Darko nailed it. 12 examples of wishful thinking in the hi-fi community

While Darko mentions that trying to demo a component at an audio show one is actually hearing the entire chain, it’s seems that often audio shows and audio stores are the only places to demo.  While trying out component in one’s own audio chain is ideal, it’s often impossible/impractical. 

I felt much of it is those who care or understand audio and those who don't. 

@kennyc Exactly. 

I just attended T.H.E. SHOW in Costa Mesa. I was very excited as this was my first audio show. What a disappointment! I was hoping to compare various versions of items from manufacturers. Not possible. Innuos had no representative, and the room that had the equipment chose not to use it at all during my time in the room as they were focusing on speakers and power amps. I asked questions about the various models from Stream 3 to Zen NG. They recommended something else from another brand that I was not interested in and would not use the Zen NG in the room.

Aurender was a bit better, but I was not able to compare various models. I did buy a used N20 from a dealer, I was hoping to compare it to other Aurender options, but there was not chance. Most local dealers have a very limited supply of items from various manufacturers. THE Show did not help.

The room set ups were terrible. Some of them were so out of whack I could not stay more than a minute or two.

I was impressed with the Chesky speaker room. They had a great pair of speakers for under a $1000. Considering getting pair for my son.

A couple of the electrostatic speaker rooms were interesting, but one would only focus on a surround system. I cannot imaging a room with nice electrostats plus two subs. Rediculous.

The cable rooms were next to impossible to get any relevant information about the different models. 

Some brands were listed on rooms (Pass Labs), but none of the equipment was represented? Weird.

I wasn't expecting the seminars to be much, but they were actually the highlight of the show.

I won't be back next year. Three days and a bunch of general frustration. I learn more reading the biased Audiogon posts. Thanks for a taste of sanity.

@hilde45 + 1

@sns 

Hifi is all about preferences and opinions and all analogue is a perfectly legitimate tried and tested way of going about things.

However, Darko is absolutely spot with point no. 7 - digitisation is very far from a sonic disaster for analogue sources.

Linn’s Urika II digital phono stage is a big upgrade on the all analogue equivalent. Plus, digitisation offers the prospect of further reducing noise, distortion and interference in the preamp and crossovers.