Please shrink FM3

+1 for an HXSt sized FM3 - HXSt is a great form factor / IO design (needs spdif tho) - Fractal modelling in there would be incredible. The feature of HXSt that pulls it all together imo is the ability to completely separate all of the Left and Right IO in the grid (long standing Axfx wish). I have it cabled to use in a number of midi switchable modes in Ax3 pre and post loops (each stereo or mono capable): Pre fx, Post fx, Drives, Dual Parallel Amps Models, Small limited blox / preset stand alone modeller.
 
If I were gonna wish for any reconfig, I'd love a wireless, foldable 3' × 2' or larger programmable mat with programmable soft footpads, like my kids' dance video game mats--but more robust (kevlar??), and ideally, washable.

The wireless mat would communicate with a rackmount brain, and (assuming the absence of a UI revamp) would have a superset of the controls available on the AFXIII, maybe with a "deluxe" mat adding FC 6/12 capabilities, and perhaps even a few more performance-oriented programmable footpads, expression pedal pads, etc.? And then, global mat "templates" (or "layouts", in Fractal parlance) to optimize the mat for performance, programming, and setup/organization, etc. modes of operation, easily switchable as needs change.

The brain units themselves would still be programmable/controllable via FM-Edit, but this topology would also allow the "mat" to communicate with several different tiers of "brains", like today's FM3/9/AFXIII levels. It would make sense for wired mat-to-brain-connectivity, in addition to the wireless, to be incorporated, I guess.

Anyway, if I were designing a new format system, that's my initial inclination.
 
Bobbyoso said:
If I were gonna wish for any reconfig, I'd love a wireless, foldable 3' × 2' or larger programmable mat with programmable soft footpads, like my kids' dance video game mats--but more robust (kevlar??), and ideally, washable.

The wireless mat would communicate with a rackmount brain, and (assuming the absence of a UI revamp) would have a superset of the controls available on the AFXIII, maybe with a "deluxe" mat adding FC 6/12 capabilities, and perhaps even a few more performance-oriented programmable footpads, expression pedal pads, etc.? And then, global mat "templates" (or "layouts", in Fractal parlance) to optimize the mat for performance, programming, and setup/organization, etc. modes of operation, easily switchable as needs change.

The brain units themselves would still be programmable/controllable via FM-Edit, but this topology would also allow the "mat" to communicate with several different tiers of "brains", like today's FM3/9/AFXIII levels. It would make sense for wired mat-to-brain-connectivity, in addition to the wireless, to be incorporated, I guess.

Anyway, if I were designing a new format system, that's my initial inclination.
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Cool! I'd like one a doze bad boys myself eh! If I may enquire: Will it have a touch screen?
 
sprint said:
Cool! I'd like one a doze bad boys myself eh! If I may enquire: Will it have a touch screen?
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You know, I thought about that. In my imaginings, there wouldn't be room on a 1U brain unit, unless it folded down and back like on a video camera--but a larger brain, 2U, sure, that's conceivable. But who knows, maybe a foldable touchscreen on the "mat" (possibly a couple years out technologically, but hey, this is a "what if" exercise, right)?

As "customer zero", what would you prefer? I was thinking, if you can use the mat AND FM-Edit, an added touchscreen might be only a marginal benefit, and possibly not worth the cost. But I really have no issue with Fractal's current UI, even on-unit, so my perspective is based on exactly one datapoint. ;-)

However, given the brain has a wireless receiver, maybe an Android or Apple Fractal remote touchscreen app...?
 
Bobbyoso said:
You know, I thought about that. In my imaginings, there wouldn't be room on a 1U brain unit, unless it folded down and back like on a video camera--but a larger brain, 2U, sure, that's conceivable. But who knows, maybe a foldable touchscreen on the "mat" (possibly a couple years out technologically, but hey, this is a "what if" exercise, right)?

As "customer zero", what would you prefer? I was thinking, if you can use the mat AND FM-Edit, an added touchscreen might be only a marginal benefit, and possibly not worth the cost. But I really have no issue with Fractal's current UI, even on-unit, so my perspective is based on exactly one datapoint. ;-)

However, given the brain has a wireless receiver, maybe an Android or Apple Fractal remote touchscreen app...?
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I give u carte blanche monsieur - so long as it provides 100% easy intuitive nav to all functions without burdening me with needing to understand the functions or read any silly manuals.
 
sprint said:
I give u carte blanche monsieur - so long as it provides 100% easy intuitive nav to all functions without burdening me with needing to understand the functions or read any silly manuals.
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Don't I wish. 👍🙄

By the way, your requirement above, from "it provides..." on, seems like a pretty good description of the perfect UI. For nearly anything!
 
taracatac said:
Nice to have so many options. I laugh when people complain about the size of the FM3. My gigging days are over. I used to lug a full size head and 4x12, or a 4 space rack and 4x12. Talk about size and weight hahaha.
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Yup, I used to schlep a 14 space shock rack, a head and oversized 2x12 or 2 1x12s. The 14 space then became 2x 10 space racks, you know, to make it easier to transport hhaha. Plus a floor board with an Axess Fx-1, wah, volume pedal and 2x expression pedals, tuner and pedal board interface. We used to call the rig The Weapon of Mass Destruction 😂 After that is when I went to an axefx-II xl rig.
 
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