THE Show - worth going?


I was considering going to THE show, but looking at hte exhibitor list, looks like not a lot of big names (although some), plus many I've not heard of. Have peopel gone and found it to be a valuable learning experience? Or is it better to wait til the Stereophile show?
honest1
If you go to T.H.E. Show, you also go to CES. The CES "Specialty Audio" section is in the adjacent hotel. Together, these shows have just about everybody you'd want to see, far more exhibitors than at the Stereophile shows.
The big difference is that CES and THE Show are for dealers and manufacturers and distributors to do business. It is not a consumer show and while many consumers go, don't expect people to spend much time with you unless they are slow. The manufacturers are marketing to their buyers--not consumers. The Stereophile show is specifically designed for consumers. It's mostly dealers setting up and selling to consumers.
THE Show might be open to the public but CES is still industry only. Of course, many do find a way in.....

Kal
They are both industry-only (including this year, no change there). Yes, plenty of consumers get in, which is not necessarily a good thing. Both are far above any stereophool show in terms of scope, but then again CES/THE are designed for business-to-business deals, not consumer tire-kickers, as Rives mentioned.

-Ed