Take a look at the exhibitor list, if there is something that interests you then go, they had a very hard time getting exhibitors, even with major discounts.
The Chester group is designed for profit, if they do not make money they won't do it again, so it really takes us to make it work, we have to attend.
But the fact that major audio manufs are not going is a sign. Perhaps they spent their budget at RMAF, but that was poorly attended by us!
So also, if manufs see us staying away, they will too.
I am not traveling to Colorado to listen to stereos, so I would wait for the NY show. RMAF was THE most popular show but I think it has suffered from the tough economic times we are in. In better times people were looser with their money but as we age I feel we are not so inclined to spend money on more audio gear, I have kids in high school, college coming, the older amongst us are retired or getting ready to retire(although BobM ain't old)!and they have gear and are not really looking to upgrade because the audio industry has made that upgrade so damn expensive, it is a cycle.
So we sit on what we have and make small moves with our gear, or none at all! So the idea of going to a show when we are not looking to buy anything is not that appealing, it becomes a social event we attend to hang out with our friends. I know many people view RMAF as a social event. When manuf's realize people are not really buying, they figure it all out and do not show. again a cycle..
So will the NY show bomb??who knows..it has in the past, most people thought last years NY show would bomb, but I thought it was pretty good, I know one year it was awful, everyone complained.
For me, I have other things I do on the weekends that have priority over listening to stereos, but in the past I always enjoyed the shows, for the same reasons they are failing, because they were social events, and we all love bullshitting with each other, so we walk out of the show with a bag full of brochures and flyers that we throw out the next day.