I got a call from a rep this morning about a repair under warranty that they were handling and was informed that Harman is going to send a new replacement-no repairs-brand new!.that was a surprize!I was told that rumor has it that Harmon is no longer investing in service/service parts,once the stock on hand is sold that's it.has anyone heard or know this to be true?
That wouldn't surprise me... what a disgusting waste of our precious resources. Let's not employ people to fix anything anymore and just throw out anything that is out of spec.
"I'm sorry sir, your 6 month old Chevy is not performing properly, we are sending it to the crusher. Here is your replacement car."
Widget
Is this announcement for a particular range of products, like vintage or other non current products?
OR all JBL products?
scottyj
I've been a CPA in public practice for 30 years and...
...from a profit standpoint, this makes perfect cents (no pun) to me!
Your saying it is less expensive for JBL to replace a 2242h, OR comp driver like a 2450J completely, instead of reconing or changing a diaphragm?Originally Posted by robertbartsch
Or, does this mean we HAVE to BUY new units, instead of having them repaired?
scottyj
Both... while under warranty JBL gives you a shiny new one... and once the warranty period is over... you're screwed! Quite a far cry from the old days:
Yes and that is the problem. The accountants and MBAs have traditionally been trained that profit is measured in quarterly numbers... this view is changing and the kids today will learn from our folly. If American companies continue to be so short sighted... they will all need bail outs.
Widget
Our little $450M company's revenue is 1/3 service. This year the MFG sector has missed it's mark by 20%, triggering wage and hiring freezes, while Service has come through with record numbers.
There was a rumor that the company was going to sell the Service division - which upon hearing, several serious offers were made from within the company to buy it, as it is most profitable. Amazing how the greedy short-timer CEO wishes to make his mark - selling the Service arm for a huge addition to the bottom line, only to fall into a black hole the next year.
However, we build capital equipment, not $100 and up loudspeakers. I could see where JBL would discontinue service for the BB brands and the like, but professionals like to be able to have things serviced, I would imagine.
I think most people are in a state of denial... we aren't coming back from this... We are in the downward spiral here.
"This is an impressive crowd - the haves and the have-mores. Some people call you the elites; I call you my base."
Yep, it sure played out that way.
My point exactly!
Because in hard, demanding pro use, things break sometimes. But IF I know that IF I break a woofer, and the only way to get the same device back into operation is to BUY an entirely NEW driver, THIS steers me to purchase other brands, that CAN be repaired!
Race cars break down, when they break, do they BUY a NEW race car, or REBUILD engine, etc?
I don't blow drivers often, but, occasionally, I blow a woofer, it's part of the cost of doing business.
If I blow 1 or 2 eighteens in a years time, I can live with this. IF I am blowing 4 eighteens a week, THEN I'm doing something wrong.
And, then, there are times, after a period of several years, I opt to recone woofers, even IF not blown. Suspensions don't last forever, under hard use, and even though not blown, lose their elasticity and springiness, no?
Maybe I'm missing something!
scottyj
I would have to agree with Widget. The whole world is now modelled on a throw away society. So when we need another earth, which will be in about ten years, we can just go get another one , right? Quality does last forever if used correctly, within limits. The problem is that not many companies make quality anymore......
Bean conters should never be in charge!
Scott,the product is a Harmon Kardon DCM-1000 media center.great unit when it worked.
I've found that most H/K products are pretty good when they work. H/K has delt with the last three Receiver failures I've experienced with entire new units. This practice has been going on for quite awhile now.
You don't recone a damaged driver in a PT800, you provide Harman with the serial number of the PT800 and they send you a replacement 908Ti. You don't put a new diaphragm in a 435Be. You provide Harman with the serial number of the K2-S9800 it came out of and they ship you a new 435Be.
Note that all replacement drivers have a ninety day warranty. Harman doesn't do the five year warranty on Consumer drivers anymore. The few remaining over the counter drivers that JBL Pro sells do still come with the five year warranty. I was told a month ago that Pro was looking at doing away with their few remaining raw drivers as well.
The current state of affairs killed Project May by the way. No point in doing a Project that virtually no one can enjoy following and duplicating. And few people are willing to dump a ton of money into raw drivers, if they were even obtainable, that come with a 90 day warranty. Rumor has it that there was a brief moment when JBL thought Project May might increase sales of raw components in Japan but that was back when the Project first started and it evidently didn't last long. Several people have reported that the drivers are unobtainable even in Japan.
JBL was hard pressed to repair the one 1500AL that was damaged by a former forum member back then. All the spares had already been shipped to Japan for K2-S9800's. They literally had to piece it back together in the Lab and they were none too happy about having to do it. The second 1500AL that was damaged during shipping took well over a year to get replaced. Its replacement was also damaged during shipping (broken in half courtesy of UPS) and it took as long to get replaced. It's been no joy.
I pinpoint the beginning of the end when JBL moved Consumer to Woodbury. This year the latest round of firings of senior staff coupled with the move of manufacturing to Mexico has pretty much spoiled the whole experience for me personally.
Well, if one buys product, and it's defective, I kind of like the idea of NEW replacement as opposed to repairing that.
435be, probably better of recieving a replacement driver.
Doing away with raw drivers all together, well, I don't love that idea, OTOH, I know they want to sell complete systems too, Vertec and other complete packaged systems.
I dunno, just when I finally get into whats CURRENTLY happening, the world goes and gets NEWER on me again, SOMETIMES I SWEAR I MUST BE GETTING OLDER!
Can't wait for the day when I wake up, go to my kitchen, press a button, and get my Bacon, eggs, and home fries tablet, JUST LIKE GEORGE JETSON eats!
:dont-know
scottyj
I know, and I feel what you feel.
The new age, and our new technologies, they were supposed to improve our lives, and our world.
In some ways they have, in others I find maybe I didn't know what I had at the time!
But, no turning back, now.
scottyj
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