RMAF 2011: 2 of 3 elevators to the 5 floors in the tower were out of service
Walking up 11 floors anyone? Yes, thank you – way faster than that modern technology that doesn’t work 2/3 of the time.
There WERE still people listening to rooms on the 2,8,9,10 and 11th floors, but they were sort of, kind of trapped from getting to the other parts of the show… like to floors 4 and 5 on the other side of the hotel – where we were…. and, you know, visa-a-versa.
so what is happening in this picture? commentary please. we who are not there wish to know!
Hi JC,
Oops, sorry. It looks like I had the wrong photo. Blame it on Neli [that’s what significant others are for, right?] for trying to get my slow sleepy self out the door so that we were not TOO late opening the room at 9:00 am – and I did not have time to check my posts [and we were STILL late… though the early morning crowds at these shows are pretty forgiving – and, well, let’s just say we were not the only ones who opened a wee bit late].
The previous photo was of the Silbatone room – which we will get back to.
Here we seen people milling around waiting for the last one working elevator to the 2,8,9,10 and 11 floors. Rumors were swirling about how even this one failed – not to mention the center elevator in the other bank – to the 4th and 5th floors – on the other side of the hotel. It routinely dropped 5 inches, and then we heard that it dropped a bunch of people 3 feet. And that the elevator panel would go out, so everyone had to punch their desired floor number again.
As we moved equipment out as we were living – we all refused to use the ‘that elevator anymore, letting other people go ahead of us even. The opportunity this all provided for witty [as witty as we audiophiles get, anyway :-)] repartee and elevator humor was vast and prolific and quite enjoyable.
But it does affect crowd flow in strange ways, primarily slowing down their movements – reducing the number of rooms that can see [e.g. the same number of attendees would results in fewer visits on average from the exhibitor standpoint.].
Like I said, there were stairs up the the exhibit floors – but some audiophiles are not all that commonly found in cross-fit training classes [tho there are some!], and this is especially evident a mile high [above sea level] where oxygen is somewhat difficult to come by. In other words – the elevator situation kind of sucked – but everybody seemed to make the best of an annoying situation.
Thanks for posting,
-Mike
I walked up 9 flights of stairs with Mike and we were both ready for the oxygen tank by the 4th!! By the 7th floor, I had my phone out ready to call EMS.
Overall, I’d say the ergonomics of the show were quite good except for the elevator situation, a significant negative issue at the time the photo was taken.
Joe
Hi Joe,
It was really great to see you and hangout in your room [which we’ll say something about later]. Glad you could make it to Denver.
I seriously think about trying to run up the 8 to 11 floors each year – but am concerned that breathing extremely heavily in the back of the first room I visit would give people the wrong idea about how I show my appreciation of good sounding systems….
Hope to see you in Vegas! [we’re still not sure what the heck we are doing for that show… as per usual around here].
Take care,
-Mike
Forget Vegas…even with two broken elevators it is easier to get up and down at RMAF!
We decided to drop CES and probably do RMAF from now on. Much more relaxed and friendly.
Plus our preferred audience for our demonstrations is advanced hobbyists more than reviewers and dealers and RMAF is definitely the place for that in the USA.
Next year I’ll race ya up to 10, as long as I can stop off at 5 for a cigarette…
Keep up the good work on the show reports!
Joe
Hi Joe,
Ah, the secret to Vegas [no not THAT secret] for safe and quick floor hopping is to use the empty elevator banks that only go up to floor 26(?) and then walk up to floors 29, 30 and 31.
Of course, you being on 34 or 35 make this technique a little more exercise rich …
T.H.E. Show, which runs simultaneously in Vegas with and next door to CES in the Flamingo [for those out there who do not know about this show] is very similar to RMAF – only about 1/3 the size (but growing fast YoY), also [almost as] relaxed, just as friendly, and has even more very advanced hobbyists [traditionally – things may be changing].
But I hear ya, enough is enough and the Venetian is definitely a seriously hostile environment to exhibitors, not to mention what Vegas itself does to us š
Thanks, will do as long as you keep bringing cool shtuff to these shows!
All the best,
-Mike