...I disagree with the rooms as an excuse for lacking sonics....
Blaming show conditions IMO is baloney. If i am going to sow a system it my responsibility to create a good sound. We bring gear that is well broken in no excuse about break in.
So I say stop whining [ demonstrators ] about the conditions and make it work.
charles
Having personally heard Charles' rooms I can testify that what he says is true. He had lovely sound coming from a fairly minimalist set-up. I don't know if he was best in show, but certainly in the nomination list. That being said, I think he had an advantage in not having to assemble a large display. The best and worst I've heard at shows were large, full range systems. They have more "room" to excel or fail completely.
Experience and planning play a big roll here. Having set up many industrial, non audio, show displays, I can tell you how much knowing the layout, planning enough time for setup, having enough personnel, spare parts, transportation, and a zillion other things go into making a successful show display. Hats off to those who do it right.