USB docking station

[Sedorikku]

Dear All,

 

Using a mac M1 equiped with only usb-c plugs, I am using a few different hubs in order to plug all my stuff (Arturia Minibrute 2, Komplete Kontrol M32, Behringer UMC1820, Novation Launchpad, 2 external HD, and one external display with HDMI).

It is a bit messy and one of my hubs keeps disconnecting my external HD as soon as I touch it, I am considering investing in a good docking station on which I could plug everything.

I guess it should have USB3 connections to minimise latency?

 

Does anyone have any recommendations? Which brand to check? Which model are you using?

 

Thanks for help!

[lookatthisguy]

You don't specify which Mac you're using, but you want (a) Thunderbolt dock(s), not just USB-C/USB3. CalDigit or OWC would be my recommendations for brands.

[Sedorikku]

You don't specify which Mac you're using, but you want (a) Thunderbolt dock(s), not just USB-C/USB3. CalDigit or OWC would be my recommendations for brands.

 

 

Thanks for answer,

 

I am using an Imac 24 inch, M1, 2021, with Thunderbolt 4, so yes I guess a thunderbolt dock would be the solution.

 

Any other advice?

[dickie_uk]

My only other comment is be wary of TB3 vs TB4. There is a long running thread on Macrumors (and I experienced it myself) , that TB4 implements protocol tunneling for buses. From my understanding this means regardless of the end device, the hub appears transparent and it should connect at native speed to the originating port.

 

This isn't an issue for regular USB devices (even high-speed audio interfaces) as they don't tend to push higher than USB2 speeds (480Mbps - as an example for my MOTU M2). However this does appear to be causing problems for USB3.1 devices connecting at full speed to the host - no matter what I tried with a TB4 hub or direct to the MacBook, including engineering support calls with Apple, I couldn't get it to connect at anything higher than 5Gbp/s).

As TB3 does not use protocol tunneling, it seems it operates as a regular hub, connects downstream to the host at thunderbolt speeds (40Gb/s) and then independently manages the port protocol and speeds with the peripherals at their appropriate native speed.

 

As soon as a put in a TB3 Hub everything works at full connection speed 10Gbp/s to my USB3.1 drives (per the previous answer, the Caldigit TS3 Plus ones are great. I got an Amazon Basics TB3 hub that does for what I need). Ideally I'd recommend connecting the display via DisplayPort, or you might need a usb-HDMI adapter for the monitor.

 

TL:DR; I don't think any will be a bad choice for your instruments and control surfaces, but for your external HDD you might want to consider a TB3 hub instead (unless you have a rare native TB4 HDD). More than enough throughput for your devices, and probably cheaper that the TB4 variants today.

[Sedorikku]

My only other comment is be wary of TB3 vs TB4. There is a long running thread on Macrumors (and I experienced it myself) , that TB4 implements protocol tunneling for buses. From my understanding this means regardless of the end device, the hub appears transparent and it should connect at native speed to the originating port.

 

This isn't an issue for regular USB devices (even high-speed audio interfaces) as they don't tend to push higher than USB2 speeds (480Mbps - as an example for my MOTU M2). However this does appear to be causing problems for USB3.1 devices connecting at full speed to the host - no matter what I tried with a TB4 hub or direct to the MacBook, including engineering support calls with Apple, I couldn't get it to connect at anything higher than 5Gbp/s).

As TB3 does not use protocol tunneling, it seems it operates as a regular hub, connects downstream to the host at thunderbolt speeds (40Gb/s) and then independently manages the port protocol and speeds with the peripherals at their appropriate native speed.

 

As soon as a put in a TB3 Hub everything works at full connection speed 10Gbp/s to my USB3.1 drives (per the previous answer, the Caldigit TS3 Plus ones are great. I got an Amazon Basics TB3 hub that does for what I need). Ideally I'd recommend connecting the display via DisplayPort, or you might need a usb-HDMI adapter for the monitor.

 

TL:DR; I don't think any will be a bad choice for your instruments and control surfaces, but for your external HDD you might want to consider a TB3 hub instead (unless you have a rare native TB4 HDD). More than enough throughput for your devices, and probably cheaper that the TB4 variants today.

 

 

Hi dickie_uk,

 

Thank you for answer and advices, I think I will fo for a TB3 then.

 

Cheers!