In the wake of this year's Munich HighEnd show, Berlin colleague John Darko published a video entitled "The last hi-fi show I will even attend". It's perfect cause to ask what shows still offer the established publishers and reviewers in our space. Our hard-boiled kind doesn't go to listen. That we do under controlled conditions in our own room/s, with our own music, in the sweet spot, without noise pollution from competing demoes. Our kind needn't fly to Munich for product announcements. We already get those 24/365 by email, in our own office. Those announcements which embargo until a show opens we might get a few hours or days after attendees do. So what? Organizing review samples doesn't require a physical handshake. Email, telephone or Zoom work just as well. Show reports? With bloggers and YouTubers having taken over real-time postings and photo dumps, old-style reporting that waits until one returns to the office to digest what one saw/heard into a narrative that identifies new trends, break-out inventions or promising new brands – that's becoming less and less popular. The novelty factor of the perishable commodity called 'news' has already flared out with the real-time posts even where those lacked rudimentary photo credits, sequencing or editing for dupes and other rejects.
When considered that way, the only meaningful reason for longstanding publishers and reviewers to attend could be to just see people. Alas, manufacturers and their staff are glued to their exhibits. During show hours one steals at best a few moments. It's afterwards, for just a few evenings, that very limited opportunities for more arise. During show hours this leaves reviewing/publishing colleagues who are free to roam at will. But if they flew in to do business—to make new connections, honour existing ones, scout for novelties—they're not really free to socialize. And even if they're happy to 'check out' of the zoo for an hour, surely there are far more conducive environs to hang out together than in a noisy super-busy convention centre? This state of affairs had some reviewers I know fly into Munich a few days early to satisfy those socializing aspects off-site. Now the show simply becomes the mechanism which causes like-minded people to congregate in one city at the same time. If socializing becomes the only real draw for well-established press members to attend, perhaps the new MO will be to skip the show altogether? One could just fly into town a few days early, meet overseas friends and colleagues one hasn't seen in a year in a bistro or bar, then get out of town on the day the event opens its doors?
That would be rear-view mirror indeed.
I wised up to these observations years ago and stopped going. In 2023 I still compiled an 8-page pre-show report instead. I didn't get one thank-you for the considerable work involved. I might as well not have bothered. And not really bothering since hasn't made an iota of difference. It's how one learns. One tries out one way, then another. One looks at the results then determines how to proceed. Somewhere my rear-view mirror sits on a junk pile rusting away happily. For now John's still looks shinier but it already rests peacefully next to mine. Pile on? Clearly this opinion isn't widely shared yet. With 500-some press members having registered for this year's show, they must see concrete upsides and benefits. And perhaps some of it is down to my first italicized word on this page? The longer we've been in the game to have beaucoup prior shows and reports under our belts, the less inviting the prospect of yet another show looks? In which case it's the next generation taking over for whom such events haven't worn out their welcome yet. Though I can't mention names, you might be surprised by the number of manufacturers who absolutely hate these shows and mostly attend to manage perceptions. Punitive attendance. That's not a terrifically winning reason to spend big money. With a number of high-profile brands having sat out 2025, if the upshot to their businesses ends up being no difference like it's been for my little enterprise for a few years already, could you blame them for sitting out Vienna, too?
For what it costs to attend this type event, some brands could find it more worthwhile to instead fly in their best distributors to their own premises or do a select pressathon? From where I sit, doing shows where manufacturers play DJ has run its course. If it's really a business-to-business event, do away with sound altogether. Just run static displays with plenty of seating and refreshments where dealers, distributors and the press can meet the personnel, get the lowdown on new products and the latest tech. If that were to be the new MO, I'd seriously consider attending again. Then I'd actually get more accomplished being present than remaining in my home office. For now it's the opposite. I get more done from my desktop; with a helluva lot less hassle…
