AES-New York Thread

[joeq]

Originally Posted by Bryce

The numbers I heard were that exhibitors were down ~30% from the last AES show in NYC (2007), but attendees were actually up 9% over the last NYC show.

dB

yeah but that 9% was comprised entirely of kids looking at the MXL mics



I was shocked at how long the Advance line was to get in friday morning - I kept thinking I had reached the end and then realized these guys here are on line behind this "last guy"

at least it moved fast

in 2007, I was surprised to have many of the exhibitors hand me a little card that had the web address of the company instead of a big shiny card-stock brochure

in 2009, they didn't even hand out the little card- they just said: "go to our website" verbally.

I know it's hard to consider a brochure "swag" but I really came home with a very light bag.

[u b k]

Originally Posted by matt thomas

yeah I think that was his point, a 12 track would give twice the tape of a 24 on 2"

Unless I'm mistaken, it would give more than double because you'd lose less to head gap. But my actual point was that 8 tracks aren't quite enough for the kinds of productions I'm into these days, 12 is a perfect number.

There was no way to infer that from my words though, which probably means it wasn't my best shot at making a point!


Gregory Scott - ubk
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[u b k]

Originally Posted by Jules

For the first time in about 6 years of US and European AES shows - it was overall a "no moan" AES

Totally agreed, best show I've been to in the past 5 years.

Originally Posted by joeq

yeah but that 9% was comprised entirely of kids looking at the MXL mics

It's rare that I disagree with you, but my experience as a vendor was exactly the opposite: this is the first time I didn't have to explain to anyone, not one single soul, what attack release and ratio are, or how most eq's cause significant phase shift, or any other relatively basic concept. The knowledge of the average attendee --- and yes, they were generally on the younger side --- was very solid.

Originally Posted by joeq

in 2009, they didn't even hand out the little card- they just said: "go to our website" verbally.

I know it's hard to consider a brochure "swag" but I really came home with a very light bag.

I'm bummed we didn't get to meet again, I would have gladly handed you a card plus two brochures.


Gregory Scott - ubk
.

[Steffmo]

All of the vendors I am close to were happy with the show. I really felt that the show reflected the Pro audio business, with very little MI pollution.

Although I have to admit I missed the pseudo NAMM practice of adorning booths with babes in Frederick's lingerie.

The bottom line is folks felt they were doing business. Truth be known less biz was done in those giant shows of the early nineties where a half dozen vendors had 40 by 40 booths.

Sony in a 10 by 10.

All of Harmon in a 30 bb 10. Lex and AKG with about 5 feet total display space.

Were there any display rooms? I didn't see any.

I"ll bet the AES is going to be hurting however. These shows float their boat.

[seaneldon]

Originally Posted by u b k

But my actual point was that 8 tracks aren't quite enough for the kinds of productions I'm into these days, 12 is a perfect number.

Bounce, my friend. Bounce.

[Kris]

Welcome back.

[Sigma]

Originally Posted by Steffmo

All of the vendors I am close to were happy with the show. I really felt that the show reflected the Pro audio business, with very little MI pollution.

Although I have to admit I missed the pseudo NAMM practice of adorning booths with babes in Frederick's lingerie.

The bottom line is folks felt they were doing business. Truth be known less biz was done in those giant shows of the early nineties where a half dozen vendors had 40 by 40 booths.

Sony in a 10 by 10.

All of Harmon in a 30 bb 10. Lex and AKG with about 5 feet total display space.

Were there any display rooms? I didn't see any.

I"ll bet the AES is going to be hurting however. These shows float their boat.

was thinking the same thing..at the NARAS event there jin armstong [?] the AES pres said call the manufacturers who didn' t show and shame them for not coming LOL

hey personally i' like to see it go back to hotel rooms..you could actually HEAR the demos then

[joeq]

Originally Posted by u b k

It's rare that I disagree with you, but my experience as a vendor was exactly the opposite: this is the first time I didn't have to explain to anyone, not one single soul, what attack release and ratio are, or how most eq's cause significant phase shift, or any other relatively basic concept. The knowledge of the average attendee --- and yes, they were generally on the younger side --- was very solid.

that's good to hear

I did not really mean to disparage the younger attendees, or MXL mics for that matter, but more as a comment on the financial picture. That the extra 9% was probably not bringing in 9% more purchasing dollars.

