JBL unveils new LS series Loudspeakers

[Robh3606]

but the fact is that you'd be a pretty stupid dealer to offer these products in a retail environment when the manufacturer is constantly offering "great blow out deals."

And they can do that becasue they don't have a dealer network to get pissed off at them. As long as the Waranty is the same as brick and mortar you can get some real deals. I wonder how much of their business is basically Factory Direct over the internet. That seems to be the best business model as long as you price accordingly and you offer a 30 day return policy.

Well if wanting your money to go as far as it can makes you a bottom feeder well sign me up across the board.

Harmon will do whatever it see's as the best short term path for survival. If they miss the long term big picture 5 years down the road they will be in good company.

Look what's happened to CD sales. Talk about big business missing the boat.

Rob

[edgewound]

I agree that Target has a much better grasp on style than Walmart, however I think their staff would make those CompUSA sales people look like members of the Apple Genius Bar. Costco? Have some electric skillet fried fish while you enjoy the sounds of the Everests???

We agree that it would be nice for Harman and JBL to do a better job of marketing their products. Beyond that, I think we see the problem rather differently.


Widget

This whole discussion of where to find the JBL good stuff is interesting.

GT shrugged when I asked him 2 CES's ago why this line isn't available in the US. The real answer is...Gina is now gone.

Longterm, we can speculate that the marketing minds at Harman have been building brand awareness among a new generation with the itty bitty iPod stuff. As they mature and go upscale they will know of JBL and search it out. The problem right now is where to find it. Currently, the largest demographic in history with the most collective wealth in history is the Baby Boomers. I think some of the real audio lovers inside Harman are trying like hell to get the reins to sell to this market. Covering both ends of the market is not easy, marketing wise with one brand.

But...if you take the example of car companies like Mercedes and Porsche, they seem to do it well with models ranges that cover "entry-level" to extreme up-market. Maybe that's what Harman is attempting to do now that some obstacles are out of the way.

One thing has been clear with Harman's dealers. They're not easy to do business with. It takes a huge financial commitment to keep the product franchise which is a tough go for small dealers. Either that facet has to change with keeping small dealers protected from big box stores from selling the high-dollar-margin goods that discount to the bone....or they need to go the direct sales route with company stores...like the previous mentioned brands...Apple, Bose,etc.

A commoditized industry gets pretty tough to stay competitive in....for that matter....stay in business at all.

For the most part...seeing these "real" JBL products being anounced for US consumption is a positive sign. Styles cycles tend to revolve about every thirty years, so hopefully JBL's renaissance will come around again.

[Robh3606]

For the most part...seeing these "real" JBL products being anounced for US consumption is a positive sign. Styles cycles tend to revolve about every thirty years, so hopefully JBL's renaissance will come around again.

Hello Edgewound

Back in the day I used to be able to walk into at least 2 dealers that had the full line on display short of a Paragon. They had it all from the S8R System in both cabinet styles to the L16 Decades all hooked up and ready to audition. All you had to do was ask and they didn't care if you were there to kick tires. Bring your own records, no problem que em right up. It was a wonderful time to be into this hobby as you could find similar dealers for any of the major brands.

I would really like a place where I could go to hear these new systems. I hope the style change you mention will come around but honestly I have my doubts as this beast the internet has changed so many things including how things are purchased, sold and advertised.

Rob

[jblsound]

Ya, I miss those days too. Which is why I drove over to Sac two summers ago just to listen to the L890s, wasn't planning on buying any. But I did bring a pair home. At that time, there weren't too many ID selling that series, besides harmanaudio.com factory store, for the same price as I paid in Fry's. Since then, those prices, at times, have dropped to almost half on other web sites.
I don't how long harman's ebay store has been there, which has mostly auctions, and generally sell for less than the factory site.

Over the last two years, I would have to think most of JBL sales have been via the net, considering BB only carried the cheapest lines and never had the Studo L series, except for awhile, online, the L890 but for $100/pr more than I paid in store at Fry's.

And everyone I know of that has managed to get their hands on the PS have all had the same thought process, why are these so hard to find, being as good as they are. And now supposed to be discontinued after 7 years.

[Mr. Widget]

What am I missing here?

By dumping product you dilute the brand... it doesn't seem to damage the apparel industry where "factory stores" sell second rate merchandise with a similar look to the high end product, but in Harman's case, while it may allow them to make a profit at one end of the market it certainly hurts them in their ability to attract and keep independent dealers as well as lessening the appeal of JBL and Infinity with the audio enthusiasts. But more to the point, most of us here echo Rob's post below:

I would really like a place where I could go to hear these new systems.

But...if you take the example of car companies like Mercedes and Porsche, they seem to do it well with models ranges that cover "entry-level" to extreme up-market.

Yes they do and they are successful because the experience is the same whether you buy an affordable car or one that costs as much as a house. The salesmen are well trained, the service department is staffed by professionals, and the atmosphere is pleasant and inviting. Also, they do not have an on-line shop undercutting their dealers.

For the most part...seeing these "real" JBL products being anounced for US consumption is a positive sign. Styles cycles tend to revolve about every thirty years, so hopefully JBL's renaissance will come around again.

I hope so.

B&W has been able to offer high end and affordable speakers in boutique stores and more mass merchandising types of stores. Maybe JBL will be able to as well, but I doubt they will be able to pull it off without a significant change in their image, overall offerings, and distribution.


