brianv4:
this is what cracks me up. When it was only the MFC everybody wanted smaller. Now we'll be able to get small AND smaller (which BTW can also be configure to insanely larger too) and people are complaining. geez...
I know what you're saying, but I think both sides are true.
It's not that the same group of people complained both times. It's two groups.
THERE ARE TWO KINDS OF PEOPLE IN THIS WORLD...
For any given number of switches, some folks would prefer their footcontroller to be multiple rows "tall"; others prefer it to be many columns "wide."
Format Option 1
I'm in the latter group myself. I have no practical limitations on the width of my pedalboard, but whenever I try to reach my foot over more than one row of footswitches I end up brushing one of the ones I'm reaching over either before or after I stomp my target. So I prefer having a footcontroller that's only 2 rows "tall."
Format Option 2
Other people are trying to keep their pedalboard sized small. For them, they want the controller only 3 columns "wide" like an FC-6, or at most 6 columns wide like the FC-12, but they want lots of switches so they need it 3 or 4 rows "tall."
WHO'S CRYIN' NOW?
When all we had was the MFC-101, the latter group was happy so they didn't complain. But the first group complained.
Now Fractal is proposing a switch to the fewer-rows format. So the former group is happy and the latter group is complaining.
WHAT'S A COMPANY TO DO?
Probably Fractal's best bet is to offer one footcontroller that's several rows deep, but with a column-width
between that of the FC-6 and the FC-12. Maybe this
(hypothetical) FC unit might be called the FC-16 (if it was 4x4).
Whatever exact size it is, Fractal can offer that,
in addition to the FC-6 and the FC-12. Keep them daisy-chainable and inexpensive-enough that it won't break the bank to combine 2 units.
By doing that, everybody gets exactly what they want:
- Those who prefer more column-width but less row-depth can use the FC-12.
- Those who want more row-depth but less column-width can use the
(hypothetical) FC-16.
- Those who want it really small in both dimensions can use the FC-6.
- And for those who want it (ahem) "deep and wide," they can daisy-chain two
(hypothetical) FC-16s.
* At Chris' request I've put "(hypothetical)" in
orange in front of each mention of the
(hypothetical) 4x4 FC unit which I've here labeled the "FC-16." This is to prevent confusion among readers. To clarify: At this time Fractal has only given indications of there being an FC-12 and an FC-6; my mention of an FC-16 as a third possible option is mere speculation and suggestion.