The Axpona show was .... big, actually huge. So big that no one can see the whole show. Not even close. On the plus side it was very well run, in a great facility, (the "hotel" is actually a hotel/convention center), and pretty much anyone and everything you could want to see in audio was there. The down side was that there was just too much. It took half an hour to get from the tower to the big rooms on the convention side, it was hard to carve out quality time in any room because the pressure to see others was , well overwhelming. This is just my experience as an exhibitor, I can't imagine what an attendee's take on the show is?
Bottom line is that the show has become the largest high end audio show in North America with a feel of what we would like CES to be. It is an experience for sure but as to those trying to get a handle on what their next purchase in audio will be I think those people are better served by slightly smaller shows where they can spend unpressured time in relevant rooms. So yes I like Axpona, but CAF is still my favorite show and the one I recommend.