I’ve temporarily parked the hub idea and just got two fast Thunderbolt to USB adaptors for £9.99 each, and they seem to work really well for the time being. When funds allow I’ll get an OWC or CalDigit hub.
Also, one of the chaps at FutureShop informed me that AudioQuest and Nordost make very good USB C to USB B cables so I may well get one of those to run hi-res files from the Mac into the Oppo’s DAC.
On another note, these new MacBook Pros are fantastic, aren’t they? I got a late 2020 13-inch, four Thunderbolt 3 ports model with 2 GHz Quad-Core Intel Core i5 processors, 16 gig of RAM and 1TB SSD. It’s so fast (even when running memory hoggers like Logic Pro or InDesign) and the screen is gorgeous. Initially I thought the Touch Bar was just a gimmick, but it’s actually really useful.
Agree on the Touch Bar - I always thought it was a gimmick.
The kids wanted laptops last Christmas and I got a good deal on a pair of 2019 Macbooks which by then had Touch Bar as default - when you see the context sensitive options available it really makes sense. While these were rather expensive presents I’m so entwined in the Apple ecosystem myself I wouldn’t have felt comfortable getting Windows laptops for them, and the Family Sharing of apps such as Logic Pro and Final Cut X will potentially be very handy, although the standard apps will probably suffice for now.
With the need for remote schooling in lockdown (and likely again) these laptops have turned out to be a very worthwhile purchase, but it really makes you consider how some families will have struggled if they didn’t have any or enough computers/gadgets to go around.