Create a desktop broadcast studio with the Sonnet Echo II DV Desktop Thunderbolt 3 Dockfrom Sonnet. Designed for Windows, Mac, and Linux systems that lack available PCIe slots, its dual PCIe 3.0 x16 slots let you simultaneously connect two full-height, full-length PCIe cards using two cables. Each slot has its own Thunderbolt interface and supports bandwidth-hungry, non-GPU I/O cards, such as the AJA Kona 5 and Blackmagic DeckLink 4K Extreme 12G. Connectivity to your host system is achieved using dual 40 Gb/s Thunderbolt 3 ports, with data transfers that reach as high as 3000 MB/s with Thunderbolt 4 and 2570 MB/s with Thunderbolt 3. Power is provided by an integrated 400W PSU with dual 75W auxiliary connectors and operations are kept cool using dual variable-speed Noctua fans. For greater ease of use, the Echo II will turn on and off with your host system.

Thunderbolt to PCIe Card Expansion    Supports Full-Height, Full-Length Cards    Supports Non-GPU Cards    2 x PCIe 3.0 x16 Slots    2 x Thunderbolt 3 Ports    Data Transfers up to 3000 MB/s    Powers On and Off Automatically    Built-In 400W Power Supply    Dual Cooling Fans    Windows, Mac, and Linux Compatible

For creative pros in the audio and video broadcasting industries, using high-performance notebooks, compact desktops, and all-in-one computers require multiple I/O ports. While these Mac, Windows, and Linux computers include high-performance Thunderbolt 4 or Thunderbolt 3 ports, they lack PCIe expansion slots to install specialty cards with dedicated bandwidth to each card.

Computers such as the Mac Studio and other M Series Mac computers feature powerful Thunderbolt/USB4 ports, each individually driven by their own dedicated Thunderbolt bus. To harness this dedicated power, Sonnet has a creative solution - the Echo II DV Desktop - a professional Thunderbolt to PCIe card expansion system that enables you to connect two (up to) full-length (12.28" long) PCIe cards at the same time, via two cables. The Echo II DV Module exploits your computer's full potential, connecting two PCIe 3.0 card slots - each with its own Thunderbolt interface - for you to install two bandwidth-hungry DV I/O cards in one enclosure.

Note: For maximum performance with more than one bandwidth-hungry PCIe card, such as the DeckLink 8K, this product requires connection to two Thunderbolt ports on your computer.

When your computer has only one Thunderbolt port, you can still use Echo II DV Desktop. Because each PCIe card slot is supported by its own Thunderbolt interface with two Thunderbolt ports, you can take advantage of Thunderbolt's daisy-chaining feature. Simply connect one Thunderbolt interface to the other using one of the two supplied Thunderbolt cables, and use the other cable to connect to the computer.

• Thunderbolt rackmount expansion system for power-hungry AV I/O cards
• Supports two full-height, full-length PCIe cards, each at full bandwidth
• Two x16 PCIe 3.0 slots
• Up to double the bandwidth for double the video channels
• Supports most single-width Thunderbolt-compatible non-GPU card

• Built-in 400W power supply with dual 75W auxiliary power connectors
• Supports power-hungry, non-GPU cards, such as the AJA Kona 5 and Blackmagic DeckLink 4K Extreme 12G PCIe cards
• Powers on and off automatically with your connected computer

• Dual Noctua fans offer quiet operations
• Temperature controlled and variable speed
• Rated at 17 dBA

• Two Thunderbolt 3 ports, reserved for host computer connectivity
• Independent Thunderbolt connection to each card slot
• 40 Gb/s Thunderbolt interface offers 3000 MB/s of PCIe bandwidth with Thunderbolt 4 computers and 2750 MB/s with Thunderbolt 3 computers
• Compatible with Apple M Series and Intel Thunderbolt 4 and Thunderbolt 3 computers
• Two Thunderbolt cables included
• Two ThunderLok 3 Thunderbolt Connector Retainer Clips included

