…as can be consolidation.
Well, if you end up cramming (or well, "consolidating") everything into one unit, you'll end up with vastly more chances for bugs to show up.
And it's not only that, certain things possibly won't stand the test of time so people might want them to be improved - which might not be possible anymore due to hardware limitations. So the maker comes up with a new unit that you might as well want to have. In the end, we'd be where we actually are.
But let me elaborate a bit on the idea I already sketched, namely a sort of modular system.
We would have a base unit. I think most people could live with something like this:
- A bunch of HQ modeled guitar amps (how many would be needed - tbd).
- A bunch of HQ stomp boxes (dito).
- A bunch of HQ FX.
I guess a wellrounded portfolio allowing you to recreate most popular guitar sounds of the last decades would be absolutely fine for the vast majority of folks. Think FAS AM4 (the amount of amps possibly wouldn't even be needed).
Then some further decisions needed to be made. Such as:
- Size of screen, touchscreen yes/no (I'd possibly even tend to say no, but we don't need to discuss that because I'm aware that most people would want a touchscreen).
- Number of encoders. I wanted as much as possible, but I'd be fine with 6 in case they can be configured properly.
- Number of switches. I think anything between 4 and 12 could be fine, largely depends on what you could do with additional external switches. A unit with less switches needed to offer better support for external switches.
- Overall dimensions. Is our goldilocks-lasts-forever unit supposed to fit in a typical backpack or not?
- Does the unit need some more advanced features straight on board? Such as modulators, synth-kinda things and what not?
Whatever. I actually think there could be several different solutions within a certain range.
Now, on to the important stuff, namely the modular aspect.
If such a device had a very decent onboard audio interface (we're talking about something delivering RTL figures of 3ms or less - which actually isn't too much of an issue anymore), you could really go wild as the thing would just connect to your computer or tablet, taking advance of whatever it might be.
Anything would be possible here.
Run a multitrack recorder? Well, there's DAWs.
Want captures? There's NAM.
Want wicked reverbs? Use an IR plugin.
Love U-He's Uhbik FX as much as I do? Just run them.
Etc.
Ideally, this would be supported by an "organizer" app from the modeler maker. Maybe even with an integrated live host (think Gig Performer or Mainstage).
Now, what does this have to do with the original premise of a "never ever to be replaced again" unit? Well, the core unit would always stay the same. You'd likely be able to play each and every "normal" gig, rehearsal, recording session just with the core unit. But once you feel like, you'd grab your iPad (or laptop), connect a single USB cable and be done, ready to do all the wildest things.
If something like that existed, I'd be *all* over it. In fact, my current small board could work in a sort of similar fashion, but unfortunately the audio interface latency I'm getting from the GT-1000 Core is too high.
And fwiw, as of now, iPads running iOS don't deliver latencies as low as macOS or Windows - but I think it's a matter of a rather short time for that to improve.
TL;DR: Sorry, not possible.
