How to listen /audition at audio shows?


I’ve been to RMAF a few times and learned a lot. Great fun and I eventually bought quite a bit of gear that I heard there. Right now I am going to Capitol Audio show to try to audition several high-end streamers (Aurender, Lumin, Innous, 432 EVO, Grimm and Antipodes are on my list). My request is for advice on how to compare models that will, of course, be in different systems in different rooms, etc. We all know how limited listening is in hotel rooms and that it will always sound different in your house with your system, etc etc. Accepting that, what are some of the smart strategies you’ve found to compare components at an audio show? Wouldn’t it be great if I could get two of the streamer vendors to connect their units to the same system, say after hours ... Not likely I know but any other ideas, tips or strategies? thanks
mcmanus
You can’t compare components at an audio show. It’s impossible to hear an unfamiliar system and separate out the affect one component has on what you’re hearing.

The best you can do is spend time in rooms that have components you are interested in and narrow down the rooms that sound best to you. Then, re-visit those rooms later in the day, or on another day to confirm your listening impressions.

Ultimately, you will need to audition streamers in your system.

Jim Smith, in "Get Better Sound", discusses the approach of listening from the hall just outside the door. If it sounds good there, then it’s a good sign. If it doesn’t sound good from the hall, then it won’t sound better in the room.


mcmanus

you can hear the award winning 432Evo at the Dr. vinyl room.

we have tested the Evo vs innous and aurender and the evos sound better.

in addition only the evos are 100 percent modiular and fully upgradable:

a starter model like our 3,500 standard, can be fully upgraded to a $16,000.00, flagship Master.

many people order the $5500. high end model which can be easily upgraded to the $7500. Aeon.

the $7,500 Aeon can challenge a 14k innous statement and the Aeon rated as one of the best sounding servers out of Europe.

Because the servers are completely, modular the servers performance can be improved as better clock boards,sound cards and cpus arrive.

Even the back pannel can be swapped to alow for new connections that dont yet exist.

unlike most of our competitors we dont use a single motherboard, instead we have a seperate cpu board, a seperate clock board, and sound card.

all boards are independently powered by one or two Sbooster power supplies.

Dave and troy
Audio intellect nj
US. importer 432Evo music servers.
Wear your mask and don’t get into a dinky hotel room with more than half a dozen other people.  And if the sound is as bad as some shows that I have attended, brink additional masks for your ears