RALEIGH, NC (PTA) — Most of the things I love about attending an audio show seldom have anything to do with audio. As for Audio Advice LIVE 2022, it has proven itself in its first year to be one of the most exhilarating and welcoming audio shows in America. The team at Audio Advice pulled together a large number of exhibitors and attendees from around the globe, and delivered a premier audio show experience.
Words and Photos by Eric Franklin Shook
From what seemed like sunrise to sunset, and those dark hours in between, this festival of sound was equal parts “High-End Audio Show” and “Dinner Club.” Invigorating the mind and inspiring the soul, it is definitely the people who make up the American audio show circuit that keep me returning for more.
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The Social Components of an Audio Show
Contained within this report is a photographic narrative that resides outside of the scheduled show hours and exhibiting spaces. Here the social aspect of an audio show is broken down into its five most fundamental components.
The Conversation: There will always be members of the audiophile community (or industry) who revel in diving into the meaning of all things audiophiles. I am one of them, and I am not alone. Frequently at audio shows there are numerous opportunities to engage with the audiophile community’s deepest thinkers, and to do so in a higher concentration compared to that of the general public.
The Hallways: Surrogate meeting spaces for those on the move. In between the listening exhibits we share our time, our interests, and sometimes even our bourbon.
The Food: Did I mention, we eat? Not to make this article too personal, but I often gain weight at shows. The audio shows would be nothing without the required nutrition and alcoholic beverages necessary to keep the audio show wheels turning.
The After–Party: You knew it was coming — as the old adage says — “You must work hard, to play hard.”
The Coffee: As any veteran show goer knows, there is a requisite three cups of coffee at breakfast the following morning.
(click on photos to enlarge)
