Every autumn, the Palais des Congrès de Paris transforms into a playground for sound and vision lovers. Hundreds of brands fill the venue with listening rooms, home cinema setups, and live performance gear, all designed to let visitors hear and see technology the way its creators intended. The 2026 edition is shaping up to be one of the biggest yet, building on years of steady growth in both exhibitor numbers and visitor attendance.
This preview walks through everything you need to know, from dates and ticket prices to the brands you can expect to see on the show floor.
When and Where the Show Takes Place
The 2026 edition runs from October 23 to 26 at the Palais des Congrès de Paris, located at Porte Maillot in the 17th arrondissement. The venue sits directly above a metro station served by line 1, making it one of the easiest major exhibition spaces in Paris to reach.
This event began life as the Festival Son & Image and has grown steadily ever since. In 2024, organizers expanded the show significantly, rebranding it to include music, DJ culture, and live performance technology alongside its traditional hi-fi and home cinema focus. That expansion brought in a dedicated hall covering musical instruments, studio gear, DJ equipment, and stage lighting, turning the event into something far broader than a typical audio expo.
Growth has continued every year since. The 2024 edition welcomed more than 32,000 visitors, a new high for the show at the time, with composer Eric Serra serving as that year’s ambassador. Therefore, the 2026 edition arrives with strong momentum and high expectations from both exhibitors and visitors alike.
Ticket Prices and How to Save
Pricing for this event remains accessible, especially compared to other major consumer electronics shows in Europe. Two-day presale tickets are typically offered around 10 euros at full rate, with a reduced rate of about 8 euros for students, jobseekers, and people with disabilities upon presentation of valid proof.
Buying online ahead of time is the smart move. Presale pricing tends to be noticeably better than what visitors pay if they wait and purchase at the door. On-site ticket prices are generally higher across both the standard and reduced categories, so locking in your ticket early is worth the small effort.
A separate day is reserved exclusively for industry professionals, typically the Monday following the main public weekend. This professional day usually runs from mid-morning through mid-afternoon, giving retailers, distributors, and press a dedicated window to explore the show without the general public crowds.
Exhibitors and Brands to Expect
One of the biggest draws of this event is the sheer scale of brand participation. Past editions have featured several hundred companies, with total brand representation, including those shown through distributors and resellers, regularly climbing into the hundreds. In recent years, the show has hosted around 200 direct exhibitors and as many as 600 represented brands across its halls.
Recognizable names that have exhibited in past editions include Klipsch, Focal, Yamaha, AlphaTheta, Fender, Sony, McIntosh, Elipson, Devialet, JBL, Technics, Dali, and La Boîte Concept. This list spans the full spectrum of the audio and visual world, from flagship hi-fi manufacturers to DJ equipment specialists and musical instrument brands.
Additionally, exhibitors increasingly use the event as a launchpad for major product debuts. In a recent edition, Klipsch unveiled its Real Custom Cinema private home theater concept in France for the first time, giving visitors a glimpse of what a fully tailored, high-end home cinema room can look and sound like. These kinds of exclusive previews are part of what makes attending in person so valuable. You are often seeing technology before it reaches any retail floor.
What the Show Floor Covers
The exhibition spans five core areas, each reflecting a different part of the audio and visual world. These are hi-fi, home cinema, music, DJ culture, and lighting.
The hi-fi section remains the heart of the show. Visitors can expect carefully calibrated listening rooms where flagship speaker systems, amplifiers, turntables, and headphones are demonstrated in ideal acoustic conditions. This is where serious audiophiles tend to spend the bulk of their day, moving from room to room to compare reference-grade systems side by side.
Home cinema has grown into an equally significant pillar. Visitors can explore the latest projectors, screens, and surround sound setups, often staged inside realistic living room or private theater mockups. These immersive displays help visitors imagine exactly how a system might look and sound inside their own home.
The music hall, introduced as part of the 2024 expansion, covers instruments, studio equipment, and production gear. Musicians, producers, and audio engineers will find demonstrations covering the full creative process, from recording to live performance.
DJ culture and lighting round out the experience with hands-on demonstrations of mixers, controllers, and stage lighting rigs. Visitors interested in performance audio can often try equipment directly, getting a feel for gear they might otherwise only see online.
