Dear Friends,

2022 has been another whirlwind of a year. No sooner did it start than we seem to find ourselves again in the grasp of December’s final weeks, wondering where all the time went! Firstly, I want to thank all our readers, sponsors, Editorial Team, and our technical teams at Advontemedia and Systems Solutions for their continued support this past year and for many previous years.

For our part, SECRETS has continued to evolve and prosper in 2022 despite the best efforts of a (hopefully) waning pandemic, global turmoil, and less-than-rosy economic conditions.

Audio shows have returned with a vengeance, and we have jumped back in with both feet, providing you and our industry with some of the best show coverage out there. More importantly though, after the previous 2 years, it has been a blessing to reconnect with humanity again. Seeing and catching up with industry friends, colleagues, and readers at various shows this year reminds us about what a truly great and vibrant little community of “geeks” that we are a part of. Not just domestically either, but on a global scale. The fact that so many of us can get together again, in so many places to share our love for music, video, and all the associated gear that goes with it is a testament that there is still more that can bring us together than push us apart.

As always, I’d like to give an extra “shout out” to the SECRETS Editorial Team. We are so fortunate to have a solid group of writers and Editors that delivers thoughtful and insightful reviews day after day and year after year. Our team is truly a partnership that has been built over multiple decades. I am exceedingly grateful for our team’s consistent and quality work that keeps SECRETS confidently moving forward into the future.

This past year we were able to maintain the flow of product reviews, with much support from our manufacturer and PR friends. We also just announced our SECRETS Best of 2022 Awards, recognizing about 40 outstanding products that have passed through our doors. Several new products are in the hands of our reviewers now, preparing to start 2023 with plenty of content to look forward to.

2023 Initiatives
SECRETS Recommended Gear

Early this past year, we launched our SECRETS Recommended Gear list. Each year we will update this list of component recommendations encompassing every product category we cover. Our goal is to provide long-term recommendations of products we’ve reviewed and found compelling enough to be included as SECRETS Recommended Gear. Once a product is chosen, it will remain on the Recommended Gear list until it is discontinued by the manufacturer. We will be announcing some of the newest additions for the 2023 list in January with the occasional product addition through the course of the year.

SECRETS A/V Showcase

We are also busy working on the latest edition of our SECRETS A/V Showcase. We launched this digital A/V Showcase magazine in early 2022 that provides a platform for manufacturers to present their new products with video and audio presentation and animation. The first edition of our AV Showcase has been warmly received with new companies coming on board to take part in our next issue. Do take a look at the current SECRETS A/V showcase magazine. We hope that you enjoy it and, if you’re a manufacturer, be a part of it.

SECRETS Show Coverage and Video Content

Over the course of 2023, we will continue to bring you the most complete audio show coverage and highlight the newest and most interesting products that we encounter. We also are looking to expand the amount of video content we release on our website and YouTube channel. Don’t worry; we are not giving up on written reviews at all, but we intend to supplement our traditional output with more video-based reviews and show reports. Mix things up a little if you will.

As always…

We would really like to hear from you, the SECRETS readers. Please feel free to submit suggestions and comments to [email protected]. As always, I deeply appreciate the support from everyone as we begin our 29th year of publication! We continue to be the oldest A/V publication on the Internet! If you don’t already, please consider signing up for our weekly newsletter and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn.

Wishing you and yours a very Happy Holiday and All the Best in the New Year!

John Signature