[JeffB]

With CES next week, and the fact that I found some inexpensive rooms for the last 2 days of the show I am somewhat thinking about going.
I have never been to CES and I have no idea what the experience would be like for listening to Audio.
I don't know how easy it is to get any kind of listening session with the equipment.  I realize the rooms are probably not set up optimally, but are there even rooms or just space out on a big open floor.  Would turning up the music annoy everybody around?  Or does everybody have the music up everywhere so that you are competing to here over one another?
Any thoughts on audio listening at CES would be appreciated.

[zybar]

Show conditions can be very iffy and I would expect to not hear the best that the assembled gear can produce.

Of course there are exceptions to this and some rooms do sound very good.

Depending on the setup, you can have music bleed over from room to room.

I suggest you simply enjoy seeing all the great gear and meeting the vendors.  Talking to the vendors is usually an equal or better experience than listening to the gear.

George

[Grover]

Zybar wrote:
I suggest you simply enjoy seeing all the great gear and meeting the vendors.  Talking to the vendors is usually an equal or better experience than listening to the gear.

I totally agree with the above.  Keep in mind though, that CES is supposed to be for industry members.  Everyone knows that many consumers show up as well, I just make sure I'm courteous and don't waste anyone's time.

Remember that The Home Entertainment Show (T.H.E. Show) is occurring at the same time at the St. Tropez and Alexis Park Hotels.  That show is technically for industry as well, but they pretty much let anyone with a business card into the show.  In the past few years I've found THE Show is better set up for auditions and listening to music.  The vendors at THE Show seem to be from smaller companies, are certainly enthusiast oriented, and the show has been fun to attend.

[tanchiro58]

I have been visiting CES too many times except last year. You are right some of the very expensive audio gears were set up in the small room even though they could afford the big room. The sound was so horrible loud and distorted. Most of the rooms were not so impressive sound wise. Few expeditors had good taste and their set-ups were very nice. Anyways you should bring your good ears to judge how much are the improvements of the new components in the audio industry compared to others.

[Don_S]

Jeff,  I think some of your questions were not clearly answered.  The majority of the audio equipment at THE Show and the hi-end audio portion of CES (Venetian) are in hotel rooms and suites. Those are complete systems in dedicated rooms ready for you to listen to.  Most vendors will accommodate requests to play your music.  A few audio systems are set up in larger meeting or conference rooms but again, those are dedicated rooms.

The "bull pen" exhibits you are thinking of are at the main convention center which is sometimes referred to as "the zoo".  That is the TVs, computers, cell phones, you-name-it territory.  That is very different from the hi-end audio exhibits.

I have a rule-of-thumb (others may disagree).  If it sounds bad at the show that does not necessarily mean anything.  If it sounds good at the show then there is a reasonable chance it can sound very good in your home.  That is provided you don't violate any requirements of the equipment e.g. your home does not have enough space to move the speakers away from the rear wall. Also be aware of the electronics driving speakers.  Sometimes the system can sound very good but the cost of the electronics is many times the speaker cost and not likely to be duplicated in the home environment.

My advice,  You just gotta try it once.  CES is an experience that does not lend itself to the retelling.