JBL in JAPAN

[oldschool]

i was looking at there web site in japan,i almost wish i belong there,They have it all.even there web site is a notch above,i know it's been brought up here before,i wish i could listen to what they have.Can you say RED HEADED STEP CHILD.:blink:

[spkrman57]

Therefore marketing is a bit better prepared.

Just remember, they are more willing to pay the big $$$ than we are in the overseas areas!:blink:

Ron

[clmrt]

Wait until JBL China comes on in a few years.

:blink:

[BMWCCA]

Harmon is selling better overseas: Therefore marketing is a bit better prepared.Umm, I've been in business for a few decades, enough to know this is backward. Marketing is charged with driving the sales. You generally don't boost your marketing in response to increased sales, you increase your marketing to boost sales.

When did you last see a JBL ad in the U.S.? Or any marketing effort on their part other than iPod tie-ins? And I'm not talking about you who take all the audio magazines or attend CES. JBL still has a professional name they can build marketing around, but to just stick the name on a few skinny products at Best Buy is simply a cop-out.

I blame it more on the Wal-Marting of America for how the bottom 75% of the wage-earners learn buying habits. But for the Yuppies and the nouveau-riche (we call them RUBs in the motorcycle world: Rich Urban Bikers) who buy everything and anything only to impress their neighbors, JBL is just not on their shopping list. To squander such an asset and opportunity is akin to what Xerox did---when did you last see an actual Xerox-brand copier? I'm not advocating branding everything remotely related (like Harley-Davidson), but something more like Apple who took a niche market with a loyal following, defined a new market, designed and built a product with integrity that defined that market, and found new life in an arena no one expected them to dominate, and did it by being true to a heritage of good design, quality construction, and not following the herd.

Why can't JBL, which use to be known for their affordable "bookshelf" speakers with the L100, come up with a superior product line and dominate the $1000 home market once more? I paid about that much for my L112s two decades ago and I wasn't rich---then or now. But the name brought me in and the listening experience made me buy. If Apple can sell an iPod in the same store they sell a $4,000 laptop, then JBL should be able to sell a $1,000 speaker system alongside their $66,000 system. Oh, I forgot, you can't even walk into a store in the U.S. and hear an Everest system. So blame WalMart again for the lack of neighborhood hi-fi shops. And to blame WalMart is to blame everyone placing price over quality, price over service, and convenience over intelligent choice.

Why do you think Bose is so successful? It sure isn't the sound. It's marketing, leveraging the name into their own stores, piggy-backing with wholesale warehouse stores, and advertising. Why is it Bose can get millions to swallow $300 headphones for travelers and hundreds more for a clock-radio? Why can't a good product be just as successful here as that crap? ...Marketing. And wouldn't it be cool if such a product resurgence could be with a U.S.-made product? Isn't it time (again) for that to become a selling/marketing point? "Proudly made in U.S.A." Rant off.

[clmrt]

When did you last see a JBL ad in the U.S.?

In a 1989 Stereo Review I just read.

LOL...

PS -

Americans can be pretty gullible, too -

http://minneapolis.craigslist.org/ele/309895073.html

[sourceoneaudio]

Umm, I've been in business for a few decades, enough to know this is backward. Marketing is charged with driving the sales. You generally don't boost your marketing in response to increased sales, you increase your marketing to boost sales.

When did you last see a JBL ad in the U.S.? Or any marketing effort on their part other than iPod tie-ins? And I'm not talking about you who take all the audio magazines or attend CES. JBL still has a professional name they can build marketing around, but to just stick the name on a few skinny products at Best Buy is simply a cop-out.

I blame it more on the Wal-Marting of America for how the bottom 75% of the wage-earners learn buying habits. But for the Yuppies and the nouveau-riche (we call them RUBs in the motorcycle world: Rich Urban Bikers) who buy everything and anything only to impress their neighbors, JBL is just not on their shopping list. To squander such an asset and opportunity is akin to what Xerox did---when did you last see an actual Xerox-brand copier? I'm not advocating branding everything remotely related (like Harley-Davidson), but something more like Apple who took a niche market with a loyal following, defined a new market, designed and built a product with integrity that defined that market, and found new life in an arena no one expected them to dominate, and did it by being true to a heritage of good design, quality construction, and not following the herd.

Why can't JBL, which use to be known for their affordable "bookshelf" speakers with the L100, come up with a superior product line and dominate the $1000 home market once more? I paid about that much for my L112s two decades ago and I wasn't rich---then or now. But the name brought me in and the listening experience made me buy. If Apple can sell an iPod in the same store they sell a $4,000 laptop, then JBL should be able to sell a $1,000 speaker system alongside their $66,000 system. Oh, I forgot, you can't even walk into a store in the U.S. and hear an Everest system. So blame WalMart again for the lack of neighborhood hi-fi shops. And to blame WalMart is to blame everyone placing price over quality, price over service, and convenience over intelligent choice.

