Wish It would be great if each switch had a small LCD screen

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+1 for individual LCD displays per knob.

Or, to be more clear, thats a missing feature that makes the MFC-101 unfortunately a "no-buy" for me (and go along with no midi-controller or, maybe somewhen, one from another company if FA wont do one). We're in 21st century, every highend foot controller should offer this as it makes it much more transparent for a guitarist what he is doing (and thats what a midicontroller is for, an interface between guitarist and his effectsdevice).

@Chris@AxeFxTutorials: I dont agree. Look at the Line 6 Helix floor controller. 499 EUR (thats nearby half the price of a MFC-101, including displays!!). So this is definitely possible for FAS without increasing the price too much.

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If you'd ask me how a "FAS MFC-202" should look like, I'd tell them to check the helix floor controller.

I think the issue here is, FAS did (I guess) the MFC-101 in terms of "we needed to create a simple floorboard as we need to have people anything whatsoever on their floor to control their rack-Axe FX, it just has to work". my 2 cents.
Keeping fingers crossed that FAS will create a new version of their MFC-101 with more features (though I am less confident here as I think they dont focus on their midi controller).
 
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joergzdarsky said:
+1 for individual LCD displays per knob.

Or, to be more clear, thats a missing feature that makes the MFC-101 unfortunately a "no-buy" for me (and go along with no midi-controller or, maybe somewhen, one from another company if FA wont do one). We're in 21st century, every highend foot controller should offer this as it makes it much more transparent for a guitarist what he is doing (and thats what a midicontroller is for, an interface between guitarist and his effectsdevice).

@Chris@AxeFxTutorials: I dont agree. Look at the Line 6 Helix floor controller. 499 EUR (thats nearby half the price of a MFC-101, including displays!!). So this is definitely possible for FAS without increasing the price too much.

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If you'd ask me how a "FAS MFC-202" should look like, I'd tell them to check the helix floor controller.

I think the issue here is, FAS did (I guess) the MFC-101 in terms of "we needed to create a simple floorboard as we need to have people anything whatsoever on their floor to control their rack-Axe FX, it just has to work". my 2 cents.
Keeping fingers crossed that FAS will create a new version of their MFC-101 with more features (though I am less confident here as I think they dont focus on their midi controller).
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Pretty sure that is for the HELIX only - it's an add on controller for the HELIX - so comparison is irrelevant

IIRC........Liquid foot did this long before anyone - Then RJM.
 
Stratman68 said:
Pretty sure that is for the HELIX only - it's an add on controller for the HELIX - so comparison is irrelevant
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No its not?! We are talking about features of a controller board and what the MFC-101 is missing, so there you go, look at the helix controller controls... sure LF or RJM did this long before. Doesnt make it any better that the MFC is missing that. Thats why i added a +1 for the original poster.
 
joergzdarsky said:
@Chris@AxeFxTutorials: I dont agree. Look at the Line 6 Helix floor controller. 499 EUR (thats nearby half the price of a MFC-101, including displays!!). So this is definitely possible for FAS without increasing the price too much.
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The Helix floorboard is ONLY for the Helix products. So they can bury the cost into the rack unit and keep the controller price down. It has no "brain" in the unit itself that stores button settings or data etc - it gets all the information from the Helix Rack. This is a huge reason the price of all their floorboards are low compared to similar units.

Also it cannot interface or control anything else, so it's not as powerful as a MIDI controller like the MFC-101, screens or not. So that's another reason it can have a lower price.

Line 6 being "able" to have a low price on it really doesn't mean anything for any other companies. If it was so cheap, the MMGT wouldn't be $1200 - $1900, Liquid Foot wouldn't be in the $1000 range, etc. I doubt these guys feel threatened by the Helix floorboard price - again especially considering it can't at all do what these other Midi controller can do

Just because the price of the individual hardware components may be low, it doesn't mean the final completed unit price should or will be low as well. Research and development, engineering, labor, production, profit, support, etc. need to be considered when pricing products so a company can stay around.
 