I'm no kid, but my gear budget is not far out of the Chinese microphone range either.

I'm bummed we didn't get to meet again, I would have gladly handed you a card plus two brochures.

I can't believe I missed your booth. I was there most of the day, but I admit I wandered.

I should have been more systematic working my way down the aisles.

[Jim Williams]

Originally Posted by Steffmo

All of the vendors I am close to were happy with the show. I really felt that the show reflected the Pro audio business, with very little MI pollution.

Although I have to admit I missed the pseudo NAMM practice of adorning booths with babes in Frederick's lingerie.

The bottom line is folks felt they were doing business. Truth be known less biz was done in those giant shows of the early nineties where a half dozen vendors had 40 by 40 booths.

Sony in a 10 by 10.

All of Harmon in a 30 bb 10. Lex and AKG with about 5 feet total display space.

Were there any display rooms? I didn't see any.

I"ll bet the AES is going to be hurting however. These shows float their boat.

Last time I went in the 1990's a 10x10 was $2500. Namm charged $1500. What was this years 10x10' rate? If these shows keep shrinking and those rates keep climbing, I don't believe it's sustainable. It's more for less.

Also, back then during those 40x40 days we couldn't sell at the show! It was "exhibition only" and if you got caught writing an order they would throw you out! AES was forced to change that rule to survive.

At Namm you get 80~100,000 attendies for much less $$$. That in itself may be why AES is shrinking. I don't believe they would ever join with Namm, too un-stuffy for those NYC stiffshirts at AES. Show slutz and AES don't mix very well. They did miss their opprotunity when SMPTE broke off and joined NAB back in the 1990's. They have a huge show in Vegas.

The new question is: How many companies that skipped AES will show at Namm next january? Will the next west coast show (if there is one) also be back at Moscone in Frisco? That I compained about when I was a member, LA had better numbers and more pro's. I havn't been back to Moscone since the late 1990's.

Jim Williams
Audio Upgrades

[colinmiller]

It seemed to me like this year would be better for a lot of vendors since they had a better chance of getting more traffic. None of the big Digidesign and such distractions, and much easier for everyone to cover the entire show. In past shows it could be too big for a lot of people to see everything. This year it seemed as though many smaller companies who might get passed by could get more attention.

Just speculation though.

[RCM - Ronan]

I finally got some footage of the show up here at my show

Over all I really loved AES this year. A few companies I would have really liked to have seen were not there, but the vibe was really good and it was friendly and fun and I got to see some cool stuff.

[u b k]

Originally Posted by seaneldon

Bounce, my friend. Bounce.

Oh, I bounce. And submix. And process and do fader moves as I go.

The problem occurs when there are only two open tracks left. At some point I'd have to start combining things I really don't want to combine, or tracking while mixing/bouncing. 12 tracks, there'd still be challenges but I'd have room for ear candy. I loves me some ear candy.

It took me 2 songs to figure out you gotta record on every other track for the first 4 tracks in order to maximize your bouncing options towards the end.

Friggin' analog. It smacks you around pretty good when you're tracking, then when you hit play it's all "C'mon baby, you know I love you" and you listen to the sweet tape sound and cry say "I'm sorry, it was all my fault."


Gregory Scott - ubk
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[RKrizman]

Originally Posted by u b k

Friggin' analog. It smacks you around pretty good when you're tracking, then when you hit play it's all "C'mon baby, you know I love you" and you listen to the sweet tape sound and cry say "I'm sorry, it was all my fault."

.

If only they made 456 perfume...

-R

[tsvisser]

Originally Posted by rcm

I finally got some footage of the show up here at my show

Over all I really loved AES this year. A few companies I would have really liked to have seen were not there, but the vibe was really good and it was friendly and fun and I got to see some cool stuff.

pretty cool, now I can feel like I didn't completely miss the show. Thanks a lot for taking the time to do this.

