Introduction To Rick Becker's Montreal Audiofest 2024 Show Report
Hundreds of photos spanning many pages coming soon!
Montreal Audiofest 2024 Show Report By Rick Becker

  As my travels to the Montreal show were wont to do, I awoke with my car covered with snow after a pleasant drive to my secret camping spot near the Canadian border. As I approached the Customs checkpoint I fell in line behind 30 cars and turned my engine off to conserve fuel. Talk about a non-porous border! After 20 minutes a man in uniform came walking down the line, talking with drivers. As it turned out, I was in line with people seeking to emigrate to Canada and he motioned for me to proceed to the far left inspection gate which is normally reserved for people with Express Passes. You don't want to get caught going through the Express Lane without an Express Pass. I made that mistake once, and it cost me about an hour of explaining while my car was searched.

After that little fiasco, it was merely a 45-mile drive up the divided highway to Montreal trying to keep on the road that occasionally revealed two thin lines of bare pavement, but was mostly covered with slippery snow. An hour later I was parked five levels below the building that is home to the rooftop Bonaventure Hotel. Fog was rising off the heated outdoor pool at the hotel and it was only 10 minutes after the show had opened on Saturday morning. Show attendees were being processed smoothly at the entry and the show was very well attended that day. Word from the exhibitors was that it was even busier on Friday.

I've downloaded 440 photos from the show so readers can look forward to at least a couple hundred. I tried to get a photo in every room. I also have video clip notes taken in the rooms, which is down considerably from previous shows, so you can expect less commentary and fewer prices this time around. If I don't make detailed mention of a room, it doesn't mean it was a horrible sounding room. It just means that I didn't spot something new or uncover an interesting story about it. It also means I might not burn out by the time I finish so I can catch up on the cool gear I have lined up for review.

So, here's The Plan, starting on the main level
Part 1: The 1200 hallway of sleeping rooms

Part 2: The 1300 hallway 

Part 3: The 2300 hallway

Part 4: The 2400 hallway and Bonaventure Room

Part 5: The Industry Banquet and Lifetime Achievement Awards

On the Lower Level
Part 6: The large Montreal Rooms and smaller Westmount rooms

Part 7: The somewhat larger Outremont room and the large St. Laurent rooms

Part 8: The Best Rooms recognition, the final wrap-up, and the trip home. 

Part 1 should be up in a few days. Stop back often as it was a high-energy show.

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