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Home » Audio » LSAF » "Mainstream High End" at the LSAF
| "Mainstream High End" at the LSAF [message #64571] |
Wed, 03 November 2010 08:35  |
AudioFred
Messages: 377
Registered: May 2009
Location: Houston
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Illuminati (1st Degree) |
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Here's a question for 2010 and previous years' LSAF visitors: Are you interested in seeing and hearing "affordable mainstream high end" equipment at the 2011 show?
By "mainstream high end" I mean products that are offered by relatively large manufacturers, advertised in the mainstream audio magazines, non DIY, and marketed through high end audio retailers (brick & mortar and online). This is to differentiate them from the typical LSAF exhibitor, who is a one-person company that sells direct with no "middle man", and whose product prices are relatively low compared to the prices of comparable mainstream equipment.
I'm asking because I need to decide whether we should actively encourage local high end audio retailers to exhibit at the show.The 2010 post-show internet chatter (or the lack threof) about expensive equipment tells me it's a waste of time and money to exhibit $4K power conditioners, $7k electronic components or $15K speakers, but I believe a retailer's presence with one of their more affordable systems (e.g. NAD electronics driving Maggie 1.7's) would be an asset to the show, and could result in some sales for the exhibitor.
So what do you think?
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| Re: "Mainstream High End" at the LSAF [message #64575 is a reply to message #64571] |
Wed, 03 November 2010 18:44  |
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Wayne Parham
Messages: 18793
Registered: January 2001
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Illuminati (33rd Degree) |
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Personally, I think that is part of what LSAF is all about. You know, this part of the country really has very few high end audio stores or dealers. So LSAF is a good chance to introduce people to that market. It also allows manufacturers to reach out to an untapped market segment, to show their products to an audience that is largely unfamiliar with this kind of product.
I can't tell you how many people I've met that naively purchased mediocre sound systems and home theaters, spending a great deal of money on what is really pretty average junk. When I meet someone like that, I am certainly not going to be rude and tell them how much they've been "had", but their reactions are always the same when they come over to my house and experience true high-fidelity sound. They're usually very quiet for a while, listening. Then they start asking questions, and some eventually start upgrading their own systems, often completely replacing them. Most never knew there was better equipment available. They bought what the local audio store owner said was "best".
LSAF provides an opportunity to introduce people like that to equipment that is genuinely high-quality. Lots of shops in this part of the country sell and install expensive systems, but very few do anything even close to high end. Just high priced. I even know one guy that bought $100K worth of monster cable, on the recommendation of the dealer, of course. So LSAF can help manufacturers of that market segment reach prospective customers in this part of the country. This will do everyone some good, helping prospective high-ticket buyers to get actual value and helping upper-echelon manufacturers find these customers.
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| Re: "Mainstream High End" at the LSAF [message #64600 is a reply to message #64599] |
Fri, 05 November 2010 22:29 |
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Wayne Parham
Messages: 18793
Registered: January 2001
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Illuminati (33rd Degree) |
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I wouldn't expect a retailer in Dallas to participate in a show like this in Dallas. It doesn't benefit them, since they already have a presence there. I think LSAF probably makes more sense for niche market manufacturers, and maybe regional distributers, not local retailers. It's a place to reach out for companies that do not have a dealer network, or for those that have very few dealers and little or no representation in this part of the country.
That said, I think Norris' comments clearly illustrate one problem LSAF has to overcome. The Lone Star Audiofest is a very different kind of show than RMAF. You don't pay anything to be an exhibitor, but that means you have to take some of the responsibility for your own promotion and your room's success. If you want people to know you're there, you have to pass the word, yourself. Especially in John's case, where he set himself apart from the rest of the show by exhibiting downstairs in the conference room.
When I spoke to John Wolfe at LSAF 2009, he seemed pretty excited about the show and thought his setup was good. He told me that he didn't like AKfest though, saying it had way too much DIY and not enough commercial interest. So maybe later, he started thinking LSAF was the same way. Maybe his foot traffic wasn't as high as he hoped. Or maybe his system wasn't sounding as good as he wanted. I don't know.
I am guessing I have around a couple hundred people go through my room each year, and it always results in a lot of exposure I wouldn't have gotten otherwise. My talks are usually attended by 30 people or so. Most of the attendees are already aware of my products through the internet, but many have never met me in person or heard my speakers. So the LSAF is not a point of first-contact for me, but it is a point of first-meeting and first-impression. This is where I usually meet people face-to-face for the first time, and that's what is most important to me, personally.
