Timing specs/precision

[Darryl]

Typically, to introduce a negative clock offset, you need to be the master clocking device.
A negative offset is achieved by delaying *all the other clocks* the amount of the negative offset.

I own an E-RM Multiclock as well as other hw sequencers.

Something like the MRCC is typically in the middle of a lot of MIDI/USB connections and if it's already capable of merging, filtering, rechanneling, etc the MIDI data, you're likely going to have yet another set of variable timing offsets introduced.  Having it find and delay all clocks coming into it to match a negative offset on one or more ports would be quite the programming challenge even if the hardware was initially designed to be capable of it.

The E-RM (and others like the Acme SND, the device from Australia who's name escapes me at the moment) is expensive for a reason - getting MIDI timing amd offsets accurate is a very challenging task best left to dedicated boxes.  Trying to jam clock logic into a routing device that may have inputs and outputs changed on the fly (even if you don't do that, others can and will) and have different positive and negative offsets would be a daunting task that would very likely increase the costs and delay delivery times quite substantially.

Nicely stated oldgearguy. The MRCC's development priority needs to be passing MIDI data efficiently, and the inclusion of a simple MIDI clock is a bonus that doesn't cause any discernible overhead. 

Though the MRCC clock looks to be quite good I believe it will be a better usability experience to have a master clock with physical transport controls. For most people a modern drum machine is a fine MIDI clock source. Most modern digital MIDI devices have decent clocks. In a professional setting where one must comprehend the total latency from MIDI keyboard press to audio output, a fancy dedicated master clock might make sense.