Sonnet Announces Industry-First Thunderbolt 5 PCIe Expansion Solutions for Latest Apple Silicon Mac Lineup

Designed for Apple’s new Mac Studio, MacBook Pro, and Mac mini; New Two-Slot, Dual Thunderbolt 5 Interface Expansion Systems Support Two Full-Size Cards and Deliver Up to 2x Performance of Previous-Generation Models

Available in Desktop and Rackmount Configurations or as a Standalone Upgrade to Sonnet Modular Expansion Systems

What’s New:
Sonnet Technologies today announced the launch of the Echo™ II DV Thunderbolt™ 5 Module, Echo II DV Thunderbolt 5 Desktop, Echo II DV Thunderbolt 5 Rackmount, and xMac Studio/Echo II DV Thunderbolt 5, the newest members of the company’s award-winning family of Thunderbolt to PCI Express® (PCIe®) card expansion systems. Each of these products enables the use of two high-performance, bandwidth-hungry PCIe cards at maximum performance at the same time with the new Mac Studio®, MacBook Pro® with M4 Pro and M4 Max, and Mac mini® with M4 Pro; and other computers equipped with Thunderbolt 5 ports, doubling the available PCIe bandwidth per slot (up to 6,000 MB/s) compared to previous generation Thunderbolt PCIe expansion chassis.

The Echo II DV Thunderbolt 5 Module is offered as an upgrade for use in Sonnet modular rackmount enclosures, as well as the Sonnet xMac Studio pro 3U rackmount and Thunderbolt expansion system for Apple® Mac Studio computers. The Echo II DV Thunderbolt 5 Desktop is an easy-to-transport, standalone expansion system, while the rackmount version is a 2U stand-alone expansion system with space for an additional expansion module. The xMac Studio/Echo II DV Thunderbolt 5 is a preconfigured system including the Echo II DV module.

What They Do:
The Echo II DV Thunderbolt 5 Module — the heart of all Echo II DV Thunderbolt 5 products — allows users to connect two PCIe cards to their computer with Thunderbolt 5. The module features two x16 PCIe 4.0 slots, each equipped with its own Thunderbolt interface; accommodates up-to full-height, full-length (up to 12.28 inches long) PCIe cards; and connects them to a computer’s Thunderbolt ports via two included Thunderbolt 5 (120Gbps) cables. The module integrates a universal 400W power supply and includes two 75W auxiliary power connectors for non-GPU cards that require extra power.

Why They’re Important:
Pro audio and video users often require specific interfaces to support the I/O, digital signal processing, video capture and playback needs of their workflow. Sonnet Echo II DV Thunderbolt 5 systems enable users to add these solutions to the computers with Thunderbolt 5 support favored by pro users, like the new Mac Studio®, MacBook Pro, and Mac mini. Sonnet Echo II DV expansion systems also enable users to save space and money by mounting two up-to full size PCIe cards, each supported through its own Thunderbolt interface, in a single transportable desktop or rackmount enclosure and connecting them to their computer through Thunderbolt cables. Additionally, using PCIe cards in a Sonnet expansion system gives pro users flexibility to easily connect and use these cards on different computers, great for shared workspaces like production studios.

How They’re Distincitve:
Mac® computers with M4 Pro, M4 Max, and M3 Ultra chips— including the latest Mac mini, MacBook Pro, and Mac Studio, and some pro PCs — have two or more 120Gbps Thunderbolt 5 ports, each providing 6,000 MB/s of PCIe bandwidth, that are perfect for connecting Thunderbolt to PCIe card expansion systems. Employing a separate Thunderbolt interface for each card slot, Echo II DV Thunderbolt 5 systems are equipped to provide full Thunderbolt PCIe bandwidth to each slot when connected to two computer Thunderbolt 5 ports that also have independent PCIe bandwidth. This design enables users to exploit two cards’ full potential performance at the same time, which is ideal for cards with high-bandwidth requirements such as DV I/O, NVMe SSD storage, and multiport 25Gb Ethernet adapters.

When You Can Get Them:
The new Sonnet products are expected to be available late Q2 and soon after from channel partners worldwide at the following suggested retail prices:

Where You Can See Them First:
Echo II DV Thunderbolt 5 products will be on display in Sonnet booth SL10016 at the 2025 NAB Show in Las Vegas, April 6–9.

More Context:
www.sonnettech.com/thunderbolt5/echo2dv-thunderbolt5-family.html | www.sonnettech.com

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About Sonnet Technologies
Sonnet Technologies Inc. is a leading provider of Thunderbolt® technology products and network, storage, and other interface cards under the SONNETTECH® brand for pro users in the audio, video, filmmaking, and broadcast industries. Sonnet’s array of Thunderbolt products includes a broad variety of docks, network interface and display adapters, and pro media readers, plus PCIe® card expansion systems that enable the use of pro audio I/O and DSP cards, pro video capture and transcoding cards, GPU cards, NVMe® SSD storage cards, and other high-performance PCIe cards with computers with Thunderbolt ports. Due to Sonnet’s Thunderbolt technology expertise, it has become a leading designer/manufacturer of ODM boards that enable the integration of Thunderbolt ports into third-party products. For nearly 40 years Sonnet has pioneered and brought to market numerous innovative and award-winning products that enhance the performance and connectivity of Mac®, Windows®, and Linux® computers. More information is available at www.sonnettech.com.

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