Mapman, "Was it mostly way above average? No doubt."
I'm sorry, but I couldn't disagree with your opinion of the show any more starkly. I felt it was mostly way below average.
Again, I'd encourage you to visit the show in NYC next spring. Not that the show up there is perfect, either. But you will encounter significantly more exhibitors, attendees, and based on this (Axpona in June 2011 was way below average) year, far superior sound.