Topic: USB3 PCI-e card recommendations?

Hi everyone,

I'm looking to get a new USB3 PCI-e card for my UFX+. I was using an ASUS AIC card but this has just packed up so I'm looking for a good alternative.

The USB3 ports on my mobo all give USB errors, despite being the Intel chipset that RME recommends.

I still have the bitcrusher audio issue with TB so looking at USB3 for now, until RME fix it.

The only success I had was with the Asus AIC so I'm looking for something similar bu that doesn't break after 6 months.

Thanks!

2 (edited by ramses 2018-09-20 14:13:57)

Re: USB3 PCI-e card recommendations?

This sonnet card

Sonnet USB3-PRO-4PM-E

https://www.heise.de/preisvergleich/son … 79334.html

BR Ramses - UFX III, 12Mic, XTC, ADI-2 Pro FS R BE, RayDAT, X10SRi-F, E5-1680v4, Win10Pro22H2, Cub13

Re: USB3 PCI-e card recommendations?

ramses wrote:

This sonnet card

Sonnet USB3-PRO-4PM-E

https://www.heise.de/preisvergleich/son … 79334.html

Thanks ramses!

I also came across this one which is half the price, do you think it would be any good as a cheaper alternative?

https://www.scan.co.uk/products/sonnet- … w-per-port

I'm not really sure what to look for, I just want something that doesn't give me the USB errors. The UFX+ seems to be very picky.

Re: USB3 PCI-e card recommendations?

Look for the chipset on the card: http://www.rme-audio.de/en/products/madiface_xt.php#8


Regards
Daniel Fuchs
RME

Regards
Daniel Fuchs
RME

Re: USB3 PCI-e card recommendations?

RME Support wrote:

Look for the chipset on the card: http://www.rme-audio.de/en/products/madiface_xt.php#8


Regards
Daniel Fuchs
RME

I get USB errors on my motherboards Intel based sockets but not on the Intel based ones from my add in card, so it seems very hit or miss even on the 'fully compatible' list.

It looks like both sonnet cards use 'Logic Fresco'.

Re: USB3 PCI-e card recommendations?

Do notice that the one Ramses advices need a PCIe 4X slot, your one needs a X1 slot.

Vincent, Amsterdam
https://soundcloud.com/thesecretworld
Babyface pro fs, HDSP9652+ADI-8AE, HDSP9632

Re: USB3 PCI-e card recommendations?

will_m wrote:
ramses wrote:

This sonnet card

Sonnet USB3-PRO-4PM-E

https://www.heise.de/preisvergleich/son … 79334.html

Thanks ramses!

I also came across this one which is half the price, do you think it would be any good as a cheaper alternative?

https://www.scan.co.uk/products/sonnet- … w-per-port

I'm not really sure what to look for, I just want something that doesn't give me the USB errors. The UFX+ seems to be very picky.

This card is the cheaper one with only ONE USB3 Fresco chip, which is shared between all 4 USB3 ports of the card.
This only requires a x1 socket as vinark tells.

If your mainboard has a x4 socket or x8 or x16 which doesnt impact the primary graphic card, then I would take the Pro version, as this one has 4x an USB3 Fresco chip mounted, so that each of the 4 USB3 connectors has a dedicated USB3 chipset. This is of course much better, as every of the port then can utilize the full USB3 bandwidth.

I have i.e. connected 2x UFX+ and one ADI-2 Pro to my system this way (Win7, Xeon E5-1650v3).

BR Ramses - UFX III, 12Mic, XTC, ADI-2 Pro FS R BE, RayDAT, X10SRi-F, E5-1680v4, Win10Pro22H2, Cub13

Re: USB3 PCI-e card recommendations?

ramses wrote:
will_m wrote:
ramses wrote:

This sonnet card

Sonnet USB3-PRO-4PM-E

https://www.heise.de/preisvergleich/son … 79334.html

Thanks ramses!

I also came across this one which is half the price, do you think it would be any good as a cheaper alternative?

https://www.scan.co.uk/products/sonnet- … w-per-port

I'm not really sure what to look for, I just want something that doesn't give me the USB errors. The UFX+ seems to be very picky.

