OWC Enclosure
Moderator: James Steele
OWC Enclosure
Is there any difference between a $97 USB 3.0 3.5"SATA single enclosure, and a $21 Airlink (Or others at that price)? I do know my current OWC has been working fine for three years so that's one point in it's favor. I saw a test on four cheap ones and they all worked at the same speed, but that doesn't say how solid they are.
iMac 27" 4.2 GHz i7 1TB SSD. 40 GB RAM. Apogee One.
Re: OWC Enclosure
Personally I like the OWCs very much and find them very high quality. You can find them even cheaper in open box or refurb. OWC also runs frequent sales on items like these.
I would imagine that the power supplies and/or regulator quality would be the determining factor.
I would imagine that the power supplies and/or regulator quality would be the determining factor.
828x MacOS 13.6.6 M1 Studio Max 1TB 64G DP11.31
Re: OWC Enclosure
I don't have any OWC enclosures, but I have other things from them, and have no doubt all their stuff is very good, and peace of mind is worth a lot. I have to assume the cheaper enclosures have less robust power supplies and may be compatible with fewer drives and OS versions.
I used to buy $100 enclosures from ICE, but recently, I've bought three of these for $24.95 each
http://www.ncix.com/detail/mediasonic-p ... -64231.htm
and had no problems with them over 18 months. I use one for DP project backup on my audio Mac, one is used as a media server on a TV, and one is connected to an Airport Extreme and is used to back up three other Macs via wifi and Time Machine. They're quiet, and work with USB 2 or 3. I guess if I dropped them on a hard floor, they'd break, but they don't get moved around.
By contrast, I bought a LaCie FW external and a Iomega USB external both sold through the Apple retail store at the usual Apple prices. Both are a PITA. The Lacie won't mount reliably at startup, and the Iomega insists on spinning down and takes forever to wake up when I want it.
I'm reluctant to recommend cheap stuff, but the cheap stuff from Mediasonic has worked for me.
I used to buy $100 enclosures from ICE, but recently, I've bought three of these for $24.95 each
http://www.ncix.com/detail/mediasonic-p ... -64231.htm
and had no problems with them over 18 months. I use one for DP project backup on my audio Mac, one is used as a media server on a TV, and one is connected to an Airport Extreme and is used to back up three other Macs via wifi and Time Machine. They're quiet, and work with USB 2 or 3. I guess if I dropped them on a hard floor, they'd break, but they don't get moved around.
By contrast, I bought a LaCie FW external and a Iomega USB external both sold through the Apple retail store at the usual Apple prices. Both are a PITA. The Lacie won't mount reliably at startup, and the Iomega insists on spinning down and takes forever to wake up when I want it.
I'm reluctant to recommend cheap stuff, but the cheap stuff from Mediasonic has worked for me.
2018 Mini i7 32G 10.14.6, DP 11.3, Mixbus 9, Logic 10.5, Scarlett 18i8
- FMiguelez
- Posts: 8266
- Joined: Sun Oct 24, 2004 10:01 pm
- Primary DAW OS: MacOS
- Location: Body: Narco-México Soul/Heart: NYC
Re: OWC Enclosure
I have different kinds, but this is by far my favorite. It supports different HD sizes, and you can use it with SSDs as well.
Like a bread toaster.... Just pop your drives in!
http://eshop.macsales.com/shop/NewerTec ... Drive_Dock
Like a bread toaster.... Just pop your drives in!
http://eshop.macsales.com/shop/NewerTec ... Drive_Dock
Mac Mini Server i7 2.66 GHs/16 GB RAM / OSX 10.14 / DP 9.52
Tascam DM-24, MOTU Track 16, all Spectrasonics' stuff,
Vienna Instruments SUPER PACKAGE, Waves Mercury, slaved iMac and Mac Minis running VEP 7, etc.
---------------------------
"In physics the truth is rarely perfectly clear, and that is certainly universally the case in human affairs. Hence, what is not surrounded by uncertainty cannot be the truth." ― Richard Feynman
Tascam DM-24, MOTU Track 16, all Spectrasonics' stuff,
Vienna Instruments SUPER PACKAGE, Waves Mercury, slaved iMac and Mac Minis running VEP 7, etc.
---------------------------
"In physics the truth is rarely perfectly clear, and that is certainly universally the case in human affairs. Hence, what is not surrounded by uncertainty cannot be the truth." ― Richard Feynman
Re: OWC Enclosure
+1. I own several which I use via eSata card in my MacPro. One has a sample library SSD. Drives run quiet and cool.FMiguelez wrote:I have different kinds, but this is by far my favorite. It supports different HD sizes, and you can use it with SSDs as well.
Like a bread toaster.... Just pop your drives in!
http://eshop.macsales.com/shop/NewerTec ... Drive_Dock
Frank Ferrucci
Frank Ferrucci
http://www.ferruccimusic.com
Mac Pro 6,1 64gb RAM DP9.52 OSX 10.12.6 MIO 2882d & ULN2d Firewire Audio Interfaces, MOTU MTP-AV USB
http://www.ferruccimusic.com
Mac Pro 6,1 64gb RAM DP9.52 OSX 10.12.6 MIO 2882d & ULN2d Firewire Audio Interfaces, MOTU MTP-AV USB
- mikehalloran
- Posts: 15232
- Joined: Sun Jan 25, 2009 5:08 pm
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- Location: Sillie Con Valley
Re: OWC Enclosure
It depends, I suppose. The ones from OWC are good, I've had few problems with the generics I bought from my local Fry's.
DP 11.31; 828mkII FW, micro lite, M4, MTP/AV USB Firmware 2.0.1
2023 Mac Studio M2 8TB, 192GB RAM, OS Sonoma 14.4.1, USB4 8TB external, M-Audio AIR 192|14, Mackie ProFxv3 6/10/12; 2012 MBPs Catalina, Mojave
IK-NI-Izotope-PSP-Garritan-Antares, LogicPro X, Finale 27.4, Dorico 5.2, Notion 6, Overture 5, TwistedWave, DSP-Q 5, SmartScore64 Pro, Toast 20 Pro
2023 Mac Studio M2 8TB, 192GB RAM, OS Sonoma 14.4.1, USB4 8TB external, M-Audio AIR 192|14, Mackie ProFxv3 6/10/12; 2012 MBPs Catalina, Mojave
IK-NI-Izotope-PSP-Garritan-Antares, LogicPro X, Finale 27.4, Dorico 5.2, Notion 6, Overture 5, TwistedWave, DSP-Q 5, SmartScore64 Pro, Toast 20 Pro
Re: OWC Enclosure
I picked up a four bay swappable drive enclosure from OWC a couple of months ago, and it is excellent.
MacPro5,1 2012, six core 2 x 3.06, 10.12.5, Digital Performer 9.13, 40 gb ram, 828mkIII, 2408 mkII, MTP AV, Logic Pro X 10.3.1, Studio One v 3.2, Pro Tools 12.7.1