Auditioning gear for purchase.. not in town

Depending on the cost of the item,,it is sometimes worth a trip to an area where there is a facility to at least demo it...Maybe tie in a vacation or a weekend getaway somewhere in the area..I have done it many times and does eliminate some issues of buying unseen and unherd...Also possibly try in Audiogon forum to see if someone locally has the piece you are considering and maybe pay them a visit.......

In Denver we have the RMAF. Rocky Mountain Audio Fest. A great event that will allow you to listen to hundreds of products. We have had a room there since they started the show. It is widely recognized as the best hi-fi show in the US. I believe that to be true after having attended the CES and the Show in Vegas. I know there will be posts on this thread about how you can't tell much in these rooms. I totally disagree. You can tell very quickly if you hate a product. If you like a product, then put it on your list and audition it some more. The guys at positive-feedback said the we had the room they "revistied the most. Sound to die for." That means two things. One they liked our room initially and two the came back again and again. That is what you should do. After all dealers go to these shows to choose products to carry.

Another good thing about Denver is there are at least 7 pretty good dealers in town and about 4 more close by. So if you come to town either for the RMAF or not you should be able to hear what you are interested in.

I agree with Sounds real, at the prices we pay for this equipment most of us can afford a getaway to Denver or Vegas in my case. I happen to go out to CES every year and love visiting the two shows (THE Show and CES). It's a great way to touch, feel and hear hundreds of great new (and some old) products. Although some rooms are less than ideal, most do a pretty good job of showing you the characteristics of their gear. I have ended up buying gear that I first heard at the show, in fact I bought a pair of Totem speakers this year that i never would have even put on my short list if I hadn't heard them the past few years at CES. Getting to see and audition hundreds of companies/gear is something I look forward to every year and base most of my purchases on.

Thanks for the suggestions. I would thoroughly enjoy going to one of these shows.

I'm finding it difficult piecing everything together. I can see that attending a show would at least narrow down the search, and possibly point towards some synergistic combinations.

Use what I call the AudiogoN 'buy n' try' philosophy. I look for a good price on whatever I'm considering, I buy it and try it in my own system with my own ears against the competition. I keep the winner, sell the loser. Again, this is just in my opinion. I've sold many pieces that have pleased many folks. It's all about synergy and personal tastes.

Cheers,
John