Straight up! I’m posting this post for the reasons of market research – I’ve mentioned that bit nice’n’early so that there’s no misunderstandings, or feelings of being used etc.

This calendar year looks to be really good as far as extremely focused DJ shows go. The ever-widening gaps that PLASA has left us, with DJ related stands being (literally) few(er) and far(ther) between, has really paved the way for the medium-sized, but 100% DJ focused equipment exhibitions to flourish – and when you consider the incredible positive impact that shows such as The NADJ exhibition/meeting at Birmingham, and especially DJ Show North, and BPM had last year, flourish is perhaps a bit of an understatement. These events provided the hands-on, and “ears-on” opportunities for all of us, which we simply can’t get from a website, box-shifters e-mailshot, or high street magazine review.

Previously, these types of events have had an issue with volume levels – which I’m pleased to say, given the show documents which are already circulating amongst exhibitors for this years shows (NADJ: Sun April 27th), (DJ Show North: Sun 27th July), (BPM Show: Sat 18th /Sun 19th October), would appear to be “sorted” this year.

What I’m keen to find out, is this “What do you consider to be important features of an exhibition stand?”. Keep in mind that it’s the Denon DJ stand that I’m speaking of, so the products will be:

• Single / Table-top CD-decks
• Dual rack mount CD-decks
• Single/Dual / Table-top Professional Media Players (hard drive/media controllers)
• Rack mount Professional Media Players (hard drive/media controllers)
• Single/Tabletop MIDI controllers (for hands-on controlling of PC/laptop software)
• DJ Mixers
• Headphones

Clearly, well in my mind anyway, the WORST thing would be a stand that is just filled with nothing but leaflets, and no products at all on show. Don’t worry, it won’t be like that.

When you approach such a stand do you want to be able to go up to a piece of equipment, pop some headphones on and just be left to your own devices for 20 minutes, grab a leaflet, then go? Do you prefer to look/touch a product for a few seconds to assess its built-quality, its “feel” and go? Do you prefer to be talked-through the features on a friendly one-on-one basis?, or do you enjoy more of a stand-in-a-crowd and listen/watch a “flying-fingers” DJ set, demoing the output of a particular product, with no dialogue of what features are being used? Do you visit a stand perhaps looking for extra info on a product that you already own, looking for advice on how best to use that orange button etc?

Perhaps you prefer a fly-past jog around all the stands, grabbing one of every leaflet then retiring to the coffee lounge for a sit down and filter the leaflets into piles of “Get more info from the stand staff later”, “throw away/recycle”, “keep leaflet at home for that next big project”…or do you visit exhibitions with an entirely different agenda and approach? (not just going for the “scantily clad dolly birds handing out leaflets” option of course. )

I think the best stands are the ones you can go and have a little play with the products and there is somebody around who can help you if you ask for it, I think theres nothing worse than trying to look at something with some sales person trying to sell you it (usually makes me feel awkward and end up walking away). I also think the presentation of a stand is very important, I know Denon don't deal in lighting but think it would definatly be worth having a decent light or 2 scanning around the stand.

I would love to see broad examples of 'DJ equipment' integrated with other gear on a stand, 'typical' of a an actual users set-up. So alongside the "here is the new model Sir! Please have a touchy feel and see the endless possibilities of the unit when used with its new sister model..." erm, er - great for the tech-savvy whippersnappers and devotees of the stands brand perhaps, but why not include models and products of other dare I say 'popular brands' used in combination and integrated with?
There's no question that there will be users of only one brand but in fairness, an end user may have put-together over a period of time a variety of DJ equipment, so, with broad examples of the variety of software and systems that the DJ equipment works with to show where the possibilities can actually be 'endless' would be quite interesting I feel.

Definitely, this is the number one requirement for me. But it should always be two decks connected to a mixer, and their should be a wide variaty of music on the discs in the players, not just ten similar hard-core house tracks.

Whilst this is useful (and you are very good at this Gary) at these shows I tend to have limited time, and lots of things I want to see. Given the choice of someone talking me through the features for five minutes, or five minutes of playing with a deck myself, I would choose the second.

One of the best demo's for me was when Technics introduced their rotating platter CD deck at PLASA a few years ago.

They had a DMC DJ just cutting it up on a a pair of decks, but what was good was that there was only around five of us leaning over the front watching closely. If we saw something that we liked, he would stop and show us how it was done, talk us through the move, effectively trying to teach us - he even got one guy to try a simpler cut that he had asked about and the DJ had just shown him. Of course all this was interspersed with words like "...and this Technics deck makes it really easy to do this...", "what's really good about this Technics...." and "...and you can only do this on the Technics".

So it wasn't a stand back in a crowd and watch type demo. It was a truly interactive demo running much of the day. We were attracted by the DJ's skills, and the fact that we might learn some of what he was showing us, but went away with the need to buy the decks to be able to do what he did.

Maybe you could get Shy over to do something like this. And at a bigger show Shorty Blitz could do a set (as he uses DN-S3500's on his KISS 100 mix shows) and has some kind of promotion deal going with Denon.

I vote for more ladies like at BPM

Ladies and stilts - The Future!

I'll add my 2 pence worth on exhibition stands.

Firstly, the thing i tend to love about Denon and yourself Garry is that you do listen to what us as end users want..so well done on that.

The thing i like at the shows is that I can see the whole range of Denons products on display. The 500 and 900 and 1500 mixers were their, the 3500 was their, the dual cd decks were their, and so was the HD and HC units also (im talking BPM here). Now i can understand Denons range isnt as VAST as the bulk chinese producers, but i think its quite key to look at what the DJs would want to see at the shows.

Take Numark at BPM for example. I asked if they had that video visual producer thingy. Connect your laptop up and it will do visualisations for you. Personnally, i thought this product would of been brilliant to have on demo (even to just do stand visuals) at a show like BPM. But no. When i asked Numark if they had one, their immediate response was, "check out the website or look in the brochure". Now i like to go and "feel" and have a hands on with a product before i buy. That way i can see if its good for me. If a products not on display, then id like to be told where i could find a local dealer near me that may have one or where i could see one working. Sadly for Numark, they never told me that and my confidence and overall thoughts were sadly squashed at their lack of interest in my customer interest in their products. Its not the first time either, and i know a few people in the past have mentioned about Numark not being the best at customer sales and people skills.

And the comment in regards to lighting.........did you see Garry and Denon @ BPM. Hes got 2 Mac 250 Kryptons and a load of LED pars lighting the stand....it looked fine for BPM and all the shows. Perfect even.

Whenever I've been to PLASA in the last few years there hasn't been enough CD players on the stands to get a decent look in. There are loads..but there are loads of people as well!

I was at the launch of the first DN-S deck..it was in a glass case. :-(

My ideal stand would be one I could easily walk up to and play with "live" equipment, and get a "feel" for it. I think its really important to do this, especially if you're going to be lugging the equipment around and using it all the time.. Mixers, CD players, trying out your own CD or two, and seeing how they sound too. For things like lights, to see them in action, and play with the controller(s) too.

David