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Just came back from my first audio show and oh boy

stevenswall

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Are there any shows where lots of rooms have nearfield monitor stations set up and many vendors bring active speakers? I went to RMAF in 2018 and really wanted to see Genelec, KEF, Kii, and Dutch & Dutch active speakers. None of them were there unfortunately, but I did end up purchasing an Elac Navis (one of the few powered speakers there. Might have been the only one actually come to think of it,) later due to what I heard at the show.

I wish there were something like NAMM or NAB but more audio focused, as those shows seem to have more monitors, but they might frown on something as "hifi" as a Kii Three... At NAB it's so loud it was hard to hear how good the Genelec system was they set up, and unfortunately they set up a high SPL series that was playing half the time instead of "The Ones" series, or their (still flagship in my opinion) 8260.
 

Julf

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Are there any shows where lots of rooms have nearfield monitor stations set up and many vendors bring active speakers? I went to RMAF in 2018 and really wanted to see Genelec, KEF, Kii, and Dutch & Dutch active speakers. None of them were there unfortunately, but I did end up purchasing an Elac Navis (one of the few powered speakers there. Might have been the only one actually come to think of it,) later due to what I heard at the show.

I wish there were something like NAMM or NAB but more audio focused, as those shows seem to have more monitors, but they might frown on something as "hifi" as a Kii Three... At NAB it's so loud it was hard to hear how good the Genelec system was they set up, and unfortunately they set up a high SPL series that was playing half the time instead of "The Ones" series, or their (still flagship in my opinion) 8260.

There is IBC (International Broadcasting Convention) and ISE (Integrated Systems Europe).
 

stevenswall

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There is IBC (International Broadcasting Convention) and ISE (Integrated Systems Europe).

Broadcast is a bit too narrow just like RMAF. I don't purely want "broadcasting" speakers and PA stuff. I'd like the bleeding edge of everything, including nearfield systems that aren't associated with broadcast... Focal and KEF come to mind, and Kii or Dutch & Dutch probably wouldn't go well in the broadcasting world because I don't think you can nail them to a van wall.

Too many people in broadcasting, the "audiophile" realm, and studio/music making industry and there's not enough overlap. I'll have to google more about ISE. I wonder if the AES convention is mostly about whitepapers or simply the best of the best with loudspeakers, acoustics, microphones, and audio stuff from anywhere.
 

Koeitje

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Only if he claimed it was a technically better amp.

Patek Phillipe watches cost >50-100x more than a Casio G-Shock; nobody claims the Patek is more accurate than the G-Shock, but people will pay for more the Patek for a variety of other reasons (status, artistry, etc.).

I don't have a problem with someone paying stupid money for a SET that looks awesome if it floats their aesthetic boat and they don't try to pretend it's technically superior.

Isn't one the points of having more money to have some nice things before you die?

We all only get one ride, and it's a short one....
Patek is an extreme example, but luxury mechanical watches are engineering master pieces. They pay attention to the smallest details and pride themselves in mechanical perfection. They are works of art, not just a watch. Yes a Casio is better at keeping time, but it won't ever be as cool as a fully mechanical perpetual model of our solar system on your wrist.



I don't really know anything in audio to compare it to. Probably tube amps and turntables.
 
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Julf

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Broadcast is a bit too narrow just like RMAF.

IBC is not just about stuff that fits inside vans. These days, "broadcast" is a pretty wide topic that includes a lot of content production and delivery.
 

Kw6

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Would these audio shows allow and exhibitor set up a proper dbt room? We would set up the room properly with a good set of speakers. The audio rack would be covered with a black curtain. We would bring a few high end cables, amps, dacs/cd player etc. Attendees can bring their own music. They can sit and relax take their time no pressure to identify a $7000 interconnect vs a $70 one as an example. What you guys think? Maybe Audio Science Review can set up a room one day!
 

Julf

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Would these audio shows allow and exhibitor set up a proper dbt room? We would set up the room properly with a good set of speakers. The audio rack would be covered with a black curtain. We would bring a few high end cables, amps, dacs/cd player etc. Attendees can bring their own music. They can sit and relax take their time no pressure to identify a $7000 interconnect vs a $70 one as an example. What you guys think? Maybe Audio Science Review can set up a room one day!

You would probably be thrown out for sabotaging business... :)
 

HammerSandwich

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Wasn't Audioholics recently uninvited from the Florida show for actively recommending against audiophile cables?
 

Frank Dernie

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Would these audio shows allow and exhibitor set up a proper dbt room? We would set up the room properly with a good set of speakers. The audio rack would be covered with a black curtain. We would bring a few high end cables, amps, dacs/cd player etc. Attendees can bring their own music. They can sit and relax take their time no pressure to identify a $7000 interconnect vs a $70 one as an example. What you guys think? Maybe Audio Science Review can set up a room one day!
Not likely to accept a room dedicated to killing the goose that lays the golden eggs.
 

ElNino

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Not likely to accept a room dedicated to killing the goose that lays the golden eggs.

There was a YouTuber who paid for a "you can afford this" room at RMAF this year that aimed to have cheap well-performing gear. Apparently it got pretty good feedback.
 
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Frank Dernie

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There was a YouTuber who paid for a "you can afford this" room at RMAF this year that aimed to have cheap well-performing gear. Apparently it got pretty good feedback.
There is an annual enthusiasts show organised by the HiFi Wigwam web site. There is always a budget room and a competition for the best system bought used. They always amaze and bring much favourable comment and "why have I spent so much money" comments.

Last year one guy also was playing little desk top speakers from Genelec, Bowers and Wilkins and another I have forgotten the name of. In the small hotel room they were all amazingly good for the size, particularly the B&W.

Nobody, however, has ever tried to show how basic speaker cables and interconnects sound the same as some of the members astonishingly expensive Audio Note stuff though, even though one member did find, to his amazement, that his Audio Note speaker cables which he was sure were fantastic sounded the same when compared level matched and blind. He sold them and used the money for something sensible. Saying that at the show or on the forum would cause all sorts of controversy.
 
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stevenswall

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There is an annual enthusiasts show organised by the HiFi Wigwam web site. There is always a budget room and a competition for the best system bought used. They always amaze and bring much favourable comment and "why have I spent so much money" comments.

Last year one guy also was playing little desk top speakers from Genelec, Bowers and Wilkins and another I have forgotten the name of. In the small hotel room they were all amazingly good for the size, particularly the B&W.

Time to go to Europe then... See if they do tours of Genelec, Sennheiser, Focal, and other factories. Line up a few audio shows if any are close enough together.

I wonder what the B&W speaker was? Their Formation Duo interests me, and I've never been interested in the small Genelec models... Have an 8260 pair coming in February.
 

Zaireeka

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Time to go to Europe then... See if they do tours of Genelec, Sennheiser, Focal, and other factories. Line up a few audio shows if any are close enough together.

I wonder what the B&W speaker was? Their Formation Duo interests me, and I've never been interested in the small Genelec models... Have an 8260 pair coming in February.
If you ever go to Berlin you must visit Max Schlundt at Kultur Technik.

I recently had the pleasure to listen to GGNTKT M1s and Genelec 8351 there. He also has Kiis with the bass module, Grimm LS1, Perlisten, Lyravox...

Some crappy photos i took during my listening session :
 
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