At this week’s National Association of Broadcasts (NAB) event, Sonnet announced the Echo Express III-D desktop and Echo Express III-R rackmount Thunderbolt-to-PCI Express Expansion Chassis, the newest members of the company’s Echo family of Thunderbolt expansion chassis for PCIe cards.
Featuring three PCIe slots, a 300W power supply, and 75W auxiliary power connector, both new Thunderbolt-to-PCIe expansion chassis enable the use of a wide variety of high-performance PCI Express cards — originally designed for use in desktop computers — with any Mac with a Thunderbolt port. These Sonnet products support every Thunderbolt-compatible PCIe card available.
Both the Echo Express III-D desktop and Echo Express III-R rackmount chassis feature dual Thunderbolt ports to support daisy-chaining of devices, and are designed for users needing the optimum solution for connecting three PCIe cards to their computer. Each new chassis supports up to three full-length, full-height, single-width PCIe 2.0 cards with one x16 and two x8 PCIe slots.
The III-D is suited for use in most workflows and small enough to fit in many travel bags. The III-R mounts in a 2U tall (3.5 inches) rack space, and its enclosure is just 15.75 inches deep. Utilizing the optional Echo Express III-R Mobile Rack Kit, users can install two 5.25-inch form factor mobile rack devices in the III-R’s enclosure.
Each new Echo chassis 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 new RED ROCKET-X. They sport two large,, temperature-controlled, variable-speed fans and airflow management.
The Echo Express III-D has a suggested retail price of US$979. The Echo Express III-R ) has a suggested retail price of $1,199. The Echo Express III-R Mobile Rack Kit has a suggested retail price of $149.95. All are expected to be available in August 2013. More information on the products is available at www.sonnettech.com/product/echoexpressiii.html .