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Thread: JBL 1400 Array system.

  1. #16
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    I think JBL should make all their speakers available in the U.S., probably via mail order. Not having a middle man would certainly help keep the consumer price down. Auditions would only be offered at JBL HQ or similar, or still let dealers stock them if people wanted closer audition options. Of course, then you'd have to consider some kind of middleman compensation.

    If JBL wanted to have a return policy when buying direct without listening, I think a restocking charge of at least 30% would keep the "tire kickers" at bay.

    At the minimum, though, I think JBL should look at the possibilities of a mail order channel, at least for those in the U.S. interested.

    John

  2. #17
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    Quote Originally Posted by Ducatista47 View Post
    In other words, JBL is making it really difficult for willing, eager customers to give their money to them. Brilliant strategy.
    Yep. G.T. and I bitched about this fact yet again this past Monday. It's a waste of time to bitch about it though. It is what it is.

  3. #18
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    Quote Originally Posted by johnaec View Post
    At the minimum, though, I think JBL should look at the possibilities of a mail order channel, at least for those in the U.S. interested.
    I'm new to LH so know very little, but wonder has there been any kind of concerted effort to get Harman to do this or make it's higher-end models available in the 'west' generally? By concerted effort I mean a focused group of people acting together rather than lone individuals every now and then.


    Quote Originally Posted by 4313B View Post
    It's a waste of time to bitch about it though. It is what it is.
    Quote Originally Posted by Titanium Dome View Post
    Well, I can't change the past, and you can't change the present.
    Chaps, nothing's going to change with resignation, not with JBL, nor stuff in the wider world . Sometimes the only way to effect change is to come together and make a little noise. Just my two pence.

  4. #19
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    Quote Originally Posted by 4313B View Post
    Yep. G.T. and I bitched about this fact yet again this past Monday.
    It's a waste of time to bitch about it though. It is what it is.
    Quote Originally Posted by Ralph856 View Post
    I'm new to LH so know very little, but wonder has there been any kind of concerted effort to get Harman to do this or make it's higher-end models available in the 'west' generally? By concerted effort I mean a focused group of people acting together rather than lone individuals every now and then.
    .

    Umm, a number of folks on the site have attempted this, specifically "4313B"
    who has an "in" at Harman, and apparently, (if you read the post just before yours)
    his friend G.T., (Harman's senior engineer Greg Timber, who among other things, is the
    designer of a bunch of the major speaker systems many of us hold in high esteem).

    You'd think they might have some clout, wouldn't ya lads?



    Then again, if JBL/Harman started selling
    all those spiffy Asian market speakers here,
    I could buy more vintage systems cheaper ...
    Whoohoo - Music Party!
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  5. #20
    Senior Member Hoerninger's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Ralph856 View Post
    ... any kind of concerted effort to get Harman to ... make it's higher-end models available in the 'west' generally? By concerted effort I mean a focused group of people acting together rather than lone individuals every now and then.

    Heather, I do not want to read older posts I wanna applaud.
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  6. #21
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    You'd think they might have some clout, wouldn't ya lads?
    No one should have to know anyone, it's just bad business pure and simple.
    Last edited by 4313B; 05-15-2009 at 06:07 AM. Reason: Removed the rants, Dennis Miller I'm not.

  7. #22
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    I think there are two different issues.

    1) Products that are available but are hard to find, such as Performance Series, Array Series, K2 Series.

    2) Products that aren't available, such as Studio Monitor Series, Pro Series, Ti Series.

    For the former, those who really want them can find them eventually. It probably makes little sense to have them stuffed into the retail channel in a market where even your advocates bitch about paying one or two thousand dollars for your used products, denigrate your current sub-$1000 offerings, and second guess your choices on your top models. Why have $1700 to $5000 to $13000 speakers sitting around for looky-loos who will never buy anything?

    For the latter, I bet that anyone who had the money and the persistence could arrange to buy them here. Again, these models are not just going to be sitting around waiting for looky-loos to critique them, but money and persistence talks, and JBL/Harman could sell you anything it wanted to.

    In both cases a simple reality check shows that there's little or no demand for these products here. Normal consumers are buying at the low end, and the so-called aficionadoes are buying used gear and/or bitching about current products and prices.

    If any and all of these models were readily available in the US, would anyone here on LH buy them? No. Even if one or two of us would actually step up and put their money where their mouth is, that's still a pretty small market. I'm not even a good example inasmuch as I'm always working to pay far below retail for the new stuff I buy.
    Out.

  8. #23
    Administrator Mr. Widget's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Titanium Dome View Post
    If any and all of these models were readily available in the US, would anyone here on LH buy them? No. Even if one or two of us would actually step up and put their money where their mouth is, that's still a pretty small market. I'm not even a good example inasmuch as I'm always working to pay far below retail for the new stuff I buy.
    Then again this month's Stereophile has a picture on the cover and a review of a $20K a pair of Klipsch speakers. Not sure where you would go to buy them, but Klipsch is still run more like the old JBL... if you poke around on their factory sponsored forum you can find examples of the company helping people get special Klipsch product that isn't really manufactured and the like.