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joergzdarsky said:
I dont agree. Look at the Line 6 Helix floor controller. 499 EUR (thats nearby half the price of a MFC-101, including displays!!). So this is definitely possible for FAS without increasing the price too much.
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I think your neglecting to realize the importance that the bulk buying power of a company owned by Yamaha has. They can bury costs in other places to bring the price down on other items.
 
No, not at all. That's a bloody terrible idea!

:)

Btw - whereabouts are you? I work in Newcastle, live in Northumberland.
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Why is it a terrible idea? - I'm on the edge of Newcastle right next northumberland - near throckley :) can't believe theres another axe owner in the north east!



How about this budget MIDI controller with LCD "soft labels" :https://www.studiospares.com/Studio...736tFtkDjAwtYNXop7nlL9VceU6B_lUaJLBoC3KTw_wcB


Makie C4 was another one with something like it I think. It's certainly looks like a good feature on the Helix though don't think I'd ever choose line 6 over a fractal!

Forget about price. We all know the cost of Fractal products and the barrier to entry is not cheap. Something like this is a logical step in the progression of the MFC. Would love to see it one day.
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- Exactly


I don't think its hard to do. And with soft labels controllers can have a totally different set of parameters with each preset and I don't have to memorise them or resort to a generic set up for each preset. For example, switching to the looper mode labels could change to indicate what each switch was. Physical labels just can't do that and I think it would really help in performance situations, especially if they're lit up.

Really, I don't think its just the MFC thats missing this. It should be a more common feature on MIDI controllers in general IMHO.
 
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A few thoughts:


I think programmable labels on a foot controller are a great idea if implemented thoughtfully.

I get why FAS didn't go that route with the MFC-101.

If you think the MFC-101 is a "simple" controller that was only developed to get something out on the market, spend some time with the manual.
 
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elkabyle said:
He was (half) joking. Sukh is making some really nice magnet (and glow in the dark) labels. Adding lcd screens on the MFC would reduce his small business quite a bit.
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:)

Of course, I was joking. No I wasn't.

Actually, yes, I was.

Grrrrrr! Haha!

:)
 
vangrieg said:
Yeah, except it's impossible to buy them. :)
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Hoping to have that sorted with my next offering matey. Really sorry for any hassle you've had getting them, but it's been a struggle to keep up with demand - the labels have, thankfully, been very popular. I put a full batch (the last of the current generation) in my store at 6pm last night and they were fully sold out by 8pm. It was a very big batch!

Anyway, let's not derail the thread. LCDs on switches. Very bad idea. Yes, very very bad.

:)
 
Hoping to have that sorted with my next offering matey. Really sorry for any hassle you've had getting them, but it's been a struggle to keep up with demand - the labels have, thankfully, been very popular. I put a full batch (the last of the current generation) in my store at 6pm last night and they were fully sold out by 8pm. It was a very big batch!
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Just so happens Im a web developer if you need a hand setting anything up... Maybe in return for some labels because I don't think I'll be getting LCD screens any time soon! PM me, I'm just around the corner.


Anyway yes, LCD screens, MFC-202, yes please.
 
ralphonz said:
Anyway yes, LCD screens, MFC-202, yes please.
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If Fractal released a controller with the MFC's features plus individual LCD screens, USB connectivity, and ability to set tempos on a per-song basis, I'd be at the top of the wait list. Heaven help me if they ever do that...my budget can't take anymore.
 
joergzdarsky said:
No its not?! We are talking about features of a controller board and what the MFC-101 is missing, so there you go, look at the helix controller controls... sure LF or RJM did this long before. Doesnt make it any better that the MFC is missing that. Thats why i added a +1 for the original poster.
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I posted about adding the LCDs years ago- so I am not disagreeing. You were talking about the price - if a device is for one unit ONLY it would seem it would be CHEAPER to make-no? Hence My statement.... no problem.

I also posted that I have to believe that FAS has pretty much no choice but to add LCDS to this or a new mfc............just Plain good business sense.
 
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