At Future B2B, our editors are constantly engaging with the market, staying in close communication with professionals across the entire industry, including clients, manufacturers, marketers, influencers, and leaders.
Each month, the Future B2B AV Tech team looks back at the previous four weeks to take note of what they have been hearing from the industry and what website visitors and newsletter readers have been consuming in order to see what trends they reveal. While this was traditionally a tool used inside the company to help inform team members, we thought it might be helpful for others to see these insights.
If you have any questions on the trends report, please email anthony.savona@furturenet.com.
Top stories from January
PRO AV:
- SCN Top 50 Systems Integrators 2024 -
https://www.avnetwork.com/news/scn-top-50-systems-integrators-2024 - The AV Network Sphere running blog (January headline: Delta’s CES 2025 Keynote Dazzles in the Sphere)
- Pro AV Newsmakers: DPA Microphones and 3 More Acquisitions to Know -
https://www.avnetwork.com/news/pro-av-newsmakers-dpa-microphones-and-3-more-acquisitions-to-know
PRO AUDIO:
- Wildfires Tear Through Los Angeles Audio Community - https://www.mixonline.com/business/wildfires-tear-through-los-angeles-audio-community
- Seen on the Scene: NAMM 2025, Day 1 - https://www.mixonline.com/blog/149642
- Justin Timberlake Tour Takes On ‘Tomorrow’ - https://www.mixonline.com/live-sound/tours/justin-timberlake-tour-takes-on-tomorrow
RESI
- Daisy to Open First Franchise in Arizona
- Gilmore’s Sound Advice Joins AHT Global
- Lightapalooza 2025: Snap One Previews Lux by Control4
Top trend
PRO AV:
Our CES coverage made up five of our top 20 articles for the month. The topics ranged from the evolution of audio to Delta’s keynote, but the overarching trend of the clickers was AI. The future of sports and AI was particularly popular and our fourth-most read article of the month. It is encouraging to see that CES topics resonate with our readership and that the convergence of consumer tech into enterprise/Pro AV is continuing to grow. Mark also did a product review of a new headset that was unveiled at CES. We released the review the same day that the product was announced and it was a top-10 read article in January.
PRO AUDIO:
The Los Angeles Wildfires are one of the most horrific and unexpected disruptors to hit pro audio in years. The fires burned down the homes, studios and businesses of many of Hollywood and the music industry’s top audio pros, producers, engineers, executives and more. Regardless of whether they stay in L.A. or resettle elsewhere, many of them are freelance or entrepreneurs, so they will face the painful prospect of rebuilding their personal studios, audio tool collections, businesses and more in the coming months and years, and will be looking to acquire high-end, specialized equipment. It is, sadly, an “opportunity,” but has to be treated gingerly with compassion and thoughtfulness.
RESI:
Events resonated with the readers and much attention was garnered by both CEs and Lightapalooza. The Best of Show Award winner stories continue to drive traffic as marketers of the winning products post them on social media and include them in their email blasts.
Additional trends:
Other Pro AV Trends
- Anything that happens inside the Sphere continues to get clicks. Our running blog was the top article in 2023 and 2024, and should be right up at the top in 2025. In 2025, we have featured some personnel moves and the Delta keynote (so far).
- January is always a busy month as acquisitions seem to be plentiful. We saw the same trend to start 2025. Four big acquisitions (AVI-SPL, CTI, LG, and DPA microphones) found their way into our top 15 most-read articles.
- Anything immersive. We’ll take a few different approaches to immersive articles – some are quick hitters that have video to entertain the reader, while others are in-depth interviews by our writers that discuss attractions in detail – but all strategies seem to result in people reading, and more importantly, clicking in the newsletter.
Other Pro Audio Trends
- The NAMM Show – The biggest pro-audio trade show of the year took place in January, so readers were fascinated by product announcements and more.
- Live sound industry gearing up for summer season – The spring and summer seasons are when live sound (concert touring and in-person events) is in full swing. Winter is when live sound providers gear up for the coming months, so Mix reader interest in new products, tour profiles (like the Justin Timberlake tour story) and the like is strong.
Other Resi Trends
- Lighting continues to make inroads, although at this moment most integrators are not involved in it. There is plenty of room for growth.
- Outdoor technology is starting to heat up as the majority of the country does. This is when homeowners start to “think Spring.”
