At least someone out there is digging what JBL is doing today! (and paying for it...) I just don't have $30K!!
At least someone out there is digging what JBL is doing today! (and paying for it...) I just don't have $30K!!
I wish I could understand what this thread is about...
Rolf
What the hell am I talking about here?
Even a consumer like me has to look at that and go "Holy crap!" (I'm using good words today.) That makes me very interested.
Last edited by Titanium Dome; 02-05-2006 at 03:39 PM. Reason: secrecy
Out.
Did that get your attention ?Originally Posted by G.T.
Yea, no swearing, it's Sunday ya know !(snip,snip)....... and go "Holy crap!" (I'm using good words today. ) (snip,snip).......
__________________
I'd really like to see you buy a pair of these.
Both! They seems like a nice pair. Don't you think??
Rolf
Don't bring Frank into this...Please.Even a consumer like me has to look at that and go "Holy crap!" (I'm using good words today.
Rolf
When he's confronted with an either/or decison: "Why can't it be both?"
In reference to no one post in particular, JBL may have muffed the delivery of top products to North America in the past decade or so, but it can hardly be blamed for following the market.
When I do a search for certain recent models, I might get a hit or two in English (often Australia, New Zealand, or the UK), but far and away the majority of hits are from Japan, Korea, Indonesia, the Middle East, France, Scandinavia...
Here in North America we have the foremost forum on JBL (in English at least), yet we don't know much or talk much about anything that's happened in the past decade. The fact that a "talentless goober" became the expert on the Performance Series had more to do with someone actually buying and owning something that had been around a couple years than the fact that he knew anything.
A lot of us, myself included, spend a ton of money moving old JBLs around in an escalating used market, but few of us spend any cash on new product. JBL only makes money on new product.
Sure we buy NOS parts for our gear, then lament that JBL no longer supports our vintage products, but let's get real: JBL is not in business to be a parts dealer. That's a business plan that'll put it out of business. It's in business to sell products.
Those working class heroes that go to BB or wherever and buy Northridge E Series speakers and post about them on AVS are helping JBL more than us tweaking our beloved vintage gear. Those college kids who grab a set of EONs and start doing coffee house gigs are putting more into JBL than many of us. That secretary/receptionist making $9.75/hr who buys a JBL HTIB off Amazon.com put more money into JBL recently than many of us. And that snooty, too-rich-for-his-own-good, overpaid MBA up on the hill who had the Synthesis Hercules System installed in his media room really did all of us a favor by making sure there's a reason for the K2 to even be warehoused in North America.
When a new JBL Series comes out, I'm always interested. When a new thread starts here, sometimes the general tone is not too supportive, even though none of us has heard the product yet. We're critical of design decisions or mocking the look, all of which is our prerogative. Imagine a JBL exec reading some of that, then comparing what's posted here to what's posted by enthusiasts in Japan or Korea. Where would you focus your high end market?
I'm amazed that the JBL line is as broad as it is here in NA. It's quite diverse, and JBL's willingness to keep a line like the Performance Series alive in a market where it doesn't appear to sell very well is amazing.
When the Project Array Series is really on the streets, it will be an opportunity for JBL enthusiasts in NA to put their money where their mouths are. It's a real step forward (and a challenge to a direct radiator lover like me
I'm already thinking about what older JBLs I'm going to sell to both make the room and to provide the money to get at least get two of the 1400 Arrays and a 1500 Array. Then I'll be contributing at least as much as the working class hero or secretary/receptionist mentioned above.
Last edited by Titanium Dome; 02-05-2006 at 03:37 PM. Reason: member request
Out.
Nice Post Ti !
Articulate as ever
Excellent post Dome.
I have a few comments on that:
If you know your target market is predominantly Asian- your elements of presentation tend to favor that group. That's just good marketing; Hats off to the JBL team. It's not that we (as Americans) don't "get it" (understanding)- it's that we don't get it (we are not the target market). JBL lost that loving feeling during the 'past decade' in the American market so why should they (JBL) make a statement speaker that favors (predominantly) Americans??
