As promised, I’ve returned to write a bit about the show floor trends and more I’m noticing here at CEDIA Expo 2022. While on Day One I focused on just a few key things I was picking up on from my short forays onto the show floor, I continued that with the things I saw at the show and the interviews we conducted on rAVe [TV]. The great thing about spending so much time interviewing people was that they sometimes saw things that I didn’t!

Steph Says: CEDIA Expo 2022 Day 1 Thoughts

I got to speak with an attendee this day (video coming soon) — Steve Greenblatt of Control Concepts Inc. He and his company are in both the residential and commercial markets, so this was an interesting CEDIA Expo for him to attend since there is quite a bit of emphasis on the “resimercial” market this year.

Major Trend Alert: Resimercial

For those of you who might be unfamiliar, the resimercial market is one that has been explained to me as being the gray area between residential and commercial. Home offices fall under this category — just because it’s unclear about what type of integrator should install this. (Professional-grade equipment … but it’s in someones house?)

Anyway — from manufacturers to integrators — companies that already serve both of these markets are thriving in this environment and are therefore thriving at this trade show.

You may remember I talked to Jason McGraw about this emerging/essentially rebranded (looking at you, prosumer) market back at CEDIA Expo 2021.

Another interesting point about this is that although this was the buzzword on everyone’s lips during this show, there was no real advertisement about how any one product or company fit the bill for both markets. Instead, manufacturers would mention casually that their products would work in someone’s house OR a conference room OR a hotel, etc.

Similarly, the integrators here are primarily residential — but many of them have mentioned they are already occasionally bleeding into pro installs. Something I’m interested in learning more about: Is it easier to go from residential to commercial than vice versa and are home-office needs changing that?

Favorite Products

I don’t go to a residential show without drooling over a Samsung Frame TV or the Leon Speakers Ente Sound Tile. AV that looks like art is my bread and butter! Luckily on the Day Two episode of rAVe [TV], we talk about both!

I also got to do a show floor tour that shows you guys the Sound Tile as well as a few of my other favorite audio products on the show floor. Leon Speakers was even nice enough to let me take you guys into its Airstream and show you all of the audio products inside! (Peep the Shure MV7 by the content creation station!)

While these products aren’t necessarily new, they do have some really great features. As I mentioned to Samsung’s Mike Bennett when he joined us for the rAVe [TV] episode, I thought the matte finish on the 2022 Samsung Frame model was a nice touch! It really does give it that frame-in-a-museum look.

Another Leon Speakers product I’ll mention is the Tonecase FIT — an aesthetically pleasing cover made to go over the Sonos ARC. It’s a seemingly simple product but it’s one that does wonders for someone who can’t stand that their sound bar isn’t the same width as their TV!

 

Networking

On this day, I was lucky enough to attend the Women in Consumer Technology Luncheon. At the luncheon, Carol Campbell accepted the CEDIA Lifetime Achievement Award. I was reminded how our industry has so many badass women, and it was lovely getting to see one be celebrated.

Carol Campbell receives CEDIA Lifetime Achievement Award at @WomenInCT Luncheon at @CEDIAExpo! Congrats, Carol! #CEDIAExpo #AVtweeps pic.twitter.com/L4Zj5k6ePU

— rAVe [PUBS] (@rAVePubs) September 30, 2022

That’s about it for my thoughts on Day Two. Check back in for my thoughts on Day Three tomorrow!