This card is the cheaper one with only ONE USB3 Fresco chip, which is shared between all 4 USB3 ports of the card.
This only requires a x1 socket as vinark tells.

If your mainboard has a x4 socket or x8 or x16 which doesnt impact the primary graphic card, then I would take the Pro version, as this one has 4x an USB3 Fresco chip mounted, so that each of the 4 USB3 connectors has a dedicated USB3 chipset. This is of course much better, as every of the port then can utilize the full USB3 bandwidth.

I have i.e. connected 2x UFX+ and one ADI-2 Pro to my system this way (Win7, Xeon E5-1650v3).

Ah that's great thanks, I have both x1 and x16 slots available but will likely only use the one port for my UFX+. I have plenty of other USB3 ports for my other things.

Re: USB3 PCI-e card recommendations?

Thats always the question, buy something to the point or create reserves.

BR Ramses - UFX III, 12Mic, XTC, ADI-2 Pro FS R BE, RayDAT, X10SRi-F, E5-1680v4, Win10Pro22H2, Cub13

Re: USB3 PCI-e card recommendations?

So just a quick update, I went with the Sonnet. Happy to report all is working well, no USB errors like on the Intel ports.

Bad news is that apparently the Asus TB cards are now end of life, as there doesn't seem to be a replacement I'm stuck with no TB (not that my RME ever worked on TB anyway).

11 (edited by ramses 2018-09-28 05:47:00)

Re: USB3 PCI-e card recommendations?

Nice to hear that it works well.

And for what card did you decide finally ? If Win7, which driver version did you install ?

Regarding TB: I would write to Asus whether you can get a spare part from them or look on ebay and buy used.
Ask, whether you can use a TB card of another vendor (not sure, but an interesting question).

BR Ramses - UFX III, 12Mic, XTC, ADI-2 Pro FS R BE, RayDAT, X10SRi-F, E5-1680v4, Win10Pro22H2, Cub13

Re: USB3 PCI-e card recommendations?

ramses wrote:

Nice to hear that it works well.

And for what card did you decide finally ? If Win7, which driver version did you install ?

Regarding TB: I would write to Asus whether you can get a spare part from them or look on ebay and buy used.
Ask, whether you can use a TB card of another vendor (not sure, but an interesting question).

Cheers Ramses, I went for the Allegro as I'm not planning on having anything else important on the same card. I'm sure I'll regret this in a few years though.

I'm on Win 10 so drivers were automatic, install was really smooth.

TB: I've heard of people using the Gigabyte Alpine Ridge TB cards on Asus with success so I might try that. There are still Asus cards available from a few places but looking around online they seem to have a pretty high fail rate. Mine was only a few months old.

13 (edited by anotherzen 2018-09-29 20:39:23)

Re: USB3 PCI-e card recommendations?

I just want to say thanks for this thread as i was feeling lost and did not know what to do with my newly bought UFX II. I have Intel USB ports but they seem to be just as affected as the ASmedia USB ports. And of course they don't sell any Sonnet cards there in Norway, but saved by Amazon.co.uk smile

Not received the card yet, but i am confident it will solve the issue smile

Re: USB3 PCI-e card recommendations?

anotherzen wrote:

I just want to say thanks for this thread as i was feeling lost and did not know what to do with my newly bought UFX II. I have Intel USB ports but they seem to be just as affected as the ASmedia USB ports. And of course they don't sell any Sonnet cards there in Norway, but saved by Amazon.co.uk smile

Not received the card yet, but i am confident it will solve the issue smile

You're welcome, glad it's been useful. It is is strange with the Intel ports, they are listed as fully compatible but I can go from using the Intel ports with many USB errors to the Sonnet card and the errors disappear.

RME just seems extremely picky when it comes to working chipsets, which is not an issue I've had with previous interfaces.

I hope the Sonnet also fixes your issues.

Re: USB3 PCI-e card recommendations?

Sadly, i get the exact same issues on the Sonnet as i did on ASmedia and Intel USB controllers hmm