AUDIO SHOWS! WHAT would you like to see more of there. Better brands, hours etc?

Definitely later hours. But it's not fair on the workers.

Trade shows are an expensive endeavor. Big or small company no different. 
The small fish need to partner up to mitigate costs. But the expense of travel, rooms, food, entertainment, especially in the big city is no trifling amount.
Setup. Teardown. Making sure everything is as perfect as the surroundings allow. 
The after show hours can be just as arduous for an exhibitor as the actual show hours. 
I hated trade shows  But they were/are a necessary evil.

Now as a participant selfishly I want fewer attendees. That is what I want. But more of… focus on the $10k and less system so we can get more youth involved. However I realize the profit lies in the big ticket sales. Ten $10k sales would not match the profit seen from one $100k sale  

Not something I want to see, but something I want to *not* hear: the standard, run-of-the-mill "audiophile" demo tunes.

I wish Geoff Castellucci nothing but the best in life, but if I never again hear the dulcet tones of his baritone interpretations of "16 Tons" and "The Sound of Silence," I will be elated. (If an exhibitor wants to show of the lower register of a male’s voice, drop the needle on Elvira by the Oak Ridge Boys, or The Shipping Forecast by Neil Nunes).

Same goes for the electronica track "Make Us Stronger" by Ghost Rider. Not a terrible song in and of itself, but after the dozenth time, it grates upon the nerves. 

Manufacturers use creativity to devise their products, they should also think creatively about the music they choose to demonstrate the embodiment of their passion and hard work.

Calvinj I would like more company to participate like Tekton speakers, different good cables. I would like Audio Mirror as well.I would like the guy playing real music in their room. 

Better music played real music people listen to in their homes.

@ararem @jond the one thing I’m known for is the diverse music I play when I’m at shows with INFIGO AUDIO. I play real music. Funk, jazz, blues, pop, rock, R&B.  Live jazz sets etc etc.  World music.  Artists from around the world and stuff we all used to listen to back in the day. No Hotel California on repeat for me. 

I attended the SWAF and enjoyed it very much. Its not the biggest show, a positive in my opinion, but a good variety of equipment in terms of both type and price. The smaller show allowed for extended listening time in the rooms you liked and a greater opportunity to speak with vendors. Haven't been to Axpona but from the descriptions, it might be a little much for me.

Appointments with vendors at the show would be helpful to those seriously shopping. I also enjoyed the seminars-do more of those. I don't live in an area blessed with lots of brick and mortar dealers, so it was great to actually hear some of the equipment I've read so much about. I didn't mind the music, but it was a bit repetitive. I think there is something to be said for smaller, regional shows.

I bet the exhibitors are more tired of audiophile tracks than we are. I went to Florida and just asked to hear what I wanted in each room & most were very accommodating. They could also get music reviewers to come curate interesting playlists. Or do a simple request system like a jukebox...lots of ways to fix this. I will volunteer to write playlists for any vendor

Nothing really.  Audio show room conditions and specific brand/model interests are not controllable through wishful thinking.  Had to go to Pacific Audio Fest to see and hear Daedalus speakers.  Only saw Tekton twice at audio shows.  Maybe Munich to hear Living Voice Vox Olympian or Palladium speakers.  Heard many sought out gear at AXPONA 2025- only brand/model that was I was greatly curious about but wasn’t demoed is the Axxess L3 $5.5k speakers to hear if sonic bargain.  

@kerrybh thats something I hit on.  Axpona is so big there is not enough time for engagement. THE SWAF IS PERECT FOR THAT. 

Audio shows would be better if they were closer to where I live.

I just ran my own room for the 1st time with the help of manufacturers and brick & mortar. It was a big success. The Show partnered with Lone Star Audiofest last weekend. While it was a smaller show than others around the Country at The Embassy Suites in Round Rock, TX. It was a refreshing change of seasoned DIY’ers and the commercial industry. 
 

People were awesome and my room easily had over 100 visitors that weekend. I played mostly requests and one of my “Demo” tracks was Jim Keltner’s Direct to Disk Sheffield Labs Drum Solo that I did an LP to DSD rip of. EVERYONE loved it !

