The Show vs. C.E.S. vs Home Entertainment

Audiofile9 has answered your question, and in case you don't understand his suggestion, ANYONE can sign up for CES.

Do it now and avoid the late registration fees. Once you have your CES badge, you are automatically allowed entry into all off site shows including The Show.

You need not be high end to gain entry to CES. Remember that this is Consumer Electronics Show and everyone is welcome regardless if your industry is involved in Computers, telephones, security systems, home entertainment, automotive electronics, watches, televisions, satellite systems, fax machines.

Also welcome are advertising agencies, press and writers that have ANY connection to any of the above.

(Getting the idea?) They don't care, just sign up and enjoy yourself.

http://www.cesweb.org/default_flash.asp

These comments are consistent with my experience. The combination of CES and THE Show is much more powerful than the HE show. Crowds are smaller, installations are better, and variety of gear is much greater. THE Show has more esoteric stuff on average. Both are very worthwhile.
Art

Sorlowski, you are now an official "industry affiliate". wink wink.

Well...although everybody can go to the CES and THE SHOW but both is actually a manufacturer show and mainly catered to distributors and wholesalers (or industry-only like Audiofile9 mentioned above). On the other hand, HE is catered for consumers and most exhibitors are local dealers plus some small presence of manufacturers.

Is it worth it for consumers to attend? It depends.. if your hobby is want to see the latest technology gadgets at the Las Vegas Convention Center and wish to buy discount audiophiles LPs and CDS and audiophile show specials then it may be worth it. Otherwise, CES is heavily business oriented show and as a consumer, you probably feel your presence is sometimes unnoticeable.

If you can get a press pass you get a LOT of free stuff that you wouldn't get otherwise. At least, that was my experience last year, as an editor of a paper my uncle works for...