For what's advertised as a (the?) National Audio show, there was a marked lack of major brands: no sign of the likes of Marantz, NAD, KEF, B&W, etc, and those actually there (such as Naim and Linn) were buried away in tiny rooms as part of a dealer's exhibit.
So, too many products packed into minute spaces, such as 'demonstration rooms' with just four seats and our noses almost touching the speakers, while others had huge rooms criminally underused. And whose bright idea was the use of sound-killing high-backed 'executive' office chairs in rows for some of the demonstrations?
As a means of hearing some stuff you'd never heard, or never heard of, the show was mildly diverting, but too much on offer was stuff you'd never want to hear again. Add in the unimaginative 'hi-fi' music choices, and presentations ranging from the non-existent (just music played with no clue what equipment we were hearing) to the brash and aggressive, rubbishing the competition, not to mention the way people (both visitors and room staff) talked all the way through the music in loud voices, and this was hardly a great advert for the state of the hi-fi industry in 2015.
OK, I'm sure some enjoyed catching up with old friends and having a chat, and I saw several of the well-known reviewers there, but to one visiting a show like this for the first time in many years, the whole thing seemed rather off-putting, amateurish in its presentation (considering it seems to be organised or at least sponsored by a trade organisation) and exclusive. And when I say 'exclusive' I don't mean luxurious, but in the sense of those not 'in the know' feeling as excluded as I did.
Honestly I'm not sure what this says about the hi-fi industry, or its ability to attract newcomers to an interest in good music reporduced well: the last time I went to a show was in Bristol some years ago, and that felt a lot more user-friendly and attractive to me.
On the plus side, the show over the weekend did offer a good opportunity to compare lots of pairs of headphones in the area near the entrance, but the rest of it seemed to be all about a confused layout, unfamiliar names with eye-watering price-tags, and backslapping for mates while the rest of us hovered on the fringes hoping to get some attention from the 'salespeople'.
Not good, and for the money (plus the time spent travelling to its rather isolated location) a pretty poor show.