# What powered design USB3 hub are you using?



## river angler (Jul 10, 2020)

...with enough power to connect/power your external library/audio scratch SSDrives?

I've finally got to the point where my mid 2012 MacBook Pro's two USB3 ports are not enough as I need to connect a third software library external SSD!

Been researching this afternoon and have come across these models so far:

Anker 10 Port 60W Data Hub with 7 USB 3.0 Ports and 3 PowerIQ Charging Ports

Powered USB 3.0 Hub RSHTECH 10 Port USB 3.0 Data Hub Aluminum Portable Splitter with Individual On/Off Switches and 12V/3A Power Adapter

I will also be using the hub live on stage where as well as having my SSD drives I will be connecting a wireless device that operates at 2.4gHz and 2 x SoftStep pedal boards- hence my considering 10 port designs.

Any pit falls to watch out for or suggestions much appreciated!


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## Dr.Quest (Jul 10, 2020)

I have 2 Anker USB3 hubs, each a different model from the one you listed. Mine both have a consistent problem of not being able to use all the ports before there is not enough power. Or they drop connection at random times. I've not found anything to replace them so I wind up using both to divide the load.
The other you list I am not familiar with.


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## Kent (Jul 10, 2020)

Doesn’t that computer have a Thunderbolt port?


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## kilgurt (Jul 10, 2020)

Swissonic USB Hub - worth every penny!








Swissonic USB Hub 1916


Swissonic USB Hub 1916, USB 3.0 Hub und Ladestation, mit Netzschalter, Vorderseite: 1x USB 3.0 Typ B, 16x USB 3.0 Typ A mit Status-LED, Rückseite: 1x USB 2.0 Typ A, 19" 1 HE, Gewicht 3,52 kg




www.thomann.de


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## SupremeFist (Jul 10, 2020)

I have two of the 7-port version of the RSHTECH hub you link, they work great (and I like having the switches and blue lights).


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## river angler (Jul 10, 2020)

kmaster said:


> Doesn’t that computer have a Thunderbolt port?


Yes! it does and its already occupied! ..but maybe you hinting that I should be looking at a thunderbolt connected hub instead yes?...
Don't forget the mid 2012 Mac was the first one to have Thunderbolt hence it's Thunderbolt 1
However I admit I had overlooked this possibility!


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## river angler (Jul 10, 2020)

SupremeFist said:


> I have two of the 7-port version of the RSHTECH hub you link, they work great (and I like having the switches and blue lights).


Good to know! My main concern of course is SSD drive drop out. Whatever I plumb for I must be sure this isn't going to happen as its mainly for live sample playback on stage!


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## river angler (Jul 10, 2020)

Dr.Quest said:


> I have 2 Anker USB3 hubs, each a different model from the one you listed. Mine both have a consistent problem of not being able to use all the ports before there is not enough power. Or they drop connection at random times. I've not found anything to replace them so I wind up using both to divide the load.
> The other you list I am not familiar with.


Yes! I've read other horror stories about drop outs with this brand and others actually!


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## SupremeFist (Jul 10, 2020)

river angler said:


> Good to know! My main concern of course is SSD drive drop out. Whatever I plumb for I must be sure this isn't going to happen as its mainly for live sample playback on stage!


I run my SSD drives off them and haven't yet ever had a dropout, but anything can happen (and usually does live...)


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## Rasoul Morteza (Jul 10, 2020)

In general the way USB hubs (even onboard) are managed makes them quite unreliable. I have absolutely no idea if you can do this but if possible an eSATA connection would be reliable as it links a direct data flow to your system. G-technology offers drives with such connection, but then again you are on a Mac so I'm not sure if you can get the needed PCI-e adapter inside.


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## Alex Fraser (Jul 10, 2020)

river angler said:


> ...with enough power to connect/power your external library/audio scratch SSDrives?
> 
> I've finally got to the point where my mid 2012 MacBook Pro's two USB3 ports are not enough as I need to connect a third software library external SSD!
> 
> ...


I've got the exact Anker you listed. Been a great purchase, rock solid. Powers SSD, platters, keys and powers iDevices at the same time. Mine is daisy-chained off another USB hub connected to the MbP.


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## river angler (Jul 10, 2020)

kilgurt said:


> Swissonic USB Hub - worth every penny!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Thanks indeed for there link!


Alex Fraser said:


> I've got the exact Anker you listed. Been a great purchase, rock solid. Powers SSD, platters, keys and powers iDevices at the same time. Mine is daisy-chained off another USB hub connected to the MbP.


Thanks for chiming in Alex! Thats good to know.


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## river angler (Jul 10, 2020)

Rasoul Morteza said:


> In general the way USB hubs (even onboard) are managed makes them quite unreliable. I have absolutely no idea if you can do this but if possible an eSATA connection would be reliable as it links a direct data flow to your system. G-technology offers drives with such connection, but then again you are on a Mac so I'm not sure if you can get the needed PCI-e adapter inside.