Why do you think Bose is so successful? It sure isn't the sound. It's marketing, leveraging the name into their own stores, piggy-backing with wholesale warehouse stores, and advertising. Why is it Bose can get millions to swallow $300 headphones for travelers and hundreds more for a clock-radio? Why can't a good product be just as successful here as that crap? ...Marketing. And wouldn't it be cool if such a product resurgence could be with a U.S.-made product? Isn't it time (again) for that to become a selling/marketing point? "Proudly made in U.S.A." Rant off.

I could not agree more. A+ on that rant. The Best Buy products don't live up to the JBL name at all. Plastic Garbage, and as far as listening to any quality JBL gear in the U.S. ??? Good luck trying to find an Array dealer in your state......... What a joke. I have to drive to Cali. to do listen, and I know Heather has also made mention she has to drive quite a distance to listen to them. I think again, another state.
I was on the phone with JBL a while back looking for 250TI parts, and I asked why does not JBL make a, or sell something of this nature again in the U.S.. The reply was the U.S market could not support a speaker in this price range. I almost said to her, have you picked up any HT magazines lately? There is plenty of manufactures making speakers in this price range today, and above, and making it work. Like stated in above thread it takes marketing effort, and not a push on plastic garbage!!!!!!!!!!!!!! As far as real JBL goes, we are deprived in the U.S. of some of the finest gear made.

J/S-S1A :D

[sourceoneaudio]

i was looking at there web site in japan,i almost wish i belong there,They have it all.even there web site is a notch above,i know it's been brought up here before,i wish i could listen to what they have.Can you say RED HEADED STEP CHILD.:blink:

JBL Japan so we all can see?

http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=ja&u=http://www.harman-japan.co.jp/&sa=X&oi=translate&resnum=1&ct=result&prev=/search%3Fq%3DJBL%2B%252B%2BJapan%26hl%3Den%26clien t%3Dfirefox-a%26rls%3Dorg.mozilla:en-US:official%26hs%3Dq8d

Thank you.

J/S-S1A :D

[clmrt]

I wonder what the actual sales numbers are.

[majick47]

The lack of mid level to high end JBL products in the USA compared to Japan might explain to a great degree the popularity of vintage JBL speakers. With such a "heritage" how JBL hasn't picked up on the marketing possibilities is beyond me. For a lot of us baby boomers affording JBL speakers when we were in our teens and 20s would of been a big stretch, I remember years ago lucking out and finding a pair of demo 4311b at Tech HiFi in Boston that were deeply discounted. It might be a gamble for JBL but I wouldn't rule the present generation out, say what you want, they are not stupid and given the proper exposure JBL would have more than a fighting chance to win them over with superior products.

[merlin]

Anyone interested in hearing or buying high end JBL product should simply get on a plane to Tokyo anyway. Not only will the prices be lower than they would in your local electronics boutique but you will enjoy a spot of cultural enlightenment at the same time.

There is no market for high end JBL in the USA, nor here in England or many other countries I have visited. The Far East and South East Asia thankfully have more taste.

[oldschool]

Well i guess i have flash back from 1974,when i bought my l88 plus from kurtz music store who also sold high end pianos and other musical insturments.and that jbl gear fit right in with it's build quality.I have been on the fence about buying some floorstanders,the new l series,which i have'nt listen to,but i did listen to some others,one from aad there new 880 i beleave, that was real good at 1600 dollars,and some speakers from phase tech 9.1 towers that are 2000 a pair that i was real impressed with,sound quality and build.It's a shame JBL won't sell me what they sell in Japan,through internent sells,with a 30 trial like some others do.I thank the market is still there.

[jim campbell]

Anyone interested in hearing or buying high end JBL product should simply get on a plane to Tokyo anyway. Not only will the prices be lower than they would in your local electronics boutique but you will enjoy a spot of cultural enlightenment at the same time.

There is no market for high end JBL in the USA, nor here in England or many other countries I have visited. The Far East and South East Asia thankfully have more taste.
of course there is a market for high end here it's just not as big as it could be.after all this forum is largely comprised of americans who beyond all reason devote a good portion of their lives to hi quality sound reproduction.reread the rant by bmwcca carefully.kind of sums up the state of the union.the air fare to tokyo would probably buy you a set of l 300's anyway

[merlin]

Hi Jim,

my point is that JBL no longer make L300's - they've moved on - but few on here seem prepared to follow them.

A trip to Japan would allow one to compare the L300 with say the 4348. It might well prove enightening.

[oldschool]

The point is,:banghead: for me,you can't buy anything like the summet here,only in japan.

[jim campbell]

Hi Jim,

my point is that JBL no longer make L300's - they've moved on - but few on here seem prepared to follow them.

A trip to Japan would allow one to compare the L300 with say the 4348. It might well prove enightening.i understand that,but the fact that big jbl systems are selling in japan is not indicitive of the level of taste.ive seen plenty of to die for systems used for playback of the most dreadful pablum disguised as music.the decision to market in japan and not in america was probably based on some bean counters bottom line projections.l 300's still sound pretty good compared to most of whats offered up as audio gear these days

[Titanium Dome]

From the JBL Japan site:


Powerful compression driver loading which produces the sound which has thickness

The transparent impression ring tweeter loading which carries out the super high pass playback which overflows


The powerful woofer unit which it is used exclusively is designed for the rich silent playback which does not have the distortion

Lost in translation, to be sure.

