JBL and Infinity Car Audio closing?

[HemiMoparGuy198]

Would anyone happen to have any ideas or insight as to why JBL and Infinity (both beloved Harman brands...in which I will buy nothing but Harman...unless they simply don't make it [anymore]) seem to be thinning out their car audio line?

It seems it has been happening for a lil while as Becker, the automotive brand of Harman used to list car CD receivers, but now seem to only have navigation systems...although these receivers were hard to come by in the states

[rdgrimes]

The entire Harman family is cutting back. Hard to say where it might lead, but JBL has a pretty substantial presence in OEM auto audio systems. Hard to imagine they will leave that behind.

[robertbartsch]

..a new CEO is now running the show and he is making decisions that some fans of the company do not like...

...I suppose one other that comes to mind is the decision to no longer produce replacement parts for vintage drivers..

...thre are bound to be other decisions in the works and I would not be surprised if a cosolidation of bands is next...

[lgvenable]

which drivers? is the 2245H included??

[HemiMoparGuy198]

The entire Harman family is cutting back. Hard to say where it might lead, but JBL has a pretty substantial presence in OEM auto audio systems. Hard to imagine they will leave that behind.

Yeah, Infinity does too...but what it appears is that both JBL and Infinity are dropping their top of the line car audio

[Mr. Widget]

which drivers? is the 2245H included??

I don't think anyone knows exactly what will happen, but currently the rumor is that all recone and diaphragm kits may be phased out... JBL would simply replace drivers under warranty... and I suppose sell replacements after that. I don't think anything has been set into motion yet, but I could be wrong.

Currently it seems that Orange County Speaker has most if not all the available JBL kits in stock or listed as available. You might want to call them to find out if they know anything about the proposed changes.


Widget

[robertbartsch]

I just bought a pair of OEM JBL frams for the 2405 UHF tweeter last week. These were available from many vendors so, apparently, for these anyway, there is no real supply shortage yet. The price has gone up at least 20% since the last time I purchased these, however.

[Titanium Dome]

Someone find the link, but Harman reported something like 70% of revenue or 70% of income came from auto sound last year.

JBL is a major player in auto sound competition. It's one of the few places that there's active marketing. I don't think they'll be curtailing JBL car audio.

[Titanium Dome]

Okay.

[Titanium Dome]

And as for JBL automotive...

[HemiMoparGuy198]

Okay.

That's not exactly what I meant. It's good to see that they aren't going completely under with auto, but my concern was with the aftermarket car audio. Their top of the line components are no longer being produced...atleast I would assume not since they aren't on the website anymore. Now the subwoofers I was looking at are on the UK version of the site, but no longer on US site. But the amplifiers that they had Crown engineer have only been out for like a year, and are not on the website anymore (any country version) so I would assume they are no longer producing it...which doesn't make sense, they spent all the money in engineering, why don't they keep them available for sale longer?

[hjames]

I just bought a pair of OEM JBL frams for the 2405 UHF tweeter last week. These were available from many vendors so, apparently, for these anyway, there is no real supply shortage yet. The price has gone up at least 20% since the last time I purchased these, however.

When did you purchase the diaphrams previously?
What kind of time frame did you have between the two purchases?
just so we can weight that 20% increase over time ...