So the lovely new bit of kit with all the knobs was sitting on a stand behind the control surface. It was disturbingly flat and absolutely impossible to use there without standing up which was not at all what I had in mind. I needed some sort of stand that would tip the thing forward at an appropriate angle.
Happily, Amazon had a "DJ Laptop Stand" that was both cheap and looked like it would do the job. It arrived yesterday. I assembled it in the position where it was the lowest possible height. Looks good.
And then I tried to fit it in behind the control surface. Which meant getting it past the lid on the back of the console. Which was where it didn't want to go. And, oh, look! The feet are now sitting on the edge of the stand that is supporting the control surface, which is just all wrong.
Well, what happens if I push the control surface stand (which is an Ikea Brada stand, a.k.a. cheap but effective plastic thingie) forward? And there is a clunk as it slides under the padded front edge of the console and into the supporting wood beneath. Several inches of space are gained.
And the front edge of the control surface slides forward to rest on the rear one inch of the console pad like it was meant to sit there. And now the laptop stand fits. And the new kit with all the knobs sits on top of it, right behind the control surface, angled at the same angle (close enough) that the control surface is sitting at. Pretty much the same angle that the Big Knob has its controls at.
I think I will now declare victory. :)