HIFI PIG REPORTS FROM INTEGRATED SYSTEMS EUROPE HELD IN BARCELONA

Integrated Systems Europe 2024 or ISE 2024 is a huge event and this is the second time we have visited. The sheer scale of the show is just mindblowing.

Please note, all content and photos are the copyright of HiFi PiG Magazine/Big Pig Media LLP and must not be copied or reproduced in any way without the prior, written consent of HiFi PiG/Big Pig Media.

HUGE SCALE EVENT

ISE takes place in eight huge halls at the Fira de Barcelona Gran Via venue, over four days and features exhibitors from the pro-AV and systems integration community including everything from advanced display technologies and immersive audio systems to smart automation and collaborative communication tools.

Our report covers some familiar names from the HiFi Industry who were showing their products, mostly in the area of Home Cinema, in Hall 2 which covered residential products. These forward thinking brands are making the most of tapping into new realms and bringing their HiFi credentials to a new audience.

The amount of work and, obviously, money spent creating the exhibits shows just how important this sector of the market is.

We would like to thank British HiFi brand PMC who sponsored our ISE coverage this year.

GLOBAL ATTENDEES

Official info from the organisers tells us that the show attracted 73,891 unique verified attendees from 162 countries, a record since the show’s inception in Geneva in 2004. This represents an increase of 27% on the 2023 edition.

On the Wednesday (31st January) the show had 51,617 visitors, the highest number ever in a single day beating the previous record by almost 22%.

The total number of registrations reached 95,396 with 172,627 visits across the four days. Attendee numbers for the Friday were at 24,528, a record for the show since it went to a four-day event. 

The exhibition showcased its highest number of exhibitors with (1,408) and the largest show floor space (82,000 sqm net).

“In the illustrious 20-year journey of ISE, we have witnessed the transformative power of innovation and collaboration within our community. ISE 2024 not only reflects the cutting-edge technologies defining our industry but also serves as a testament to the enduring spirit of creativity and camaraderie. As we celebrate this milestone, alongside our co-owners AVIXA and CEDIA we look forward to continuing our commitment to being a global platform for industry professionals.” Mike Blackman, Managing Director of Integrated Systems Events

EDUCATION AND CONFERENCES

The exhibition also included conference sessions, workshops, and keynote presentations giving insights into emerging trends, market dynamics, and technological breakthroughs. Renowned speakers in the conferences and on the show floor stages shared their expertise on topics such as artificial intelligence in AV, sustainable design, and the future of remote collaboration. Attendees had the opportunity to engage in meaningful discussions and gain actionable knowledge to stay ahead in this rapidly evolving industry.

ISE returns to Barcelona on the 4th – 7^th of February 2025.

ISE 2024 REPORT

We chatted to some of the attendees and checked out their stands, you can see these interviews in the video below, plus more photos of what caught our eye in the rest of the report…enjoy!

PMC

PMC set up at ISE 2024 with their purpose built cinema room hosting Dolby Atmos immersive audio demonstrations with renowned recording and mix engineer, Heff Moraes and PMC’s range of ci and professional audio loudspeakers.

PMC have been championing Dolby Atmos for Music for some years now and their Pro Audio and studio experience makes them the leader in this field. With Dolby Atmos Home Cinema installations becoming so popular it is very sensible to also show people how they can also use these spaces for music as well as film.

In this huge exhibition, PMC managed to create a personal and intimate space for listening, which was very much appreciated by the crowds.

The 9.1.4 cinema featured PMC Ci140 for left, front and centre, Ci45 for surround, Ci 30 for the height channels and 8-2 subwoofers, powered by PMC 750-8 amplifiication with Trinnov processing, GIK Acoustics room treatment and Kordz cables.

MCINTOSH AND SONUS FABER

McIntosh and Sonus faber were celebrating in style with their Frankie’s HiFi Bar set up. There was coffee and pastries in the morning followed by craft cocktails and guest DJs later on in the day.

We spotted the new McIntosh MC2.1KW 75th Anniversary Monoblock Power Amplifier, which is an enormous three-chassis creation.

Their home cinema room was equipped with McIntosh amplifiers and Sonus faber Arena speakers, plus there was a full display of McIntosh and Sonus faber Custom Installation High Fidelity (CI-Fi) products, including the first public demo of Arena 10 speakers from Sonus faber.

WATERFALL AUDIO

French HiFi brand Waterfall Audio has embraced the concept of custom install and home cinema, for several years now they have had collaborations at various shows, working, not only with CI experts, but also with interior designers and furniture companies to create beautiful systems for living spaces.

Star of the show at ISE 2024 was the stunning new Waterfall Niagara XT range which feature a new wooden horn tweeter, with customers able to select the piece of wood used, so each speaker has a unique grain.

Also new was their new JETSTREAM damping technology, which has been developed to control damping in its range of floorstanding glass loudspeakers, including Niagara, Iguascu and Victoria.

Waterfall loudspeakers are always striking in their appearance and it is fantastic to see them standing out in the home cinema and custom install realm.

DALI

A comprehensive selection of Dali’s products were on show at ISE 2024, including their first foray into garden speakers with the new outdoor Dali Gardian OW5.

STEINWAY LYNGDORF

At Steinway Lyngdorf we got to meet Peter Lyngdorf along with their latest creations…including the new Steinway & Sons Model C speaker. A very luxurious feel to this stand, enhanced by details such as their super tactile remote controls.

LENBROOK

Lenbrook brands NAD, PSB Speakers and Bluesound were well represented at the show following their recent acquisition of MQA.

MERIDIAN, PRIMARE, STORM AUDIO

The AV EMEA stand featured a stunning display including the eye-catching Meridian DSP9 Digital Active Loudspeakers and flagship DSP8000XE .and custom install products. Also on show were Torus Power, Primare and Storm Audio.

MONITOR AUDIO

Monitor Audio brought their install speaker range along with the highly distinctive HYPHN.

FOCAL & NAIM

Sister brands Focal and Naim brought a selection of products including the home-friendly Uniti range, the newest model being the Naim Uniti Nova PE one-box music-streaming system . Their Home Cinema demo room was decked out in Focal 1000 range CI speakers and they were also launching the new Naim CI series of amplification, designed to work with the Focal Custom Install speakers. The range includes the Naim CI-Uniti 102 Streamer / amplifier for CI Focal speakers, Naim CI-NAP 108 8 channel power amplifier and Naim CI-NAP 101 mono power amp for subwoofers.

JBL

A good selection from JBL’s Synthesis products were on display.

RUSSOUND

And some more from around Hall 2…

Please note, all content and photos are the copyright of HiFi PiG Magazine/Big Pig Media LLP and must not be copied or reproduced in any way without the prior, written consent of HiFi PiG/Big Pig Media.