• Mac (M series) with PCIe cards that have compatible drivers
• Mac (Intel) with Thunderbolt 3 ports
• macOS 10.12.6+
• macOS Sonoma compatible

• Windows computer with Thunderbolt 4 ports
• Windows computer with Thunderbolt 3 ports
• Windows 11 22H2 built 22621.819 and newer
• Windows 10

• Linux computer with Thunderbolt 4 ports
• Linux computer with Thunderbolt 3 ports
• Linux Kernel 5.4+

• Echo II DV Rackmount features dual Thunderbolt interfaces and, for best performance with PCIe cards with high bandwidth requirements, must be connected to two Thunderbolt ports on your computer. Depending on the PC manufacturer, some computers with Thunderbolt 4 ports support each port with its own bus, or may divide bandwidth of a Thunderbolt 4 bus between two ports.
• While the Echo II DV Rackmount features dual 40 Gb/s Thunderbolt interfaces, some Windows computers equipped with Thunderbolt 3 use an PCIe x2 lane implementation of Thunderbolt 3 technology that limits PCIe performance to 20 Gb/s.

Related Questions and Answers

Q: 1. Will a DeckLink 8K Pro G2 PCIe card with the HDMI daughter card fit in this? And if so, will it leave one slot open for use?

A: Yes, the Blackmagic Design DeckLink 8K Pro G2 Capture Card would fit inside the Sonnet Echo III Thunderbolt 3 to PCIe Card Rackmount Expansion System, and you should be left with one open slot to use.

Q: 2. "It's also backward compatible with Thunderbolt 2 and Thunderbolt Macs when used with an adapter." Question is what adaptor will connect my 2013 MBA to this dock?

A: Because the device is self powered, Yes, it will work with a Thunderbolt 3 to Thunderbolt 2 adapter.

Q: 3. Does this take PCIe cards?

A: Yes, the Sonnet Echo III Thunderbolt 3 to PCIe Card Rackmount Expansion System has one PCIe 3.0 x16 slot and two PCIe 3.0 x8 slots.

Q: 4. Besides rack mount, how is this different from Sonnet Echo Express SE?

A: As far as the software and capabilities, the two models are very similar.

Q: 5. What are the audio specifications for the Sonnet Echo 11?

A: The Sonnet Echo 11 Thunderbolt 4 Dock has 1 x 1/8" / 3.5 mm Headphone/Microphone Combo Jack.

Q: 6. Will M.2 drives with heatsinks fit in the enclosure? (Such as the Corsair MP600 PRO LPX M.2 2280 4TB)

A: Although the Sonnet Echo Dual NVMe Thunderbolt Dock can be used with drives that have heatsinks, they must be no more than 11mm tall and 24mm wide.

Q: 7. How would you create a raid with this? Does it come with the software or firmware to do so? How does that work?

A: Regarding the Sonnet Echo Dual NVMe Thunderbolt Dock, the manual explains how to put the drives in a RAID array on page 8: https://bhpho.to/3MzpZw1.

Q: 8. Can you send one PCIe card/slot to one computer, and the second to another computer?

A: The Sonnet Echo III Thunderbolt 3 to PCIe Card Rackmount Expansion System can only connect to one computer at a time; the second Thunderbolt 3 port is for daisy-chaining additional Thunderbolt devices.

Q: 9. This dock is labelled a Thunderbolt 4x1 dock, but specs state Thunderbolt 3? Which does it have?

A: The Sonnet Echo Dual NVMe Thunderbolt Dock BH #SOECHODK2M2T is a Thunderbolt 3 dock.

Q: 10. Can this device be bus-powered?

A: The Sonnet Echo Dual NVMe Thunderbolt Dock, B&H # SOECHODK2M2T, does not support being powered over Thunderbolt. The only way to power it is with the included AC adapter.