San Francisco - Nov 19, 2012 - The 133rd AES Convention at the Moscone Center in San Francisco was distinguished by a diverse program. In the face of an epic storm that gripped the East Coast and disrupted countless travel plans, thousands of conventioneers experienced an exhibition hall filled with new and exciting products and, a four-day program of scientific presentations and training events.

"In the months leading up to the show we had strong pre-registration numbers and were on target for at least 14,000 people," reports AES Executive Director Bob Moses. "The Exhibition Hall was packed on Saturday, but Hurricane Sandy took a lot of wind out of our sails. People fled for the airport on Sunday and Monday as flights were canceled around the country. In the end, some 11,000 attendees turned out, reflecting strong pre-registration but disappointing onsite sales. On the bright side, we were very happy with attendance in the inaugural Project Studio Expo - 1,680 people, nearly double what we anticipated."

Despite the lower than anticipated turnout, the AES says many of the 296 exhibitors and sponsors offered positive perspectives on their convention experience.