Multidock 10G speed

Getting started with a Blackmagic product? Ask questions here about setup and installation.
  • Author
  • Message
Offline

Tomkin

  • Posts: 2
  • Joined: Thu Sep 15, 2022 7:27 pm
  • Real Name: Tom Kincaid

Multidock 10G speed

PostThu Sep 15, 2022 7:48 pm

I’ve just bought a Multidock 10G, using it with a new Mac studio (M1 Max). I’ve put in 3 Samsung SSDs, already formatted and with all my data on. They’re recognised immediately. Problem is I’ve run the Blackmagic speed test and it struggles to get beyond 35mbps on any of the drives! Yes, 35. Both read and write. What could the problem be? The SSDs aren’t all the same, different models and capacity, would that make a difference?

For reference, the onboard Mac SSD is running at around 5800mbps. Any help much appreciated.
Offline

Dave Del Vecchio

  • Posts: 1603
  • Joined: Mon Nov 25, 2013 10:25 am

Re: Multidock 10G speed

PostSat Sep 17, 2022 4:09 am

It sounds like the MultiDock 10G is only connected to the computer using USB 2.0 speeds (480 Mbps) rather than USB 3.1 Gen 2 speeds (10 Gbps). Although USB 2.0 has a maximum interface bandwidth of 480 Mbps (60 MB/s), due to interface overhead (and a few other factors), have real world transfer speeds in the range of 35 to 40 MB/s, which seems to be inline with what you are seeing.

Usually the causes of this are some kind of cable or port issue. For example, a lot of USB-C cables designed for charging purposes only support USB 2.0 data speeds as they lack the additional data wires internally to support USB 3 data transfers.

I've also seen situations where USB 3 capable ports don't always negotiate USB 3 speeds (even when using a USB 3 compatible cable). Sometimes this is due to connection related issues and disconnecting and reconnecting the cable improves things.

Even with USB 3.1 Gen 2 speeds, things are never going to be as fast through the MultiDock 10G as with the internal SSD. USB 3.1 Gen 2 bus speeds are 10 Gbps (1250 MB/s) at the interface level, but due to overhead and other issues, real world maximum performance you can expect at the port level is around 900 MB/s or so. But since the MultiDock 10G uses SATA 3 (6 Gbps) based connections to the actual drives themselves, the maximum throughput possible to a single drive is even lower, usually around 500 MB/s maximum after accounting for SATA interface overhead (and could be less depending on the drive).
Offline

mattfaddy

  • Posts: 1
  • Joined: Sun Sep 18, 2022 12:47 pm
  • Real Name: Matthew faddy

Re: Multidock 10G speed

PostSun Sep 18, 2022 2:22 pm

I'm having the same issue, I just bought a Multidock 10G with 4 x Samsung 870 QVO 2TB SATA 2,5 Solid State Drives with a M1 MacBook Pro and I'm getting 42MB/s.

The dock is constantly light up light a Christmas tree too, even when it isn't reading or writing.

I bought it to replace my old Thunderbolt Multidock which works perfectly ok? Help !
Offline

Tomkin

  • Posts: 2
  • Joined: Thu Sep 15, 2022 7:27 pm
  • Real Name: Tom Kincaid

Re: Multidock 10G speed

PostMon Sep 19, 2022 8:14 pm

Thanks Dave for your detailed reply, and you were absolutely right, it was the cable that was the problem. It was supposedly a usb-c cable but obviously only in terms of the connector, not the cable itself! I bought a thunderbolt 3 cable from Amazon instead which seems to have fixed the issue. Now getting around 540mbps on all drives. Mattfaddy I suggest doing the same, it’s probably just the cable so an easy fix. :D
Offline

paulg666

  • Posts: 7
  • Joined: Wed Dec 29, 2021 12:40 pm
  • Real Name: Paul Garner

Re: Multidock 10G speed

PostTue Jul 11, 2023 1:11 pm

I wanted to thank you all for this thread. I felt like a complete idiot when I realised I had moved my Desk around to tidy up my kit, and had plugged not the original Thunderbolt USB-C to USB-C cable back into my 10G BM, but just a standard USB-C to USB-C.

I then purchased the BBC SO Piano PRO Plugin, and was complaining to Spitfire Audio that they should have their plugins working for Ventura, and this speed is way too slow to load the Piano, and also other Plugins were affected which were working fine before. Oh dear, tail between my legs, I replaced the cable and my speeds jumped from 35Mb to 500ish.

I will hide in shame .. but thanks to this discussion, you prompted me to fix this, so THANK YOU guys.


PG.

Return to Getting Started

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 29 guests