    Even though I admire PWK as much as JBL (the man) and I really am fond of the Klipsch Heritage in much the same way I feel about JBL's, I'd bet the Array 1400s at $12K retail would outshine the $20K Klipsches in most respects... can't compete with that 95dB sensitivity though.

    Widget

  9. #24
    Senior Member BMWCCA's Avatar
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    There's a pair on Audiogon right now.

    An auction now running with several days left. Minimum bid is roughly twice as high as the last pair of 1400 Arrays sold for on Audiogon. And I should know since I was in contact with that seller but had too many doubts to pull the trigger at the time. Anyway, this seller's reason for selling after owning them for one week will bring a smile to your face.
    http://cgi.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/auc....ull&1244942034 (No bids yet at $7100, but no reserve, either.)

    Suffice it to say GT and the JBL boys should never under-estimate the lunacy of their potential audience.

    Oh what the heck, for posterity:
    I picked up these speakers from a certified JBL dealer on 05/28/2009. What sold me on these JBL’s was the amazing bass extension and dynamics. Overall I would say these speakers are very nice sounding (timber, balance, air, sound stage) but the low end and dynamics are just stunning. I heard in the dealers auditioning room. Which was ok and since I have a really good dedicated listening room at home I knew it would only get better. After moving my current speakers Focal 1027 be’s, (that have wonderful everything except low end) I wanted to do some A/B comparisons. Listening to the JBL’s I was right they sounded great in my listening room. Then after moving my Focal’s to a new location - I put the JBL’s where the Focal’s were and moved the Focal’s away from back wall and to the outside - I did some listening to the Focal’s. What in the world, the Focal’s were now kicking my but in the low end. After doing to research and more listening I found that I had the Focal’s positioned wrong. Now that I have optimized the Focal’s they are not lacking any low end and I am happy with them. Unfortunately, when I went to return the JBL’s the dealer said he would not take them back. Hence, I am now the owner of a set of JBL 1400 Array’s that I no longer need as my old speakers are not lacking what I thought they were, they just needed a new position in my listening room. As I have no need for the JBL’s as the reason I purchased them is taken care of and the dealer will not take them back I am looking to sell them for less then I paid for them. Please note these were demo’s in the dealer show room for a few months and then in my listening room for a week. They are in excellent condition with 0 marks and all: boxes, manuals, etc.
    . . . and check out the surfaces in his "really good dedicated listening room"!
    ". . . as you have no doubt noticed, no one told the 4345 that it can't work correctly so it does anyway."—Greg Timbers

  10. #25
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    The speakers are beautiful.

    As for the room, he's got some of those foam wedges in the corners, so it must kick ass in there.

    Why oh why did I blow $1500+ on stupid acoustical panels and several hundred more on dumb diffusers when I could have glued some open cell foam in the corners and called it a day?

    Quote Originally Posted by BMWCCA View Post
    An auction now running with several days left. Minimum bid is roughly twice as high as the last pair of 1400 Arrays sold for on Audiogon. And I should know since I was in contact with that seller but had too many doubts to pull the trigger at the time. Anyway, this seller's reason for selling after owning them for one week will bring a smile to your face.
    http://cgi.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/auc....ull&1244942034 (No bids yet at $7100, but no reserve, either.)

    Suffice it to say GT and the JBL boys should never under-estimate the lunacy of their potential audience.

    Oh what the heck, for posterity:

    . . . and check out the surfaces in his "really good dedicated listening room"!
    Out.

  11. #26
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    Quote Originally Posted by Titanium Dome View Post
    Why oh why did I blow $1500+ on stupid acoustical panels and several hundred more on dumb diffusers when I could have glued some open cell foam in the corners and called it a day?
    Perfectionist!

    Egg crates work for me - lots and lots o' egg crates aesthetics be damned!

  12. #27
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    Quote Originally Posted by MikeBrewster77 View Post
    Perfectionist!

    Egg crates work for me - lots and lots o' egg crates aesthetics be damned!

    you clearly chickened out..

  13. #28
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    Quote Originally Posted by Ralph856 View Post
    you clearly chickened out..


    (I just want to go on record as saying I dont really have egg crates lining my walls )

  14. #29
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    Quote Originally Posted by Ralph856 View Post
    you clearly chickened out..
    eggsactly!
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  15. #30
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    Quote Originally Posted by Mr. Widget View Post
    can't compete with that 95dB sensitivity though.

    Widget
    The SAM2LF is rated at 92dB sensitivity, the SAM1HF is rated at 98db sensitivity, and the S1S-EX is rated at 97dB sensitivity. That's pretty competitive.

    It must be the LE14H-3 that drags the figure down in the 1400 Array.
    Out.

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