first, thank you so much for taking part of this discussion!
for me there are a few important questions that I have to ask myself as a manufacturer
-how much space do I need for the electronics
-how can I pack these electronics in a smallest possible and most convenient package
The reason is simple. Pro devices never make problems,
they don't need extra cases, space or your precious time to think how to carry them around! Set and forget! Make music!
One example .... RME Fireface UFX
a 60 Channel, sound interface, digital mixer with dynamics/effects and a 60 channel digital recorder.
I think such devices has to be touched during everyday work much more often than a guitar effects unit, where you set your sound, make a few changes and play most of the time. The Fireface needs one Rackspace and can be fully controlled via a Software GUI or even the device itself!
Thats pro thinking for me and thats why I'd love to see an one rackspace KPA unit one day