By Mr Retail
We just wrapped up another successful MasterTech Expo. I personally attended the event along with all of my car audio staff. The show held a myriad of trainings, from high fidelity sound, to sales, business, and lots of different fabrication and 2D and 3D design for CNCs and 3D printers.
Manufacturers also had in-depth two hour trainings on the latest products and categories. Show founder Bryan Schmitt said attendance was up 20 percent this year and it sure looked busy everywhere I turned. Classes sometimes had multiple hundreds of attendees, which was very encouraging to this long time 12 volt guy. Before the show was over, Schmitt was already sold out of exhibitor space again for next year with an ongoing waitlist.
One of the things I liked best was the caliber of training by the best of the best. Imagine sitting in high fidelity trainings with the likes of great folks like Jeff Smith (MSC America, formerly AAMP, now Stinger) and Andy Wehmeyer (Audiofrog), and then add in the legendary Mark Eldridge and Sean Olive, a longtime member and fellow of the Audio Engineering Society. He shared his breakthrough research on the Harman Curve, which gave us great insight into audio listening preferences.
In the wide world of fab and design, it was filled with the who’s who of top people in our industry. Business classes were taught by folks doing millions of dollars in business for decades and decades. The sales trainers opened your eyes to new and fresh ways of selling along with time-trusted methods. You were fed nine total times during the event so you kept your butt close to the show, as the main days were 13 hours long. At the end of the event, you were completely wiped out. But also really excited to go back home and implement all the new training and ideas you absorbed.
I was also the reporter on the ground for CEoutlook, so I popped into lots and lots of booths looking for fresh new products. Here were some of my findings:
Modus was out in full force showing amplifiers, speakers, subwoofers, head units, and marine products. Modus is a new brand under new company DSP Solutions with some familiar names you will know, showing upscale products aimed at specialists.
MB Quart was showing its new Tacoma kit that builds on the success of its Jeep kits they have been selling for a while now. The Tacoma kit comes with oversized front and rear speakers that fit behind stock grilles, a 5-channel amp, and a dual 12” enclosure that fits perfectly behind the rear seat. MB Quart also talked about its soon-to-be available Bronco kits, for both base and premium audio.
MTX showed new amps and speakers in both marine and powersports, and a full new line of wiring products under the Thunderlink name.
VAIS was talking about multiple vehicles that have had SiriusXM pulled from them, including 2024-25 Accord and Civic, the 2026 Passport, 2025 MDX and several models of the Ford Maverick and F150. Of course, VAIS has solutions for all of them, including a new OBD2 power plug that speeds up installation.
JVC and Kenwood continued to build excitement for their new Direct Replacement radios that they initially showed at Knowledgefest and you could see a working model in a C7 Corvette.
MSC showed a super cool subwoofer from Blam and a new Helix Impact Q series of subs that CEoutlook will report on shortly.
Trulli was also back in force, giving live demo’s of its new 6.5-inch subwoofer. The concept of having a 2.3-inch deep sub where a pair of them work in .2 cubic feet ported is mind blowing. And they rock. I heard them. My mind instantly went to passenger floorboard enclosures in sports cars.
Gladen showed a series of speakers that were installed in an F150 and I got the chance to hear them. It was fantastic. Speaking of demo vehicles, there were so many of them! If you were looking for ideas for your next one for your store or maybe something new to offer your clients, you found it here.
Metra also showed complete audio upgrade packages for the Jeep and full-sized GM vehicles and I heard the Jeep and have to say, it was pretty sweet sounding. I know I didn’t list all the incredible new products, so please forgive me. This article would be three times the size.
Finally, the CleanWire Challenge and Build Off Competition always create a stir as we watch folks create beautiful things right in front of us. And the climax may have been the interview with automotive celebrity Dave Kindig, a man that has pushed boundaries for decades now.
In closing, this was my third year in attendance as I missed the first one. I think it is safe to say my team will be back along with the vast majority of folks. If you are serious about your company and want to continue to be successful in the future, I would make plans on attending. It is worth your while. And if you see me, be sure to say hi.
Get the news before your competitors do. CEoutlook is the daily brief read by over 6,500 dealers, reps and manufacturers across the mobile electronics industry. Subscribe free.
I just completed my fourth consecutive MasterTech Expo, having worked the first two in a factory role at Kenwood and the last two as a rep principal with my team. With nearly 40 years of industry experience, I can confidently say this was likely the best overall 12V show I’ve attended yet.
Being part of the genesis of KnowledgeFest in the 90s was a highlight of my career, particularly attending and participating in the very first National KnowledgeFest in Kansas City while managing five stores and a Distributor. Those old National Certificates are proudly framed, and displayed in my office. Over the years, I’ve watched industry events come and go, and the current ones evolve, accumulating a countless great memories along the way.
The MasterTech Expo is truly remarkable because it closely aligns with the vision of the perfect 12V show that we often discussed during my time in a leadership role at Kenwood. We often talked about and envisioned a true 12V show that prioritized quality training, embraced new ideas, and valued the hard work of everyday professionals in the bays as much as the sales floor. We usually had these conversations after returning and paying for a show we were disappointed in. The challenge was always balancing vendor involvement without it becoming an arms race.
The MasterTech Expo stands out as the closest realization of that vision. With Master Fab Sessions, Metal Fabrication Classes, Digital Bootcamp Classes, Advanced Clean Wire Technique classes and for the first time ever…EV Specific Classes attended by hundreds and hosted by TESLA; this year’s event clearly showed how far we’ve come, and how well the industry has adapted over the past few years thanks to folks like Bryan Schmitt who have the vision to make all of us better.
My entire team shares in my enthusiasm, and we view MasterTech Expo as a must-attend event. It’s a testament to the value and impact this event brings to our work, and we cant wait to head back next year!