It seems that a city like NY, which still has quite a few dealers in Manhattan, could do a traveling show among the various dealers- call it NY Audio Day. The dealers batten down the hatches, set up a couple systems, one primo, one reasonably priced, and cooperatively promote this to occur at their various store locations. They save on the cost of show overhead, entry fees, etc., have better control over the rooms, and draw traffic. You could have 6 or 8 dealers participating and make it worthwhile. Yeah, it's a bit of schlepping for the show goers, but if the dealers stepped up, used it as an opportunity to show off what they are capable of, got some of the manufacturers to come in to hang out and talk with show attendees (not a problem since most dealers feature different high end brands), you could have something that potentially beats the usual hotel room hi-fi show. Granted, it may not have all the latest, never before seen gear that is introduced at shows like Munich, but it is an alternative.
I rarely attend shows any more, and rarely go to retail shops. But, if I wanted to hear or see something special, I'd probably make an appointment with a dealer and get the time a buyer deserves for the spendy stuff.
What's the downside for the dealers?