No, not on a MacBook Pro unfortunately. As another poster mentioned I may look into running off the Thunderbolt port instead as an option. I already have the DVD port replaced with a second internal SSD and all ports are occupied including the firewire which feeds my MOTU Traveller Mk3. I've always been a little suspicious of hubs and the inevitable bottlenecking. I have a lot of sample data crunching going on in my live keyboard rig not to mention midi program change patches, aftertouch info etc being flung around to both hardware and software synths too! so have to be sure any kind of hub is sufficiently powerful to handle what would immediately be at least 6 ports in constant action!


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## Rasoul Morteza (Jul 10, 2020)

river angler said:


> No, not on a MacBook Pro unfortunately. As another poster mentioned I may look into running off the Thunderbolt port instead as an option. I already have the DVD port replaced with a second internal SSD and all ports are occupied including the firewire which feeds my MOTU Traveller Mk3. I've always been a little suspicious of hubs and the inevitable bottlenecking. I have a lot of sample data crunching going on in my live keyboard rig not to mention midi program change patches, aftertouch info etc being flung around to both hardware and software synths too! so have to be sure any kind of hub is sufficiently powerful to handle what would immediately be at least 6 ports in constant action!


Then I think the thunderbolt would be your best bet. Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but I also think it has a lower latency compared to USB 3? Because besides bandwidth what's quite important for our type of usage would be latency.

Cheers


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## river angler (Jul 10, 2020)

Rasoul Morteza said:


> Then I think the thunderbolt would be your best bet. Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but I also think it has a lower latency compared to USB 3? Because besides bandwidth what's quite important for our type of usage would be latency.
> 
> Cheers


Yes I've heard this before, thanks for reminding me!


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## classified_the_x (Jul 10, 2020)

you need a USB-C hub. I assume your mac has a USB-C port?

I have one from Wavlink. I also have 3.0 hubs from other brands but the thing with USB-C is that it can provide up to 100w to the port/hub. I heard of ppl running 6 drives in the unit I have from Wavlink.



https://www.wavlink.com/en_us/product/WL-UH3075C.html



note that it does not have USB-C ports, only 3.0, it just connects to the C

Thunderbolt might be an option if you don't have that port, but I'm not so informed about its power specs and such


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## river angler (Jul 10, 2020)

classified_the_x said:


> you need a USB-C hub. I assume your mac has a USB-C port?
> 
> I have one from Wavlink. I also have 3.0 hubs from other brands but the thing with USB-C is that it can provide up to 100w to the port/hub. I heard of ppl running 6 drives in the unit I have from Wavlink.
> 
> ...


No! mines a mid 2012 MBP with 1 x first generation thunderbolt port, 2 x usb 3.0, ethernet, FW800 and an SD card slot. I currently run 2 x old generation Lacie rugged 127GB SSD drives, one off the thunderbolt, the other off one of the USB3.0 ports which only leaves me with one USB3.0 !


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## classified_the_x (Jul 10, 2020)

the anker unit is ok, I have a 2.0 one and it seems stabler than Plugable for drives. but most of these units won't run more than 2 external hds imo, I get some instability and dropout. so solution would be bigger hd, to move things. I also am moving all my libraries to faster drives, I simply cannot work on sata or lower speeds any longer

edit: this unit from Wavlink is USB 3.0 and seems nice: https://www.wavlink.com/en_us/product/WL-UH3073P2.html

listed at 2.4A which would power 4 drives (5w each).


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## river angler (Jul 10, 2020)

classified_the_x said:


> the anker unit is ok, I have a 2.0 one and it seems stabler than Plugable for drives. but most of these units won't run more than 2 external hds imo, I get some instability and dropout. so solution would be bigger hd, to move things. I also am moving all my libraries to faster drives, I simply cannot work on sata or lower speeds any longer


I have all my libraries shared between a second internal 270GB SSD on my MBP and one of my Lacie SSD Ruggeds, the other Rugged drive is my audio scratch. I'm in serious need of another external SSD to house another library I want to accommodate plus it's high time I got a hub to accommodate simultaneous connection of my live rig peripherals


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## Dr.Quest (Jul 10, 2020)

river angler said:


> Yes! I've read other horror stories about drop outs with this brand and others actually!


I will note that it only seems to drop if they are sitting idle for some time. I don't think I've had drops when I was working. Still, it's annoying.


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## Drjay (Jul 11, 2020)

I am using the Elektron Overhub and I am pretty satisfied. I never discovered performance problems when using two SSDs, an audio interface or Elektron overbridge machines. Since (besides my SSDs) all my devices have a dedicated power supply, I had no need buying a power supply for the hub itself. It is said that it‘s hard to find an external power supply for this hub, so you should check the PSU availability upfront.


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## el-bo (Jul 11, 2020)

river angler said:


> Anker 10 Port 60W Data Hub with 7 USB 3.0 Ports and 3 PowerIQ Charging Ports



Bought an AmazonBasics hub, with the same spec. So far I've had over six years faultless use from it.


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