Steven Stone says audio trade shows are GONE!! 😳

AmpDesigner333 · « **on:** 20 May 2020, 05:29 am »

Thought this may be of interest:
https://audiophilereview.com/audiophile-news/time-for-a-change-in-audio-manufacturers-marketing-to-reflect-a-post-audio-show-world.html

RonN5 · « **Reply #1 on:** 20 May 2020, 02:01 pm »

Maybe in the short term, audio shows will be gone...is that a year? two years? Right now it is hard to say...but is a slick, high production value video done by some "audio market specialist" worth the money. I'm not so sure.

Keeping your name out there, remaining visible and relevant are important. The magazines reviews help to do it...the forum mentions and reviews do it...local in store demo events do it....interviews do it...and so on. They are all important.

I suspect though that more and more visibility is happening through Youtube...look at the channels for PS Audio or for GR Research as examples. Good topics, good presentation. The only thing missing is turning views into orders...in my mind, every view should end with a link to a "discount code" or a chance to try a product at no cost.

jimbones · « **Reply #2 on:** 20 May 2020, 04:17 pm »

I think video shows would be great. It's cheaper for manufacturers to do that then to lug equipment to a show. Unfortunate we really can't hear them, or at least not good enough to judge over computer.

Manufacturers will be able to do a quick demo of features, discuss circuit topology and design criteria. Viewers will be able to "walk into different rooms" . We did this at my job where we had various vendors demo their products to us.

Better than nothing

RonN5 · « **Reply #3 on:** 20 May 2020, 05:21 pm »

There are a number of youtube approaches that can create interest...eyeballs. Here are two that I enjoy...one is about explaining things...the other is about comparing things.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIJHwsTJyrH4YznoJxZmJHQ/videos

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCqij6P6veNyIN0jD_rLaFw/featured

The hard part though is having enough time to be putting up good and interesting content...especially for the smaller companies with only a few employees.

Big Red Machine · « **Reply #4 on:** 20 May 2020, 05:32 pm »

When stadium sports return, this will as well. Save you sheckles to be ready to travel!

timind · « **Reply #5 on:** 20 May 2020, 05:53 pm »

Quote from: Big Red Machine on 20 May 2020, 05:32 pm

When stadium sports return, this will as well. Save you sheckles to be ready to travel!

Agree. If there's money to be made, the shows will return when this is over.

Norman Tracy · « **Reply #6 on:** 20 May 2020, 06:37 pm »

The counter argument:

"New Consumer Audio Show coming to the Seattle area in August 2021

Lou Hinkley of Daedalus Audio, in collaboration with Gary Gill of Capital Audiofest, are pleased to announce the launch of the Pacific Audio Fest, slated for August 6-8 2021."

https://positive-feedback.com/industry-news/pacific-audio-fest-2021/

May 2020 no ones' crystal ball is anything but murky. Too many variables in flux.

SFDude · « **Reply #7 on:** 20 May 2020, 06:52 pm »

Being able to see, touch, and hear the audio gear and equipment in one venue is a HUGE benefit. Not everyone has the time or patience to drive to multiple dealers' showrooms to do the same thing. Eliminating audio shows is going to be a significant blow to the industry. I was even hoping to bring my son, once he gets older, to one this year but that's going to be delayed. The last thing I want is to attend anything online/virtual. I'm sure I'm not the only one in this boat.

SFDude · « **Reply #8 on:** 20 May 2020, 06:54 pm »

Quote from: RonN5 on 20 May 2020, 05:21 pm

There are a number of youtube approaches that can create interest...eyeballs. Here are two that I enjoy...one is about explaining things...the other is about comparing things.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIJHwsTJyrH4YznoJxZmJHQ/videos

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCqij6P6veNyIN0jD_rLaFw/featured

The hard part though is having enough time to be putting up good and interesting content...especially for the smaller companies with only a few employees.

I like Danny Richie's videos. They are informative and useful. The Audio Excellence ones are a little less so. They can actually cut out about 95% of the blabbering and get to the meat of the equipment itself. But mostly, their videos are just 2 or 3 of them sitting around blabbering. So not totally effective mediums.

rollo · « **Reply #9 on:** 20 May 2020, 08:05 pm »

All in good time. When the fear is gone the show will go on. Seeing in person, hearing in person is the lure.

charles

dB Cooper · « **Reply #10 on:** 20 May 2020, 11:56 pm »

Since there really isn't enough interest in the 'hobby' to sustain a brick-and-mortar business model for the most part anymore, if the audio shows go, so does 'high end'.

witchdoctor · « **Reply #11 on:** 21 May 2020, 12:15 am »

What a moronic article, just like vinyl is "gone"

Steven Stone · « **Reply #12 on:** 21 May 2020, 03:17 am »

Not as "moronic" as comments that show they didn't bother to read the article...If you had you would have seen that I wrote that without a vaccine shows will not be successful..so 'Gone" until the time of a vaccine...so I did not write what you thought I wrote...

OzarkTom · « **Reply #13 on:** 21 May 2020, 06:39 am »

It is best to take one day at a time, and have patience.

AmpDesigner333 · « **Reply #14 on:** 21 May 2020, 09:47 am »

Quote from: Steven Stone on 21 May 2020, 03:17 am

Not as "moronic" as comments that show they didn't bother to read the article...If you had you would have seen that I wrote that without a vaccine shows will not be successful..so 'Gone" until the time of a vaccine...so I did not write what you thought I wrote...

It's an honor to have you comment on this thread!

AmpDesigner333 · « **Reply #15 on:** 21 May 2020, 09:49 am »

Quote from: witchdoctor on 21 May 2020, 12:15 am

What a moronic article, just like vinyl is "gone"

Disagree. Strongly.

dB Cooper · « **Reply #16 on:** 21 May 2020, 01:33 pm »

Now that the thread has devolved into who is a moron and who isn't, and who is the bigger moron, can the Intergalactic Wastebin be far off?

There is a nice way to make almost any point, but it seems to be increasingly a lost art.

witchdoctor · « **Reply #17 on:** 21 May 2020, 02:12 pm »

It's nice to see that the industry is already adapting as new shows are being announced:

https://positive-feedback.com/industry-news/pacific-audio-fest-2021/

barryso · « **Reply #18 on:** 21 May 2020, 03:17 pm »

Show still serve a need.

There are few brick and mortar stores in my area. The ones that are left are catering to extremely wealthy individuals and their demonstrations are miserable. It's beyond my pay grade to understand how these places stay in business.

So that leaves the shows. It's far from perfect as the hotel rooms are boomy and you have to fight the crowd to get anywhere near the sweet spot. There's too much uber expensive gear, too. But there are usually a couple of rooms with reasonably priced goods and you can sit and listen and decide if you want to take it home.

No shows means there's no way to audition gear.

witchdoctor · « **Reply #19 on:** 21 May 2020, 04:05 pm »

BTW Steven if you are reading please publish a correction to your article and let your readers know that there is a NEW show coming called the Pacific Audiofest and they will take special measures to make it safe for visitors. Better yet, interview the organizers and write a new article