Next JBL "Statement Speaker"

[thelion]

Is there life after the K2 9800? Are there any hints about a new consumer statement speaker from JBL? The all new Project Array line seems not to be targeted as "successor" of the K2 at the top end. Are 435BE and 045BE still the "best" drivers JBL has to offer?

Take a wild guess - when will we see a new "statement product" from JBL succeeding the K2 9800(SE).

[4313B]

I have no idea what you are talking about.....

Are 435BE and 045BE still the "best" drivers JBL has to offer?

Yes.....

[thelion]

[quote=Giskard]I have no idea what you are talking about.....


You really want me to underestimate your knowledge...

Take a wild guess, then. Please.

[hapy._.face]

He's pleading the 5th. He knows.

I bet it's named after a mountain in Asia, though. What's left? We can probably guess the name by deductive reasoning...

[Ian Mackenzie]

Travis,

Do you man the 5th amendment?

[hapy._.face]

Travis,

Do you man the 5th amendment?

Yes. You're an Aussie and you already know more than most Americans.

An amendment to the Constitution of the United States, ratified in 1791, that deals with the rights of accused criminals by providing for due process of law, forbidding double jeopardy, and stating that no person may be forced to testify as a witness against himself or herself.

[Ian Mackenzie]

I picked up a copy in Washington DC. I must frame it.

But I think you just pissed off the whole of North America without realising it.. , blame the Aussie.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fifth_A...s_Constitution

[hapy._.face]

...I think you just pissed off the whole of North America without realising it.. , blame the Aussie.

I blame the state of our public schools- we try, but with the resources, we can do much better.

Can you also identify our flag and pick us out on a globe? Congrats- here's an official HS diploma.

[Ian Mackenzie]

Are you kidding.

I got one hanging beside my 4345's.

Ian

[doodlebug]

I'm not going to take the bait but will comment that, as a former product manager, I can tell you there is a market out there for $6-digit speaker and associated electronics.

I believe McIntosh is discovering this with their 'statement' line of preamps/amps/speakers. This opinion from my discussions with them at one of their roadshow events highlighting that line. Living around here in Silicon Valley, I know there are folks who will pay dearly for the brand name on the assumption that the vendor will do a good-enough job of integrating all the piece parts so this level of well-heeled customers don't have to.

JBL, however, will need to develop a better distribution channel for a product line to compete with folks like Linn and McIntosh for the same wallet - and JBL comes up short on branded electronics right now, although Harmon does have them. I doubt these product lines talk with each other well enough to see the opportunity, a common problem.

So, I don't think the question here was posed well enough. It should be, "Does JBL have the ability and mind set to launch a stratospheric product line and finance the building of the channel/dealers to get them to market?". Better yet, "Does JBL want to?"

Cheers,

David

Is there life after the K2 9800? Are there any hints about a new consumer statement speaker from JBL? The all new Project Array line seems not to be targeted as "successor" of the K2 at the top end. Are 435BE and 045BE still the "best" drivers JBL has to offer?

Take a wild guess - when will we see a new "statement product" from JBL succeeding the K2 9800(SE).

[hapy._.face]

doodlebug-

JBL is doin' jus fine in Europe and especially Asia. The statement speakers they make for the Asian market are made into posters so people can pleasure themselves before saying good night.

[doodlebug]

. I really did and I was clearly thinking of the US market when I wrote that. Still it points out that, for whatever reason, JBL has chosen not to engage the US market in this way. I really do wonder why.

Good point, though, and thanks for reminding me.

Cheers,

David

doodlebug-

JBL is doin' jus fine in Europe and especially Asia. The statement speakers they make for the Asian market are made into posters so people can pleasure themselves before saying good night.

[hapy._.face]

Still it points out that, for whatever reason, JBL has chosen not to engage the US market in this way. I really do wonder why.

Hi doodlebug,

Remember, HK does 'engage us'. Think of all the Harmon owned brands. We choose by our spending habits. The JBL badge (for example) adorns boat loads of car audio, computer desktop speakers, and bookshelf speakers, and low-mid fi speakers- That's what Americans buy.

Consider this- how many Americans would buy a...say... $7,000.00 pair of loudspeakers (for example)? Of that group, how many are true audiophiles and how many are posers with money to burn? Of those camps- how many would buy $7,000.00 speakers if they had a JBL logo on them? Now consider a $12,000.00 JBL loudspeaker system. See what I mean? Few Americans even want a JBL statement speaker- let alone pay the price.

OTOH, the Array is slowly becoming available. A pair of those in a zebra wood finish would make a 'statement' in any living room.

[Shane Shuster]

OTOH, the Array is slowly becoming available. A pair of those in a zebra wood finish would make a 'statement' in any living room.

I wish they would have made a Array 1800. Have the horn as wide as the bass bin and able to go down to around 300hz. I know the tooling to make such a speaker would be too expensive compaired to the 10 pairs they would sell in North America.

Anyone think we will see a horn loaded 60th ann. speaker. An old meets new halfway design? Or are the days done for big horns.

[edgewound]

There are more millionaires in the US now than ever. I would think that the geniuses in Harman's marketing dept...all armed with their MBA's....well, that's what Harman wants, anyway...are well versed in applying statistical analysis to cultivate this growing demographic.

Or...it could be they're on the hunt for the next highest paying offer, and really don't care about the company's future. I'll bet the latter. I've seen them at trade shows....and we've heard the experiences with Consumer customer service.