Montreal's annual Salon Son & Image show has always been one of our favorite events to go to. Montreal is a beautiful city to visit, and each year the show has a good feel to it -- exhibitors are usually upbeat and there are always plenty of consumers attending who are very passionate about music. Occasionally, a snowstorm causes some hassles, as it did about four years ago when a meter of snow was dumped on the city, but it's rarely enough to put a significant damper on things. This high-spirited show is what kicks off the season.
Despite that praise, I've always been one to speak my mind and I have had some concerns about Son & Image in recent years. In my opinion, the event's heyday ended a number of years ago when it left the Delta Hotel and moved to Le Centre Sheraton Montreal. I'm not sure whether it was the move itself or the timing of it, but something changed for the worse -- the show seemed to get smaller with less out-of-country exhibitors attending. Whereas Son & Image was on the brink of becoming a significant international event half a decade ago, it became more of a regional event with local exhibitors. Plus, it didn't seem as festive anymore. In fact, there was one year that I found it so boring, with so few new products, that I decided to make a statement in our show report by pointing the camera straight down and taking a picture of my shoes. I felt something needed to improve.
When I first heard that in 2010 Son & Image was moving again, this time to the Hilton Bonaventure (just a few blocks from the Sheraton), I wasn't happy. In fact, I was concerned enough that I told our writers to stay home this year; instead, I'd go for the first day by myself to determine if it was worth having anyone else arrive for the weekend. I felt that if this move to the Hilton caused as much of a downturn as the move to the Sheraton from the Delta, it might be the last time we go there despite it being two hours from my home in Ottawa.
Usually I drive to Montreal, but this year I chose the train because it's one of the most pleasurable and relaxing ways to get there -- the seats are comfortable with plenty of leg room, they serve you snacks and coffee quicker than on a plane, and there's free wireless Internet access so that you're never out of touch. I wanted to make this as easy on myself as possible so that if Son & Image 2010 turned out to be a dud, I'd stay only for a day and it wouldn't seem like a chore. If it was good, I would stay for two days, maybe more, and it might even feel like a bit of a vacation. My lack of commitment to actually produce a show report before I arrived and scoped it out put my mind at ease, and it also gave me the freedom to test my iPhone's built-in camera, at least on the first day of the show. After all, lugging a "real" camera around all day feels like work and I didn't really want to commit to that until I knew what I was dealing with. As a result, all the pictures you see in this article were shot with an iPhone. Isn't technology wonderful?
The trip on the train was pleasurable, but my first site of the Hilton certainly didn't impress me. The first thought that ran through my mind was "prison," which is what most people will think when they see this photo. What's more, they're charging $170/night for rooms during the show! Luckily, I was already booked into the Residence Inn on nearby Peel Street for $97/night. So far, not so good.
But once I was inside, things seemed brighter, literally. The Hilton's outside looks drab, but the lobby is brightly lit, modern, and well-appointed. The Salon Son & Image staff (with blue hair) were smiling, happy, and quite courteous. But it was here that I hit two more snags. First, it was too early to check into my own hotel, so I had all of my luggage with me -- even though I was using my iPhone for photos this first day, the rest of my camera gear took a suitcase and a half. Second, I didn't pre-register for this show (I never do), so the girls took my business card and then asked for eight bucks to enter. They saw my surprise, but then said, "It's the rule for not registering." Since I was here to assess the show, not necessarily cover it, I didn't kick up a fuss and simply opened up my wallet -- if I decided to cover the show, it would be the first time in 15 years that I'd paid to do so.
Much to my surprise, the staff at the Hilton had no trouble bending rules, and they gladly took my luggage and stored it (even though I wasn't a guest) just so I could stroll through the show. Given what they charge to stay here, I didn't expect that for free. In any case, according to some exhibitors I talked to, the Hilton's staff is "outstanding" and "spectacular," words that you rarely here muttered at other hotel-based shows. Finally, something positive.
And once inside the show, I found many more positive things. It didn't take long to realize that although this hotel is ugly on the outside, it's very nice on the inside, with more space for exhibitors.
And despite all the concrete and the steep asking price for their sleeping rooms ($97 for the Residence Inn is still a steal in comparison, despite the excellent service here), the Hilton has its charms, such as the natural lighting that pours in over the gardens in the hallways. I've stayed in plenty of hotels around the world but have never seen such a thing. A nice touch.
On the other hand, there were a few hiccups -- which is normal with shows of this type. Rarely on the first day do you get to do much listening. In fact, you often see more backsides than faces since many of the exhibitors are still getting set up. Salon & Image 2010, with a new venue and all, was certainly no exception. I'd say that only about 50 percent of the rooms were running. This is why I knew it was safe to come alone on the first day -- shows like these never really start until the second or even third day.
Instead, our team uses the first day to determine how the exhibitors are laid out and to scout for new products that we'll more than likely return to later when everything is set up and working properly. A good example is this new Simaudio Moon preamp called the 350P, which starts at $1995 USD in its basic configuration (preamp only), and is $2795 if you get it tricked out with a phono stage and a DAC. I plan to shoot this product again when I have my "real" camera with me. iPhone cameras are good, but it doesn't take long for their limitations to show through, particularly in low light. This first day taught me two things: that the move to the Hilton might be what was needed to revitalize the Son & Image event, and that there's no need to retire my Canon rig just yet. It's a good thing I brought all that luggage.
Finally, it was obvious that the festive feel is back. The first day closed with a banquet for the exhibitors that was capped off by some live music. The people in Montreal certainly enjoy their music and know how to throw a party, and they can put on a great audio show when the location is right.
Suffice it to say that the first day of Salon Son & Image 2010 impressed me enough that I'll be staying for at least one more day, and maybe two. My regular Canon camera comes out tomorrow (maybe my video camera, too), and Jason Thorpe will be arriving from Toronto to help me with more coverage that will appear here on the SoundStage! Network main site over the next couple of days, as well as on some of our other sites in the months to come. Montreal is on the map again!