True Or Slight Possibility?

his propositions seem broadly reasonable to me:

1. That audio shows are dead (i.e. impractical) until a covid-19 vaccine is found.

2. That in the meantime manufacturers should concentrate their marketing budgets online.

3. That the online presentation is best handled by an appropriately experienced professional outfit.

The only point I would quibble with would be a concentration (to the exclusion anything else) of marketing money online. The problem is that online is basically a pull rather than push medium. For example if I read an audio magazine I may not be immediately interested in any of the products either advertised or reviewed. However I will probably read all of the reviews in due course for some kind of entertainment value. I will also notice the advertisements in passing and will note them even if superficially. Both ways push the products to me, even if I am not initially interested.

However, using Steven Stone's example of VPI, in order for me to see their presentation I am likely to already be interested in a turntable and I then specifically have to choose to seek out VPI's online presence. That is I have to decide to pull the information from the interweb.

As with most marketing a judicious mix of media is probably best to maximise the widest yet viable (I said judicious) audience.

Of course the fact that Steven Stone runs an online magazine with advertising obviously means that his opinion on this must surely be entirely unbiased ;-).

"We need less, but better" - Dieter Rams

Audio Shows could go on if , posted on May 21, 2020 at 05:15:36

RGA
Reviewer

Posts: 15177
Location: Hong Kong
Joined: August 8, 2001

People running them and attending them would wear masks use hand sanitzer and they limited numbers by merely organizing the sheeple the pens - err rooms.

Here's what you do - 6 people in the smaller rooms at a time (additional 2 show runners max) and you are allotted times for each room. Select your times - go down the hall - room 1-2-3-4. Lunch - afternoon 5-6-7-8. Hotels can probably spread things out because it's not like hotels will likely be full anytime soon. Like room - want to go back - book it again.

I have spent zero time thinking about this but surely people who schedule for a living can come up with some slick way to organize this.

At some point we are all opening back up. I live in HK - I saw my pool's waterfall turned on again so they look to be gearing up the pool. My School is open on May 27th - back to teaching the little monsters. Little germ carriers. So a bunch of old audiophiles stumbling down the hallways like zombies looking for Keith - where did he go? It can't be that hard to adjust to this. Headphone booths probably have to be axed. Record and CD selling booths might have to be done on a touch screen - (wiped down - hand sanitizer) etc.

But the rooms can't be that hard - I mean you're just sitting in a chair and listening to music. Adopt the Japanese Bow to greet everyone. No buffet. It would be helpful if the show could also provide masks - not sure if the US is still having trouble on that front.

I ordered 500 masks from my employer - I have to pay but at a reduced rate - the government here as issued everyone a cloth reusable washable mask.

No shirt, no shoes, no mask, no entry.

I disagree with him, posted on May 21, 2020 at 10:07:50

Dave_K

The whole point of shows is to get people to see, hear, and try the equipment. Audiophiles are willing to travel and book hotels for those opportunities. Internet advertising will never be a substitute for auditioning, even if it's crappy auditions in crowded hotel rooms.

Without shows, the only place for auditions is their dealers. So if they have any marketing budget left over, why not sponsor small dealer events and help get the word out locally. Give people a reason to come into their dealers even if they're not looking to buy something - seminars, product intros, etc. Serve a drink or a snack, make it a nice no-pressure experience like a show.

Obviously, dealers in most places aren't ready to host small social gatherings just yet. But hopefully, that will change in a month or two or three. We'll be able to do that a lot sooner than we can hold a show.

+1, posted on May 21, 2020 at 13:52:10
Mick Wolfe Audiophile Posts: 3365 Location: AZ Joined: October 10, 1999 Contributor Since: September 4, 2000	NT

+2....., posted on May 21, 2020 at 17:53:55

Todd Krieger
Audiophile

Posts: 37333
Location: SW United States
Joined: November 2, 2000

I attend shows mainly to experience the exotica that I would never experience anywhere else..... The ancillary part is that I almost always discover audio components that I could use personally..... A great example of this was the Opera Consonance T1288 tonearm, which I discovered at a past show, it was a budget product that performs well enough for me that I no longer look for something to better it..... Another great example is headphones, which I would only be satisfied with products auditioned prior to paying for them.... (To give you an idea, I've tried a lot of "in ear monitors" that had great reviews, but to me sounded awful.... ) The Micca Audio mini system at last year's THE show, as a system to spare the big systems...... Not to mention discovering new music......

I'd be a depressed hombre if audio shows cease to exist as we knew them prior to the pandemic......

RE: Do that no mask thing here in the U.S., better make it..., posted on May 23, 2020 at 19:31:37
B. Scarpia	...No shirt, no shoes, no mask, no guns, no entry.

General Asylum

True Or Slight Possibility?

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