As they get bigger with more buttons I think usability would improve a lot with separate displays for each button. Like you see on the Helix, RJM Masterminds, Headrush, and a number of desktop DAW controllers like the X-Touch, Presonus Faderport, etc.
So far the ones I’ve seen like that tend to use mono displays with what looks like RGB backlight (RJM, X-Touch) or mono displays with an RGB button ring. Those are functional, but certainly not as pretty as the MC6 Pro.
I’d love to see Morningstar find a way to make an affordable MC8 Pro or MC12 Pro with full color OLED individual button displays, but the costs for the displays and the extra circuitry one needs to control them starts to add up. But James is a clever guy, so who knows.
I know this may not be on the radar for Morningstar but I’d love an MC8 and ML10x in one box. I’d pay for a bigger flagship box and an extension box if one wanted extra foot switches. I love the editor and the midi controllers as is, but combining them would compete against the other options out there in my opinion. Maybe a buffered input and output. I was looking at the new fender switchboard and it’s not close to what you guys offer in functionality or style. Until thin my studio board with MC8 + extension box + ML10x + ML5 will have to do. But it’s a lot on my board. One box to rule them all would be sick.
As a delighted MC6 PRO user I’m also very much looking forward to an MC8 PRO.
A couple of suggestions if I may:
Please add power input to the MIDI OUT DIN connector (which also allows MIDI in). The MC6 PRO only provides this on MIDI IN.
If the top panel has the same slope as the MC6 PRO, we really only need short-shaft footswitches across the top row. They seem to be crazy high otherwise IMHO.
Power input doesn’t affect MIDI using a standard MIDI cable. It uses additional pins to accept power input. The idea is to connect a single 7-pin cable to connect MIDI OUT, MID IN, and power.
As Hawkins76 pointed out, power input is already provided on the MIDI IN DIN socket. I’m suggesting it be also provided on the MIDI OUT socket.