T.H.E. SoCal show, held once again at the Hilton Orange County in Costa Mesa, California, kicked off today (Friday, June 6). It will run through Sunday, June 8. It's the show's 3rd year at the venue.
For the occasion, I made my first jaunt to Southern California in a handful of years. I arrived partway through the first day, blurry-eyed yet excited to see what was new. (The Eastern Time zone jet lag hasn't hit yet.)
Plenty seems new, and not just products. T.H.E. Show has a new name, a new rationale for the old acronym. T.H.E. used to stand for "The Home Entertainment" show, but now, with Emiko Carlin at the helm (as CEO of T.H.E. Enterprises;she took over as president in March, 2024) T.H.E. stands for Total HiFi Experience, reflecting Emiko's and T.H.E. show's aspiration to broaden hi-fi's reach and appeal.
A few elements differentiate this hi-fi show from others, including the on-site film festival, which T.H.E. Enterprises is presenting concurrently. Carlin is also a professional musician and recording artist, and she will be performing at T.H.E. Show's Saturday night concert along with two emerging artists: Julia Sawtell, a SoCal-based jazz/pop vocalist, and Mike Leach, a multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, and former music director now based in Utah.
The show is hosting some first-time hi-fi show exhibitors, including indie and bespoke high-end makers as well as several returning companies, some after years away. T.H.E. Show's origins go back 29 years; Carlin said this makes it the longest-running hi-fi show in the country.
T.H.E. Show also includes car audio, a trend seen at shows this year, such as the Florida International Audio Show and AXPONA. A few cars are even on display inside the hotel, in the wider hallways and passageways.
Already, after spending less than a day here,, I've noticed families, women, and more diversity in demographics than I typically see at U.S. hi-fi shows. The vibe feels SoCal-like—and not just because of the live palm trees and succulent plants inside the hotel's main atrium. People have been friendly and perhaps chattier than audiophiles tend to be. Many are obviously music lovers. And I've heard some fantastic systems.
Carlin said that more than 225 brands are represented at the show, an increase over last year.
We'll see how foot traffic goes, but at closing time today, I overheard one dealer say that his room received more foot traffic on the first day (Friday) than their store does over a two-week period. Glean from that what you will.
I'm flying solo at the show, and there's a lot to see, hear and cover. I'll do my best to cover the most interesting and important stuff.
It's always fun to see and hear unique and interesting gear, especially the stuff I haven't seen before.
Plenty seems new, and not just products. T.H.E. Show has a new name, a new rationale for the old acronym. T.H.E. used to stand for "The Home Entertainment" show, but now, with Emiko Carlin at the helm (as CEO of T.H.E. Enterprises;she took over as president in March, 2024) T.H.E. stands for Total HiFi Experience, reflecting Emiko's and T.H.E. show's aspiration to broaden hi-fi's reach and appeal.
A few elements differentiate this hi-fi show from others, including the on-site film festival, which T.H.E. Enterprises is presenting concurrently. Carlin is also a professional musician and recording artist, and she will be performing at T.H.E. Show's Saturday night concert along with two emerging artists: Julia Sawtell, a SoCal-based jazz/pop vocalist, and Mike Leach, a multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, and former music director now based in Utah.
The show is hosting some first-time hi-fi show exhibitors, including indie and bespoke high-end makers as well as several returning companies, some after years away. T.H.E. Show's origins go back 29 years; Carlin said this makes it the longest-running hi-fi show in the country.
T.H.E. Show also includes car audio, a trend seen at shows this year, such as the Florida International Audio Show and AXPONA. A few cars are even on display inside the hotel, in the wider hallways and passageways.
Already, after spending less than a day here,, I've noticed families, women, and more diversity in demographics than I typically see at U.S. hi-fi shows. The vibe feels SoCal-like—and not just because of the live palm trees and succulent plants inside the hotel's main atrium. People have been friendly and perhaps chattier than audiophiles tend to be. Many are obviously music lovers. And I've heard some fantastic systems.
Carlin said that more than 225 brands are represented at the show, an increase over last year.
We'll see how foot traffic goes, but at closing time today, I overheard one dealer say that his room received more foot traffic on the first day (Friday) than their store does over a two-week period. Glean from that what you will.
I'm flying solo at the show, and there's a lot to see, hear and cover. I'll do my best to cover the most interesting and important stuff.
