Status of JBL decision to stop recone kits

[robertbartsch]

OK, so does anyone know about the status of the decision of Harman to stop manufacturing cone/diaphram kits for drivers that are not currently being produced by the factory (e.g., the OEM "kits" for so-called JBL legacy drivers)?

Specifically:

1. Has this been officially announced and have the authorized JBL dealers and repair centers been notified?

2. What kits will be offered in the future; does their decision affect both recone kits and diaphragm kits?

3. What inventories are remaining and how long is the inventory expected to last?

4. Will the factory authorize third parties to manufacture replacements similar to parts for the auto industry?

5. If third parties will manufacture replacement parts, how long will it take to ramp up production?

[Robh3606]

How many times are you planning to ask this?? We don't know. With any luck it won't be anytime soon. As far as the rest of the questions? Are you kidding?? How would you would expect anyone to be able to answer them??

Rob

[4313B]

"Harman has very little interest in supporting legacy product."

That statement is probably going on five or six years old now. We all know it is coming, no one knows when. Everyone knows we're living on borrowed time. I was told last summer to get everything I wanted now because it's all going to end. So far it hasn't. The point is, nobody knows when. They've moved the factory, they've fired a real good chunk of the American workforce, they've consolidated, they've outsourced, they've off-shored. I really don't know where on the list of things to do to cut costs supporting legacy product is. It's going to be just like various kits such as the C8R2203 and C8RLE59, one day they are available and the next day they aren't. I really don't think anyone cares either. Times change. Move on.

[Akira]

He continues to be negative and act like a troll on this site - it amazes me he gets any responses ...

That's hitting below the belt. If you don't like someones NON OFFENSIVE post-- ignore it.

[spkrman57]

In the OP this would be of the most interest for the DIY and vintage folks:

"4. Will the factory authorize third parties to manufacture replacements similar to parts for the auto industry?
"

I have to say it would be nice if JBL would license the rights for certain drivers/re-cone kits/diaphrams to someone to field this moderate requirements.

There just might be a company that is not hurting financially that might be able to reproduce these parts/drivers.

The price might be high, but it might be worthwhile to someone who loves the older gear.

Just my 2 cents worth!

Ron

[robertbartsch]

This is a story about the failed acqusition of Harman by private equity firm KKR.

http://money.cnn.com/2008/01/21/news...tune/index.htm

It provides some background to this issue and highlights what can happen to a company when someone new arrives at the helm and decides to streamline things and produce high profits and cut costs.

Anyway, apparently, the restructuring, plant closings, product shift, legacy parts shutdown, etc. have all done "wonders" (??) for the price of the shares.

In the last year Harman International shares (HAR) have risen from $10 to $35 per share!!!!!!!!!

I hate to see the legacy parts business shut down and jobs moved overseas but that is capitalism and that is the way man kind generates wealth and sustains a high standard of living.

****
Anyway, I assume that if I have a contract with Harman for sales, parts and repair and they decide to stop making parts that I have lost some value. So perhaps, the Harman lawyers are telling the company to not announce any changes to dealers and such.

I have no idea what really is happening ??? ...but the way the company has handled this seems very strange and that is why I have asked.

I can tell you this; the last frams I purchased were about 30% higher in price than one year ago. That must mean there is some hording going on and people believe legacy parts will become part of the Harman "history"

[Mr. Widget]

That's hitting below the belt. If you don't like someones NON OFFENSIVE post-- ignore it.

Thanks for the post.

I hate to see the legacy parts business shut down and jobs moved overseas but that is capitalism and that is the way man kind generates wealth and sustains a high standard of living.

I hate to see the legacy parts business shut down and jobs moved overseas but that is capitalism and that is the way man kind generates wealth and sustains a high standard of living.

I hate to see the legacy parts business shut down and jobs moved overseas but that is capitalism and that is the way man kind generates wealth and sustains a high standard of living.

That is the way some shortsighted people generate wealth.

I hate to see the legacy parts business shut down and jobs moved overseas but that is capitalism and that is the way man kind generates wealth and sustains a high standard of living.

If you are successful enough at it you might sustain your family for generation or two, wildly successful (Rockefeller, Getty) perhaps several generations of your family, but in the big picture it is certainly not sustainable and is bad for the society as a whole.

Of course, capitalism isn't inherently flawed, like any system, it is all in how it is applied.

In any event, we are way off topic.


Widget

[Punch]

Widget and Akira

[Ruediger]

I wonder if it is possible to define a minimal set of spare parts (cones and diaphragms) for maximal coverage of baskets and horn drivers.

To a certain degree cone kits are interchangeable ("goes-into-list"), and a D16R2450 fits into the elder drivers 375, 2440, 2441, 2445, 2446 etc.

Some driver models are improved versions of their predecessors, same basket and better voice coil / diaphragm. A spare part for the improved version could also be used for the predecessor.

The drivers could also be classified as belonging to one of three sets:

1.) Low resonance frequency, low efficiency, HiFi and studio use such as the 2235.
2.) Medium resonance frequency, medium efficiency, SR use such as the 2225.
3.) High resonance frequency, high efficiency, horn driver such as the 2220.

It would be sufficient ("better than nothing") to have few solutions (spare parts) for each set of drivers.

If a certain driver is picked to serve as a replacement for several drivers it should have similar TS parameters so that the enclosure does not need to be re-tuned.

What do You think about the feasibility of such a stripped-down wishlist?

Ruediger

[robertbartsch]

...yeh, I suppose in the Harman case, the new CEO guy did the short sighted thing.... but afterall, Harmon, if not re-tooled, could have ended up like Altec Lansing and no one hear would advocate that!

If the marketplace sees a need, perhaps someone will step up, risk equity capital and produce quality legacy replacement parts like GPA did with the Altec tooling. I have tried some aftermarket stuff over the years and it stinks, so a different approach is needed IMO.

One possibility would be for someone to purchase the existing old tooling and to license the old legacy technology to create an OEM-like parts business that does not interfer with Harman's existing business lines.

The reason I am trying to keep current on this topic is that providing replacement parts was a unique part of JBL that, in part, made this company different from all the rest.

Unfortunately, now that aspect of the company is in serious doubt.

[grumpy]

"This is not your father's Oldsmobile... and not your grandfather's America"

wishing will not make it so.

I don't see the point of publicly fretting over old speakers becoming more
difficult and costly to maintain.

[robertbartsch]

...higher costs that will be incurred to maintain legacy JBL systems in the future does not bother me too much...

...Not have any OEM parts for maintenance of JBL legacy systems does bother me more than a tad, however...

[grumpy]

Bothered enough to start up "San Marcos Audio"? ... if not, it's just a
wish and a disappointment. Next.

[Eaulive]

I hate to see the legacy parts business shut down and jobs moved overseas but that is capitalism and that is the way man kind generates wealth and sustains a high standard of living.

The problem with this is that it may sustain a high standard of living for some people, now. Not a majority and certainly not your children (or mine) in 20 years.

We are making the Chinese stronger and ourselves (Americans, Europeans) weaker.

[robertbartsch]

Our hobby just went - POOF!