The FM3 is too big

[mbenigni]

Possibly would've worked nicely in case they'd added scribble strips automatically showing which parameter was controlled. Scribble strips perhaps would've forced them to add some more space between the switches, too. Win-win. But they went for lose-lose instead.

Scribble strips would have impacted cost and form factor in a number of ways. And unless every scribble strip were also a touch screen, there would have been other compromises. I personally like the design. You can't make everyone happy.

 

[mbenigni]

As I always say, if you must compromise... don't compromise

I feel like I'm talking to my wife.

 

[laxu]

The really crazy thing is, if you compare QC with HX Stomp or any number of other products, the horizontal* footswitch spacing is narrower by, like, a couple of mm. If you compare QC to a conventional stompbox build - especially any board with mini pedals - the QC is luxuriously spacious in comparison. I kind of feel like people have a mental block/ hang up about the footswitches because of other, unrelated things they dislike about the QC. Same goes for the "OMFG - the knobs aren't directly underneath the corresponding GUI elements!!!" I have literally never once fallen out of my chair on account of this.

*Admittedly, vertical spacing is a whole different argument. I think the top row has to be treated as functionally different than the bottom row - use them as encoders, use them for Scene changes for use when you can be sufficiently attentive, whatever. However you use them, they add value.

Here's some spacing differences from Pedalplayground. So something like maybe a centimeter? HX Stomp has pretty standard 3 footswitch pedal spacing even on the XL.

 

[Sascha Franck]

For me, even the HX footswitches could do with some additional distance, but it's ok. The QC switches are a bit narrower and there's the vertical distance, rendering it downright unusable for me.
And fwiw, with my pedalboard, switch distances are something I take a lot of care of.

 

[JiveTurkey]

The QC switches are probably fine with toppers on the back row. Or by putting it on a slanted board?

 

[metropolis_4]

It's designed to be a desktop unit first, floor unit second. Which personally I find preferable because adding a MIDI controller for footswitching to your preference is way easier than trying to add more knob control.

Size 46 is pretty large, I certainly would not call it common. With my size 43 (I think 10 US) feet, I found the QC footswitches to be something that requires more looking and aiming but otherwise it worked well enough.

I remember back in the early days the QC fans at The Other Place ripping me apart for suggesting the QC read more like a studio/desktop device

Scribble strips would have impacted cost and form factor in a number of ways. And unless every scribble strip were also a touch screen, there would have been other compromises. I personally like the design. You can't make everyone happy.

Having worked with both I’ve found personally I far prefer scribble strips.

Easier to quickly glance down and see, and it allows the main screen to keep displaying other useful stuff instead of having it hijacked to show footswitch labels