With the new headphone system developed in Italy, Guitar Show aims to enhance the quality of the trade show experience—without compromising the event’s sonic identity. A smart solution for those who want to test and let others test instruments intelligently.
Guitar Show continues to evolve, looking to the future with a concrete vision and a desire to offer both visitors and exhibitors an increasingly immersive, musical, and sustainable experience. Among the upcoming features for 2026, we are developing a brand-new headphone-based testing system designed for public use—an innovative service meant to complement, not replace, traditional instrument testing.
A New Tool to Enhance Sound, Not Silence It
Guitar Show was born and continues to grow as a vibrant event, where music and sound are essential parts of the atmosphere. Our goal is not to reduce the presence of sound, but to manage it more intelligently—offering exhibitors effective solutions for a sound environment that fits the spaces, people, and pace of the event.
The headphone system, which will be unveiled after the summer, is conceived as a resource available to exhibitors—especially useful in the first phases of interaction with the public. It will provide a quiet, comfortable, and comparable testing mode, allowing each visitor to listen to the instrument without distractions—before moving on, as always, to an acoustic or amplified test in the open space.
An Italian Project, Developed with Industry Experts
The system is entirely Made in Italy and developed with the support of Italian professionals and companies specializing in audio technology, digital modeling, IR profiling, and routing systems.
The goal is to provide a pre-configured audio chain with high-quality sounds for guitars, basses, and effects—carefully selected to ensure consistent and faithful results across different stands. Optimized presets will be available—easy to use and designed to highlight the characteristics of each instrument, with no need to tweak complex settings.
Headphones First, Then Live: a Listening Path for Every Amp
On setup day (Thursday), amplifier manufacturers will have the chance to profile their cabinets and create custom impulse responses to be uploaded to the headphone system.
This does not mean giving up live testing: on the contrary, this allows exhibitors to guide visitors through an initial headphone listening phase—exploring tonal variety and product features—before switching to traditional in-person amp testing.
Lower the Noise, Increase the Freedom
Using this system as the first step of the testing process reduces the amount of acoustic output and improves the overall sound environment inside the halls. This approach helps to control the “acoustic overlap” between neighboring booths, making the space more usable, less tiring, and more enjoyable for everyone.
This is not about imposing rules, but offering options: a tool designed to help exhibitors better manage their resources, audience, and time at the show. It’s one more way to give space to sound—not to limit it.
When It Will Be Available
The system will be officially presented in September, along with full technical specs and booking details.
In the meantime, with this preview, we’re sharing the vision behind our work: making Guitar Show an event where music is everywhere, but never overwhelming. Where every note has its space, and every sound its moment.
Enjoy your summer from all of us at Guitar Show—we’ll be back soon with more news.