national audio show birmingham 2017 !

[per-Sony-fied]

Serious lack of people on Saturday. Some rooms said it was busy for the first few hours however I found it hard to find any room packed except the AV room downstairs with Draper/Arcam/Epson exhibiting. Nearly every room I went into had just a small handful of people. I almost felt I was there on my own.

As far I could tell there was no refreshments laid on other then the normal stalls/shops at the ICC (maybe why).


Very poor imo. Got up at crack of dawn, 3 hr drive. Had few exhibitors. If it is anything like this next year not worth a visit. Oh I want a £5 rebate too

 

[tricky1]

Was not worth the £15 ticket price plus £10 parking. So little to hear and look at, I went into the City Centre for a couple of hours. Best sound for me at the show..Audio Note by a mile with a reasonably priced system. The Jern cast iron speakers on show were also rather good and enjoyable.

 

[hifinutt]

I heard a one-off new pair of Lockwoods a few years back and they are fine speakers.

The comments in this thread and elsewhere (and Hifinutt has been pushing it hard on other forums) suggest that the show was basically a disaster. That a relaunch by a small business of an 80 year old brand should dominate the discussion says it all. I've been to three audio shows in 30 years - Wittlebury in 2013 and 2014 and Indulgence last year. Both Wittlebury visits resulted in a purchase. Even in 2014 I perceived few industry "big boys". Indulgence last year had a couple of good rooms, but it too was a confusing maze. Some rooms were just too small for audio. They do appear to be promoting next week's show hard and have made a real effort, with a number of live bands as well. I feel very sorry for the exhibitors that did turn up in Birmingham last weekend.

yes when you think that line magnetic came over from france with massive amount of equipment and others from all over uk it is very sad . I did go to see the manager of superfi in Birmingham some weeks to ask about marketing . obviously being my local show I wanted it to be a success but it patently was not this year .

 

[Joe Hart]

Lecture wise.

Metaxas & Sins big greek guy was amazing.

The GIK acoustics (noel gallagher look a like) just cannot speak or present, even if his physics is correct. Was a bad lecture - hence no round of applause at the end / we all walked out at exactly 60mins...

 

[Spenagio]

oh dear, an indicator of the increasingly niche appeal of hifi? In a strange way it's what appeals to me but the mainstream market paints a negative picture, you only have to look at the way in which electronics are now sold compared to 20 years ago.

Now if Apple were present....

 

[GT]

oh dear, an indicator of the increasingly niche appeal of hifi? In a strange way it's what appeals to me but the mainstream market paints a negative picture, you only have to look at the way in which electronics are now sold compared to 20 years ago.

Now if Apple were present....

It is because of Apple that has caused the demise of the HiFi industry, the music business too...

 

[sls4321]

It is because of Apple that has caused the demise of the HiFi industry, the music business too...

I think Napster was well before iTunes, but it was lousy as streaming rates were so low. Streaming has completely changed the nature of domestic audio - phone, chromecast and active speakers and you're done.

The UK consumer market for high-end audio may be on its last legs, and besides streaming not much has changed in 30 years, but in Asia it is alive and kicking and they love European products. The UK is a small market with low spend rates. I would expect the many UK brands run by individuals getting on in years will close in the next 10 years and component audio systems to largely disappear. Only those with global distribution are likely to survive.

 

[hifinutt]

Lecture wise.

Metaxas & Sins big greek guy was amazing.

The GIK acoustics (noel gallagher look a like) just cannot speak or present, even if his physics is correct. Was a bad lecture - hence no round of applause at the end / we all walked out at exactly 60mins...

did you go sat or sunday , I enjoyed sats lecture and it was noticeable that folks stayed to ask questions .

 

[narabdela]

Lecture wise.

Metaxas & Sins big greek guy was amazing.

One of the few highlights of the show. Entertaining and interesting lecture packed with common sense and humour.

 

[Ptah]

There's always Hammersmith (w/end after next)... http://indulgenceshow.com/

 

[sheggs]

Lecture wise.

Metaxas & Sins big greek guy was amazing.

The GIK acoustics (noel gallagher look a like) just cannot speak or present, even if his physics is correct. Was a bad lecture - hence no round of applause at the end / we all walked out at exactly 60mins...

Thanks for your feedback, always welcome it whichever way it goes
I actually changed the way I do this lecture and I am not sure it really was the best way round as the regular lecture normally goes down well. I want to keep the part about testing but think when I present the lecture at The Indulgence Show I will keep with the pre written presentation (this time I will have sound which certainly helps) and then add the testing part at the end for those interested and want to learn more about them. I think putting it at the beginning was a mistake it was too complex and ruined the flow of getting the important information on how to set up and treat your room out there.

