Taking Center Stage: Stage Monitor Sales Rebound

The live performance industry was absolutely decimated by the pandemic – and we all know it (and are likely sick of hearing about it). Trust me, I’m at least as tired of writing about “COVID-related dips in sales” of gear related to concerts, clubs, HOW, et cetera as you are tired of reading it.

This monthly appraisal of stage monitor sales is a legitimately hopeful sign that such bleak assessments of this market segment may well be (fingers crossed) coming to a close – for a while, anyway.

Contrast with last May’s MMR Dealer Survey on the subject of live mixers, which showed 57.6% of participants reporting that sales were down and this spring 2022 poll about stage monitor sales seems positively joyful: 61.3% of stores are moving amounts higher-than or level-to this same time last year. “Bands are getting gigs again and buying new gear!” enthuses Patterson’s Music’s (Fort Wayne, Alabama) Dan Patterson.

Many of the retailers who took part in this month’s survey noted that they could sell far more wedges – if only they could get their hands on them. Supply chain disruption is a real thing and it’s impacting the realm of sound reinforcement in a big way. As Allen McBroom of Starksville, Mississippi’s Backstage Music points out, “Lack of product availability is a real issue. Bottom line is: you can’t sell it if you don’t have it.”

For your MI store(s), when compared to spring 2021 sales of stage monitors/wedges are…

Up: 36.3%

Down: 38.7%

Level: 25%

Of those sales, are the majority powered or unpowered?

Powered: 66.6%

Unpowered: 8.3%

Roughly Equal: 25.1%

What brands of stage monitors are selling best at your store?

Yamaha: 61.1%

Yorkville: 50.8%

Electro-Voice: 49.2%

Peavey: 39.2%

Galaxy Audio: 36.7%

EAW: 32.5%

Kustom PA: 32.5%

Nady: 32.5%

Laney: 30.8%

Behringer: 28.3%

Mackie: 28.3%

QSC: 28.3%

PreSonus: 24.2%

RCF: 23.3%

JBL: 19.2%

BASSBOSS: 19.2%

“Other”: 9.1%

What trends have you been noticing with respect to this market segment – either on the consumer or supplier sides of the equation?

“Wedges have once again eclipsed personal monitor sales. We’re experiencing good numbers on both powered and unpowered units. Our sound reinforcement room is configured to make demoing different models a breeze.”

Jerry Vesely

Vesely Music Co.

Parowan, Utah

“There’s been an uptick in sales over the past quarter as bands are starting to perform live again. A lot of club bands have decided to upgrade their monitors since the long COVID layoff. Powered monitors definitely dominate the market here in the Los Angeles area.”

David St. John

Music & Arts

Glendora, California

“Bands are starting to get gigs and are upgrading or replacing equipment. Houses of worship and schools are also starting to buy new equipment. Customers that weren’t working, or were closed, have started up again. church’s that ‘just got by’ are finally upgrading. bands are getting gigs again and buying new gear!”

Dan Patterson

Patterson’s Music

Fort Wayne, Alabama

“People are definitely migrating towards IEM, especially in the worship market, which is a large part of our market.”

Rick Doling

Wentworth Music

CANADA

“All sales are still down. I think that it will be awhile before sales pickup. I am a Master Luther, so I have both bases covered. When people do not want to spend money on new equipment, they have their old instruments repaired. I am extremely busy with my lutherie work.”

Karl Markl

South County Vintage Instruments

St. Louis, Missouri

“In-ears have become way more popular than wedges over the last 10 years or so. They don’t interfere with the house sound and they sound better. [It takes] lots of adjustment to get used to them. Been using them for 10 years, still adjusting, but they are a better choice.”

Bill Cunningham

SoundCheck Music

Decatur, Illinois

“As churches move from analog to digital they are upgrading to new monitors.”

Marc Rabins

Audio Design & Instruments

Port St. Lucie, Florida

“Supply chain and actually getting products is what has limited our sales. In general, active (powered) monitors continue to overtake the sales of passive units in all but the very low cost segment. IEM’s have also cut into the market for wedges, especially in the HOW marketplace.”

Don Williams

Q Systems Music & Sound

Hobbs, New Mexico

“Like most all other stores, we have definitely had supply issues over the last year and a half. Things do seem to be getting a little better on the PA side of things, but still having to strategically order to try and keep up with the supply and demand! We have noticed a lot more customers switching over to in-ear systems, both wireless and hardwired.”

Adam York

The Music Store, Inc.

Tulsa, Oklahoma