JBL quality control could use some improvement

[wu6fiend]

Less than two years ago, I purchased just about the entire JBL Studio L Series (L890, L820, L830, L8400P, LC1 and LC2). Because JBL has virtually no presence up here in Canada (particularly in B.C.), I purchased the speakers from a couple of different retailers on eBay. All were brand new, in unopened boxes.

I own two LC2 speakers. The first one was defective, right out of the box. No sign of any damage, just the sound was strangely muffled. I took it to a trusted, very experienced speaker repair shop, and he found a problem with the internal wiring. Looked like it had that way from the production line. He fixed it, and it is fine now.

Last week, one of my two L8400P subs quit suddenly. The standby light would briefly illuminate when I cycled the on/off button, the back was warm to touch, but it was dead. All connections were checked, and were fine. I plugged in the other L8400P, and was back in business.

Now the sub has to be taken in for repairs. No warranty, as it would have to be returned to the U.S., and shipping etc. would be at my cost. Hopefully the local shop can repair this sub.

To say that I am disappointed, and somewhat irritated would be accurate. I have owned several pairs of vintage JBL speakers since new (the mid 1980s), and have never had any trouble with them.

I am starting to question my loyalty to this brand.

[dcolak]

Less than two years ago, I purchased just about the entire JBL Studio L Series (L890, L820, L830, L8400P, LC1 and LC2). Because JBL has virtually no presence up here in Canada (particularly in B.C.), I purchased the speakers from a couple of different retailers on eBay. All were brand new, in unopened boxes.

I own two LC2 speakers. The first one was defective, right out of the box. No sign of any damage, just the sound was strangely muffled. I took it to a trusted, very experienced speaker repair shop, and he found a problem with the internal wiring. Looked like it had that way from the production line. He fixed it, and it is fine now.

Last week, one of my two L8400P subs quit suddenly. The standby light would briefly illuminate when I cycled the on/off button, the back was warm to touch, but it was dead. All connections were checked, and were fine. I plugged in the other L8400P, and was back in business.

Now the sub has to be taken in for repairs. No warranty, as it would have to be returned to the U.S., and shipping etc. would be at my cost. Hopefully the local shop can repair this sub.

To say that I am disappointed, and somewhat irritated would be accurate. I have owned several pairs of vintage JBL speakers since new (the mid 1980s), and have never had any trouble with them.

I am starting to question my loyalty to this brand.

I suggest you not to look inside the speakers. The way they "threw" the damping material into my JBL S38II was really lame. Half of it not even glued, hanging...

[hjames]

I suggest you not to look inside the speakers. The way they "threw" the damping material into my JBL S38II was really lame. Half of it not even glued, hanging...

I had 2 different pairs of S38 II speakers - both were fine inside ...
My LC2 plays well, but the 4-way rear jacks don't always hold the banana plugs in well - it has dropped out from that.

[jhal]

JBL is not what it used to be. Way back when, even the entry level speakers were built with the same high regard to quality as their hi-end stuff.

That is not the case anymore. Since the CEO of Harman International's main concern is profit, expect more of the same, or worse since everything is either made in China or Mexico now.

James is rolling in his grave right now.

[badman]

JBL is not what it used to be. Way back when, even the entry level speakers were built with the same high regard to quality as their hi-end stuff.

That is not the case anymore. Since the CEO of Harman International's main concern is profit, expect more of the same, or worse since everything is either made in China or Mexico now.

James is rolling in his grave right now.

Yup. A shameful end to a great man's heritage.

[wu6fiend]

Took the sub in to the JBL-authorized repair shop today. He said the replacement amp (if that is indeed the issue) is around $170, and it will be 2-4 weeks for the parts to arrive from the supplier (which is in Quebec).

I found it interesting that the owner of the shop commented that he is seeing a lot of subs from many different manufacturers coming in for repairs. He said that they all use poor quality amps. He said that Polk and JBL are just two of the offenders.

Oh well, its only money.

[Allanvh5150]

Took the sub in to the JBL-authorized repair shop today. He said the replacement amp (if that is indeed the issue) is around $170, and it will be 2-4 weeks for the parts to arrive from the supplier (which is in Quebec).

I found it interesting that the owner of the shop commented that he is seeing a lot of subs from many different manufacturers coming in for repairs. He said that they all use poor quality amps. He said that Polk and JBL are just two of the offenders.

Oh well, its only money.

Yup, as with most things today, the more you spend, the less time the product spends in the repair shop. Many of the failures today are caused by "chip" companents on surface mount PCB's. I am fixing this sort of thing all the time. Nice and quick to manufacture and great in our throw away society......

[rlsound]

JBL home products used to have a MUCH larger presence here in BC until the late 1990s or very early 2000's when A&B Sound went tits up. A&B was a large stocking JBL dealer as was Beamriders and Future Shop.