Conferences, Demonstrations and Live Events
Beyond the exhibitor booths, the show runs a full schedule of conferences, artist showcases, and technical demonstrations throughout each day. These sessions bring together engineers, designers, and industry experts who discuss trends shaping the future of audio and visual technology.
Live concerts and showcase events are also a regular feature. These performances allow visitors to hear sound systems in a genuinely live context, rather than through pre-recorded demonstration tracks. For many attendees, this is one of the most memorable parts of the entire weekend.
Interviews with engineers and designers give visitors a chance to understand the thinking behind specific products. These sessions tend to be less formal than traditional keynote talks, often taking place directly on or near the exhibitor floor, which makes them easy to drop into between browsing sessions.
Tips for Getting the Most Out of Your Visit
A show of this scale rewards visitors who plan ahead. The following tips reflect common advice shared by experienced attendees.
- Purchase tickets online in advance to secure the lower presale price and skip potential queues at the entrance.
- Arrive as close to opening time as possible, especially on weekend days, since popular listening rooms can fill up quickly.
- Identify two or three exhibitors or brands you most want to see before you arrive, since the show floor is large and easy to get lost in.
- Bring a notebook or use your phone to record model names, prices, and booth numbers, especially if you are comparing similar products across multiple brands.
- Check the conference and live event schedule in advance so you do not miss a session or showcase that interests you.
- Wear comfortable shoes, since moving between halls covering hi-fi, home cinema, music, and DJ equipment involves a significant amount of walking.
- If you are attending specifically for trade purposes, consider the dedicated professional day, which offers a quieter environment for business conversations.
Following this kind of preparation can make the difference between a chaotic afternoon and a genuinely productive, enjoyable visit.
Getting to the Venue
The Palais des Congrès de Paris is one of the most convenient major venues in the city, sitting directly above the Porte Maillot metro station on line 1. Several RER and bus connections also serve the area, giving visitors flexible options regardless of where they are staying.
If you are visiting from outside Paris, booking accommodation near Porte Maillot or anywhere along metro line 1 will minimize daily travel time. The surrounding 17th arrondissement tends to be quieter than central Paris, offering a calmer base to return to after a day spent immersed in sound and light.
Parking is available nearby for visitors driving into the city, though public transport remains the more practical choice given the venue’s excellent metro access and the traffic typical of a major Paris event weekend.
Conclusion
The 2026 edition of this major Parisian audio and visual technology event promises four days of discovery at the Palais des Congrès de Paris from October 23 to 26. Visitors can expect hundreds of exhibitors and brands across hi-fi, home cinema, music, DJ equipment, and stage lighting, with familiar names like Klipsch, Focal, Yamaha, and Devialet expected to return. Tickets remain affordable, particularly when purchased online in advance, and a dedicated professional day gives the trade community its own space to do business. With live concerts, expert conferences, and product debuts rounding out the program, this event continues to grow in scale and reputation every year. A little planning, from booking tickets early to mapping out which halls matter most to you, will help you make the most of everything on offer.
Frequently Asked Questions
When and where is the 2026 event held?
The event runs from October 23 to 26, 2026, at the Palais des Congrès de Paris, located at Porte Maillot in the 17th arrondissement of Paris, directly accessible via metro line 1.
How much do tickets cost?
Two-day presale tickets are typically priced around 10 euros at full rate, with a reduced rate of about 8 euros for students, jobseekers, and people with disabilities. Prices at the door on the day of the event tend to be higher, so buying online in advance is recommended.
Which brands and exhibitors typically attend?
Past editions have featured brands including Klipsch, Focal, Yamaha, AlphaTheta, Fender, Sony, McIntosh, Elipson, Devialet, JBL, Technics, Dali, and La Boîte Concept, spanning hi-fi, home cinema, music, and DJ equipment categories.
Is there a day reserved for industry professionals?
Yes. A dedicated professional day is typically held on the Monday following the main public weekend, giving retailers, distributors, and press a quieter environment to conduct business away from general visitor crowds.
What can first-time visitors expect to see at the show?
First-time visitors can expect calibrated hi-fi listening rooms, home cinema demonstrations, a dedicated music and DJ hall, live concerts, conferences with industry experts, and exclusive product previews from major audio and visual brands.
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