HIGH END SOCIETY

What HIGH END SOCIETY does

HIGH END SOCIETY is a German trade show and exhibition organizer serving the high-end audio industry, operating through two entities: HIGH END SOCIETY e.V., a registered non-profit association founded in 1982 that represents 66 member companies, and HIGH END SOCIETY Service GmbH, the commercial subsidiary that executes events. The company produces a portfolio of audio trade fairs including HIGH END Vienna (the flagship international show held at Austria Center Vienna), IPS (International Parts + Supply) Vienna, the regional FINEST AUDIO SHOW series (Zurich, Cologne, Darmstadt), and WORLD OF HEADPHONES events (Heidelberg, Essen), with the next flagship scheduled for May 6-9, 2027.

The business generates revenue through three primary streams: exhibitor booth rental and configuration fees for each event, consumer ticket sales through its ticket.highendsociety.de platform, and recurring membership dues from the 66 association members. Supporting infrastructure includes a proprietary exhibition configurator, brand and exhibitor directories, and press accreditation services, all hosted on its own digital properties. Venue partnerships with Austria Center Vienna, Mövenpick Hotel Zürich Regensdorf, Confex Köln, and Darmstadtium anchor the physical event delivery.

The company maintains a small core team of 1-10 employees, is headquartered in Wuppertal, Germany, and is governed by a board led by Chairman Jürgen Timm. Following a November 2025 leadership transition, Manuel Pinke serves as Managing Director of the Service GmbH. In January 2026, HIGH END SOCIETY Service GmbH entered a cooperation with HiFi journal LowBeats to jointly organize regional HiFi trade shows, starting with FINEST AUDIO SHOW Darmstadt in October 2026.

Name

HIGH END SOCIETY

Legal name

HIGH END SOCIETY e.V.

Website

https://highendsociety.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1982

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

HIGH END SOCIETY is a German trade show organizer serving the high-end audio industry, operating the flagship HIGH END Vienna event, the regional FINEST AUDIO SHOW series, and WORLD OF HEADPHONES exhibitions for manufacturers, distributors, and audiophile consumers across the DACH region.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Trade Show & Exhibition Services

NAICS

Convention and Trade Show Organizers (56192)

akta.pro primary industry

Exhibition & Trade Show Management (Conference-Adjacent) (THAHACAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Conferences & Conventions Operations Services (Registration, AV, Logistics) (MPAGAGAM), Exhibitions, Trade Shows & Booth Management (HSACADAH)

Keywords

• Audio trade shows
• Exhibition organization
• Hifi exhibitions
• Consumer electronics events
• Audio industry association

Headquarters

HQ city

Wuppertal

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Exhibition and Trade Show Services: Revenue is generated through exhibitor fees for booth/space rental at HIGH END, FINEST AUDIO SHOW, IPS, and WORLD OF HEADPHONES events. Additional revenue comes from visitor ticket sales, sponsorship packages, and associated services such as press accreditation and exhibitor configuration services.
2. Membership Dues: The HIGH END SOCIETY e.V. association derives revenue from membership fees paid by 66 member companies in the audio industry.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

HIGH END SOCIETY organizes international audio industry trade shows and exhibitions, with flagship event HIGH END Vienna held annually at Austria Center Vienna. The portfolio includes IPS (International Parts + Supply) Vienna, FINEST AUDIO SHOW regional events in Zurich, Cologne, and Darmstadt, and WORLD OF HEADPHONES exhibitions in Essen and Heidelberg. The organization also runs an online ticket shop, an exhibitor configuration portal, and operates HIGH END SOCIETY e.V., an industry association representing 66 member companies in the high-end audio sector.

Product overview

HIGH END SOCIETY is an audio industry trade show organizer operating a portfolio of exhibition events. The core offerings include HIGH END Vienna (the leading international Audio Show) and IPS (International Parts + Supply), both held at Austria Center Vienna. Additional regional shows include FINEST AUDIO SHOW (Zurich, Cologne, Darmstadt) and WORLD OF HEADPHONES (Heidelberg, Essen). Supporting services include online ticket sales, exhibitor booth configuration, brand and exhibitor directories, and press/media services. The organization also maintains an association (HIGH END SOCIETY e.V.) representing 66 member companies in the audio industry, and publishes the Volume magazine. The company structure includes HIGH END SOCIETY Service GmbH for commercial operations and HIGH END SOCIETY e.V. as the membership association.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• HIGH END Vienna

