It has been a little over a week since CEDIA Expo 2026 ended. There have been many articles and posts recapping the show, and the majority that I’ve seen have had a common theme running through them: While not the most crowded show we’ve seen, the floor and most booths were busy the whole time, and there was a pervasive positive energy throughout.
It was a vibe, as the kids say.
That is also a good summation of my feelings about CEDIA Expo, but before we put it behind us and move on with the connections and promises made there, I wanted to drop a few brief observations so that I can clear out my head (and my notebook).
Note: If you are planning on reading only one CEDIA Expo recap this year, it really should be John Sciacca’s.
Still here? Let’s go.
- Origin Acoustic’s Mystery Product. If you wanted to go behind the curtain to see Origin Acoustic’s well-teased mystery product, you had to sign an NDA — and not just press! Integrators also had to sign before they could experience what I can’t talk about yet, but what I am really excited to tell you all about when I can. Also, their new Wedge outdoor speaker sounded killer.
- Magnificent (and Expensive) Beasts. Video walls continue to get better and better, from Just Video Walls’ new Absolute Black to Quantum Media System’s stunning XDR5-8K. Seriously, if one of my local theaters invested in an XDR5-8K, it would make me rethink my devotion to Dolby Cinemas. Also, I have always been a fan of Sony’s Crystal LED, and the one at their booth was stellar!
- Great Theater, Bad Movie, Second Thoughts? I went to Disclosure Day opening weekend because it had everything going for it from my perspective: Steven Spielberg, aliens, Emily Blunt…and I hated it. The L-Acoustics demo theater showed a clip from it, and I was completely drawn in. It even made me think I might have been too harsh on it, but I will only rewatch it if L-Acoustics invites me to a screening.
- Crestron’s Long-ish Game. While not as secretive as Origin’s upcoming product, Crestron had a tease of its own going on. The focus of the booth was on the company’s new Configure Pro, but there were half a dozen or so other products that were not there to be announced, but would be available to dealers before the end of the year. Way to keep the relationship fresh!
- Solutions Galore. There were many clever products on the floor designed to solve common and uncommon problems for integrators. Some examples: Stealth Acoustics’ folding TV, ported in-wall subs, and new amps; HK Lighting’s solar-powered Sentinel Series pathway lights; Somfy’s Top-Down, Bottom-Up shade; and Blustream’s VoIP devices.
- Ketra’s Sub-par Lighting. Okay, that was written that way to get your attention, but Ketra is not only capable of creating natural light and vibrancy; it can also mimic poor lighting, which Lutron used to great effect in its single-room demo at the show. The compelling 10-minute sequence covered a lot of ground by showing brilliant lighting in action, which was so much better than just telling.
- AI Evolves. Savant, Crestron, Stealth Acoustics, Josh.ai, D-Tools, and so many others showed real-world, in-use-now examples of how AI can enhance a CI business.
In case you cannot tell, it was a good time. Keep watching this site for all the developments that came out of the show.
