JBL "Performance Series" question

[wu6fiend]

Hi,

I live in Surrey, British Columbia, Canada, and am curious about the JBL "Performance Series" of loudspeakers. I'd really like to see & listen to a set in person. However, JBL retailers around here are almost nonexistent.

Does anyone living in the Northwest U.S.A. know of a JBL retailer with a decent selection of their current lineup?

I sent an email to JBL some time ago asking this very question, but got no response.

Why is it so hard to buy JBL product!?

[rdgrimes]

Hi,

I live in Surrey, British Columbia, Canada, and am curious about the JBL "Performance Series" of loudspeakers. I'd really like to see & listen to a set in person. However, JBL retailers around here are almost nonexistent.

Does anyone living in the Northwest U.S.A. know of a JBL retailer with a decent selection of their current lineup?

I sent an email to JBL some time ago asking this very question, but got no response.

Why is it so hard to buy JBL product!?

There's a rather large PS thread in here.

They are discontinued, but if you were able to find some it would be at a Synthesis dealer. Tweeter used to sell them and some stores may still have odd units laying around.

Or, you can take it from the handful of owners that they are prolly the best tweeter-based system ever made. They have a lot in common with a couple of the Revel models, and also share technology with the TiK series and a couple of the current Synthesis Four series.

Bottom line is that you can't hear them unless you find someone who owns them. The IW and IC line in the PS series is not part of this discussion.

[wu6fiend]

I read the PS thread. That's what made me interested in them.

I wasn't aware they are discontinued, as they appear prominently on the current JBL website. Why would they show discontinued product? The site says "2008" on it.

I've never heard of a Synthesis dealer, are you aware of any in the Pacific Northwest? I would be prepared to drive to Washington State or Oregon to see the Performance Series in person.

Around here, the only JBL you can find is the bottom end stuff at Best Buy, or car stereo speakers at the odd place.

[rdgrimes]

http://www.jblsynthesis.com/where_to...=US&Region=USA

[jblsound]

The PS has been around since '01~'02, so that's about 7 years. And most JBL consumer series only last that long, others like the Venue series, much shorter.

And as the new LS series is coming out next year, at about the same price range, the PS is being dropped, much like the Venue series was dropped for the new ES series.

But there is still plenty of PS stock, that's why they still show up under "special" on www.harmanaudio.com
They're listed as refurbs, but are really just over stock.


The reason you've never heard of Synthesis dealers is they are only in the US. Everywhere else JBLs are sold through normal B&M audio stores, and online.
But it would seem, by your comment, that JBLs are just as hard to find in Canada as they are here, anymore. Like you mentioned, BB only sells the bottom end series. In fact BB has dropped JBL, here in the US, in favor of selling more Polk.

Its the BB thing that has made the JBL brand, of late, to be looked down upon, by most of the under 40 audio consumer public, as the only JBLs they have ever seen is the ones in BB.

[johnaec]

But there is still plenty of PS stock, that's why they still show up under "special" on www.harmanaudio.com
They're listed as refurbs, but are really just over stock.

I think the same thing relates to the L8400P 12" subs. List is $1099, HarmanAudio has "refurbs" at $699, and going price for these same "refurbs" from Harman's outlet on eBay average $350 plus reasonable shipping, with full factory accessories, boxing, and full warranty.

As many as I've seen sold through eBay, I find it hard to believe these are actually refurbs rather than overstock. At that price, I picked up a couple to go with my PT800's, and there's no way I could be convinced they were anything other than new.

Now, if I could just get a couple PS1400's in the same range... 'Anyone wanna' trade-in? The PS1400's only have a 400 watt amp vs. the 600 watts in the L8400P.

John

[Mr. Widget]

I read the PS thread. That's what made me interested in them.

I wasn't aware they are discontinued, as they appear prominently on the current JBL website. Why would they show discontinued product? The site says "2008" on it.

I am not 100% sure, but I believe they still have a warehouse full of them that they would like to sell... They haven't built any new ones in quite a while.

But there is still plenty of PS stock, that's why they still show up under "special" on www.harmanaudio.com
They're listed as refurbs, but are really just over stock.

http://www.jblsynthesis.com/where_to...=US&Region=USA

If you click on that map, you get a list of regional reps... they can hook you up with a local dealer. Will any have the PS Series? Maybe, but I doubt it.


Widget

[4313B]

I've noticed that the PS1400 is available via employee purchase but not via the public links. :dont-know I guess they are saving them for employees. :dont-know Maybe they are going to sell them via Harman Audio on eBay. :dont-know Or maybe they really don't know what to do with them. :dont-know Maybe they don't even know that they have them. :dont-know