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• LowBeatscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 26 January 2026The HiFi journal LowBeats has entered a cooperation with HIGH END SOCIETY Service GmbH to jointly organize regional HiFi trade shows. The collaboration began with FINEST AUDIO SHOW at Darmstadtium in October 2026, and also covers FINEST AUDIO SHOW Cologne in November 2026.
• Kuoni Travel Investments Ltd. (Kuoni Tumlare)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerFor the HIGH END Vienna event, HIGH END SOCIETY uses Kuoni Travel Investments Ltd. (Kuoni Tumlare) services for travel, accommodation, and organizational processes. Data may be shared within the JTB Europe Group and JTB Group for administrative purposes, with appropriate safeguards for EU data transfers.
• JTB Europe Group / JTB GroupminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerAssociated with Kuoni Tumlare for organizing HIGH END Vienna; data may be shared within the JTB group for administrative or operational purposes.
• Austria Center ViennacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerVenue partner for HIGH END Vienna trade show, providing exhibition space at the Austria Center Vienna (ACV) for the leading international audio show.
• Mövenpick Hotel Zürich RegensdorfcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerVenue partner for FINEST AUDIO SHOW Zurich, providing hotel and event space for the regional audio show.
• Confex Messe KölncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerVenue partner for FINEST AUDIO SHOW Cologne, providing exhibition facilities at the Confex trade fair venue in Cologne.
• Darmstadtium DarmstadtcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerVenue partner for FINEST AUDIO SHOW Darmstadt, providing event space at the Darmstadtium convention center.
• PAYONE GmbHcoreTechnology or IntegrationPayment service provider for processing ticket sales and exhibitor payments. Handles payment processing for the ticket shop including credit card and online payment methods.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Regional players

• Warsaw Audio Video Show (Audio Show Poland): A leading Central European hi-fi and home cinema trade show held annually in Warsaw. Comparable regional peer serving audiophile exhibitors and consumers in Poland with a similar single-venue hi-fi exhibition format.
• Festival Son & Image (Salon Son & Image, Montreal): Canadian high-end audio consumer show held in Montreal. Comparable regional peer with the same hi-fi exhibition-and-listening-room format, targeting North American (French Canadian) audiophile consumers and exhibitors.

Direct peers

• NAMM (National Association of Music Merchants): NAMM operates the NAMM Show, the world's largest trade event for the music products industry, including pro audio, recording, and instruments. Directly comparable to HIGH END SOCIETY as a membership-based association that runs a flagship trade show for a specialized audio/music industry vertical.
• The Bristol Hi-Fi Show: UK's longest-running dedicated hi-fi and audio consumer show, organized annually in Bristol. Comparable regional hi-fi exhibition model serving audiophile consumers and exhibitors in a single, focused venue — paralleling how HIGH END Vienna anchors HIGH END SOCIETY's flagship.
• Rocky Mountain Audio Fest: Rocky Mountain Audio Fest is a North American high-end audio consumer and trade show. Comparable to HIGH END SOCIETY's flagship event format, targeting premium hi-fi manufacturers, distributors, and audiophile enthusiasts with listening rooms and exhibitor booths.
• CanJam Global Shows: CanJam runs headphone and personal audio expos across multiple cities worldwide. Directly comparable to HIGH END SOCIETY's WORLD OF HEADPHONES sub-brand (WOH Essen, WOH Heidelberg) with the same niche headphone/IEM exhibitor and enthusiast audience.
• AXPONA (Audio Expo North America): AXPONA is a leading North American high-end audio trade show featuring exhibitors and consumers of premium hi-fi equipment. Direct peer to HIGH END SOCIETY's flagship Vienna show and regional FINEST AUDIO SHOWs, targeting the same audiophile exhibitor/consumer base.

Broad incumbents

• Integrated Systems Europe (ISE): ISE is the world's largest AV and systems integration trade show, covering professional audio, video, and smart building. Comparable as a broader incumbent in the audio/visual exhibition category, targeting both consumer and pro-AV exhibitors versus HIGH END SOCIETY's narrow hi-fi focus.
• CES (Consumer Technology Association): CES is the world's largest consumer technology trade show, organized annually by the Consumer Technology Association, with significant high-end audio exhibits. Comparable as a major incumbent association-driven exhibition organizer in the consumer electronics space, though much broader in scope than HIGH END SOCIETY's hi-fi-specific focus.
• IFA Berlin (Messe Berlin): IFA is a major broad consumer electronics and home appliance trade show held annually in Berlin. Comparable as a much larger incumbent operating in the same audio/consumer electronics exhibition space but with a far broader product portfolio that includes smart home, mobile, and appliances alongside AV equipment.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC5WQ3gKi4KVUibCUP5vDqQg
• Facebookfacebook.com/HighEndSociety
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/high-end-society-marketing-gmbh/about
• Instagraminstagram.com/highendsociety_de
• Xx.com/highendsociety

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about HIGH END SOCIETY