Description
Echo I Desktop - 1-slot Desktop Thunderbolt to PCIe Card Expansion System for Computers with Thunderbolt 4 or Thunderbolt 3 Ports
Connect One Full- or Half-length, Single- or Double-width PCIe Card to Computers with Thunderbolt 4 or Thunderbolt 3 Ports
For many creative pros relying on recent portable, mini desktop and all-in-one computers to get their jobs done, their computers’ onboard processing power alone is not enough. While these Mac®, Windows®, and Linux® computers include high-performance Thunderbolt ports to support peripherals, they lack PCIe expansion slots to install a specialty card that adds needed storage expansion, video or audio inputs, transcodes data, or connects to high-speed shared storage and networks. Sonnet has a solution — the Echo™ I Desktop. This professional Thunderbolt™ to PCIe card expansion system enables you to connect one up to full-length (12.28 inches long) single- or double-width PCIe card to your computer via a single cable.
Key Features
- Thunderbolt Computer Compatibility – For Computers with Thunderbolt 4 or Thunderbolt 3 Ports
- Number of PCIe Slots – One x16 PCIe 3.0 Slot
- Supported PCIe Card Dimensions – One Half- or Full-height, Single- or Double-width up to Full-length PCIe Card
- Broad PCIe Card Compatibility Support – See PCIe Cards Compatibility PDF
- Avid Support – Avid® Pro Tools | HDX Compatible
- Pro Power – Integrated 400W Power Supply with 150W Auxiliary Power
- Remarkably Quiet – Noctua Fans Rated at 17dBA
- 40Gbps Thunderbolt System – Offers Four Lanes of Full PCIe Bandwidth for the Installed Card
- Thunderbolt 3 Technology for Maximum Performance – Thunderbolt 4 Would be Limited to One PCIe Lane Total. See Why Sonnet’s High-Performance Pro Products Use Thunderbolt 3 Instead of Thunderbolt video for details.
- Number of Thunderbolt Ports – One Thunderbolt Port (to Host Computer)
- Enclosure – Rugged Aluminum Housing
- Energy Savings – Powers On/Off Automatically with the Computer
- Computer Compatibility – Mac, Windows, and Linux (See Specifications for Latest Computer, OS, and Support Compatibility Information)
- Warranty – 2-year Product Warranty
- Customer Support – Free Lifetime Customer Technical Support
- The Sonnet Advantage – Designed and Made In the USA
Supports Every Type of Thunderbolt Compatible PCIe Card
Echo I Desktop supports every type of Thunderbolt compatible PCIe 4.0, 3.0, 2.0, and 1.1 card available including video capture and transcoding; audio DSP; 6Gb or 12Gb SAS or SATA host bus adapter; 10Gb or 25Gb Ethernet; SSD storage; 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 PCIe Cards Compatibility PDF that identifies cards conforming to Thunderbolt technology requirements, and organized by fit and power compatibility with specific expansion systems.
Add a x16 PCIe Card Slot to Your Computer with Thunderbolt 4 and Thunderbolt 3 Ports, Including Mac Studio
Space and Power to Spare
The Echo I Desktop features one x16 PCIe 3.0 slot, enabling it to support a huge variety of cards, whether single- or double-width, low-profile or full-height. To support power-hungry cards, it integrates a universal 400W power supply and includes a 150W 8-pin (6+2 pin) auxiliary power connector for cards that require extra power (including the Avid Pro Tools | HDX). The Echo I 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!
Dual Fans. Ultra-quiet Operation.
Featuring dual Noctua fans, the Echo I Desktop 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 card to cool the system effectively and efficiently.
