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dancing-dave
03-20-2004, 11:20 AM
Are the *nice* JBL speakers that are sold in Japan also built in Japan?

This is frustrating that they don't market these in the US....not even in the botique shops that sell "audiophile" speakers. Even at a higher price I'm sure people would still buy them. I was looking at the Japanese JBL 4428 and drooling.....WTF!!?

Who do I call at JBL to complain about this?:biting:

We need to start a petition or a million audio geek march.

relyen
03-20-2004, 06:31 PM
I have seen these in the past and I think these are some more examples of Japanese market monitors. http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3085347428&category=61377 :banghead:

Don McRitchie
03-20-2004, 06:50 PM
Reylen

The L90's were a European design and build. However, drivers were sourced from JBL Northridge. The Japanese designed and built JBL's tend to have their drivers sourced from a number of suppliers, including JBL Northridge.

To Dave, of the current JBL speakers sold in Japan, the following were designed and built in the US

K2-S9800
K2-S5800
S4800
4348
4428

relyen
03-20-2004, 07:11 PM
I knew Don would set me straight as I wasn't sure where the L90s originated. :) If I recall, there were others in the L series for the European market as well. I couldn't listen to them as they were not connected to electronics. JBL was showing them off some time ago at CES.

Randy

dancing-dave
03-20-2004, 07:35 PM
Don, you are the JBL Jedi.

I visit the Harman Japan site many times to oggle the beloved 4312B model and the ultra-hot 4428 speakers. It breaks my heart when you tell me that they're built here in the US and sent away for sales. I understand the numbers that JBL deals with and that they're going to do whatever will maximize their profit.

The prices for the Japanese line are in tune with many of the current ebay prices for vintage JBL and also comparable to more mainstream hi-fi and studio monitors (IMHO more favorable too). It makes me wonder then what the prices would be if they sold them in the US. One would imagine they would cost less than the Japanese prices since they wouldn't have any exporting costs. *sigh*.....I need to open a shop to sell this stuff grey-market.

scott fitlin
03-20-2004, 08:12 PM
JBL,s intended for the Japanese market have a different bass response than what they made for the U.S. market. The JBL,s sold in Japan do not have as much deep bass, the Japanese like it this way. So, even if you get grey market JBL speakers, they might not sound quite as you think they will.

This question has been asked many times, and JBL seems to feel that even if they produced High End speaker systems for the U.S. market, they wont sell. I used to think " Yes they will ", but Im not sure what is right or wrong anymore. I do know that it,s been quite some time since JBL was king in the studio monitor and home Hi-Fi markets, and it would take quite an effort on Harman In`tl,s part to re-enter and recapture these particular markets!

Of course, my personal feeling is that JBL should have already done some type of really high end speaker system for the U.S., if for nothing more than to show they " CAN "!

However, if JBL did ever decide to re-enter the market here for studio monitors and home High End speakers, they would truly have to have the Kick Ass sound JBL was known for, and, particularly home units, would probably have to be available with really fine cabinetry made from a choice of finishes. We`re talking about products that would be very costly.

Unfortunately, JBL U.S., today, is geared mostly towards the sound reinforcement and touring fields.

But, on the other hand, it can be alot of fun, and very rewarding to source outstanding sounding vintage JBL components and put together your own vintage sounding JBL rig!

:cool:

Paul Bennett
03-26-2004, 06:56 AM
I'm surprised this isn't universally known. There is a measureable cultural preference for sound reproduction. At one time the difference was thought to be racially genetic but turned out not to be so as confirmed by a/b tests with Japanese people in Japan, Hawaii, and in the US. It isn't completely confirmed about childhood musical influences but strongly suspected.

The first expression of this to my knowledge came about when the Japanese speaker manufacturers couldn't gain acceptance in this US market at a time when their electronics started to flourish in the US. Retailers weren't rediculed but eyeballs rolled, no bass and no sales and Sony speakers were rediculed! Studies at Japanese universities funded by the Japanese electronic industry soon confirmed the US preference for deeper boomier bass response.

There is an parallel in old time Europe where the huge church organs on the continent have different length pipes than those preferred for organ music in the UK. That old bass thing but going back several hundred years.