The Munich Marriott has for years already hosted the alternate Hifi Deluxe show. Like the main MOC location and its outliers directly across the street at MotorWorld, next year's move to Vienna resets this chess board. I've always wondered. With this number of 'displaced hopefuls', why couldn't the HighEnd's organizers find them extra rooms in the enormous convention centre? But perhaps heading to the burbs isn't primarily about available space at the main venue. Perhaps it's about cost of attendance and the desire for more sonically conducive environs. Be that as it may, relocating an international trade fair to yet another German-speaking country and its expensive capital no less begs questions. Can its venue vaccinate against the virulent off-boarding bug and house one and all under the same roof? Can it price friendlier to also let smaller brands partake in the glory? As a matter of policy or loyalty, many press members won't visit outliers, period. General foot traffic too is far more sparse at the Marriott which in years past when I still did shows had more exhibits on the higher floors. If this international show really is primarily about business to business, static displays with little noise pollution to conduct business in would arguably serve far better than pretending to make good sound in venues not made for it. If this international show is about B2B, a central location and low costs should be priorities. Doesn't this at minimum suggest an English-speaking location? Vienna? But if the international audio community is incapable of organizing its own global event, leave it to industrious Germans to take over and set the rules. They already own the regional Vienna fair. Now that simply scales up to international. It's business. The show must go on. Achtung!
