2023 AXPONA Show Report

Schaumburg is a safe area.Very quiet. Ozzy take 294 all the way... You can avoid bad areas.weather will be nice.

I've been to MANY of these shows over the years including Axpona, Rocky Mountain and numerous shows in Southern California. I'm grateful they put on these shows! Not only does it give me an opportunity to see and hear the equipment, I can also make comparisons and talk to equipment reps and other experts in the audio field including other show attendees. I usually don't make any new purchases until after I attend the show to check things out. I'm not put off by some rooms sounding bad. It's a difficult audio environment in some of these rooms and I always take that in consideration! Also, I take advantage of show specials when possible and some vendors sell their demo units at these shows.

I’ll be attending the show as both a dealer/exhibitor and as a consumer. It’ll be my third time going, so here are some tips to make the most of it.

1. Friday morning, and late afternoons on Saturday and Sunday tend to be the quietest. Saturday morning is the most packed.

2. Don’t try to accomplish everything in one day, if possible. Allow yourself time settle into the rooms you visit. By that, it means that crowds come and go. If you stay in a room long enough, you WILL be able to sit in the prime spot AND not have a ton of people in the room making noise.

3. I tend to study the exhibitor list in advance and make two lists - must hear and nice to hear. With this I prioritize in this way and tend to hit all floors twice. If I don’t get through the full second round, at least I don’t miss anything that was in my priority list. It’s also common to find yourself returning to the rooms you like the best more than once.

4. If you disagree with how something is set up in a room, once it’s quiet, you can ask the host to try to reposition or change the configuration. They will likely be amenable.

5. Whether you start or end with the big rooms on the first two floors, when you decide to explore the upper floors, take the elevator to the top and walk your way down the steps.

6. It’s been my observation that this is not a show purely designed for consumers. Many of the rooms are hosted by manufacturers or distributors, and their primary clientele are dealers. Of course, then there are rooms run by dealers whose primary clientele are customers, or other distributors they may want to carry lines for. As such, these reasons get in the way of how some consumers feel the show is less than approachable.

7. The experience is meant for people to experience the gear they typically cannot on most days. As some mentioned, similar to a car show. It should be aspirational, and oftentimes even if one cannot afford much or any of the equipment, it still serves as a good baseline for comparison. If you approach it this way, you will have a more fruitful time.

8. The food prices in the hotel are somewhat ridiculous and the quality is questionable. Plan to pick up a portable lunch if you want to eat onsite. It’s also not difficult to get away from the venue, and Schaumburg has a lot of great restaurant options.

9. Remember, audiophiles are few and far between across the country. While I know a number, most people are coming alone and don’t know others. This is a great place to get to know one another in a past time we all love. Don’t be afraid to show courtesy to each other and introduce yourself, express yourself. or share your opinion. I’ve found by doing this, most people easily open up and your total experience can be much more memorable.

I’ll be happy to chat with anyone in attendance if you bump into me and decide to say hello.

Enjoy the show!

Juan

blisshifi.com

I'll be bringing ATC Entry Series to the show.  We do it every year as this has been the best run consumer audio show in the US.  I am expecting good attendance this year.

Visitors should use it as an opportunity to learn about the companies they are drawn to, learn about the offerings of companies you don't know and their history and focus.  No one knows their gear better than the people that work building it.  Discovering from a chat with factory staff what they do differently from others is the gold you can't get anywhere else.  

Brad

Lone Mountain Audio 

@erik_squires I have had A50-IIs in my living room for almost two weeks, and I have to say the mid domes are something else. I hope Scan-Speak is able to control first reflections in their room because they disperse quite wide.