The last real hifi show I went to was in Montreal about 8 or 10 years ago, and the magic was over even there by then. Don't get me wrong, it was a very nice show, but home theater was already taking over and many displays were a mixed bag. Some really cool surprises though. Went with a friend and we kept notes to discuss over a glass of wine at the end of each day. We were almost always picking the same demos, just in a slightly different order, which made it even more interesting.
I'm not going to make it to NY, and not a Carver fan, so that's not a big draw for me. If you can go, do so and have a great time. It could be a good one if done right.