How many times have you attended ISE, and in what capacity?
This will be our eighth time exhibiting at ISE, this year we will be on stand 7C710. We have been consistent participants since the show’s early days, and it continues to be a cornerstone event for us each year.
What are you most looking forward to seeing, or experiencing at ISE?
The breadth and diversity of attendees is what makes ISE truly unique. We’re able to connect with customers across multiple market segments, from live sound and installation to broadcast and system integration, all under one roof. ISE has evolved to become increasingly inclusive of all these vertical markets, which makes it even more valuable than specialised shows like IBC for reaching our diverse customer base.
Beyond the networking opportunities, ISE provides an ideal platform to discuss emerging trends, upcoming developments, and to exchange ideas with distributors, integrators, and end users about where the industry is heading.
Which tech trends do you think will dominate the show floor and why?
Several converging trends are reshaping our industry. Cloud production continues to gain momentum, as does the entire concept of hybrid infrastructure. We’re seeing this manifest in multiple ways; hybrid events where live and broadcast seamlessly merge, hybrid installations where fixed venues are equipped to deliver streaming content alongside traditional production, and venues designed with maximum flexibility to serve diverse technical requirements.
Another significant trend is the democratisation of immersive audio. While projects like the Sphere represent the pinnacle of immersive technology, we’re now seeing these capabilities scaled for smaller productions – theatres, opera houses, and mid-sized venues. This technology is no longer reserved for only the most elaborate installations; it’s becoming accessible and practical for a much broader range of applications.
These trends are fundamentally why the traditional boundaries between vertical markets are dissolving, and why ISE has become the central meeting point for the entire professional audio ecosystem.
How has the AV industry evolved since the last ISE, and how will it be reflected at the show?
One of the biggest challenges facing our industry isn’t so much a trend as it is an operational reality: we’re experiencing a simultaneous explosion in project volume and a shortage of qualified personnel. This creates pressure on manufacturers like DirectOut to make integration faster and more intuitive, even as systems grow more complex.
The solution lies in thoughtful design, starting with clear, intuitive user interfaces and extending through comprehensive training programs and customer qualification initiatives. This is where AI-powered support becomes not just helpful but essential. Our AI-powered support chatbot represents our first step in this direction, and customer adoption has been strong. We’re actively exploring how to expand AI integration throughout our product ecosystem to further streamline workflows and reduce the learning curve.
Do you have an opinion on the ongoing convergence between AV and broadcast, something ISE is reflecting in both the diversity of its exhibitors and also its events programming?
This convergence isn’t manufacturer-driven, it’s emerging organically from technological possibilities and market realities. While the pandemic certainly accelerated adoption, the foundation was already being laid through the widespread availability of high-bandwidth network infrastructure and IP-based audio protocols.
Simultaneously, traditional broadcasters face unprecedented cost pressures and competition from streaming platforms. This has forced the broadcast sector to reinvent itself and explore new production paradigms, which naturally leads them to leverage AV technologies and workflows.
A concrete example is that major corporations can now establish their own broadcast-quality production facilities at their headquarters, cost-effectively and with remarkable flexibility. They’re no longer dependent on external resources for press conferences, shareholder meetings, or corporate communications. This represents a fundamental shift in how professional content production is distributed across industries.
What role does ISE play in your business planning and decision-making for the year ahead?
ISE serves as a crucial milestone in our annual planning cycle. It’s the world’s largest live professional audio event at the start of the year, giving it strategic importance that exceeds even NAMM from a global perspective.
What makes ISE particularly valuable is its openness across all vertical markets. We can engage with the live sound, installation, and broadcast communities simultaneously, which perfectly aligns with where our technology is deployed. This cross-sector visibility is increasingly difficult to achieve at any single event.
Are there any particular product categories or solutions you’re prioritising this year, and why?
Network convergence remains a top priority. We offer comprehensive support for multiple network audio protocols and this agnostic approach reflects real-world requirements where different protocols excel in different scenarios.
We’re also focused on control simplification and accessibility. Our Stream Deck integration exemplifies this philosophy. It has been widely adopted across AV, broadcast, and live sound, and our plugin makes powerful DirectOut functionality immediately accessible within a familiar workflow. This is a starting point for additional integration solutions throughout the year.
Looking at our broader portfolio strategy, our core competencies, audio processing, playback, redundancy systems, infrastructure, and interfacing including gateway solutions, position us to offer complete system solutions rather than just individual components. We want customers to be able to build and scale their entire signal chain with DirectOut, growing their capabilities as their needs evolve.
What will you be launching or showcasing at ISE 2026, and what problem does it solve for your customers?
Our exhibit will highlight our network convergence capabilities, including our Stream Deck integration and recent Companion Plugin, demonstrating the flexibility and the interoperability our customers demand.
How do you plan to make your booth experience stand out on the busy show floor?
Our approach is rooted in continuity and quality rather than spectacle. We focus on substance by demonstrating real-world applications, facilitating meaningful technical conversations, and showcasing proven solutions. Our innovation speaks for itself through the work it enables.
What conversations are you hoping to have with visitors to your stand?
We’re looking forward to engaging with existing customers about their upcoming projects and evolving requirements. Understanding their challenges and objectives helps ensure our development roadmap stays aligned with real-world needs.
The conversations that create awareness of the full capabilities of our existing solutions are equally important, many customers utilize only a fraction of what our technology can accomplish. We want to showcase completed projects and applications that demonstrate the breadth of possibilities, creating those ‘I didn’t know that was possible!’ moments that spark new creative approaches.
ISE also serves as valuable market research. By listening to the industry and understanding emerging workflows and pain points, we can validate our development priorities and ensure we’re solving the problems that matter most. We’re eager to learn as much as we’re eager to demonstrate.
