1 Topic by Redcliff (edited by Redcliff 2024-01-20 22:47:51)

  • Registered: 2023-01-11
  • Posts: 9

Topic: External Laptop solution for interfacing MADI FX PCIe with M.2 NVME?

I am getting ready to move my studio and upgrade some things. I have been using RME MADI for many years, first PCI and switching to a PCIe MADI FX around 2012-2013 some time.

My PCIe FX is currently housed in a Netstor Turbo Box PCIe>PCIe three slot expansion chassis. I have a 2021 MSI GE75 Raider gaming laptop that is currently working well for me with a Babyface pro and as I was exploring my options here for PCIe expansion yesterday, a discovery I saw on a thread I can't find now sent me down a rabbit hole. It was related to TB to PCIe expansion chassis' and one memberr here mentioned that he was successfully interfacing a Lenovo Legion Boost Station eGPU interface with a RayDat. The wheels in my head started turning.

There are many eGPU expansion products for laptops that interface with both the mini PCIe wireless LAN connector of a laptop and also some that interface with the internal M.2 NVME slot(s). I have built some pretty involved workstation scenarios in my life and this one seems a bit too easy to be true but, "in theory" I see no reason why it wouldn't be possible to interface a MADI PCIe card or RayDat with a laptop in this manner. In a perfect world, interfacing the PCIe host card of the NetStor Turbo Box would be possible?

Any thoughts, experiences and/or feedback would be appreciated.

MADI FX M-32ADDA M-16DA ADI-8QSM x 2 ADI 648 ADI-8 192 ADI-8 DD x 2 ADI-8 DS x 4 Babyface Pro ADI 2
  • TomVY
  • AD/DA expert
  • Offline
  • Registered: 2023-05-16
  • Posts: 61

Re: External Laptop solution for interfacing MADI FX PCIe with M.2 NVME?

I'm probably not as knowledgeable as you on the different interface types and stuff, but I use an Alienware M15 laptop with a Babyface Pro FS that I just bought. You can buy a graphics amplifier for this laptop, but that only works with graphics cards. For connecting a rme Madi pcie, I would buy a Sonnet thunderbolt expansion chassis. Is that not what you need? I currently use a Sonnet thunderbolt to expresscard, which I use with a UAD 2 laptop card. It's a great setup, as I can run UAD, Babyface etc all without even needing to plug the laptop or any of the peripherals into a power socket. Although I usually have the laptop plugged in anyway. But it's neat. So I might be suggesting what you already know, but TB to pcie would be your only option wouldn't it?

3 Reply by ramses (edited by ramses 2024-01-21 10:28:31)

  • ramses
  • DAW Mastermind
  • Offline
  • From: UTC+1
  • Registered: 2012-10-14
  • Posts: 12,095

Re: External Laptop solution for interfacing MADI FX PCIe with M.2 NVME?

TomVY wrote:

I'm probably not as knowledgeable as you on the different interface types and stuff, but I use an Alienware M15 laptop with a Babyface Pro FS that I just bought. You can buy a graphics amplifier for this laptop, but that only works with graphics cards. For connecting a rme Madi pcie, I would buy a Sonnet thunderbolt expansion chassis. Is that not what you need? I currently use a Sonnet thunderbolt to expresscard, which I use with a UAD 2 laptop card. It's a great setup, as I can run UAD, Babyface etc all without even needing to plug the laptop or any of the peripherals into a power socket. Although I usually have the laptop plugged in anyway. But it's neat. So I might be suggesting what you already know, but TB to pcie would be your only option wouldn't it?

Do you have perhaps some product links to illustrate the "foundation" of your setup?
What products are "Thunderbolt to express card" or "UAD to laptop card" which you mention here?

Because the setup is not fully clear to me, I also cannot understand what you mean by this:
"It's a great setup, as I can run UAD, Babyface etc all without even needing to plug the laptop or any of the peripherals into a power socket."

Not sure whether you have time to post the details, many thanks upfront.

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

4 Reply by Redcliff (edited by Redcliff 2024-01-21 15:00:22)

  • Registered: 2023-01-11
  • Posts: 9

Re: External Laptop solution for interfacing MADI FX PCIe with M.2 NVME?

TomVY wrote:

I'm probably not as knowledgeable as you on the different interface types and stuff, but I use an Alienware M15 laptop with a Babyface Pro FS that I just bought. You can buy a graphics amplifier for this laptop, but that only works with graphics cards. For connecting a rme Madi pcie, I would buy a Sonnet thunderbolt expansion chassis. Is that not what you need? I currently use a Sonnet thunderbolt to expresscard, which I use with a UAD 2 laptop card. It's a great setup, as I can run UAD, Babyface etc all without even needing to plug the laptop or any of the peripherals into a power socket. Although I usually have the laptop plugged in anyway. But it's neat. So I might be suggesting what you already know, but TB to pcie would be your only option wouldn't it?

