Whether you’re attending ISE for the first time or the tenth time, there is a lot you should know before heading to the world’s largest AV trade show.
If you’ve been to any tradeshow in the past, you probably know the basics like wearing comfortable shoes, bringing a portable phone charger, watching out for tripping hazards, etc. We’re not going to waste your time with the obvious.
Instead, here are 10 things you should know before going to ISE 2024:
Location & Opening hours
Opening Hours
Tuesday 30 January
Wednesday 31 January
Thursday 1 February
10:00 – 18:00
Friday 2 February
10:00 – 16:00
Getting to the Show
Free travel within Barcelona for ISE 2024 attendees. Inside the Fira, simply show your printed badge at one of the desks at the South or East access and collect a four-day travel pass. This is valid on the day it is first used and the next three days.
Free ISE shuttle bus service:
- From Plaça Espanya to North Access: 9:30-12:00
- From North & South Access to Plaça Espanya: 16:00 – 20:00
TMB Lines: 5 to 10 minute walk
- H12, V1, 46, 65, and 79.
Underground: Direct link on Metro from Barcelona Airport to inside the SOUTH ENTRANCE of the FIRA – 20 mins trip
TMB Metro L9 South: Fira and Europa | Fira stations, serving Fira East and South Access
TMB Metro L10 South: Foc station, serving Fira North Access
FGC (Catalan Government Railways):
Lines L8, S3, S4, S8, S9, R5, R50, R6 and R60 to Europa | Fira station, serving Fira South and East.
The Gran Via fairground is located in a new business development area, connected to the main motorways and dual carriageways leading into Barcelona:
- AP-7, AP-2, A-2, C-16, C-58, C-31, C-32, C-3
Parking garages: A & B
Badge Pickup Process
Step 1
Before you arrive, Download the official ISE 2023 Show App. Available in all App stores.
If you already have the app from last year’s show, even better. Just make sure to update!
Step 2
Print your badge at home and bring it with you.
You can find your badge in the Official Show App. To print it from a computer, simply email it to yourself from the app.
Step 3
When you enter the Fira for the first time, present your printed badge to enter the FIra. Once you are inside you will receive a badge holder and lanyard.
It is mandatory to wear your badge while attending the show.
Show Map
With over 1,000 exhibitors and tons of ground to cover throughout the three days of the show, we suggest downloading this map of the show floor to get you where you want to go at all times!
Click the map below for more information.
Technology Zones
There are seven designated Technology Zones at ISE that group similar categories of manufacturers together to make it easier for attendees to locate and compare different solutions that they might be interested in. The seven zones are:
- Audio (Hall 7)
- Content Production & Distribution (Hall 4)
- Digital Signage & DooH (Hall 6)
- Lighting & Staging (Hall 1)
- Multi-Technology (Halls 3, 4 & 5)
- Residential & Smart Building (Hall 2)
- Unified Communications & Education Technology (Hall 2)
Show Features
The new suite of specially built Audio Demo Rooms in Hall 8 has been expanded following its highly successful introduction in 2023. There are 14 rooms, each offering demonstrations every 90 minutes.
The exhibitors taking part in the ISE Sound Experience are:
- GROUP A: CADAC/Studiomaster (Room B10), Coda Audio (E4), d&b audiotechnik (E7), EAW (C8), Holoplot (B2), Q-SYS (F4), TW Audio (F6)
- GROUP B: L-Acoustics (Room B4), Martin Audio (F1), Midas Consoles, Turbosound, Lab Gruppen, Tannoy, Aston Mics (E9), RCF (A2), Shure (E2), VCI – Video Cine Import (F3), Void Acoustics (C6)
By locating and scanning a set number of QR codes at participating exhibitors’ stands, visitors will receive a special ISE prize and will be qualified to enter the prize draws. ISE Treasure Hunt exhibitors will be highlighted on both the in-app Treasure Map and the fold-out floor plan.
Two prize draws will be held over the duration of ISE 2024. The first draw is on Wednesday, 31 January, and the second is on Friday, 2 February. The lucky winners of a webcam (courtesy of founding exhibitor Lumens), a Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 mobile phone, and a Meta Quest 3 VR headset will be drawn both days at the Hall 6 Drone Arena.
ISE has teamed up with CH Vintage Audio to bring an extensive display of historic audio equipment to ISE 2024. Attendees can see a treasure trove of equipment that was used on stage or in the studio by some of the biggest names in music from the analog era.
