I am looking for a thunderbolt 3 motherboard to use with my motu 1248 avb.  any tests done with motu Jim?  also, those boards seem pricy.  
http://www.microcenter.co...d_with_USB_Type-C?ob=1

I guess there are cheaper.  Another question.  any socket 1150 that work?

HighAndDry
I am looking for a thunderbolt 3 motherboard to use with my motu 1248 avb.  any tests done with motu Jim?  also, those boards seem pricy.  
http://www.microcenter.co...d_with_USB_Type-C?ob=1

I guess there are cheaper.  Another question.  any socket 1150 that work?

Thunderbolt (on the PC side) is somewhat of a "luxury" option... so it's typically only available on higher-end boards.
At the moment, LEDs are all the rage.  
 
Microsoft only supports "PCIe via Thunderbolt" with Thunderbolt-3.
Unfortunately that eliminates all motherboards with Thunderbolt-2.
 
If all the following is in place, Thunderbolt-3 will work great.

• Z170/Z270/X99 motherboard that provides Thunderbolt-3 via USB-C port
• Audio interface that has full "PCIe via Thunderbolt" drivers actually available
• Up-to-date install of Win10
• USB-C to Thunderbolt-2 adapter

MOTU has full "PCIe via Thunderbolt" drivers for the AVB series.
There have been reports that the Apple USB-C to Thunderbolt adapter (relatively inexpensive) has been problematic.
We've had good luck with the Apple USB-C to Thunderbolt adapter.
Tested it with several different audio interfaces... using many different motherboards and laptops... and it always worked fine.
 

Thanks Jim!!! 
It looks like this one will work? I can avoid buying a new processor. 
https://www.newegg.com/Pr...w_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

Unfortunately, that motherboard doesn't have Thunderbolt-3.
 
It gets confusing...
A motherboard can have USB-3.1 and not have a USB-C port or Thunderbolt-3 controller (which is the case for that motherboard). 
A motherboard can have USB-3.1 and USB-C port/s... and still not have a Thunderbolt-3 controller.
Many current generation motherboards fall into this category.
 
Your choices are Z170, Z270, or X99 chipset motherboards...
Nothing prior to that will provide Thunderbolt-3.
 
 
 

Ok Jim  Thank you!!  maybe it is better to wait a bit and see what happens with thunderbolt

My post keeps disappearing! Why?
 
Thanks again for good information. When I was visiting Antelope web site, I signed preorder for Orion Studio HD and Goliath HD just to know when it becomes available. So now Orion Studio HD is available for Preorder and they contacted me. We had some e-mail conversation regarding the number of inputs and outputs and no Thunderbolt. I learned that the company's headquarter is in Bulgaria. I do not know where they manufacturing their product and what technology style they using but I have mixed feelings about European, especially East European electronics. I am from Ukraine, and I grew up using Russian and Ukrainian audio equipment and it was always good. Massive metal casing, many metal parts... good sound quality, about 5 years life cycle. After 5 years it usually would begin getting noisy. I understand why I liked Goliath interface- it looks solid and European.
 
They confirmed that they not going to have Thunderbolt for Windows any time soon, but that USB3 works as good as Thunderbolt and there is no latency. I will take their word for it. But the price is nearly impossible. I tried to convince myself that $7000 one time is not that bad, that I will use it for many years, that it is time to grow up and get Class A audio interface... but when it is close on the horizon and almost time to open my bank account, $7000 looks huge. I don't know if I want to do it.
 
I was looking in to like Orion HD and Orion 32HD combination, but that comes close to 7k as well. I was asking them about HDX connection. I am NOT a Protools user, but I wanted to know if I cam use HDX port to connect 2 Orions to each other to make it work as one. They said- they will have to test it- they don't know. How can they not know?
 
Can I buy Protools PCIe card with HDX connector and not use Protools software? (My guess- no). And if not- why cant I connect 2 HDX units to each other? Must be again- need for some Protool software element. One more reason to hate Avid.
 
I totally don't know what to do. I need high Inputs count for my hardware synths. I need at least 30 TRS inputs and 2 mic Preamps.
 
