I visited the Capital AudioFest show this past Saturday and Sunday. It was my first high-end show, and it was fun and informative. My overwhelming impression was that most exhibitors are genuine, smart, informed, and passionate believers in their products. I didn't meet anyone who seemed to be a "snake-oil salesman" regardless of what high-end audio's detractors claim. I also didn't face arrogance or impatience from people who clearly knew I was not about to drop $100k in the next ten minutes. And Michael Fremer even took time to advise me on properly setting up a Hana ML cartridge on a Rega tonearm when I bumped into him in one of the rooms!
The thing that I found most frustrating, though, was the volume at which most systems were demo'd. I certainly don't typically play my system that loudly, and - to me - the effect was that the differences between most systems became blurred rather than clearer. Yes, it's nice to know that a system can deliver slam, but I was interested in hearing nuance, and I also wanted to hear what components sounded like at my normal listening levels.
I get that most rooms were small, bordered by other rooms playing music, and many had a dozen or even more people in them at a time, but I must admit that I got to the point that I no longer wanted to wander into rooms. Yes, representatives always agreed to turn the volume down when I asked, but it takes a while to recalibrate your ears and brain, and you always have to go through that little internal process of evaluating whether your interests align with those others present. The good news is that countless other attendees whispered thanks to me when I asked for the volume to be decreased.
I respect the challenges exhibitors face in a hotel environment, but there has to be a better way.
The thing that I found most frustrating, though, was the volume at which most systems were demo'd. I certainly don't typically play my system that loudly, and - to me - the effect was that the differences between most systems became blurred rather than clearer. Yes, it's nice to know that a system can deliver slam, but I was interested in hearing nuance, and I also wanted to hear what components sounded like at my normal listening levels.
I get that most rooms were small, bordered by other rooms playing music, and many had a dozen or even more people in them at a time, but I must admit that I got to the point that I no longer wanted to wander into rooms. Yes, representatives always agreed to turn the volume down when I asked, but it takes a while to recalibrate your ears and brain, and you always have to go through that little internal process of evaluating whether your interests align with those others present. The good news is that countless other attendees whispered thanks to me when I asked for the volume to be decreased.
I respect the challenges exhibitors face in a hotel environment, but there has to be a better way.