The ISE 2024 Audio Museum will be located on the walkway to Hall 8, which houses the Audio Demo Rooms.
Occupying nearly 700 sqm in Hall 6, the Drone Arena includes demonstrations of different models of drones, with explanations of what features to look for in drones for specific applications.
Attendees can also get hands-on experience, flying a drone around a specially built obstacle course. And each day sees the premiere of a special indoor drone swarm flight.
Covering more than 2,000 sqm, Congress Square is a bustling location right at the heart of the Fira. Located in the wide central aisle between Halls 4 & 6 and Halls 5 & 7, it is packed with innovations, networking opportunities, and industry organizations, bringing together a range of diverse partners all in one place.
Continuing its association with the America’s Cup, whose 37th edition takes place in Barcelona in October 2024, ISE is displaying Horonuku, a record-breaking land yacht, in the Content Production & Distribution Technology Zone in Hall 4.
ISE 2023 Official app
The official ISE app is your one-stop shop for everything the show has to offer and will guide you through the week. Some of the features include:
Located front and center on the dashboard, this year you need to print your badge at home and bring it with you to the event. To Print it from your computer, simply email it to yourself from the app.
This is where you will find all of the events that going on during the show. They are separated by day, time, and location of the event to give you the best chance to plan around your schedule.
Not sure who will all be at ISE 2024? No worries, this has you covered. This section might look a little daunting considering it is a list of over 1,000 exhibitors but it’s made quite simple. By either typing in the company you are looking for or filtering by sector, the database will spit out exhibitor information and help direct you to their booth.
For attendees/exhibitors who do not have much time during the day, this is a GAME CHANGER.
The days of holding on to 20-30 loose business cards, only to lose them by day 2 are behind us.
The fast-paced culture of large trade shows can be intimidating when trying to network with other individuals or even have a conversation that lasts more than a few minutes. That is why the team at ISE 2024 has created a feature that makes the networking process a breeze.
What you need to do: Scan the individual’s badge or simply select ‘Networking active’ and you can send a message to any attendee who has also enabled this feature.
Within the ‘My ISE Footprint’ Feature this is where it allows you to see all of the activities you have attended and all of the badges/exhibitor booth codes you have scanned. For instance, if you are attending a few different events and cannot remember the times off the top of your head it is crucial to go ahead and add them to your favorites.
This saves you from the hassle of scrolling through all of the events again and finding the desired event.
Once you have gone to the South or East Access to pick up your free four-day travel pass, this is where the app will show you entry/exit points and direct you to the nearest shuttle bus.
Exploring Barcelona
If you find yourself with some free time, we strongly encourage you to explore the diverse range of restaurants, bars, coffee shops, and attractions that Barcelona has to offer. Let the map above be your guide as you navigate the city! 😎
The Llum BCN 2024 festival takes place on the evenings of Friday 2 to Sunday 4 February. The work of established Spanish and international artists and emerging talents will bring the streets to life across the Poblenou area of Barcelona, approximately 10km northeast of the Fira.
Llum BCN brings together creators from all areas of the visual arts, including contemporary art, design, architecture, technology and lighting design. The 2023 edition of the festival attracted 220,000 spectators.
SE has got together with FC Barcelona to offer all ISE 2024 attendees a massive 40% discount on tickets for football matches at the Olympic Stadium and and basketball games at Palau Blaugrana, as well as a visit to the Barça Immersive Tour at the FC Barcelona museum, around the time of ISE 2024.
The football matches are:
- FC Barcelona vs Villareal CF – Saturday 27 January, 18:30
- FC Barcelona vs Osasuna – Tuesday 30 January, 21:00
he basketball games are:
- Barça vs Zunder Palencia – Sunday 28 January, 17:00
- Barça vs Virtus Segrafredo Bologna – Wednesday 31 January, 20:30
To book your tickets, go to the official FC Barcelona ticketing site and select either the Men’s Football, Men’s Basketball or Tour & Museum tab. Use the code ISE2024 at the checkout to secure your discount.
Where to find us
You didn’t think we would go the whole blog without letting you know where the LEA professional team would be, did you? Come see us at Booth 7A900, located in the audio hall. Immerse yourself with in-depth walkthroughs and explore our IoT-enabled Smart Amplifiers.
Click the image below for directions, we can’t wait to connect with you!
