THE Show - worth going?

I believe this year the Show/CES is open to the public

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

No kidding Kal, they even let my slimey foot-sliding behind in.

And you can't forget the third leg of the Vegas audiophile experience! The AVN Expo!

I already have my badge. Hopefully, work will permit me to attend.

T.H.E. Show is located right next to the Alexis Park where the audio side of CES holds its show. Admission is free and there is no hassle or waiting to get in. There is easily more than a whole day's worth of things to see at T.H.E. Show. Because of the slightly smaller attendance, you can do more listening and talking with the exhibitors. Both Alexis Park and T.H.E. Show have smaller companies that are exhibiting. I find that these companies have more interesting and nice sounding products than most of the big boys. For me, the greatest joy from going to these shows is to find and hear the more obscure products that I would not be able to hear at local shops.

If audio is your primary interest, what is NOT worth bothering to see is the MAIN CES exhibits in the three big convention center halls. What an incredible zoo and WAY too much ground to cover.

Some of the most interesting CES exhibits are off site in hotels other than Alexis Park. These are worth seeing too.