The later JBL powered subs were infamous for blowing up frequently. It was one of the reasons I switched to Paradigm Reference in 2003.

Who is the JBL repair guy in BC?

[wu6fiend]

IT Electronics in Burnaby.

Just spoke to him today. The cost to fix the sub will be around $450 plus tax. Amp has to be replaced. No, it can't be fixed. And amp is back ordered for 5 weeks, minimum. Less than $100 of that price is labor. Part is expensive.

Pretty frustrating. There would be no warranty, regardless of whether I'd bought it locally, or via eBay (which I did). Warranty on the amps is only 1 year, and the sub is about 2 years old.

I thought long & hard, then told him to fix it. It would cost me about $600 plus shipping to replace it over the net, and a lot more than that if I bought it locally.

If I thought it would produce results, I would write to JBL, and tell them how displeased I am. Years ago, I had a very expensive Sony VCR go belly up on me. I wrote to Sony, and they decided, even though it was long out of warranty, they would sell me the parts for cost, and give me a break on the labor. Saved me a sizeable sum, when I got it fixed. I very much doubt Harman would care about my dead sub.



ps. rlsound, I miss A&B Sound, I spent a good chunk of my teenage years hanging out there!

[hjames]

Wow - I had a similar dead amp on a Volkswoofer and I wound up using an external amp bridged to mono to feed it. Why repair an unstable design when better amps are available for less. ...?

The again, after the fiasco I went through with that crappy Harman Kardon AVR 7300 - I am NOT impressed with their capabilities.

IT Electronics in Burnaby.

Just spoke to him today. The cost to fix the sub will be around $450 plus tax. Amp has to be replaced. No, it can't be fixed. And amp is back ordered for 5 weeks, minimum. Less than $100 of that price is labor. Part is expensive.

Pretty frustrating. There would be no warranty, regardless of whether I'd bought it locally, or via eBay (which I did). Warranty on the amps is only 1 year, and the sub is about 2 years old.

I thought long & hard, then told him to fix it. It would cost me about $600 plus shipping to replace it over the net, and a lot more than that if I bought it locally.

If I thought it would produce results, I would write to JBL, and tell them how displeased I am. Years ago, I had a very expensive Sony VCR go belly up on me. I wrote to Sony, and they decided, even though it was long out of warranty, they would sell me the parts for cost, and give me a break on the labor. Saved me a sizeable sum, when I got it fixed. I very much doubt Harman would care about my dead sub.



ps. rlsound, I miss A&B Sound, I spent a good chunk of my teenage years hanging out there!

[SEAWOLF97]

Wow - I had a similar dead amp on a Volkswoofer and I wound up using an external amp bridged to mono to feed it. Why repair an unstable design when better amps are available for less. ...?.

I too have a M&K subs with weak amps ... had an old NAD receiver whose FM didnt work, but the amp section does ..so it runs the 2 subs (one on each channel) ...just set the NAD to mono and dialed down the treble ...works great.

[RKLee]

IT Electronics in Burnaby.
.
.
If I thought it would produce results, I would write to JBL, and tell them how displeased I am. Years ago, I had a very expensive Sony VCR go belly up on me. I wrote to Sony, and they decided, even though it was long out of warranty, they would sell me the parts for cost, and give me a break on the labor. Saved me a sizeable sum, when I got it fixed. I very much doubt Harman would care about my dead sub.



ps. rlsound, I miss A&B Sound, I spent a good chunk of my teenage years hanging out there!

In the days of yore, JBL would probably fix it for free; today with all of the emphasizes on quarter-to-quarter profits, probably not. Beside most JBL electronics is made in China, they probably don't have the in-house expertise to repair, the only choice is to replace.

[rlsound]

Is the synthesis all chinese built as well?


I too spent too much time at A&B. I think I've visited them all, at least the ones in the lower mainland. Just the perfect mix of different classes of electronics, sales guys that were there for years. The service was bar none. Then they were bought out, over expanded and struggled until Future Shop was purchased by Best Buy. Then it was game over for A&B. They died a horrible, slow death.

Anyways, back to the issue at hand

[Allanvh5150]

Is the synthesis all chinese built as well?


I too spent too much time at A&B. I think I've visited them all, at least the ones in the lower mainland. Just the perfect mix of different classes of electronics, sales guys that were there for years. The service was bar none. Then they were bought out, over expanded and struggled until Future Shop was purchased by Best Buy. Then it was game over for A&B. They died a horrible, slow death.

Anyways, back to the issue at hand

The cool thing about buying Synthesis gear in NZ is the fact that it caries a 10 year minimum warranty!!

[Ed Kreamer]

I have to wonder if the pro division is having the QC problems that I'm hearing about in the consumer division. Does any one know; Are the pro products also going to be built out of country also?