You and me both. First for me. But since this quickly grew into something I really started to love, It sounds like the ultimate getaway to see and hear all the stuff I only read about. Psyched.
A few tricks for you that might help you take it all in for your first show. Start off by doing a walk around the whole floor, seeing what is there and thinking about what you really want to see and where you really want to spend some time. If you just jump right in and start demoing stuff at the first table you come to I've seen people not get to the stuff they really wanted to see. Also I'm not sure what the layout of the show is going to be since this is the first time at the Marriott Marquis so also make sure there are not separate rooms that you might risk not seeing. At one CanJam they had a room kind of off by itself and I didn't notice it until right when I had to leave. Also be ready to go back and listen to the stuff you like a few times. Once is often not enough.
Similarly if there are people you want to meet, keep an eye out and maybe even make a list. Sounds geeky (no geeks here!) but you can be standing right next to someone and not realize that they're the prolific HF member or professional reviewer (or both). Most people put their HF names on their badges, but they can be hard to see. You can always ask the people at the booths to help point some of us out, or you can always ask the HF crew - Jude/Joe/Amos/etc. Warren is now at Cavalli, but he also knows almost all (if not all) of the old-dogs. Same with key vendors such as Dan at Mr. Speakers, Ken at ALO, Jason at Schiit, Drew at Moon, Alex at Cavalli, etc.
And since we're on the subject of show best practices, here's a few other pointers:
- If an IEM sounds like complete crap, check to see if you're getting a good seal, and try swapping tips.
- Ask before you unplug a pair of headphones and/or use your own - it's just good etiquette. Same for plugging/unplugging anything on a table. 95%+ of the time it won't be an issue, but be nice and ask permission.
- Always turn the volume down when you leave a station. Some jerks leave it way up and you risk blowing your ears out when you start the music.
- Per above, make sure you turn the volume down before you start a session just in case people do leave it high.
- Be nice and don't blast the volume too loud when you're listening, especially with open-back HP's.
- Don't hog a station when there are lots of people waiting.
- If you come to a table that has a lot of people around, check to see if there's a line, as you might cut in inadvertently.
- Don't place drinks or food on the display tables - one wrong spill could take out thousands of dollars of equipment.
- Watch where you place your bags - I've seen people put them on the ground and then get up and walk away without them.
- Don't be a policeman, but do keep an eye on the gear and people around you. Occasionally some idiot will steal something off a table when they think nobody's looking. This is a trusting community and let's keep it that way.
- If there is a SHAG (scavenger hunt) then be nice and actually give a listen to the gear of the vendors whose stamp you are asking for.
- Similarly, if you have time be sure to go and listen to the small name company you don't recognize. Many of these vendors travel from really far away from these shows, and there are often hidden gems to find.
- Don't forget to eat! It's tempting to put off food due to all the goodies you want to see, but that risks leading to lots of "hangry" people.
I'm sure I've missed a few things, but hopefully this is helpful. Cheers and see you in NYC!
Oh well, guess I'm taking a shot at the general demo slots
