Pro Mixer and Producer Peter McCabe Leverages Sonnet Thunderbolt-to-PCIe Card Expansion

Renowned photographer, sound mixer and music producer Peter McCabe has chosen Sonnet Technologies, Inc.‘ Echo Express III-D Thunderbolt-to-PCIe expansion chassis to provide Thunderbolt connectivity to PCIe cards that can support both Mac- and PC-based workflows.

The Echo Express III-D supports virtually every aspect of McCabe’s business, housing up to three professional video capture, audio interface, storage, or other types of PCIe cards and connecting them to any Mac or PC with a Thunderbolt port.

Based in the greater Los Angeles area, Peter McCabe has distinguished himself in many forms of digital media. His still photography spans a variety of subjects including fashion, commercial, portraits, landscape, music, and architecture. As a music producer and sound mixer, he has recorded and mixed more than 100 platinum and gold artists for some of the biggest names in the music business, including Willie Nelson, BB King, Sean ‘Puffy’ Combs, and Kiss. He also provides audio mastering for Focus@Will Labs, Inc., an online music streaming service that is scientifically optimized to boost concentration and focus.

“Technology is a vital thread that runs through everything I do. Ongoing technology advances have allowed me to create synergy between my audio, video, and photography work. Having a faster and more fluid workflow between my Mac and HP Z840 helps me be a better storyteller; now I have more options on how I integrate with clients,” McCabe said. “The Echo Express III-D is a great example because it allows me to bridge the gap between my Windows PC, which has become a critical player in my work, and important Mac-centric tools and software upon which I still rely heavily. The Echo Express also brings me big cost savings since I don’t have to buy two sets of cards, one for each computer.“

In a typical workflow, McCabe is able to install up to three PCIe cards, such as Avid Pro Tools HDX or Blackmagic Design DeckLink cards, in the desktop Echo Express chassis. He can then access the cards from either his high-end HP Z840 workstation PC or his MacBook Pro computer, by switching and reconnecting Thunderbolt cables.

“Peter is a true media innovator in virtually every area of the digital arts, from still to moving images, and in audio for a huge range of music, cinema, and television projects,” said Greg LaPorte, VP sales and marketing, Sonnet. “Like many media professionals, he has traditionally worked in the Apple Mac ecosystem but has found himself increasingly relying on Windows PCs for many creative tasks – particularly as the wait for the launch of a new, modern Mac Pro continues, and PCs like the HP Z840 have become more and more powerful.

“Peter is precisely the type of professional for whom we designed the Echo Express family of PCIe expansion chassis, which leverage the paradigm shift enabled by Thunderbolt technology to allow PCIe expansion slots to be connected outside a computer.“