no issues. Expected problems in electronic design, plastic injection and supply chain never materialized. This surprising experience shows hardware development fears are often exaggerated. ## The real challenge was software Developing 200k lines of code for firmware and apps over 3 years proved more challenging than hardware. Product simplicity prevented hardware issues, demonstrating that difficulty is relative for non-complex hardware products. ## Power of simple design Simple PCB design with 25 components, use of standard parts and single-screw assembly greatly simplified production. Removing features like battery measurement and USB-C maintained product simplicity. ## Medium-scale production tips Strategies like working with Chinese suppliers, targeting 70% gross margin, small packaging and local QC drove success. Simple steps like requesting pre-production samples and creating assembly manuals made significant differences. ## Rethinking the hardware myth This experience shows hardware development isn't inherently difficult. With right product strategy and simple design, hardware manufacturing becomes accessible for small entrepreneurs. The key is managing complexity and protecting margins. ## Sources covering this story - https://chipweinberger.com/articles/20260719-hardware-is-not-so-hard — --- _Summary written by Brifing from the original reporting. Copyright in the original article belongs to its publisher; read the full piece at the link above._