The Secure Connection for High Performance – 40Gbps Thunderbolt Cable and ThunderLok 3 Included
Sonnet includes a Thunderbolt cable that supports Thunderbolt’s full 40Gbps bandwidth, and is fully compatible with Thunderbolt 4 and Thunderbolt 3 computers. Sonnet also provides a ThunderLok™ 3 Thunderbolt connector retainer clip that prevents accidental cable disconnections — just slide it over one end of the cable, and then plug in the connector and secure it to the chassis by turning a thumbscrew. Because of its unique design, ThunderLok remains on the cable so it won’t get lost when not in use.
Package Contents
- Echo I Desktop System
- Region-specific power cable for US, Australia, Europe, Japan, Switzerland, or UK
- Thunderbolt cable(3)
- ThunderLok 3 Thunderbolt connector retainer clip(4)
- Documentation
Mac Compatibility | Mac (M1, M2, M1 Pro, M1 Max, and M1 Ultra) with PCIe cards that have compatible drivers Mac (Intel®) with Thunderbolt 3 ports Mac (Intel) with a Thunderbolt 2 or Thunderbolt 1 port with an Apple Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) to Thunderbolt Adapter plus a Thunderbolt 2 cable (both sold separately) macOS® 10.12.6+ macOS Ventura compatible |
Windows Compatibility | Windows computer with Thunderbolt 4 or Thunderbolt 3(1) ports Windows 11 or 10 |
Linux Compatibility | Linux computer with Thunderbolt 4 or Thunderbolt 3 ports Linux Kernel 5.0+ |
PCIe Card Compatibility | For a list of compatible PCIe cards, see the following PDF |
Part Number | ECHO-1D-TB3 |
Warranty | 2-year |
Form Factor | Thunderbolt desktop enclosure |
External Connectors | One Thunderbolt port Power (C14-type) |
Internal Connector | 8-pin (6+2 pin) power connector; provides up to 150W of power for PCIe cards that require supplemental power) |
Expansion Slot | One x16 mechanical (x4 electrical, Thunderbolt 3 spec) PCIe 3.0 |
PCIe Card Supported | One full-length, full-height, single- or double-width PCIe card |
Power Supply | Universal 400W, 115-230V AC, 50-60 Hz(2) |
Operating Temperature | 0ºC to 35ºC (32ºF to 95ºF) |
Dimensions (WxDxH) | 3.5 x 16.7 x 9 in. (8.9 x 42.4 x 22.9 cm) |
Weight | 9.7 lbs (4.40 kg) |
Compliance | RoHS 3 (Directive 2015/863) IEC62368-1 and IEC62368-2 |
Package Contents | Echo I Desktop System Region-specific power cable for US, Australia, Europe, Japan, Switzerland, or UK Thunderbolt cable(3) ThunderLok 3 Thunderbolt connector retainer clip(4) Documentation |
Product Manual | PDF file |
Technical Notes |
|
Videos
-
Sonnet Echo III Desktop Thunderbolt 3 to PCIe Card Expansion System Product Overview - Update
Check it out: https://www.sonnettech.com/product/echo-3-deskto...
-
Thunderbolt 3 Cable Connection Security
This video illustrates how Thunderbolt 3 cables can connect se...
-
Why Sonnet’s High-Performance Pro Products Use Thunderbolt 3 Instead of Thunderbolt 4
In this video, Robert Farnsworth, Founder and CEO of Sonnet Te...
Compatibility
Mac Compatibility
Mac (M1, M2, M1 Pro, M1 Max, and M1 Ultra) with PCIe cards that have compatible drivers
Mac (Intel®) with Thunderbolt 3 ports
Mac (Intel) with a Thunderbolt 2 or Thunderbolt 1 port with an Apple Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) to Thunderbolt Adapter plus a Thunderbolt 2 cable (both sold separately)
macOS® 10.12.6+
macOS Ventura compatible
Windows Compatibility
Windows computer with Thunderbolt 4 or Thunderbolt 3(1) ports
Windows 11 or 10
Linux Compatibility
Linux computer with Thunderbolt 4 or Thunderbolt 3 ports
Linux Kernel 5.0+
PCIe Card Compatibility