Ultimate best convention, can it happen


Searching for best sound system one's budget allows. One man's world class top choice #1 system may be another man's disaster. How does one go about finding the most pleasing set-up for oneself if listening is utterly the only way to really know what's right for "me", when it's obvious that it's nearly impossible to hear even a fraction of what's out there, especially within one showroom. Also audio magazines have not been the most reliable source. What do we do then ??????? WHAT ABOUT A 2 CHANNEL SYSTEM TOURNAMENT CONVENTION!! Does this exist and if not, why not? There are no shops in the world that can represent enough companies to truly give the customer a satisfactory buying environment, and running from one showroom to another ensures enough time has passed to not be able to recall well enough the sound of the previous system. Let's organize an event that will set up guidelines on set-up and price range in which manufacturers, shop-owners and even private owners participate in a show down of who's got the best sound. Enough time will be devoted to ensure proper room treatment and placement of speakers unlike the past conventions that have been rushed and also let's ensure closed door sessions with a maximum number allowed per session, rather then a zoo like environment in which people walk in and out in front of the equipment without regard for the engaged audience. How can the designers and engineers approve of the set up in these rushed conventions when they have devoted so much time inventing and redesigning these works of art. Then have a panel of judges that can rate the best speakers, amps, cd players, phonos and synergy of systems in all different price ranges. The costs can be covered through admission charged, which I am sure the public would be happy to pay! Rules would help keep the playing field fair, and visitors can join like-minded individuals and form groups that move from room to room together listening to same genre of music so that the same material will be used on the different setups as they peruse the many rooms with systems set up for this event, with a prize for the winners. Exhibitors setting up systems pay to exhibit knowing they have a shot at winning prizes. Ok I am a dreamer who isn’t? But honestly who wouldn’t want to be there?
pedrillo
I used to think that people have different preferences, until last year when 5 audio friends inlcuding me went to the Rocky Mountain Audio Fest.
We went to most rooms we always disagreed (as we ussually do)on systems some like this one better some the other, same as always...untill we got to the Genesis room: Instantly all of us agreed that this was the best system we ever listened to. There was no fault with the system in that room. Tone, soundstage, dynamics everything was just amazing way better than all the other rooms, (we visited almost all of them).
The other rooms had certain good things and other not so good. The far second not unanimous winner was Avantgarde with amazing soundstage, some liked Avalon some liked MBL none liked Von Shweikert.

The system was very expensive Genesis 201 speakers with Top of the line even more expensive swiss amp, etc.

I guess you dont go to a concert at La Scala and say, "well the violins were too bright for my taste"...

Yes I think we can all agree if the sytem is good enough and we dont have a separate agenda.

All the Best
there is another benefit of such an undertaking, if it ever materialized, namely the opportunity to compare perceptions.

it would be interesting to see how convergent or divergent are descriptions of a stereo system from multiple listeners.
i have another idea. suppose some volunteer with a big room would invite a number of people to audition his/her stereo system and invited the guests to bring a component. we could have a potpourri of combinations of stereo systems which would be a lot of fun.