[DanGo]

Anybody heard this JDK two channel comp? It wouldn't, by some chance, be a "budget" API 2500 would it? Anybody know what it's going to cost?

Originally Posted by 666666

JDK Audio (formerly Arsenal Audio), by API... unveiled a new two channel compressor unit... "thrust" feature included!... and very affordable.... I do not see it at the JDK site yet, and sorry, I did not get a chance to take a photo... but this seems like a really nifty new product...

JDK Audio

[666666]

Originally Posted by DanGo

Anybody heard this JDK two channel comp? It wouldn't, by some chance, be a "budget" API 2500 would it? Anybody know what it's going to cost?

It doesn't look anything like a 2500 and has less features... but it does have a thrust switch.

I'd guess that sonically it follows the rest of the JDK line, but we won't know until we hear it.

I think the price is going to be similar to their other 2U rack units... about $1200 MSRP which means about a grand street price... don't quote me on that, but I believe that's what I had heard. If this is true, and if the comp is as good as their other stuff, it's going to be a killer deal... especially with that nifty "thrust" feature.

Can't wait to hear one.

Anyone got any pics of it???

[Shizampah]

I'm 24 and I definitely felt like one of very few guys in my age range there - aside from my business partners and some former colleagues I interned with at Georgia Hilton's studio, I could probably count twenty-somethings on one hand. Maybe I wasn't looking hard enough, but it seemed to paint a grim picture for the future of music audio.

Being a post-production engineer I found Dolby's new Mediameter plugin to be the most interesting thing there - Analogous to the hardware at less than 1/3rd of the price and IT PRINTS GRAPHS AND CHARTS! Take THAT QC!

Also wanted to say thanks to Jules for the Gearslutz afterparty and the help finding and getting into the API party - I can't think of anyone that does more to promote a sense of community within audio.

btw - I'm the guy with the red beard at the Gearslutz party in James' video!

[Jim Williams]

Originally Posted by colinmiller

It seemed to me like this year would be better for a lot of vendors since they had a better chance of getting more traffic. None of the big Digidesign and such distractions, and much easier for everyone to cover the entire show. In past shows it could be too big for a lot of people to see everything. This year it seemed as though many smaller companies who might get passed by could get more attention.

Just speculation though.

You may be on to something there. Since I haven't been in a few years, is it more of a botique audio show, sort of like some audio clubs are like? Maybe it's morphing into a less corporate exhibition?

Funny, that's what it was like many years ago before the big boys.

Jim Williams
Audio Upgrades

[parasitk]

Very late to the thread, but FWIW here are my pics from this years AES. Not quite as many as I took in 2007.

AES NYC 2009 - a set on Flickr

I'm bummed I didn't really talk to anyone this year (except for hanging with some friends at the Eventide booth at the end of the day), but I wasn't really up for the swarm of people, and was content just lurking.

//Chris

[Storyville]

First time at AES. Interesting experience.

Award for favorite mic goes to Sanken. I had never heard a Sanken mic before aes, and testing it out, I was floored. When I'm old and grizzly, I'll have a bunch of these.

Close 2nd goes to Shiny Box. I really liked the sound of those mics, and was pretty surprised at their price tag. Ribbons generally have great side rejection, but these guys were practically dead silence at 90 degrees.

Least favorite had to be the JZ mics. The guy at the booth had this rant about how all other mics were inferior because they lacked some kind of dual capsule design or something. Then had their mics next to some unmarked Neumann mic - it was literally covered up, except for the Neumann logo and the grill and capsule. It had the 87 shape, but I really had no idea what I was comparing. On top of that, I tested the mic, and it sounded HORRIBLE. The highs were more hyped than any mic, SDC or LDC I had ever heard - and they were ugly highs at that. No amount of eq could have saved that microphone. I said that it sounded bright to me and the vendor got offended. Oh well.