Well, it’s that time of year when bloggers, vloggers, and cloggers (my own personal category) say what they liked in 2024, and some even announce a product of the year!

This keeps the ‘audio wheel’ turning and it manages (predictable) industry expectations as it has done for many years, but will we see something different in 2025? I doubt it. The industry seems very comfortable in its self perpetuating realism, despite ever increasing storm clouds forming more frequently.

With all such things it often depends on how you interpret the subject matter; how deeply you look, and whether you try to read between the lines, or take everything as given.

Whatever works for you would be my mantra, and tolerance of valueless differences of opinion remains my chosen path, which brings me onto this months’ ramblings. So what of 2024?

I almost found myself living a secondary alternative existence behind the continuing worldwide news of gloom and doom. However, ’cause and effect’ came to mind and whether one did actually influence the other? Or was it just an excuse? I don’t really know. In reality I’m leaning towards chalking this one off as a bit of a non event, albeit with excellent food and friends….

Some ‘contributors’ may have created headlines such as the ‘Death of High End’ all because of one Swiss Manufacturer declaring a need for radical change. I doubt that will happen somehow. Others may see recent mergers and acquisitions as a bad thing, and a few more brands and retailers going to the wall as a significant sign – it’s probably not. Such events happen all the time. Green shoots eventually emerge, even after the forest fire.

I did attend the Munich show again and the aspect I enjoyed most was the same as last year in meeting friends rather than being amazed by new products. That’s not to say there weren’t any, it’s just that I’m on a different path to the rest of the industry it seems (mainly in hope that some might follow one day).

At least I enjoyed the company of our Swiss, French and Belgian collective for good food and entertaining discussion that was continued in Feutersoey and Basel after the show. Thanks guys, you made my year.

So what of 2025 then? Well, it could just be another year of the same or we may get major change, who knows?.

Will it be the year when the mountain summit gets too steep and impossible to climb. Will ‘base camp audio’ be accessible to everyone who shows an interest, and will there be clearer paths for enthusiasts to follow? In a way I hope so. The division between the (imaginary) layers could do with some reorganisation in my opinion.

One writer suggested that it’s time for the supply chain model to change and to remove distributors. I can see some merit in the idea as there isn’t the volume of sales (apart from maybe the mainstream brands) that the industry once enjoyed, so it raises a valid question. However, whether it would actually reduce prices for the customer remains less certain.

Some brands have already done this, but ‘dealer direct’ or ‘direct to customer sales’ doesn’t work for everyone. Consider a small brand looking to export, say from Japan. Cultural and language challenges will still prevail and I for one wouldn’t want to miss the opportunity of trying something new.

“So what!” says the customer, I’ll take the lower price any day. Well, just wait until you need to pay to send your kit half way across the world for a warranty repair…

And herein lies the problem. Half baked change causes too much variation (retail price inconsistency for example) and I think what we are really looking for is stability – whatever the structure. To use a football analogy of ‘the press’ where the defending team gives the attacking team no space from their own goal line – unless you all go together it just doesn’t work.

So what is the answer? Personally I’d like to see less bravado and more honesty across the board. It’s time to consider collaborating more for the benefit of the customer – rather than the bottom line. The forward thinkers have already started (Good job in Basel Guy!)

Maybe it’s time to reshape some of the arrangements that appear to exist for no other reason than commercial, or to call it what it is – greed.

Yes of course everyone has to make (some) money, but if the industry takes a long term view instead of short term gain, and at least start to align with a changing world rather than desperately hanging on to the past, then maybe everyone wins.

In case you are wondering, the brands that we currently support, and those we would like to support in the future, are already doing this, and congratulations to them!

Do I hear you say let’s come together, or are you just going to look back in anger?

As the magnificent MC5 once said “It’s time for you to decide whether you are going to be the problem, or the solution…. So, Don’t be a Ramblin’ Rose and let’s Kick out the Jams Motherf….ers!”

2025 could be the year we all start to smile again. It’s really up to you.