Before I began reporting on audio shows professionally, I was a yearly visitor to one of them—the Montreal show—for more than two decades. I loved it—for a few reasons, not least because the show helped me decide on my next audio purchase—a momentous event in any audiophile’s life.

More than that, the show felt like an annual pilgrimage, where people of all stripes, bound by a common passion, could congregate and feel a part of something bigger than themselves. The audiophile hobby can be a lonesome endeavour, lacking in real human connection. So, just like New Year’s Eve, the Montreal audio show arrived once a year, full of hope and a shared sense of purpose, one where we could be ourselves, free of judgement.

It was an opportunity to meet old friends, make new ones, and bump into audio celebrities—those who made gear or reported on it. The former would display their latest and presumably best creations—the kind of components you’d read about in magazines and lust after because it sounded like it would work so well in your system—like it might completely transform it and maybe even your life. I always preferred reading reviews that made me excited about equipment, that made me want to own it. That was dream-making stuff.

The audio show gave me hope I might get the chance to see and hear such gear. It didn’t always work out that way, but during those times I’d come face to face with a piece of gear I’d heard so much about, or something unexpected from a well-respected manufacturer, it was always an exciting moment.

An audio show was—and still is—an adventure. The build-up to one always filled me with anticipation for what I might discover and what gear might be there. I remember sometimes being so excited about an upcoming show I’d count down the days leading up to it, like a kid before Christmas. A couple of times, I couldn’t sleep the night before.

When I began to cover shows professionally, I started to see them more from a business perspective. I got a glimpse of what went on behind the curtain: the wheeling and dealing, the networking, the promoting, and the occasional competitive conflict. I’d always known that an audio show was an industry event, but you don’t really think about that when you’re there as a visitor and hobbyist.

I would never want audio shows to disappear—and that has nothing to do with the fact that PMA Magazine is owned by the Montreal Audiofest. It’s because, even though I earn a revenue working in the industry, I’m an audiophile at heart. That makes me naturally drawn to audio shows—and it makes them beneficial, because they fill a genuine need for both consumers and exhibitors. There are now more shows competing for spots on the calendar than ever before—perhaps too many—but that’s a sign of both popularity and viability.

Don’t believe anyone who claims that shows are passé and videos are where it’s at now. That view ignores a simple fact: they’re not the same. A video is a source of information; a show is an event that brings consumers and sellers together in a social setting meant to foster human connection. They don’t serve the same purpose, nor do they preclude each other. In fact, they complement one another.

A video presents a product; a show can allow you to experience that product, along with hundreds of others, all under one roof. Shows offer the visceral thrill of being there, rather than observing from the outside. This is why audiophiles will always be drawn to them, and why the media continue to cover them.

Audio shows will always be a wonderful, dreamy place to discover new gear and mingle with the people who make our hobby go round. They represent a place where we can all come together to celebrate our shared love for our hobby—we are, after all, a family. And even after more than two decades of attending shows, I still get excited before going to one.

For those unable to attend next week’s Toronto Audiofest, held October 17–19 at the Westin Toronto Airport, I offer the next best thing: full coverage of the show in PMA Magazine, coming soon.

For a complete list of audio shows, visit our audio show calendar.