The MSI laptop that is working well with my Babyface Pro is interfacing via USB. It does not have Thunderbolt connectivity. It does have USB 3.1 gen 1 but does not support Thunderbolt. My purpose would be a workaround to avoid needing to use TB to interface a PCIe expansion chassis. As far as product links are concerned, Yes, I do have a few but I’m not really sure that filling up this thread with a bunch of hyperlinks would be acceptable.

MADI FX M-32ADDA M-16DA ADI-8QSM x 2 ADI 648 ADI-8 192 ADI-8 DD x 2 ADI-8 DS x 4 Babyface Pro ADI 2
  • TomVY
  • AD/DA expert
  • Offline
  • Registered: 2023-05-16
  • Posts: 61

Re: External Laptop solution for interfacing MADI FX PCIe with M.2 NVME?

I'm using this Sonnet expresscard reader:
https://www.sonnettech.com/product/echo … rbolt.html
There's a pro and non-pro model. I have the non-pro, which works as well for what I use it for.
It connects using an Apple tb2 -> tb2 0.5m cable:
https://www.apple.com/uk/shop/product/M … -05m-white
Then that goes into a Startech tb2 -> tb3 adapter:
https://www.startech.com/en-gb/usb-hubs/tbt3tbtadap
I have to use older 'legacy' tb drivers on my laptop for it to work. But this allows a uad-2 expresscard to work with tb3 port.
Rme Babyface Pro FS is connected by usb. Just bought that recently.

If you don't have a tb port you might be stuck for connecting a pcie card to it. Usb won't work. If you need Madi, there's the madiface.

6 Reply by Redcliff (edited by Redcliff 2024-01-21 22:33:36)

  • Registered: 2023-01-11
  • Posts: 9

Re: External Laptop solution for interfacing MADI FX PCIe with M.2 NVME?

Honestly, my thinking is that it may be time to migrate to a UCX + or UCX III. One MADI, an ADAT and a pair of AES would accommodate my entire working I/O setup at this time and add a few extra. That said, the fact that a member here has a RATDAT working in a Lenovo eGPU expansion chassis makes me think that an eGPU expansion chassis actually would work and that rather than the M.2 NVME, stay with the PCIe protocall and use the mini PCIe header that is using the wireless LAN card. I can use the RJ 45 pt on the laptop for internet connectivity. The link below describes the setup.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PJabK8TfyOA

Below this is a video describing the implementation of the same basic modification using an M.2 NVME header along with the explanation of the BIOS tweak.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J3OV9W1wQig&t=338s

This would be the m.2 NVME card, extension cable and the PCIe backplane.
https://www.newegg.com/p/17Z-00SW-00024 … MKHJ946400

……and this power supply should be more than enough to work to ensure that the experimental RayDat which appears to be PCIe x4 blade (and eventually the MADI FX PCIe) had adequate voltage.
https://www.atxpowersupplies.com/200-wa … 00W-SL.php

I know exactly where the internal headers are located for both the PCIe LAN and M.2 NVME in my laptop. It would be a pretty simple process.

MADI FX M-32ADDA M-16DA ADI-8QSM x 2 ADI 648 ADI-8 192 ADI-8 DD x 2 ADI-8 DS x 4 Babyface Pro ADI 2

7 Reply by TomVY (edited by TomVY 2024-01-22 09:59:50)

  • TomVY
  • AD/DA expert
  • Offline
  • Registered: 2023-05-16
  • Posts: 61

Re: External Laptop solution for interfacing MADI FX PCIe with M.2 NVME?

If your laptop breaks, you'll have things you probably won't use with a new laptop. Also a risk it might not work. I would go the ucx route. I'm curious, what do you use the Madi for?

Edit: I think you mean ufx, not ucx?

  • Registered: 2023-01-11
  • Posts: 9

Re: External Laptop solution for interfacing MADI FX PCIe with M.2 NVME?

TomVY wrote:

If your laptop breaks, you'll have things you probably won't use with a new laptop. Also a risk it might not work. I would go the ucx route. I'm curious, what do you use the Madi for?

Edit: I think you mean ufx, not ucx?

Yes. UFX+.

MADI FX M-32ADDA M-16DA ADI-8QSM x 2 ADI 648 ADI-8 192 ADI-8 DD x 2 ADI-8 DS x 4 Babyface Pro ADI 2