 

[ssimon]

It is because of Apple that has caused the demise of the HiFi industry, the music business too...

I disagree, you can only blame the industry itself.
As a Hi-Fi enthusiast I would blame , if anybody, Alan Sugar when he sold a music delivery system and called it "Hi-Fi" for if I remember less than £100.
This made the public believe that equipment that cost anything more than £100 was only for mad people.
I thought Apple did pay royalties to the artists, so how does that hurt music production?

 

[Tony L]

It is wrong to single Apple out. It is just computer and internet technology that has moved things and if one is going to rail at that then be may as well start smashing up Jaquard Looms etc too. If there is any blame to be dished out here it is to the traditional audio industry not identifying market trends and isolating itself trying to sell ever more expensive trinkets to an ever-aging and diminishing existing market rather than offering something of real value to a young new generation of headphone listeners. Many areas are now so ludicrous and over-priced that the real audio enthusiasts are migrating to restoring classic kit and introducing new digital streaming technology to that rather than paying any attention to the new market where DACs etc that should cost hundreds cost thousands and speakers capable of moving any air cost as much as a car!

 

[RikC]

Thanks for your feedback, always welcome it whichever way it goes
I actually changed the way I do this lecture and I am not sure it really was the best way round as the regular lecture normally goes down well. I want to keep the part about testing but think when I present the lecture at The Indulgence Show I will keep with the pre written presentation (this time I will have sound which certainly helps) and then add the testing part at the end for those interested and want to learn more about them. I think putting it at the beginning was a mistake it was too complex and ruined the flow of getting the important information on how to set up and treat your room out there.

I feel your pain. I've been there done that too ref: trying different things with my presentation (not in the hifi industry I should add). What doesn't kill us only makes us stronger... etc. etc.

 

[Julf]

It is wrong to single Apple out. It is just computer and internet technology that has moved things and if one is going to rail at that then be may as well start smashing up Jaquard Looms etc too. If there is any blame to be dished out here it is to the traditional audio industry not identifying market trends and isolating itself trying to sell ever more expensive trinkets to an ever-aging and diminishing existing market rather than offering something of real value to a young new generation of headphone listeners. Many areas are now so ludicrous and over-priced that the real audio enthusiasts are migrating to restoring classic kit and introducing new digital streaming technology to that rather than paying any attention to the new market where DACs etc that should cost hundreds cost thousands and speakers capable of moving any air cost as much as a car!

Hear hear! Talking to Aki Mäkivirta of Genelec yesterday, he told me that they see streaming as an absolutely mandatory feature these days, but also that they sell quite a number of single speakers (as opposed to stereo pairs), as that is enough for a lot of people who just want to connect a speaker to their phone or laptop. That did surprise me a bit.

 

[JensenHealey]

Yup - we bought a (shock, horror!) Bose single bluetooth speaker. We cart it on holiday. At home it is in the kitchen or borrowed by the girls in the office, bedrooms. Or used when they have a 'gathering'. Apparently it is never a party these days unless it gets to about 100 people!

 

[PsB]

There's always Hammersmith (w/end after next)... http://indulgenceshow.com/

Interesting - might mosey down to see that on Friday.

 

[mfav]

We went to the Indulgence show last year , it should have been great. Lots of good brands in a good location(and remember we travelled down from Yorkshire) but there just was not enough people there . We had gone for a meeting with a company and to look at a on going job in London so it was not a total miss ...but it lacked that bit of something you get when there are more people about. We di all we needed to do on the Friday morning and had left by 1PM . On the Sunday we popped back to confirm something with one of the exhibitors and as we walked down the corridor past open doors you could see the guys almost begging us to go into their rooms .
Hope its better this year for them with more footfall .
That said..what was there was very good...

 

[sheggs]

We went to the Indulgence show last year , it should have been great. Lots of good brands in a good location(and remember we travelled down from Yorkshire) but there just was not enough people there . We had gone for a meeting with a company and to look at a on going job in London so it was not a total miss ...but it lacked that bit of something you get when there are more people about. We di all we needed to do on the Friday morning and had left by 1PM . On the Sunday we popped back to confirm something with one of the exhibitors and as we walked down the corridor past open doors you could see the guys almost begging us to go into their rooms .
Hope its better this year for them with more footfall .
That said..what was there was very good...

What they did; which is very good is invite all last year exhibitors to a meeting to ask what they could improve which is a very positive start. They have also managed to attract a larger range of exhibitors this year. With regards to the footfall that depends upon the marketing, I am certainly seeing a lot but how much is beyond the industry circles I do not know and I suppose enough terse people to go.
They certainly seem to moving it in a positive direction

 

[Joe Hart]