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.

The Thunderbolt Connection

Plugged into one of your computer’s Thunderbolt 4 or Thunderbolt 3 ports, the Echo I Desktop system enables you to connect one professional PCIe 4.0, 3.0, 2.0, or 1.1 PCIe card to add ports and capabilities your computer lacks.

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 compatibility list that identifies cards conforming to Thunderbolt technology requirements, and organized by fit and power compatibility with specific expansion systems.

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.

40Gbps Thunderbolt

Fastest External Interface Available

The Echo I Desktop features a 40Gbps Thunderbolt interface that delivers up to 2800 MB/s of PCIe bandwidth, enabling it to support 4K video capture and processing cards at high frame rates, audio DSPs, and 25GbE and dual-port 10GbE network cards at full performance.

Compatible with Thunderbolt 4 Computers and Apple M1 and M2 Series

Echo I Desktop is fully compatible with Thunderbolt 4 computers. Sonnet Thunderbolt expansion systems are purposely designed with a Thunderbolt 3 controller and its four lanes of PCIe (not available in a Thunderbolt 4 peripheral) to achieve maximum simultaneous ingest speeds. Learn more about the performance benefits of Thunderbolt 3 over Thunderbolt 4.

Part Number	ECHO-1D-TB3
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
Operating Temperature	0°C to 35°C (32°F to 95°F)
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