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AXPONA 2011 Atlanta reports/thoughts?

This was my first show......I really enjoyed checking out all the gear. I was really impressed with the sound in the Scaena room as well as the MBL room.
I know this has been probably been discussed before, but someone really needs to tell all these sponsors, distributors, and people to LIGHTEN UP!!!!!!!!!!!!!! There were times that I didn't even feel welcome in certain rooms. In this economy, if I want to listen to one of my tunes on a $60,000 pair of loudspeakers, you should damn well roll out the red carpet. I understand "screening" tracks so no one plays gangster rap or 2 Live Crew or something that's offensive, but don't give me the third degree about whether or not my song will make your speakers sound good. Thoughts?
audioguy3107
rockadanny
1,226 posts
 
+2 for Soundsmith. Biggest sounding small speakers I've ever heard, real sweet sound too.
meadowman's avatar
meadowman
141 posts
 
Rockadanny,

The Napa room was very good. I liked the approach which was " Turn any 100 sq foot space into an acoustic oasis ". The aesthetics were a bit on the over modern ( the lines and curves, not the tubes) for my taste but the sound was very open and coherent. A tough act for a 4 way speaker IMHO. I went back to inquire about a show deal on some of the sound treatment panels but they had already sold the whole rig. the 5K rig made real bass in the small end of the room and the overall presentation was very easy on the ears.

Audioguy3107- Not sure of the price tag but I must say the DH rig ala M. Levinson was very forward and seemed to add extra snap to leading edge transients. The rep. was very pleased with the "detail" and "speed" and kept mentioning that he was using a "$400 laptop" as the source. Into a 50K DAC perhaps? Dunno, just not my cup o' music.
mrdecibel
3,064 posts
 
I had worked two shows in my time, one for a dealer and another for a manufacturer/importer. It was always my pleasure to accept recordings from visitors of my room, not just as good customer service, but as a bond to the individual and the music he/she listens to. I am going back 15 or so years so maybe things are different now. But turning these potential customers away is not good business sense, and takes the "enjoyment" factor out of the equation, which is why we do what we do anyway. I have not been to a show in quite some time, but it is a shame that this is going on.
audioguy3107 OP
40 posts
 
There were a lot of nice exhibitors as well last weekend at AXPONA. I'd say the Wharfdale guys, the Napa audio room (extremely friendly), the Adams folks, and the guy in the Lansche Audio room were some of the best. Even the YG Acoustics guy was really friendly and played a couple of things for me as well. It really is about the "atmosphere" of some of the displays.....you kind of felt that you were bothering them if you were checking out their gear.

I guess its just goes back to some of the problems with the high end industry as a whole and why many brick and mortar retailers haven't survived the last 5 years or so.
rwwear
2,871 posts
 
The YG guy was very friendly.
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