Is this show worth attending? Take into account flying, car etc. I always plan $1k before buying anything.
I fly in for the weekend, too, and it's about $1k by the time you pay for all the little and big things. It's worth it to me as there aren't many audio retailers around my area anymore and those that are left seem to cater to very, very rich people. The Texas show has pricey gear but there are always a few rooms that have affordable good stuff, too.
The other thing about the show is the number of rooms with very small companies. These folks don't go to the big shows as they really can't afford dropping $5k or $7k on a weekend. So the show gets a lot of small audio companies and generally the person manning the room is the owner of the company and the designer of the gear. They are generally very forthcoming with their experience and will share good information. They aren't sales drones.
It's a great weekend. Very laid back atmosphere and a lot of good will. You'll hear a lot of great music.
