Both comparators and repeaters are more limited to what stone blocks can be used.
Almost any stone block or smooth/polished stone variant can be used for Furnaces, Droppers, Dispensers, and Brewing Stands
Almost any stone block or smooth/polished stone variant can be used for stone tools
On top of more stones for repeater crafting, there is also an option to use copper instead of redstone. Both still work!
Quartz Blocks can be crafted back to 4x Nether Quartz
