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Shopper : Why Did You Choose This?THOMAS H : I am expecting new drivers will make several PCIe cards work through Thunderbolt 3 with the Macbook Pro 16" = this new system had better work well considering the excessively expensive investment required at this time.

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Review Summary

Sonnet Echo Express III-D Specifications

  • External Connectors

    Two Thunderbolt 3 ports

  • Internal Connector

    6-pin Mini-Fit Jr (same type as on legacy Mac Pro motherboard; provides up to 75W of power for PCIe cards that require supplemental power)

  • Expansion Slots

    One x16 mechanical (x8 electrical) PCIe 3.0
    One x8 mechanical (x8 electrical) PCIe 3.0
    One x8 mechanical (x4 electrical) PCIe 3.0

  • PCIe Cards Supported

    One full length, full-height, double-width PCIe card, plus one single-width card or
    Three full length, full-height, single-width PCIe cards

  • Power Adapter

    Universal 300W, 115-230V AC, 50-60 Hz

  • Operating Temperature

    0 to 35 deg. C (32 to 95 deg. F)

  • Mac Compatibility

    Mac with Thunderbolt 3 ports
    Mac with a Thunderbolt 2 or Thunderbolt port with an Apple Thunderbolt 3 (USB C) to Thunderbolt 2 Adapter
    macOS 10.12+

  • RoHS Compliant

    Yes

  • Dimensions (WxDxH)

    3.8 x 16 x 10.2" (9.65 x 40.64 x 25.91cm)

  • Weight

    7.5 lbs (3.40kg)

  • UPC Code

    732311012280

About Sonnet Echo Express III-D

Connect Three Full-Length PCIe Cards to Any Mac with a Thunderbolt 3 Port
For pros working in the creative fields, a computer's processing power alone is not enough to get the job done. A prime example is the latest MacBook Pro, which, while offering great performance, lacks the PCIe expansion slots necessary to support specialty cards that connect pro video and audio inputs, transcode data and connect to high-speed storage and networks. Instead of slots, these computers include ultra high-performance Thunderbolt 3 ports to support peripherals. Sonnet's Echo Express III-D - Thunderbolt 3 Edition leverages the Thunderbolt 3 ports' PCIe data to connect PCIe expansion slots outside of a computer. This powerful desktop Thunderbolt-to-PCIe card expansion system enables you to connect three professional PCIe cards-including video capture, audio interface, SAS or SATA HBA, 16Gb or 8Gb Fibre Channel, 10 Gigabit Ethernet and RAID controllers-at the same time to any Mac with a Thunderbolt 3 port.

The Echo Express III-D - Thunderbolt 3 Edition features a 40Gbps Thunderbolt 3 interface, which offers double the PCIe bandwidth and connectivity of Thunderbolt 2 and yields up to 2750 MB/s of bandwidth, enabling it to support 4K video capture and processing cards at high frame rates and 16Gb FC cards and dual-port 10GbE cards at full performance. With the ability to handle multiple demanding, high performance PCIe cards, support for connecting two 4K displays at 60Hz or one 5K display at 60Hz and support for a vast array of Thunderbolt and USB devices, Thunderbolt 3 is a leap forward in every way.

Connects Three Full-Length PCIe Cards to any Mac With Thunderbolt 3 Ports
Use multiple high-performance PCIe cards at the same time

Three PCIe 3.0 Slots
Supports three full-height, single-width cards or one double-width card plus one single-width card

40Gbps Thunderbolt 3 Interface
Offers 2750 MB/s of PCIe bandwidth, doubling the performance of Thunderbolt 2

Two Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) Ports
One port used to connect to the computer; second port supports daisy-chaining of up to five additional Thunderbolt peripheral devices to your computer, attaching a single USB peripheral device or connecting up to two 4K displays or one 5K display

Remarkably Quiet
Large, temperature-controlled, variable-speed fans that automatically cool the cards, plus computer-modeled design that reduces airflow turbulence and velocity, combine to provide quieter cooling for all cards

Built-in Universal Power Supply
Integrated 300W power supply with 75W auxiliary power connector