Widget

[hjames]

I'm taking this way too personal -
i just hope JBL survives somehow ...

[Mr. Widget]

I'm taking this way too personal -

Personal?

i just hope JBL survives somehow ...

I think we all do.

However, if they survive to only sell iPod systems, then they might as well be gone. Currently though that is far from the case. This new LS series looks interesting and they seem to be offering more and more quality gear here.

Remember back a few years ago when we had this same sort of rant and it was mostly about how we couldn't buy the K2-S9800 in the USA? Now we can buy them. Now we are complaining because we can't go to a local shop and audition them. With luck, maybe that too will change.


Widget

[jblsound]

Yes, the LS series does look interesting, and I would think a quite few steps up from the Venue and ES and even the Studio L. The Studio L series is at least three steps up from the Venue series, I didn't think much of that series (Venue), from what I heard in BB. Just as well JBL dropped it.
One guy over at AVS bought the Venue Stage Floorstanders, thought it was good, until he decided to get the Studio L830 bookshelf. He went on and on about how much better the L830 was over the Venue Stage.

I haven't heard the ES so I don't know how it fairs against the Venue and Studio L series, but I would think somewhere in between.

So it would seem JBL is going in the right direction, quality wise, in the mass market part of audio. Now if they can only do better than BB or CC.

[JBL 4645]

I'm guessing that means they are biWire capable, like the Studio L series.
They look to be sealed boxes, also like the Studio L series ...

Maybe if you are budget oriented, you should snap up some of the Studio L series speakers that are on exceptionally good closeout prices right now!

http://audioheritage.org/vbulletin/s...&postcount=467

Heather dear, I’m not made of money and I do like compact speakers for extremely tight spaces and £900.00 pounds for just a pair.

I agree they look to be sealed nice binding posts, I’m puzzled as to why only two when there a three-way, surly some would like to have each element amplified separately for greater dynamic range.

[hjames]

- I’m puzzled as to why only two when there a three-way, surely some would like to have each element amplified separately for greater dynamic range.

Do a search here on "biwire" to find out why its 2 pair and not 3 ...
(c'mon, this is BASIC stuff)

and my L820s came yesterday - under $200 pair - now c'mon, thats WAY under £900.00 pair!!
surly you can afford that instead of all those leetle plastic boxes stapled to the walls!

[JBL 4645]

But...if you take the example of car companies like Mercedes and Porsche, they seem to do it well with models ranges that cover "entry-level" to extreme up-market. Maybe that's what Harman is attempting to do now that some obstacles are out of the way.

I doubt many of those fancy cars are even sold given there maybe 6 or 8 billion of us on this little planet floating in the back void of space…

But the price is right in some ways and yet I can’t understand if I was to look around and see JBL huge speaker with 15” bass mid and horn going for far less and thou its cosmetic appearance may seem ugly, it’s the finished look most of us have to pay for I guess?

I do like the finished look very chic and stylish makes my control 5 seem ugly.
Black how morbid, its no wonder my friends don’t like my JBL control 5.

You know I’ve had a few clumsy incidents where they have falling onto the floor from 3 feet and yet still intact LOL! If that was wood it would be all patched up with duck-tape by now LOL!


So my hat is off to JBL for making foolproof loudspeaker that can be practically thrown around the room and serve the hash environment.

[JBL 4645]

Do a search here on "biwire" to find out why its 2 pair and not 3 ...
(c'mon, this is BASIC stuff)

and my L820s came yesterday - under $200 pair - now c'mon, thats WAY under £900.00 pair!!
surly you can afford that instead of all those leetle plastic boxes stapled to the walls!

You know if I had a pair, “if” right now, I’ll remove most of the wiring that connects to the drivers and power it up with a DCX2496 in three-way mode, it’s not a huge challenge but it does make it frustrating when JBL could have just stuck a three-way binding post on the back rather than a two-way input.

The Horn to ultra high I can see how that’s wired, with bass mid having its own separate input, there are those who like to power it individually.

[jblsound]

You know if I had a pair, “if” right now, I’ll remove most of the wiring that connects to the drivers and power it up with a DCX2496 in three-way mode, it’s not a huge challenge but it does make it frustrating when JBL could have just stuck a three-way binding post on the back rather than a two-way input.

The Horn to ultra high I can see how that’s wired, with bass mid having its own separate input, there are those who like to power it individually.

All these new JBLs that have come along since the Performance Series have bi-wiring post. The idea is to separate the bass or mid-bass from the mids and highs.
AS to if bi-wiring does any good, that's another subject.
Its not the same as bi-amping a speaker, using an active crossover, which most consumers aren't going to be bothered with.

[JBL 4645]

All these new JBLs that have come along since the Performance Series have bi-wiring post. The idea is to separate the bass or mid-bass from the mids and highs.
AS to if bi-wiring does any good, that's another subject.
Its not the same as bi-amping a speaker, using an active crossover, which most consumers aren't going to be bothered with.

Well I’m a little picky these days now.

[hjames]

Well I’m a little picky these days now.

picky and wrong ...
The man TOLD you it wasn't bi-AMPing, biWIRE is different ...

really ...
google on the words ,
... read a few lines,
... ... get smart tonight!

besides, what do you care??
- you aren't going to buy them anyway!!
They aren't little frickin' plastic speakers!!