I also know that this show has been successful for many other exhibitors too. Not just DIYers or companies with budget products, but also top-tier manufacturers with high-end equipment. Duke, for example, reports that he sells AudioKinesis equipment at shows. They're not nosebleed expensive, but they're not budget boxes either. Since LSAF costs him nothing but his travel expense, I think it is probably a good deal for him. I've heard or read similar stories from Bob Brines, Danny Ritchie and others. Really, just about everyone I've spoken to has this experience. It isn't the biggest show, but it does provide meaningful traffic. It is also the only show of this kind in this part of the country.
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| Re: "Mainstream High End" at the LSAF [message #78475 is a reply to message #67488] |
Thu, 28 November 2013 16:15 |
Cask05
Messages: 16
Registered: November 2013
Location: Arlington, Texas
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Chancellor |
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Sorry to resurrect this old thread, but this is "near and dear" stuff. High end audio prices always make me feel actual disgust, which reoccurs when I look at virtually any audio mag. Understanding why something sounds good is a path to saving thousands acquiring good systems affordably.
One of the subjects that I still ponder is "how to get the word out", apparently like you all have. Like supporting your local live music musicians and their places of business, I personally subscribe to the idea of direct sales and DIY in audio, as well as educating newcomers on what works and what doesn't, what costs too much and looks pretty, and what knocks your socks off.
Perhaps I should start a thread on "why did you spend all that on electronics and TTs/carts and so little on loudspeakers, room treatments or even just better architected listening rooms and loudspeaker placements. It makes no sense to me to lay out thousands of bucks on afterthought systems that "look nice", instead of first using their ears and acquiring the stuff that puts the recorded performers into the room with you. Cost always matters (...even more of late). I see folks sitting around with 4/5s of their audio budget sunk into the signal chain: they are really dropping the ball wrt the most critical two pieces: the output devices and room acoustics.
Anyhow, my first post here and I thought that I'd go for the gold. To all folks responsible for LSAF over the years: my note of thanks...and congrats. It appears like this event is actually gaining steam--unlike other "high-end shows".
Chris
Chris
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| Re: "Mainstream High End" at the LSAF [message #78495 is a reply to message #78492] |
Sun, 01 December 2013 08:05 |
Cask05
Messages: 16
Registered: November 2013
Location: Arlington, Texas
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Chancellor |
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Bruce,
It's easy for me to understand why LSAF is working, and how to make sure that it stays that way--by focusing on the customer (buyers/users) and a dedication of LSAF to helping them gain better knowledge on that subject, and providing opportunities for buying and building their own.
If you continue to emphasize that, I believe that LSAF will continue to be successful. However, if you allow high-end audio dealers that are "selling" to muddle that message, then I believe that you will begin to see problems like elsewhere. I can see why the "high end" dealers don't show up, unless of course they are dedicated to providing value to their customers, not trying to convince them to buy their badly overpriced equipment that has dubious effect on the resulting sound of the system. This subject includes the equipment,its placement AND the room acoustics. Unless you're spending time educating with no-kidding truthful information, I don't believe that the results in the ears of a customer are going to thrill.
I think that Wayne P. has the right formula by continuing to bring in folks to give talks to educate, i.e., this is the same message as "an educated consumer is our best customer". I also think that emphasis on DIY and kits, especially loudspeakers and room treatments, is a key point.
For instance, I plan to demonstrate in the Allen room next May the effects of room treatments and proper speaker/furniture placement (especially using corner horns) which is a critical subject for the buyers but unfortunately an afterthought for sellers. I find that these sellers don't really understand the subject well or even care much as long as they make a sale.
The same thing goes for high-priced electronics and input devices: if a person walks in and mentions that s/he has, say, Bose speakers and is looking at expensive tube amplifiers, I think it's time to educate the customer to invest in better speakers first. I also think that it's critical to understand their listening room by looking at a picture of their proposed listening space before prescribing a piece of equipment to buy.
To that end, I think it would be a good idea to recommend to participants to snap a picture or two of their listening room(s) prior to driving to LSAF in May. I know that it always makes a tremendous difference when I see their actual setups when giving advice. Perhaps I'll start a thread on that subject here instead, because this is one of the most interesting subjects that I've encountered in this pastime.
Chris
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