Rugged Aluminum Housing
Provides robust and secure protection

Every Thunderbolt 3- and macOS-compatible Card Supported
Works with every Thunderbolt 3- and macOS compatible PCIe card, regardless of length or height

5-Year Warranty Included at No Extra Cost
No extra charge for a 5-year warranty

Thunderbolt Cable Included
Includes 1-meter Thunderbolt 3 (40Gbps) cable

Three PCIe 3.0 Slots, No Compromise
Sonnet's Echo Express III-D - Thunderbolt 3 Edition supports three full-size PCIe cards, up to 12.28 inches (full-length) long. The III-D integrates a universal 300W power supply and includes a 75W PCIe power connector for cards that require supplementary power, such as the Avid Pro Tools HDX or the RED ROCKET-X. Even with all that power, the III-D is enviro-friendly; it automatically powers on or off whenever the connected computer powers on or wakes or powers off or sleeps, respectively.

40Gbps Thunderbolt 3 - The USB C That Does It All
The Echo Express III-D - Thunderbolt 3 Edition includes two Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) ports; the first is used for connection to your computer, while the second supports daisy chaining of up to five additional Thunderbolt peripheral devices to a single port on your computer. The III-D includes 10Gbps USB 3.1 Gen 2 support, meaning you can connect a USB device to the second port using the proper cable or adapter. The III-D also provides full support for connecting two 4K displays at 60Hz or one 5K display at 60Hz. For connected devices requiring extra power, 15 watts is provided to connected bus-powered devices.

All-Around Smart Design
The Echo Express III-D - Thunderbolt 3 Edition is wrapped in a rugged, yet lightweight aluminum outer shell, resulting in a system light enough to carry without weighing you down, yet sturdy enough to securely protect the installed PCIe cards. Its two large, slow-spinning fans, enhanced with computer-modeled airflow management, ensure that even hot-running cards remain reliably cool without the need to install an extra PCIe blower card that would prevent the use of one of the three slots. Because the fans automatically speed up and slow down as needed, you don't have to guess which speed setting to select and there's no need for tools to change settings. There is no power switch on the chassis, nor is one needed, because the III-D automatically powers on and off with your computer.

Quiet Operator
In operation, the Echo Express III-D - Thunderbolt 3 Edition is remarkably quiet-it may be comfortably used in noise-sensitive environments and it is one of the quietest Echo systems. The natural convection of warm air through the PCIe cards is assisted by ultra-quiet, temperature-controlled, variable-speed fans and vented out the top of the chassis with reduced air velocity and turbulence, resulting in little fan noise.

Every Thunderbolt 3 and MacOS Compatible PCIe Card Supported
The Echo Express III-D - Thunderbolt 3 Edition supports three single-width, full-length PCIe cards or one double-width, full-length card plus one single-width card, enabling it to support every Thunderbolt 3- and macOS-compatible PCIe 1.1, PCIe 2.0 and PCIe 3.0 card available.

RED ROCKET Supporter
Sonnet designed the Echo Express III-D - Thunderbolt 3 Edition to accommodate the RED ROCKET or RED ROCKET-X and its BNC connector bracket (for HD-SDI output) card/bracket pair in a single slot. This Echo chassis includes two BNC connector mounting holes, enabling the installation of the card in one slot and its BNC connectors in the chassis' mounting holes, leaving the two remaining slots open.

Designed for BNC Connector Cables
Echo Express III-D's back panel has two BNC connector mounting holes, enabling the use of a RED ROCKET card without the need to install the BNC connector bracket that would normally occupy a valuable PCIe slot.

5-Year Warranty Included at No Extra Cost
Why pay an additional 10-15% on top of the purchase price to extend the warranty period beyond one year? Sonnet backs the Echo Express III-D - Thunderbolt 3 Edition with its Pro 5-year warranty.

Thunderbolt 3 (40Gbps) Cable Included
To connect the Echo Express III-D - Thunderbolt 3 Edition to your computer, Sonnet includes a 1-meter Thunderbolt 3 (40Gbps) cable.

What's in the box:

  • Sonnet Echo Express III-D 3-Slot Thunderbolt 3 Expansion System
  • Power Cord
  • 1m 40Gbps Thunderbolt Cable
  • Documentation
  • Sonnet 5 Year Warranty