Sonnet Echo II DV 2 Slot Rackmount Thunderbolt Expansion System

MAX DV Performance - Echo II DV Rackmount
Rackmount 2-slot, Dual Thunderbolt Interface to PCIe Card Expansion System for Computers with Thunderbolt Ports.

Create a 2U Rackmount Broadcast Studio

Connect Two Bandwidth-hungry Pro PCIe Cards to Computers with Thunderbolt Ports
Are you using one of the latest portable, mini desktop or all-in-one computers in your creative pro workflow? You've probably discovered that onboard processing power alone is not enough to get your job done. While these Mac, Windows, and Linux computers include high-performance Thunderbolt ports to support peripherals, they lack PCIe expansion slots necessary to install specialty cards that add needed video and audio I/O, transcode data, and connect to high-speed networks and shared storage.

Sonnet has the ultimate solution for connecting cards with high bandwidth requirements - Echo II DV Rackmount - a professional Thunderbolt to PCIe card expansion system that enables you to connect two up to full-length (12.28 inches long), single-width PCIe cards to your computer, each to a separate Thunderbolt port (if needed) for maximum bandwidth to each card.

Dual Thunderbolt Interfaces - Double the Dedicated Bandwidth
• Connect DV I/O or Other Bandwidth-hungry PCIe Cards
• Dual Thunderbolt Interfaces for Maximum Bandwidth
• Full 2880 MB/s PCIe Bandwidth to Each Slot

Connect Echo II DV to Two Thunderbolt Ports on Your Computer for Maximum DV Performance
Specially Designed to Support Maximum Performance from Two Cards. Two PCIe Card Slots. Dual Thunderbolt Interfaces for Double the Bandwidth.

Some computers - such as the latest MacBook Pro, Mac Studio, Mac mini and iMac (plus some Windows PCs such as Dell XPS 9730)- have multiple Thunderbolt ports that are supported by separate 40Gbps Thunderbolt buses and provide up to 2880 MB/s of PCIe bandwidth to each port. Among multi-slot Thunderbolt to PCIe card expansion systems, the Sonnet Echo II DV Rackmount is unique. Instead of using one Thunderbolt interface for two or three slots - which dynamically allocates the PCIe bandwidth between them - Echo II DV employs one interface per slot. With each slot getting Thunderbolt's full PCIe bandwidth, you can exploit two cards' full potential when connected at the same time to separate Thunderbolt buses on the computer, ideal for cards with high bandwidth requirement such as DV I/O, NVMe SSD storage, and 10 and 25Gb Ethernet adapters.

It's All About That Bandwidth!

Separate Thunderbolt Interface for Each Card Slot
By employing a separate Thunderbolt interface for each card slot, Echo II DV is designed to provide full PCIe bandwidth to each slot when connected to two computer Thunderbolt ports that also have independent PCIe bandwidth. Computers with independent PCIe bandwidth to two or more Thunderbolt ports include all Apple M series Macs, and Intel Macs or PCs with three or four Thunderbolt ports. (A few Pro PC laptops with only two Thunderbolt ports support independent PCIe Bandwidth. Check your computer's specifications.) Computers that share PCIe bandwidth between their Thunderbolt ports, that would provide only shared bandwidth to the two slots, include Intel Macs or PCs with only two Thunderbolt ports.

Dual Thunderbolt Ports Connection Option for Maximum Performance
Connect Two DV I/O or Other High-bandwidth Cards Directly to Two Thunderbolt Ports On Your Computer for Full PCIe Bandwidth to Each Card

Single Thunderbolt Port Connection Option
Also Works with Computers with Only One Available Thunderbolt Port to Support Two Cards

Got Only One Thunderbolt Port On Your Computer?
Daisy Chain the Two Thunderbolt Interfaces to Connect Two PCIe Cards Through a Single Thunderbolt Cable. Does your computer have only one available Thunderbolt port? Because each PCIe card slot's Thunderbolt interface includes two Thunderbolt ports, you can connect the interfaces together in a daisy chain to enable Echo II DV Rackmount to connect to your computer with a single Thunderbolt cable.

Versatile PCIe Card Support - Supports Every Thunderbolt Compatible, Single-width, Non-GPU Card
Echo II DV Rackmount supports every Thunderbolt compatible, single-width, non-GPU PCIe 4.0, 3.1, 2.0, and 1.1 card available including video capture, streaming and transcoding; SSD storage; audio DSP; 10Gb or 25Gb Ethernet; SAS or SATA host bus adapter; and other specialty types to your system.

Do you have a card in mind but aren't sure it's compatible? We've put together a compatibility list that identifies cards conforming to Thunderbolt technology requirements and organized by fit and power compatibility with specific expansion systems.

