due to some last minute changes, i didn't go to the ISSE 2008 (international sight and sound exhibition) in singapore.
from what i heard and read, it was a genuine disaster. even singaporeans didn't think highly of it.
they even say KLIAV (kl's hifi show) is much better.
it is easy to point fingers at the organizer (the editor of the local chinese hifi mag) but in actual fact, it is the exhibitors who screwed up (by not setting up their systems properly). SGD15 admission plus a free LPCD - no matter how crappy the music is - is not a lot by today's standard. i suppose what the organizer failed to do is to ensure that everyone treats the show seriously by devoting some time to setup and tune their systems but hey, that's daunting task when you need their business to make up the numbers!
it was the same complaint lashed out at the local KLIAV show a few years back when it became a "pasar malam" (night market) of sort where certain dealers threw their stocks at hugely discounted prices to attract the bargain hunters. many questioned the true meaning of hifi show. but do you know that those dealers (who threw prices) were the happiest of the lot, every year without fail? (one rumored to chalk up RM600K sales in just over 3 days!) so i tell you, there are always two sides of a coin.
so when the organizer finally created a "pasar malam" show to specifically meet the demands of those bargain hunters, it was a major flop because malaysia seriously don't need more than one hifi show.
so, where does that leave the organizer? well, his position is certainly unenviable.
instead of travellng to sg, i spent my weekend in ipoh. it was all gloomy at the hifi shops, with every dealer expressing extreme pessimism with the current economic situation and currency fluctuation.
it is the same here in kl. every dealer i visited has some sort of plan for the bad times ahead.
my advice is don't shut off your dealers completely. if you can't afford the big items, how about buying some accessories? they need your support in times like these.
p/s i have put all the local dealers' websites/blogs on the right panel. do visit them once in a while.
p/s this blog is best viewed using mozilla firefox. IE seems to have some problems all the times.
infrequent updates
8 years ago
6 comments:
I think KlIAV show has grown in stature and has since surpassed both the Singapore and Bangkok Show.
I think in The Show different people looks for different things.hard core audiophiles like us do look for cutting edge breakthrough products,but there are always people looking for bargains to let them in in this fairly expensive hobby
Luckily you didn't go.
I did and it was the most @#$%! show I ever attended.
First, they held the show in a low class hotel with small rooms in a less than desirable location.
Then, they increased the price of the entry ticket by 50% but the no of exhibitors dropped by almost the same margin.
On active display was a pair of humongous twin tower amp which costs, "here's my apartment keys as down payment" but sounded like suffering from ED; a pair of German speakers with zero imaging; a pair of full metal jacket speaker sounding like suffering from a serious heart attack with woofers bottoming out even when playing simple music with a tuba...the list goes on.
I mean the hi fi cooks there were given good and costly ingredients (at least on paper) to work on but only managed to serve these types of half-cooked and unsavoury hi fi dishes. How sad!
From my impressions, perhaps they sell based on brand names and prices - no tasting necessary.
Sorry if I've offended anyone for this negative report.
Anyway, I'm taking a detox programme to purge the almost toxic sounds of the show from my system.
I was there too, and Km Ng 's description was right on the money!!!!Really I couldn't say it any better!!!
Sorry,I think they should find better organizer or just joint the KLIAV show instead..
Maggielurva,
I think very few of the exhibitors took their time to properly set up their room..
Unfortunately,many Asians audiophiles go for the bragging factors when it come to buying gears,or is it that we are too polite to call s@#t sound S23t sound..
We need to start demanding before people take us seriously .
Probably, (I say Probably) the show was held during the height of the severe share market diarrhoea. Can you imagine the dealers/bosses (if they do trade in equity market) lose their pants down? Where were their state of mind or mood to set-up system. They probably just connect the speakers cables, interconnect and merely power up for u to listen:)
Hi Maggie
Like many have said, the show was a bit of a let down. Not much was done to even promote the event. If you searched the events time tables on those 'Singapore Info' websites you won't even see a mention of the show at all. When you walk into the hotel, you wonldn't even know there was show going on unless you actually went to the 3rd floor.
As for the systems that were on display, not one was able to grab my attention and make me think 'wow'. The highlight for me was Waterfall's glass enclosed speakers. Looked really nice.
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