T.H.E. Show: Deflated Expectations?

I was hardly the only press person who waited until the last day of CES to make the trek to the Flamingo Hotel to cover T.H.E. Show, the alternative, lower-priced-than-CES location for high-performance audio exhibitors. It was easy to spot my colleagues, because, at least on Friday, the last day of the show, there were so few industry professionals and audiophile attendees vying for exhibitors' attention. The hotel's 4th floor claimed 23 exhibit rooms, not all of which I had time to visit, and at least one or two of which were locked. But attendance was so light that the place felt dead.

Not only is the walk from the Venetian to the Flamingo depressing, with barkers flipping things in your face, casino loudspeakers blaring music, and any number of overly lubricated and underdressed loudmouths attempting to navigate the sidewalks in a semblance of a straight line, but the entrance to T.H.E. Show itself is confusing. At the Venetian, where almost everything is in the Tower, hotel signage points the way. In the Flamingo, the chintzy looking casino that greets you at the door offers no clue as to where T.H.E. Show can be found.

COMMENTS
Et Quelle's picture

It was a big drop from last year! Although, there was the opportunity to poke through the LPs, hear and purchase Centrance 50W amp MMF 2.2 (which I almost did) and enjoy cold sandwiches, delicious tuna salad, which I never try and bland macaroni salad. I enjoyed because I look forward to this one and Newport, so much.

jmsent's picture

You're absolutely right, Jason, in your description of the walk between the Venetian and the Flamingo. It's a walk from "luxury" to "low rent". You feel the need for a shower just trying to get there, and once you do, you just about need a gps and a compass to navigate the hotel.  I have no idea who, other than die hard audio nuts looking for obscure brands, would bother to go. It's never made any sense to me why any company would come all the way to Vegas to exhibit their goods, only to end up a mile away from most of the  activity. 

Ric Flinn's picture

I walked through the Flamingo every day to get to the Monorail station. I *still* have no idea where T.H.E. Show was.

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