Everyone seems to agree: the ISE event delivers more and more every year. Dave Robinsonasks a cross-section of pro-audio exhibitors why it appeals
THE 2013 EDITION of Integrated Systems Events will be the 10th outing of the highly successful show. It began in Geneva in 2004, and has seen unprecedented and unmatched expansion, year after year. Now permanently based at the RAI in Amsterdam, ISE’s mix of audio, lighting, video and more consistently wins over manufacturers and distributors by introducing them to new customers and fresh territories. By way of a precursor to a full preview next month, PSNEurope asked 10 pro-audio exhibitors – some veterans of the event, some first time exhibitors in 2013 – just why ISE has become such an important date in the business calendar.
THE VETERANS Harald Steindl, Mocom Vienna (distributor for installation
audio equipment)
What first attracted you to the ISE show in 2004? Back then I travelled to Geneva for a few reasons. First and foremost, after attending a few InfoComm and NSCA expos in the US it was a short trip so well worth the risk.
Also after the non-success of
InfoComm trying to join forces with Photokina, I wanted to support them in doing it on their own as there was a need for an European systems integration show. How has it helped your business? During ISE I have my busiest days of the year because of all the people I meet face-to-face. Without this personal contact business would neither be successful nor worthwhile! What’s your best memory of your time at ISE? Most likely it would be the Crestron ISE Party a few years ago, where the Gipsy Kings were on stage. It was just a great evening with real musicians. Nothing beats live music, right?
Max Lindsay- Johnson, international sales and marketing, Duran Audio
What first attracted you to ISE? Originally it was something different. Would it be any good? Who knew – but we would go and see, and if it didn’t work out we could always buy some decent chocolate. It turned out to be something completely alien to the pro-audio world, a business- minded exhibition that covered a market called ‘AV’… How has it helped your business? ISE offers Duran Audio potential clients that don’t normally attend other audio shows. The visitors often don’t even know they need the technology until they meet us. Where else can you do that? What’s your best memory of ISE? Let’s just say Amsterdam is one hell of a town...
What are you doing at ISE 2013? ISE is for Apart Audio always the perfect place to launch our newest products – and this year we have lots of them! We also organise our distributor seminar during the week of ISE because lots of our international distributors come to Amsterdam. For Apart, the week of ISE can be seen as the most important week of the year. How has ISE helped your business? Because all our international distributors come to visit ISE, as well as new customers/distributors. What’s your best memory of ISE? The introduction of our MASK Series in 2008. But it’s more than that. For our sales team it’s the ideal time to get to know each other better.
Rob Robinson, CEO, Stardraw
What first attracted you to ISE?
In 2004 we had been exhibiting at shows internationally, sometimes as many as 14 in a
year, for more than 10 years and it was mystifying – and a little bit exasperating – that there wasn’t an event clearly focused on the professional AV installation market with a pan- European catchment. When ISE was presented we jumped on it and were willing to take the risk of being one of a small number,
ISE 2013 will be the 10th edition of the show
Teenyweeny coaxial systems. Live.
The E4 and E5 loudspeakers are slightly bigger than a wallet. Efficient miniatures for mobile speech and music reinforcement, with up to four being driven by each channel of a d&b amplifier. While they sound distinctively bigger than they are, they remain neutral, clear, transparent and intelligible even at high sound pressure levels. As with all the little systems in the d&b E-Series.