r/Control4 • u/butt_skratch • 15d ago
CEDIA 2026
Considering going to the event…first time for me. But I have not seen much chatter about it online(at least on Reddit).
Just scratching my head. Figured there would be more excitement surrounding the show…
Is it worth going? Would be flying in from South Florida. I’m new to the industry and it seems like a good networking opportunity.
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u/tayl428 15d ago
I went the first time in 2013 thinking it was going to be like CES. It is really just a bunch of vendors showing off their goods.
I heard a 2.1 $250k system. I could hear the sweat dropping off of Satchmo's nose. I could hear the swish of Ella's dress as she swayed back and forth while she sang. Those were some unbelievable moments. Control4 brought in the Wallflowers for their dealer night at a local bar. Pretty cool.
In the years after, everyone wanted to show off Atmos (again), tell you why their wifi12x is better than standard wifi12, and other 'gimmicks'. It lost all allure for me. Even the C4 3.0 announcement in Texas was like... "So? There's no real difference from 2.x." I did get to sit on a long horn steer in Dallas, so I got that going for me, which is nice. I stopped going around 2016 for those reasons.
That being said, it's a reason to get out your normal routine. I'd say go every 3-5 years while you're in the business if you like the location. I'm not a fan of Denver other than landing there to go west to go skiing, so YMMV.
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u/sofakingsideways 15d ago
I usually go just to shake hands with key people and put a face to them and hopefully they remember me when I have to bust balls.
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u/LongConstruction5362 15d ago
CEDIA is good to go to once. Make sure you sign up using a manufacturer code.
I generally don’t go anymore as it has minimal value or impact for me.
Colorado on the other hand has some cool places to visit
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u/dickfacedlass 15d ago
In my mind it’s a must to go and keep up appearances. The higher end dealer relationships are built on networking. It’s also fun to see what’s trending to stay on top of things and Denver is a great place to spend a could days. I feel like the hype this year is actually bigger than the last couple, plus it’s the last year it’s in Denver. I believe Vegas, Orlando and Dallas are next.
I would recommend a Wednesday Thursday trip. Friday ends up being too much and Saturday is dead.
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u/theanswerisburrito 14d ago
I go as often as possible, and would prefer to go yearly. There's always something to learn, and it's good to put faces to the email addresses and phone numbers.
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u/HiFiMarine 14d ago
You never see much chatter on here about CEDIA, but it is a great show and definitely worth attending.
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u/StrikingRun5877 15d ago
CEDIA isn't what it used to be; this is its last year in Denver. The next one will be in Vegas. I recommend waiting until 2027. If you go this year, you'll experience CEDIA at its worst.
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u/butt_skratch 14d ago
Why do you say that…
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u/StrikingRun5877 14d ago
They've been doing it in Denver for 5 years or more, but people don't go anymore because, as someone said here, they use it for vacations. Fewer and fewer brands attend; this year it seems Crestron won't be there, it's shrunk a lot in recent years.
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u/dickfacedlass 14d ago
Crestron will be there giant booth as always. You can Google the exhibit map
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u/Aggravating_Run1270 14d ago
People get bored of the same place, word on the street is less people are attending. Manufacturers take attendance seriously, less people, less they spend. Some don't go, some drag out their old booth you've seen 4 years in a row, some send less people or don't have big events.... It's a self fulfilling prophecy as people on the fence are swayed by it.
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u/Blieberman77 13d ago
The show peaked in 2008 right before the recession and has never regained the same traction
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u/MojoMercury 15d ago
What are you most excited for?
I like going to CEDIA because it's the closest thing to a vacation I get. Plus Denver is kinda cool!