Anyone using Thunderbolt docks with MOTU gear?

[TinenTech]

I had an issue in the studio last week with my MBP. Its connectors are a little cramped, when you have a USB3 drive, a Thunderbolt-to-VGA display, and a FW800 cable connected to MOTU interfaces at the same time.

I was wondering whether I could replace all this with a single Thunderbolt dock like this:

https://eshop.macsales.com/item/OWC/TB2DOCK12P/

Has anyone out there tried this?

I imagine the drivers might go haywire, especially if you were using a USB interface and a FW interface simultaneously. (I don't do that now, but in the future, my original Traveler will become a "legacy" device to some future Mac.) Add the possibility of using an AVB interface through the dock's Ethernet port and it could be really useful, if it works...

[mikehalloran]

I am surprised to read this is not Core Compliant and requires drivers for USB 1.1 devices (Apple keyboard, SuperDrive etc.). I don't see that the drivers do anything else. Btw, many MOTU devices are USB 1.1 including my MTP AV and most other MIDI boxes.

In that case, a USB 2 hub might be in order for those. There are other threads on hubs that don't have sleep issues with newer Macs (many do).

Otherwise, there are people here using it or the older version.

[artfarm1]

I'm using the OWC Thunderbolt 2 with my 2011 MacBook Pro for when I'm away from my main computer setup and want to or need to work outside the studio.

It works great, being able to plug some SSD drives with the duplicate sampler libraries into the USB 3 ports running into the computer through the Thunderbolt.

All the extra ports are great to have with a laptop.

And, if this 2011 MacBook Pro ever completely dies on me, I'll be ready with Thunderbolt connection and can stay with a portable setup with any of the new Macs (... or, god forbid, a PC setup if Apple continues to water-down their computers!)