Is This the Ultimate Storage Upgrade for Serious Podcasters? Inside the Synology DS1522+

If you’re serious about podcasting, there’s one painful truth nobody talks about until it’s too late: your storage setup can make or break your workflow. Lost files, slow transfers, and scattered folders across drives and cloud services can kill productivity, creativity, and worst of all—momentum.

For years, many podcasters have relied on external USB drives or free cloud storage to manage their libraries. But once your show grows—more guests, longer episodes, multitrack editing, maybe even video—these simple solutions start falling apart. That’s where the Synology DS1522+ comes in.

This NAS (Network Attached Storage) device isn’t just another hard drive. It’s a centralized, scalable, and surprisingly easy-to-use hub for all your podcast assets. I’ve used this unit personally, and while I’ll let the features speak for themselves, I can say it solved problems I didn’t even realize were slowing me down.

So is the DS1522+ the ultimate podcast storage upgrade? Let’s take a look inside.

What Is the Synology DS1522+ (and Why Podcasters Should Care)?

The Synology DS1522+ is a 5-bay NAS system that holds up to five hard drives, expandable to 15 with optional units. That’s a potential of 330TB of centralized, protected podcast data—all accessible across your network.

What Makes It Different from External Drives:

• Centralized Storage – Access your files from any device
• Private Cloud – Skip third-party subscriptions
• Expandable – Add drives as your podcast grows

Whether you’re editing in your home studio, traveling with a laptop, or collaborating with an editor across the country, this unit becomes your always-on, always-safe content hub.

Key Features That Make This a Podcaster’s Dream Setup

Massive, Expandable Storage

Why it matters:

• Store years of audio content and archives
• House RAW interviews, multitrack sessions, images, and assets
• Grow without buying new devices

Blazing Fast File Transfers

• 4x 1GbE ports standard; optional 10GbE module
• Real-world speed: Gigabytes in seconds, not minutes
• Great for large episode exports and quick team sharing

Built-In Redundancy and Protection

• Uses Synology Hybrid RAID (SHR)
• Swap failed drives without downtime
• Prevent catastrophic data loss from drive failure

NVMe SSD Caching for Speed

• 2x slots for NVMe cache drives
• Speeds up access to large DAW sessions
• Perfect for podcast editors working with heavy files

Pro Tip:

Mix high-capacity HDDs for bulk storage and SSDs for high-speed caching to optimize both size and speed.

Built-in Backup + Snapshots: Protecting Your Podcast Assets

Backup Features Include:

• Hyper Backup – Schedule backups to Dropbox, Google Drive, or Synology C2
• Snapshots – Roll back file versions with a few clicks
• Offsite Replication – Mirror to another NAS at a second location

Why this matters:

• You’ll never lose a file to accidental deletion
• You can undo mistakes fast
• You can keep a full disaster recovery plan with minimal tech skills

Collaboration Just Got Easier (Even Remotely)

Working with editors, co-hosts, or a VA? The DS1522+ makes teamwork seamless.

With Synology Drive, you can:

• Share password-protected folders
• Enable version control and sync files across devices
• Grant custom user access (read-only, edit, etc.)

Bonus:

• Integrated with Dropbox, Google Drive, OneDrive
• Mobile apps available for on-the-go uploads or downloads

Integrates with Your Existing Workflow

Compatible with:

• macOS, Windows, Linux
• Time Machine for Mac backups
• All major DAWs (Audition, Reaper, Logic Pro, etc.)

Use Cases:

• Edit directly from the NAS
• Auto-sync recordings from your field recorder to NAS
• Access files remotely through secure QuickConnect URLs

Is It Worth the Price Tag? (And What Are the Alternatives?)

DS1522+ Pricing Overview:

• NAS unit: ~$700 (diskless)
• Drives: Add your own (recommend NAS-grade)

Feature	DS1522+	DS923+	QNAP TS-464
Drive Bays	5 (expandable)	4 (expandable)	4 (expandable)
CPU	AMD Ryzen R1600	AMD Ryzen R1600	Intel Celeron N5095
RAM (max)	32GB ECC	32GB ECC	16GB (non-ECC)
Ports	4 x 1GbE	2 x 1GbE	2 x 2.5GbE
10GbE Upgradeable	Yes	Yes	Yes
Ideal For	Audio-heavy workflows & multi-user teams	Smaller setups	Transcoding & video

Final Verdict: Is This the Ultimate Storage Upgrade for Podcasters?

If your podcast is growing—and your storage setup is holding you back—the Synology DS1522+ is more than an upgrade. It’s a full-on production asset.

In a nutshell:

• Speeds up editing and backups
• Organizes your growing content library
• Safeguards your episodes from data disasters
• Makes collaboration simple and secure

It’s not for hobbyists or minimalists. But for podcasters ready to treat their show like a business, this NAS might be the most valuable gear upgrade you’ll ever make.