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Thread: Sales: Bose vs JBL

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    Senior Member Akira's Avatar
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    Sales: Bose vs JBL

    I read a report that says Bose has annual sales of 4.5 billion....wow.
    Also of interest is the company apparently spends more on marketing than all other speaker manufacturers combined.
    Just curious, any idea how JBL sales compare?

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    RIP 2013 Rolf's Avatar
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    Some companies sell there soul. Guess Armand is turning in his grave.

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    Senior Member BMWCCA's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Rolf View Post
    Guess Armand is turning in his grave.
    That would be Amar.
    ". . . as you have no doubt noticed, no one told the 4345 that it can't work correctly so it does anyway."—Greg Timbers

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    Administrator Mr. Widget's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Rolf View Post
    Some companies sell there soul. Guess Armand is turning in his grave.
    Maybe he is... who is he?

    Amar Bose, the founder of Bose Corporation is still with us.


    Widget

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    Senior Member MikeBrewster77's Avatar
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    Harman did $4.113 billion last year. Their annual report doesn't appear to detail net sales by brand, only by segment, so what chunk of that number is comprised of JBL products, I don't know... :dont-know

    Quote Originally Posted by Akira View Post
    Just curious, any idea how JBL sales compare?

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    Senior Member Akira's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by MikeBrewster77 View Post
    Harman did $4.113 billion last year. Their annual report doesn't appear to detail net sales by brand, only by segment, so what chunk of that number is comprised of JBL products, I don't know... :dont-know
    In that case Bose definitely outsold JBL. When you consider that JBL has a pretty diversified lineup and Bose is mainly consumer.

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    Senior Member Akira's Avatar
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    A little off topic on my own thread but....901's

    I know it's popular to trash Bose but, the original 901's were supposed to be a good product has anyone heard them that can comment.

    Although I never heard them, they had a professional equivalent, the same size and basic design that employed eight 4" drivers all firing forward. They were excellent speakers for their intended application--crystal clear natural vocals. We used to use them for conferencing, and you could even playback music with acceptable results. A pair can easily cover 100 people in a meeting.

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    Senior Member BMWCCA's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Akira View Post
    In that case Bose definitely outsold JBL. When you consider that JBL has a pretty diversified lineup and Bose is mainly consumer.
    Don't forget the installed OE Bose systems for cars and all those table radios sold via infomercials. Not that Harman's Infinity and JBL don't operate as OE suppliers to the automotive industry. I suspect the lion's share of Bose sales are iPod docks, table radios, noise-canceling headphones, tiny-cube "HT-in-a-box" systems, and the like. My guess is their line of "home stereo" speakers isn't really pulling it's weight, either. Bose' sales success is simply a testimonial to the power of marketing, the stupidity of the American consumer, and changing lifestyles where "invisible" is a selling point for speakers, without regard for "fidelity".

    We used to say if sales volume said anything about product quality, a Chevrolet Impala would be a quality vehicle. Now that GM is no longer a sales leader, maybe we're finding out that quality means more than it did, especially when money gets tight. You can't draw much of a conclusion in quality from sales-volume comparisons with JBL and Bose. The top-three best-selling automobile models in the U.S. last year were the Ford F-150, Chevy Silverado, and Toyota Camry. Unless you're looking for just basic appliances, you have to go a long way down the sales charts to find anything a descriminating buyer would consider quality in the car sales charts. Most likely the same is true for speakers.
    ". . . as you have no doubt noticed, no one told the 4345 that it can't work correctly so it does anyway."—Greg Timbers

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    RIP 2014 Ken Pachkowsky's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Akira View Post
    I know it's popular to trash Bose but, the original 901's were supposed to be a good product has anyone heard them that can comment.
    Hi Akira, long time no chat.

    I remember when the Bose 901's hit the scene in the mid 70's. They definately caused a buzz. A few guys I knew in Winnipeg bought them and flew them from the ceiling. I must admit they were impressive at the time. Were they high fidelity....no, but they sure could take high volume without blowing up.

    Bose is a good example of marketing done well. Its a shame that Harman has not been able to recapture the consumer market to the degree JBL enjoyed in the 60's and 70's.

    Ken

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    Quote Originally Posted by Akira View Post
    I know it's popular to trash Bose but, the original 901's were supposed to be a good product. Has anyone heard them that can comment?
    I remember being at a NAMM show in Chicago when they came out. They set up a demo PA at a blues club featuring Buddy Guy. I remember the high end being so shrill, I had to leave after just a few minutes. It could have been the FOH guy had the top end cranked, but it was dreadful.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Akira View Post
    Also of interest is the company apparently spends more on marketing than all other speaker manufacturers combined.
    Makes sense to me, when there is little of substance to sell, you market the hell out of it.

    Isn't that what drives all the "branding" nonsense today that drives consumerism?

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    Senior Member spkrman57's Avatar
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    When it is all said and done...

    I don't think audiophiles will be seeking out vintage Bose speakers like we do with vintage JBL speaker systems!!!

    Regards, Ron
    JBL Pro for home use!

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    Senior Member Audiobeer's Avatar
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    Take a company like Bose, I think it's very revealing when you compare what Bose spends on Research & Development compared to any major player like JBL. It WILL SHOCK YOU.

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    Administrator Mr. Widget's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Ken Pachkowsky View Post
    Bose is a good example of marketing done well.
    Absolutely... Bose, Bud, Marlboro cigarettes... all three offer an average product with above average marketing... leading to market dominance.

    That said. Bose has focused on the desire to have invisible speakers as opposed to invisible sound. Their consumer friendly designs at the cost of sonics have proven to be a very marketable design. JBL has to be blamed for not going after this market too. It can be done with better sonics than Bose and still be consumer friendly... unfortunately JBL hasn't put any serious R+D into this end of the market... their smaller systems are mostly "me too" junk.


    Widget

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    Senior Member Akira's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Ken Pachkowsky View Post
    Hi Akira, long time no chat.
    Yes, hi Ken it's been a while, but I have been following your Westlake threads.
    You are the man...I can't play in your league.
    As I have said a number of times on LH, Westlake are the only system I have heard that have completely blown me away.

    Quote Originally Posted by Mr. Widget View Post
    unfortunately JBL hasn't put any serious R+D into this end of the market... their smaller systems are mostly "me too" junk.
    Widget
    I once bought one of JBL's mini 'Bose' systems for an apartment I had years back...sounded worse than Bose but only cost $500. for a comlpete theater in a box. THE ONLY JBL'S I EVER RETURNED....but, the only thing JBL put into them was the sticker...the Chinese did the rest.

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