Any FC release time info ?

I think the number of buttons isn't going to be a big problem. I have a Liquid Foot LF+ 12+ now, and the ability to switch layouts and see what the current function of each button is right on the scribble strips is awesome. I've never felt lacking for buttons with 12. I had the Jr+ first, and 8 sometimes was a little on the low side, but even that wasn't bad at all. The ability to customize it per preset and set all that up on the Axe side, stored with the preset, makes it even more powerful. I could technically do per-preset layouts on the LF, but that's too much of a pain to manage. Being able to have it in one place, stored with the preset, and thus you shouldn't need to keep things manually sync'd between the two, I think per-preset layouts will greatly reduce how many buttons people need.

My only (severe) disappointment is the 6 x 2 layout. I would have greatly, greatly preferred a 4 x 3 layout (like the LF+ 12+) so it isn't so wide. I realize we're only seeing artist renderings and don't have dimensions yet, but it seems to me that there will be quite a bit of wasted space on a pedal board, since you still need a 12-14 inch high board for your expression pedals.
 
I'm a huge fan of having all my IA's in front of me at one time on the MFC, so I was a little disappointed at first. Then I went back and noticed each switch can do tap/hold, which opens up a lot of possibilities.

I just hope there's a way for expression pedals to be independent across effect channels. That was a big limitation to me in the X/Y implementation on the Axe 2.
 
The FC series are like 12 foot controllers in one. The FC foot controllers feature 12 "layouts". Each layout has a unique, user-assignable set of switch functions. For example Layout 1 could have five preset switches, five scene switches and two switches assigned to bank up/down. Press and hold the bottom right switch and the then tap the switch above it and you enter Layout Select mode. Then tap a switch to select a new Layout. This new layout could have six channel switches and six bypass switches. Etc.
Tie that together with the Channel functions I just read over on the home page, and that makes for some major ground covered on just one layer. I think it'll be cool, like taking the AX8 concept a little father down the road.
 
Is it still possible to press and hold to change X/Y state of an assigned effect? Or press and hold for ch.1/ch2?
 
Just took a look at the code and there are indeed per-preset footswitches:

//Save the preset Footswitches
pbuff += savePatchFootswitches(pbuff);
Are there per-scene footswitches? If so that would end the MFC vs FC debate concerning the need to tapdance.
 
One exciting aspect of the FC.. The code for it lives in the Axe 3. So I suspect we will see continued development in firmware releases, unlike the MFC which i don't recall seeing any updates since I joined fractal several years ago.
 
I would love to know the dimensions of the new foot controllers! Wondering if I'll need a bigger pedalboard to hold the FC12 and an EV-1 pedal.
 
Are there MIDI In/Out jacks on the new FCs (for controlling other devices that live on the floor)?

Now, I have no authoritative info on this, but with this disclaimer, based on the information that Cliff provided, I'd expect that they don't have MIDI jacks because they aren't actually MIDI controllers. Which is a good thing and a bad thing. They should work much faster now and, as has been stated, you can use several of them simultaneously. But I doubt they're MIDI compatible at all.
 
Not sure if I missed it but what are the prices on the FC's?

Cliff said somewhere that these controllers are "dumb" boxes that just send switch presses and provide displays, IIRC. Everthing is handled by the Axe itself.

I may be confusing something though, there's too much info flying around.
 
I contacted Mark Day and he said use the same waitlist email but put FC-6 or -12 in the subject line.
Surprised they haven't updated the site yet with a link for that. FC Section of the Axe III page still says:

Information about FC Series launch and waitlist signup will be available soon.
 
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