KVR Audio

tapper mike · Post by **tapper mike** » Sun Jan 22, 2012 2:52 am

I kind of agree with some of the responses. Exibitors who have something way cool and new usually don't have it. They put up a mock up that may or may never see production. It's sort of like the auto show. You see the fancy concept cars year in and out. They rarely go into production and when they do all the super cool features that they displayed at the show aren't in the model.

While I'd still love to go to namm for myself. I find that the next big thing is either not ready or they've unveiled it before the show. In the youtube age this makes the event less of an event.

justin3am · Post by **justin3am** » Sun Jan 22, 2012 3:15 am

tapper mike wrote:In the youtube age this makes the event less of an event.

this is true. I know that a few companies that once had a strong presence at NAMM have decided that the whole trade show circuit isn't relevant to their business models. Particularly software oriented companies.

I think NAMM will always be a big event for manufacturers, dealers, parts distributors, etc. but maybe less so for the public, in the future.

mandolarian · Post by **mandolarian** » Sun Jan 22, 2012 8:09 am

I can appreciate the incomplete demos and false hope of some products. Having worked for MI hardware companies in the past, the worst part about NAMM and CES is the timing. To get a working pre-production unit ready for the show usually meant no Xmas break and long hours debugging some stupid issue that any other time of the year would be trivial. This is why state-sponsored winter hibernation doesn't seem so crazy to me anymore.

tapper mike · Post by **tapper mike** » Sun Jan 22, 2012 8:35 am

When starr labs introduced the baby z at namm I was totally geeked. I saw pics of Michael Bianco posing with the thing but he didn't play it. I ordered one and then waited months for them to build it. Don't get me wrong I love my baby. It's in my lap as I type this. When I finally got it Harvey confessed mine was model one and they hadn't worked out all the kinks but they had to bring something new to the show.

Starr labs didn't attend this year. Retailers aren't interested in build to customer specs instruments. As well they've given up on the big investor approach that hasn't happened in the past and are more interested in kickstarter for the itar.

NAMM in Two Weeks.