Nobody else makes 32 inputs interfaces, but Orion as well as Motu 16 ins versions have no headphones outputs!!!! I use headphones for everything. Any suggestions?
 
Is there any hope that Universal Audio will release something in summer NAMM? I only think it because they have big promotion with "will give $3500 in software if you buy our interface before June 30th". Why June 30th? Thank you.    

vladasyn
 
Nobody else makes 32 inputs interfaces, but Orion as well as Motu 16 ins versions have no headphones outputs!!!! I use headphones for everything. Any suggestions?
 

not sure what specifically you are needing in terms of I/O but are you aware that the MOTU AVB series is fully scalable using standard LAN connection? and they got Thunderbolt support developed. pick 2 or 3 MOTU interfaces, hook them up with a MOTU proprietary switch and you got something in the range of 32 - 48 physical I/O at close to zero latency ... not cheap but probably 1/3 to 1/2 of the number you gave in your posts ...

Thank you for your reply.
 
I was looking in to Antelope Audio or Universal Audio because it "supposed to be" Class A gear. I am not sure how much better my mixes would sound but I remember the difference when I switched from Helix Phonic to Presonus. When I was using Phonic, I thought it sounded ok. Now that I am used to Presonus, I open older songs recorded with Presonus and I hear difference- everything is grainy as if it had lower sample rate. Actually it was 16bit.
 
Always wondering why my mixes still sound as project recording, not professional. Yeah, I know- it is plugins and experience, but I have almost all leading plugins on the market and 20 years of experience of doing MY project- why is it that I still can not get it right?
 
So I thought- may be I need to buy Protools rig? That way I will sound like a professional? I don't know if it is Windows or if it is Sonar algorithm, but every track has waaay too much bass, I spend too much time EQing everything. The only reason I did not install Protools is that I use many software synths and Protools not able to run VST and I don't have AU installed for anything.
 
So MOTU always had a reputation of being Mac interface and I remember multiple posts on the forums of users having problems on Windows. Also I remember MOTU back when they started. At that time, there were 2 options: M-Audio or MOTU. I was using M-Audio, and used to not take it seriously. To me- MOTU and M-Audio are Class B gear for beginners and project studios. I want to try the real deal Class A gear. Please, prove me wrong. Do you think MOTU is Class A gear? I don't fall for the "high price = good quality." I think $7000 for Goliath is overkill. This is why I cant decide. But I would have hard time to think of MOTU as Class A. To me it is consumer level interface. But then again. My keyboards are old, many of them not class A on output.
 
It would be great if somebody wrote the audio driver that allows multiple audio interfaces to be connected at the same time. Windows driver used to be able to do it. Why is ASIO only able to recognize one unit I don't know.
 
Thank you.  

I just called MOTU. Spoke with very knowledgeable and patient representative. He told me that AVB Ethernet will not work on Windows, but Thunderbolt should and that I can connect devices to each other via AVB. The interface will see them as single Thunderbolt or USB 2 (up to 26 inputs) interface.
 
So I can have
MOTU 1248 4 x XLR, 8 x 1/4" TRS, 2 x 1/4" (hi-Z) at $1500
MOTU 16A  16 x 1/4" TRS at $1500, I will need 2 of them, $3000
Total $4500
 
Or, if I go with Antelope Audio, I can have
Antelope Audio Orion32  4 x DB-25 (32 channels) at $3500 (includes plugins and DSP)
Antelope Audio Orion Studio HD 8 x XLR-1/4" combo (mic/line), 4 x XLR-1/4" combo (mic/line/instrument) at $3400
Total $6900
 
Or Universal Audio
Universal Audio Apollo 16 2 x DB-25 (16 inputs) Includes Plugins. Will need 2. At $3000 will be $6000 for 2.
Universal Audio Apollo 8p 8 x XLR-1/4" combo, 2 x 1/4" (Hi-Z) at $3000
That is $9000! That is not what I can afford. Did not realize that AUD is the most expansive.
 
Should I go with MOTU? Thank you.

I find it hard to believe that AVB will not work on windows