I think few Americans would even consider spending big bucks on a statement speaker with a JBL badge. Generally speaking- those with that type of disposable income will try to find the most obscure brands to imply exclusivity. JBL obviously has an excellent grasp on this- that's why the best is marketed overseas. The same can be examined in many other products that have a better overseas target market for US! Certain models of German cars, British Bikes/HiFi/Guitar Amps, Luxury Japanese cars, etc, have some of the BEST PRODUCT'S marketed to the U.S. and in some cases cannot even be purchased in their native countries because we demand the best (in some cases). JBL is just following the market like any good company does. I don't think it should imply we are stupid- we just don't want it (not enough of us anyways).
There is a reason the PS isn't selling like the L100 in the '70's, and it is most of us can't find them. Sure I could buy them from Harman online, but I really like to AUDITION speakers before I buy. The only speakers I did buy w/o hearing first was the sub1500. But @ only $250 how could I go wrong, plus they were used for Revel subs.Why can't it be both?
I'm amazed that the JBL line is as broad as it is here in NA. It's quite diverse, and JBL's willingness to keep a line like the Performance Series alive in a market where it doesn't appear to sell very well is amazing.
When the Project Array Series is really on the streets, it will be an opportunity for JBL enthusiasts in NA to put their money where their mouths are. It's a real step forward (and a challenge to a direct radiator lover like me
And it looks like the Arrays are going to be sold the same way as PS, thru Synthesis dealers, and the only one around here doesn't have a showroom for auditions.
The last top of the line JBL's I've seen in stores here in Nevada were the L212s in '79, which I bought, and the 250Ti's in CC, in '87~'88.
After my last post, most of the snipping/deletions have already been done.
Quickest I have ever seen.
If the "G" man ever gets a pair of the array series, I know I could never afford them, but sure would like to hear them at least once!
Ron
This is the realm of "current product". You know what that means.
No one looked any harder than I did to finally get a set, but things have improved, at least a bit. Giskard let us know a while back that Tweeter was picking up the Performance Series, and you can in fact see and hear it in (some of) the stores. There's one in Las Vegas (Summerlin I think), but I haven't checked it out.
Out.
T Dome,
I understand what you are saying about JBL making more profit by selling large quantities of less expensive speakers. But, I am not certain I follow your logic on the Japanese market. Are you saying that Japanese buy more high-end speakers or do the Japanese just buy more high-end JBL speakers. Is there no market for high-end audio in the United States, or is it that JBL just can not or does not compete in the high-end US market. I am wondering what total sales of the K2s have been worldwide.
To be honest, I do not know who is manufacturing the high end speakers being bought in the United States. Nor do I know what they look like. If they look like the boomboxes in Best Buys, Circuit City and Sears, I don't want them in my house. If I were to buy new speakers, the Performance Series would be a financial stretch for me. The issue is somewhat moot because I am not interested in home theater. If I want to see a movie, I grab my gal and head to a real theater.
I stated an opinion when I inferred that I do not like the appearance of the K2 and Array Series. I may be in a minority. I don't understand why Picasso is considered an artist. And, I don't understand why people think Andy Warhol's work is special. When I look at a photo of a Paragon, I see a fine piece of craftsmanship that I can appreciate, but I prefer the styling of the Olympus, Apollo and Delphi.
I hear people say that sonics is all that counts and not appearance. I do not agree. There are Ferraris; there are Aston Martins; and there are Rolls Royces. Anyone is kidding themselves if they think Ferrari does not care what their cars look like. They want them to look fast. I wonder how much styling thought goes into professional speakers. Do any of the commercial speakers look like the Array Series or the new L-series.
I certainly hope that JBL has good marketing people. But, I certainly hope they do not see this website as a marketing tool. This is a place for people that appreciate JBL's. If I loved the styling of the K2s (the one that has a grille covering the horn looks nice to me), I still could not afford them. I don't even have any idea what the the Array Series cost.
In 20 or 30 years from now, the kids that dig the whacky looking boom boxes may be buying the vintage K2s. When they reach the peak of there earning potential and have the most disposible income, they may be looking for the dreams of their youth.
Something I'm not getting here: Are these Project K2 offerings different from the previously available K2's? In what respect(s)?
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