Posted by FredT [ 72.177.182.50 ] on May 11, 2007 at 08:01:25:
In Reply to: Re: My Thoughts About LSAF 2007 posted by akhilesh on May 10, 2007 at 20:53:59:
That's not likely, especially if we maintain the focus on non-mainstream sellers. The characteristic that differentiates the LSAF from all the others, including the RMAF, is that it's a place where a small manufacturer who doesn't have a large advertising budget can economically exhibit his products to an appreciative crowd and increase his visibility and his sales. I don't know exactly what a "critical mass" of sellers and visitors is, but I believe it's bigger than LSAF 2007 and quite a bit smaller than any of the other shows.
The DIY exhibitors are important too from a business perspective because they are able to demo products they have obtained from manufacturers who can't make it to the show. Some that come to mind from LSAF 2007 that were seen only in DIY exhibits are the Hawthorne Silver Iris speakers, The Trends amps, and the DCA 5.5 full range drivers. Two purchases I made as a direct result of previous shows were the Squeezebox, which I hadn't seen before Skip Pack brought his to Tulsa, and the Creative Sound Solutions full range drivers which Jim Griffin was exhibiting. A product I have already ordered as a result of this year's show is an upgrade kit for my Trends amp to make it sound more like John Busch's Michael Mardis Signature edition. A future purchase I'll make as a result of this year's show will be a pair of DAC 5.5 drivers.
Now, here's the MBA in me talking: The bottom line is that audio is a business and not a hobby for the commercial exhibitors, and they must be able to justify their time and expense with increased sales. I believe there's a "critical mass" of commercial exhibitors that will attract a greater number of visitors and maximize the value of the LSAF to them.
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