I now have a true appreciation of the organizations who do these shows and what it takes to make a room “work”.

@wolf_garcia ...+10, more hear here.....

If there be audio deserts, we be in two....One can only PestBuy for trivia or a real deal on a something....*L* 

Everything else is a trip or online fishing.....but I don't fish 🤷‍♂️😏...

Unless a preference for watch a raptor in process has a gray appeal...;)

...but don't let the AudioICE getcha' *L*

+1 for moving them around the U.S. like the NFL draft so those that live closer can go.  I don’t want to drag my wife to a show on a stereo vacation.  

I live near an obscure and seemingly barely noticeable little town called Boston, MA, so I get it. 

How about that it should be mandatory to practice personal hygiene before attending.  At a bare minimum take a freaking shower.  At Axpona this year there were several times that I had to move along because of someone stinking up the place.  I'm no prude and not the take a shower every morning type but cmon people, very close quarters!

Sorry, rant over.  I had a good time regardless.

It is what it is.  Later hours might be cool.  Less attendees would be a plus.  It's not really a more is merrier situation to me.  But, I'm pretty sure this year was less crowded than 2 years ago. I'd be curious to see the numbers.  I went on Saturday and was surprised at the crowd, or lack of it at times.         

+1 @ararem 

I can only attend on Sundays.  I know the reps and everyone go out and tie one on Saturday night, but I wish they would actually open at 9:00 a.m. on Sunday, and stay open until 6:00, instead of 10:00-4:00 (with many vendors not even showing up until noon, if at all) on Sunday.

More systems with room correction that can be turned on and off as part of the demo.

More systems in the under $10k total category. 
 

Axpona is so big there is not enough time for engagement.

Exactly right!  Attended 3 days including a few seminars, just managed to finish all rooms but not able to relax and enjoy music much.  

Better airflow for comfort, smell, and reduced chance of catching something nasty. Wearing a mask in those hot, crowded rooms makes it so unappealing that I don’t go. How about small forced air fans in the halls blowing through dryer vents? They’d have to be connected to a separate power conditioner of course. :) $100 would get it done - https://www.amazon.com/AC-Infinity-CLOUDLINE-LITE-A4/dp/B09FYK6Z3R?th=1

Nagel at axpona Renaissance Hotel at Schaumburg . Illinois is better than most hotel because there is a space in the middle , so there’s a good air flow. Regarding mask , I did not wear mask this year, went ok, The trick when you talk to someone I don’t go too close, or when I talk it’s sideways so I don’t inhale the droplets. Most effective ways I do is wash my mouth every time I have a chance , and blow my nose while at the rest room and when I take shower at home.My friend who is a doctor told me viruses stays in your nose 2 to 3 days before they go to the lungs. Mouth washing is effective as well. So you don’t swallow bacteria and viruses.

Michel Plante and Sarah Tremblay of Audiofest Canada, with the support of Kin by Totem (Totem Acoustics), at the Montreal Audiofest, sponsored Audioteens Day on the Sunday of the show, offering free admission to families with teens to expose the young people to high-quality audio. Since Sunday is usually the slowest day of any show, this did not impinge on the audiophile crowd.

They also collected unused older audio gear from members of the industry to be given away in a raffle open to teenagers to help them get started on an audio journey. The raffle was held at the end of the show on Sunday.

Both of these ideas could easily be adopted to attract new people to the high end, as well as stimulate sales of used equipment.

I would routinely attend the RMAF with friends.  I really enjoyed that venue.  I wish it would return, but I think Covid probably had something to do with the end.  I do try to attend the show in Costa Mesa and I will be there this year.  nice show and venue.  It is vexing when the demonstrator talks so much as opposed to playing music.  If the system is good and the demo music is good, you don't have to say much.  Many times my friends and I would walk out of a room because the demonstrator would not stop talking and just play some music.  Ho boy! 

Another thing that does bother me is spectators talking to the dealers while the music is playing.  Go outside and talk please.  I would bring a pad and pen to write down the music playing.  Many times I hear great music that I've never heard before and that is simply great.