NAMM and Superbooth: how to read synth announcements from the two big shows
Anaheim's NAMM Show and Berlin's Superbooth bring a large share of each year's synth launches. The 2027 dates, how the two shows differ, and how to read an announcement before you buy.
Two events shape the synth calendar: the NAMM Show in Southern California every January, and Superbooth in Berlin in the spring. For a week, launch videos flood every feed, then things go quiet again. If you are planning a purchase, the useful question is not what was announced, but which of those announcements should actually change your shortlist.
Two shows, two audiences
NAMM is the music products industry’s trade show. Synths share the floor with guitars, drums and live sound, and the big brands often save their first launches of the year for it. Korg, for instance, listed the minilogue, its four-voice analog polysynth, among its Winter NAMM 2016 products.
Superbooth is the opposite: a show entirely about synthesis, where small Eurorack makers stand next to the major brands. Expect fewer mass-market products and many more prototypes, modules and limited runs. If Eurorack is on your radar, this is the show to follow.
The 2027 dates
| Show | Dates | Venue |
|---|---|---|
| NAMM Show | January 26-30, 2027 (exhibits January 28-30) | Anaheim Convention Center, California |
| Superbooth | May 6-8, 2027 | FEZ-Berlin, Germany |
Dates as published by the organisers on the NAMM Show website and the Superbooth website.
Big launches do not wait for trade shows
The show calendar is a rhythm, not a rule. Sequential brought back the Prophet-5 as the Rev4 with a press release on September 30, 2020, alongside a ten-voice sibling, the Prophet-10. Some of the most significant announcements land on an ordinary weekday.
A five-point checklist
- Price, and what kind of price. A US minimum advertised price (MAP) is not a UK or EU street price including VAT. Note the currency and the date.
- Availability. “Shipping in October” carries more weight than “coming this year”. A prototype behind glass is not a product.
- Voice count, and voice type. Polyphonic, paraphonic or mono makes a real difference; our guide to voice counts explains why.
- The engine. All-analog, digital or hybrid: “analog” on the panel does not always tell you which part of the signal path it refers to.
- The direct competitor. Judge a new instrument against what already exists at the same price, not in a vacuum.
Once the show is over
The manufacturer’s product page and, when it is out, the manual, remain the most reliable sources. That is where the exact specs live, not in a video shot on a noisy booth. If an announcement matters to you, wait for the full spec sheet, then weigh it against the main families of synths.
My take
Trade shows are the best time to read a brand’s direction and rarely the best time to buy. A NAMM week produces far more excitement than verifiable information: the product page, the manual and a firm price usually follow later. Superbooth is worth watching for a different reason, because it shows where synthesis is heading before the big names catch up. Follow both closely, then buy with a cool head.