my exclamation was basically due to thinking it would take a dedicated venue and then you mentioned it
Steve, that's hardly a new idea. Did you ever hear of AAHEA? They looked into doing an industry sponsored event twenty years ago and there were too many logistical and legal issues (such as some anti-trust legislation) to make holding a show impossible. Their legal counsel even advised then taking out a coop ad paid for by different high-end companies to promote the industry would be subject to anti-trust legislation.
I've been silently following this thread and it's gone in so many different tangents with lots of opinions but few facts save for a few industry insiders such as Gary and Ralph. Let me share some insights from someone who been a writer going to shows since 1985.
1. For those that think that holding a show is a money making venture, think again.
Stereophile couldn't make any money on their shows and they were the only game in town back then. When their new owners looked at their expense line, the first thing, despite John's best efforts, that got chopped was the
Stereophile show. And Stereophile drew as many as 14,000 at one of their NY shows. Today's shows don't sniff near this in attendance. 5000 is a lot today. Axpona is lucky if they are breaking even right now. But they are looking at building the show up for the long run. There are simply so many expenses in running a show that people don't appreciate. Not the least of what is paying the hotel or advertising. No show goes anywhere nowadays without advertising. (something that RMAF, if it's going to survive, needs to do sooner than later.)
I really don't think that people appreciate how much it costs manufacturers to exhibit--especially given the number of show today. Not does that count the expenses for the exhibitors such as union fees. Let me give an example. The first issue of
Ultimate Audio debuted at the
Stereophile SF show. I UPS'd 7000 copies of the magazine to give out at the show. It cost me $800 to send the magazines to the show warehouse; it then cost me $2400 to have the magazines sent from the warehouse to the show hotel.
Or years ago when Dan and Gayle showed the mega Krell amps with the ML Monoliths at the Chicago Historical Society some years ago. Dan estimated it cost them 100K to do that show. Despite some people's opinions, we're not talking companies making megabucks. What do many high-end audio companies gross? 5 million a year at most? The two biggest years ago were Levinson and Krell (that reportedly grossed around 50 million one year).
Which brings us to small manufacturers that can't afford to buy a room and their own and must coop with other manufacturers. In many cases, they don't even know who their partners are up to the showtime. But what is better? Sound or market presence? Remember shows serve many masters. Not is the show a chance for audiophiles to hear more brands of equipment under one roof than they might hear otherwise in a lifetime, but it's an opportunity for manufacturers to show in areas where they have no representation or support their dealers in a given area.
Truth be told, there's currently way too many shows and it's becoming a case of quantity over quality. There's no question that some shows will shake out and eventually we'll have three regional shows: Newport/Axpona or RMAF and something on the east coast (right now the NY show isn't instilling confidence). Then of course there's the two Canadian shows in Toronto and Montreal. Then there's Munich. Then there's HK, etc., etc. Again these companies have a limited budget.
2. Selecting a venue. Most decent hotels have no interest (such as having to move beds, etc) in hosting a show so organizers are generally relegated to second rate hotels. Organizers make the best of bad things. And no show is going to be successful except in a major urban area.
3. Rooms. Yes, exhibitors know their rooms but that means nothing. In many cases, exhibitors take what they can afford and I'm sorry but nothing but nothing is going to help a 12 x 12 room--or even as I've seen 12x12x12 room.
4. Show sound. Let me start with a quote from my Magico S5 review:
Perhaps the real take home message from the time spent with the Magico S5s is that we [audiophiles] often are far too hasty to judge the sound of a component based upon one quick listen at a high-end audio show or dealer's showroom. That old adage about hearing a component in your own system before making any legitimate judgment (s) often takes a backseat in the rush to compare listening notes with your audiobuddies or online friend. Let's be honest. Audio shows (and/or dealer showrooms) are more often than not simply a poor substitute for a home audition. Case in point: Magico speakers. Despite hearing Magico's Q-series speaker at several shows—not to mention two local Magico dealers—I was baffled by the praise heaped upon the speakers.
And you know my current reference speakers.
I'm sorry to say that if I was a professor, show sound would be graded on a C- minus curve vs an A curve for "real" audio reviews. Or the same benefit of a doubt that I give the sound of recorded rock music relative to say classical music. I just really don't understand why people are getting so bent out of shape over the sound at a show. Years ago I learned that if something sounded good at a show it was worth investigating; conversely if something sounded bad, it means nothing.
In fact, those companies showing a small speaker with limited bass response probably have a better chance of getting good sound than someone bringing mammoth SOTA speakers. Not only are we talking lousy electricity but sheet rock walls. Wall so thin you can hear someone panting in the adjoining room. Walls that are flexing like a heart beating. It amazes me when I read what some people here do in their custom built rooms and they still have problem that need correction; what issues do you think faces most manufacturers? And yes, some purposely take the same room year after year to increase their probability of getting good sound but how many rooms do you see setting the gear up on an angle in the room? Oh yes, I've never heard good bass at the show and almost activate a bass filter when I go to shows.
On the subject of electricity: there's a little difference between lighting a light bulb and powering an audio system. While we're at it let's talk electricity (How is a generator going to get around a total of 15 amp service? At best.). Do people realize that many times the AC voltage is low? As low as 102 volts reported? Oh and the electricity did go out at the NY show two years ago and generators were used to power the whole show? And the sound was horrendous? Oh and CES requires exhibitors at the Venetian to use a current clamping device on their electronics so not to blow the hotel fuses? Exhibitors are fined for the first two offenses and then their exhibit is shut down on the third offense?
So it seem to me that some people here are looking at the half empty glass of water and missing the REAL point of going to a consumer audio show: that is having a good time, hearing lots of equipment, meeting the manufacturers (where do you normally have the chance1!!!) and meeting other audio buddies?!?! If there's good sound, that icing on the cake but not necessarily something that I come to expect.