Okay now, show of hands: Who will sign a petition to induce JBL to bring these models to the US? Who will sign such a petition and commit to buying these models if they do?

Inquiring minds want to know.

[jbljfan]

Inquiring minds want to know.

The 1400 Array doesn’t seem to be offered by Harmon Japan and is sold in the US. It it looks like a direct descendant of the L300. I concede it is not easy to find. It is $11k or so a pair and doesn’t contain Be drivers. A pair of 1500 Array subs will add another $8K. Most of us here can’t or aren’t willing to shell out those type of bucks

[Robh3606]

Who will sign such a petition and commit to buying these models if they do?.

[vettedrummer]

Just wondering, where is JBL building these speakers that go to Japan? Are they still doing them here or is the factory in the Far East? I was looking for a set of Arrays to listen to and found it would be a drive. They won't even bring them into a store near by. They just don't care!

[jim campbell]

Okay now, show of hands: Who will sign a petition to induce JBL to bring these models to the US? Who will sign such a petition and commit to buying these models if they do?

Inquiring minds want to know.not me.even if i didnt have my wilsons is hesitate to beg some faceless corporation to come and take my money.it appears that they dont care much for us so ill take my dollars elsewhere. there are still enough vintage sets out there to keep most going.but i will sign it if you guys feel that it may help in your quest for audio nirvana

[vettedrummer]

I think they should at least offer us a catelog of what's available and if we'd like to buy their product we could. I know, who would buy speakers they never heard? Isn't that what we do when we buy from ebay or whatever? I'd sign it!

[jim campbell]

most e bay stuff is used and has been around a while and opinions on performance and reliability can be sourced from someone who you would know and trust.i dont know about you but my japanese is a tad rusty.

[sourceoneaudio]

Just wondering, where is JBL building these speakers that go to Japan? Are they still doing them here or is the factory in the Far East? I was looking for a set of Arrays to listen to and found it would be a drive. They won't even bring them into a store near by. They just don't care!


Well, your the third person on this forum that has stated they have to drive to hear any of the Array gear. Well it's either drive or fly. :screwy: Then if you find something you like it must be shipped unless you have a truck. Then if shipped will, they make it in one piece???

J/S-S1A :D

[Zilch]

What is this, the 20th time we've been around this track?

Harman marketing is not stupid. Most of the sales are international.

Here, we want Everest II for $1500 a pair.

It ain't happening. Forget it.... :barf:

[oldschool]

being members of this site they will probably cut us a deal,$1000.a pair.

[briang]

What is this, the 20th time we've been around this track?

Yes, at least 20th time around.:)


Harman marketing is not stupid. Most of the sales are international.

Here, we want Everest II for $1500 a pair.

It ain't happening. Forget it.... :barf:

OK, I'll go $1500.00USD each.;)

[Titanium Dome]

What is this, the 20th time we've been around this track?

Harman marketing is not stupid. Most of the sales are international.

Here, we want Everest II for $1500 a pair.

It ain't happening. Forget it.... :barf:


Yes, at least 20th time around.:)



OK, I'll go $1500.00USD each.;)


All right, it's more like 20x20th time. :p

If anyone from Harman is reading this, I'll go $20k, cash, right now, and will wait up to 18 months to get them. Just PM me. :bouncy:

[Shane Shuster]

Did you guys ever stop and think maybe Japan seems like a JBL mecca because it has a small land mass with a high population density? It has to be much easier to show case high end items when 150 million people are a short trip from Tokyo. If you jammed half of the USA into California I think we would have some HiFiDo shops of our own, filled to the rafters with speakers from every era. But most countries aren't like Japan. You are going to have to search them out.

JBL had the K2s on the Harmon webshop a while ago. Refurbished Ti10ks on there right now. Add to Cart. How much more available can they make it?

Want to buy a K2, Array, Synthesis? Theres a online dealer locater. I'm about an hour from a dealer and I live in Nebraska. Nebraska for gods sake!!! If its possible to get in Nebraska, its possible to get anywhere else in the free world. You might have to try a little bit, JBL probably isn't just going to show up at your house in a white van and ask if you want to take a listen.

But since its the Internet, and bitching is expected, here goes.. I wish we got the LS80 or S4800. They are very cool looking. Hopefully they are competent sounding. The price is not quite affordable, but if you saved up you could buy it. Maybe a feeling of accomplishment, or of a not cheap new toy. Something a middle class working man could obtain. Not a dream or vapor product like a K2 or Everest. (they are neat in pictures but thats all they will ever be for me)

[Maron Horonzakz]

In your future.....K2 and Everest II for $1500... Made in Mongolia.:D

[Ian Mackenzie]

You might not be aware but a lot of hi end audio equipment is sold into South America. No doubt there will be a demand for E2's down there.

The money must be coming in from somewhere. Go figure (ask your kids)