Just wondering if anyone is using USB 3 connected mulitple HDD storage adaptors like the orico 6648us3-c duplicator adaptor (http://orico.cc/goods.php?id=5000) or the orico 3.5 inch SATA3.0 & USB3.0 External Mulitbay HDD Enclosure (http://orico.cc/goods.php?id=4823) , or even the smart looking NexStar HX4R (http://www.vantecusa.com/en/product/view_detail/526).
 
I got a couple of spare 1 GB HDD kicking arround in old computers, and rather than install them into my main box, was thinking I could put them into an adaptor of some sort, and that way I could just unplug it and hook it up to my laptop if I was feeling like playing arround with some stuff in the comfort of the lounge chair, or even take it along when I travel.  With the added benefit of being easily swappable and/or expandable if I need more drivespace.  I like the idea of when getting a full drive, just been able to plug a bigger volume in, copying it accross, taking the old one out without having to down my pc, open the case, fight with cables etc.
 
I currently have a 5TB external I picked up on sale yesterday for a safe place backup, a 500 GB USB 2 external drive I have been putting some vst's and samples and for file transfer to my laptop.
 
What I am wondering is, If I get one of these devices and fill it with drives, put all my non program music files on it, such as sample libraries, vsts, project files, will USB3 be able to cope with it all in future when I start getting serious with large sample libraries and lots of tracks or will it bottleneck due to device sharing on the host, and just how reliable are these docks for everyday use as they kinda look a little tacky, or should I stick with the more traditional and familiar big box drive bay box designs.
 
I would rather advoid esata, for future compatability, with what looks like the industry moving to usb-c, and no I dont have a mainboard with the Skylake chipset and USB-C, I have a ASUSTeK P8Z77-V LK with an Ivy Bridge chipset so no thunderbolt for me!
 
My other option is to get a usb hub, and just keeping external drives into it I guess! which would get messy with all the cables etc.
 
 
 

My own procedure:
 
Streaming samples - internal drives
Archiving - external drives via dock
 
If you have 2 drives a multi drive enclosure gets pricey. At those prices I would be looking to add another SSD to my system.
 
I could just unplug it and hook it up to my laptop if I was feeling like playing arround with some stuff in the comfort of the lounge chair, or even take it along when I travel.
 
You do open that door but you might surprise yourself how little you may actually do that.  If your are a desktop person portability isn't that exciting.  I can do a lot of things with my iPad but it's use has been for Kindle, Zinio, Groove 3, ect.  You get the idea.  Take it along for travel? That's what 2.5 drives are made for.  Once again in a travel situation that is where I would catch up on tutorials and reading.  

Ended up getting a USB3 2HDD drive dock for $30 AUD, will just use it for the moment for storing downloaded program installs etc.
 
I will be putting in a 1TB+ SSD drive in the next month or so for my C drive, are reluctant to spend on more than that on anything else for my box, as it basically needs new mainboard, new cpu, new ram, new graphics (card has actually warped over time as its mounted in a tower case on its side, its about 2cm lower on unsupported side and is twisting the connector on mainboard, will get a shorter one next time), so may as well wait until xmas or later when the new stuff has been arround longer and gets a little cheaper.
 
At that point I will have 4 sata HDD to put somewhere as I will just have SSD in the new box.
 
Same reason I dont upgrade RAM, which I would get some benefit from, but the DDR3 is still about same price as DDR4.
 
I will revist this when I have a thunderbolt board I think