Examples of High-bandwidth PCIe Cards

Video I/O Cards
• Deltacast DELTA-12G-elp-h 4c
• BlackMagic Design DeckLink 8K Pro
• AJA KONA 5
• Bluefish444 KRONOS K8

SSD Storage Cards
• Sonnet M.2 8x4 Silent Gen4 PCIe Card
• Sonnet M.2 4x4 PCIe Card (Silent)
• Sonnet Fusion Dual U.2 SSD PCIe Card

Ethernet Cards
• Sonnet Twin25G PCIe Card
• Sonnet Twin10G 10GBASE-T PCIe Card
• Sonnet Twin10G SFP+ PCIe Card

Two PCIe 3.1 Slots and Power to Spare
Echo II DV Rackmount features two x16 PCIe slots with support for a wide variety of cards. For power-hungry cards, Echo II DV integrates a universal 400W power supply and includes dual 75W auxiliary power connectors (one for each card slot) for non-GPU cards that require extra power, including AJA Kona 5, Blackmagic DeckLink 8K Pro, Bluefish444 Epoch and KRONOS SDI cards, and Avid Pro Tools | HDX. Designed without a power switch, Echo II DV powers on and off automatically with the connected computer, saving energy in the long run. With no power switch, you can't forget to turn off the system!

Built for Cool, Rackable Expansion
Echo II DV Rackmount mounts in a rack space 2U tall, and is only 16.5 inches deep, making it ideal for use in a wide range of popular mobile racks, carts, and rack cases, and in server rooms as well. Its enclosure is formed of heavy-duty steel to provide secure mounting for the Echo II DV module and protection for the PCIe cards installed inside, and to support maximum airflow for cooling, regardless of where you install it in a rack.

Echo II DV Rackmount accommodates the PCIe cards you need for your workflow, ranging from the largest video I/O and audio transcoding cards, to the smallest Ethernet NIC and USB interface cards.

Extra Space, Extra Expansion Possibilities
The Echo II DV Module, the core component of the Echo II DV Rackmount, takes up one half of the rackmount enclosure, leaving room for an additional Sonnet expansion module to customize the system for your specific needs. If your computer, like the Mac Studio or M2 Pro Mac mini, has four Thunderbolt buses, you can add another Echo II DV Module to fully harness your system's capabilities, allowing four high-performance PCIe cards to run at full bandwidth. Alternatively, you can opt for the Echo III Module, which enables you to connect three full-height, full-length cards through a single Thunderbolt cable. If you're looking to secure a previous generation Mac mini in a rack, consider the xMac mini Module (2018-2023), which allows you to mount your mini and integrates a Thunderbolt SSD storage dock (add up to 16TB of storage) - all within a compact 2U rack space.

Rack Steady
Echo II DV Rackmount included adjustable rackmount extension rails to enable the 2U enclosure to be installed securely in a variety of racks from 16 to 24 inches deep.

Dual Noctua Fans - Ultra-quiet Operation

Rated at 17.1dbA
Featuring dual Noctua fans, Echo II DV Rackmount is designed to deliver ultra-quiet operation so that it can be comfortably used in noise-sensitive environments. Rated at 17.1dBA - below the 20dBA ceiling prescribed for use in recording and broadcast studios - the fans spread the spectrum of their noise to minimize the impact at any single frequency. To further ensure negligible noise levels, the fans are temperature-controlled, automatically speeding up and slowing down smoothly as needed, and the enclosure is engineered to optimize airflow over the installed cards to effectively and efficiently cool the system.

Secure Connections for High Performance - Thunderbolt Cable and ThunderLok Included
Sonnet includes a Thunderbolt cable that supports Thunderbolt's maximum bandwidth and is fully compatible with Thunderbolt 5, 4, and 3 computers. Sonnet also provides ThunderLok, a Thunderbolt connector cable lock, that prevents accidental cable disconnections.

ThunderLok Advantage
Many Sonnet Thunderbolt products featuring Thunderbolt ports come equipped with threaded mounting holes to securely attach a Sonnet ThunderLok connector lock, preventing Thunderbolt cables from accidentally disconnecting.

Get Full Thunderbolt Performance, at a Distance
Whether noisy PCIe card fans make it impractical to use the Echo II DV Rackmount in a noise-sensitive environment, or because securing it in another room is required, you may find it necessary to put some space between the chassis and computer. No problem! Thunderbolt optical cables (sold separately), available in lengths from 5 to 50 meters, enable you to locate your equipment where you need and connect the pieces without loss of functionality. These thin, lightweight, and tough fiber optic cables are easy to route, and support high-speed data transmission equal to copper Thunderbolt cables.