The Spring Break Nationals Mobile Electronics Expo serves two masters; the Industry’s entire supply chain and the consumers that buy their products. A resounding problem of excessive noise at the event had these two masters at bay. This dichotomy had SBN principals seriously looking for larger venues in other markets to house the event.
There were two sides to noise complaints registered at previous SBN events. First, exhibitors said SBN exhibit floor noise levels were too loud to speak with clients and made it next to impossible to demonstrate their sound systems properly to consumers and trade attendees. Due to this concern, some Hi-end audiophile brands missed out on the marketing advantage of SBN. Conversely, SPL “Bass-Heads” and “Demo Demons©” want to demonstrate the capabilities (including volume levels) of the very products produced by these same exhibitors. These “ambassadors” of our industry do so during the event and all year ‘round in their respective communities. SBN wants these enthusiasts to feel good about showing off their systems and “Demo” without city officials or police harassment shutting them down.
“After consulting several exhibitors and attendees, the resounding request was to keep SBN in Daytona Beach. Suddenly, it came to me.” said SBN founder Paul Papadeas. “A redesigned event layout was the solution. This year, completely separated by the grand lobby, the East end of the Ocean Center will be designated as the SBN “SQ” ZONE. This area will feature all Manufacturer and Dealer exhibits with the exclusion of LOUD displays. SBN will adopt a ZERO-TOLERANCE noise floor level to be held under 95dB on the exhibit floor. Exhibitors of audiophile products the likes of Hybrid Audio Technologies, Arc Audio, Focal and Elettromedia who have great interest in auditioning their systems in a quiet zone will now be able to do so. Directly adjacent to the New Exhibit floor location, behind two “air walls”, the acoustically controlled Ocean Center Ballrooms will house these auditions. Meeting rooms off the show floor will still be available to exhibitors (at no additional charge) to meet with clients in a noise-free environment.
The west end of the Ocean Center becomes the SBN “SPL” ZONE. Completely isolated from the SBN “SQ” ZONE, all things LOUD will be placed in this area. All SPL contests, Bass Boxing, and Demos will be placed and controlled inside the Ocean Center Exhibit Hall. Daytona Beach Police cannot issue summonses for sound inside the center!
“This new floorplan layout for SBN is very exciting” says Papadeas, “it will solve the problems of the past”. The newly designed event layout is viewable at and will prove to satisfy all factions at the 28th annual SBN.
More great news is that the 28th Annual Spring Break Nationals, the mobile electronics industry’s favored trade show is BACK TO ITS TRADITIONAL DATES held during the peak of Spring Break. Slated for March 22 and 23, 2014 the Spring Break Nationals will be held inside the Ocean Center in Daytona Beach, Florida. For more information about SBN or its new floorplan, please visit or contact Paul Papadeas at 386 767 3030 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..