JBL PRO Quality Falling ?

[Horn Savant]

Recently ran into some quality issues with JBL PRO speakers in a movie theater: The speakers were model 4647 & 3678 2-way designs. Some of the drivers had JBL logos on them and some were dark charcoal color with only model numbers.

Had trouble with precision of compression driver rear cover fit, terminals coming loose on 3110A crossover, and inconsistent woofer phasing across models.

I want a name like JBL to impress me with quality, and they failed here.

Does anyone know if they are getting some stuff made in China now ?

Found this on a Harman Industries Stock Message Board:

"...And now you have a very self-serving CEO. His first idea was to move the HQ, not to Detroit or Stuttgart, but to Stamford, CT where there is nothing related to the business except his house. He disrupted everybody else so he didn't have to move. He has also earned the distrust of both Wall St and the HAR employees. With Wall Street, it has been things like the "one time warranty escape" that happens every quarter and total obfuscation regarding the future. That's why nobody is recommending this stock for at least another year.

With the employees, Paliwal first brought in all of his cronies from ABB, then told everyone else that they will soon be replaced by people from India or China. He has killed morale at the company.

For the businesses, OEM is moving from highly profitable to not very profitable; consumer will always be around break even; and the pro business is being moved to Mexico and China without regard to quality. This is another long term danger sign.

That is what has happened (and is happening) to HAR. So, it doesn't matter what the stock price was before or is now. There are troubled waters to navigate that will trump the trend lines. "

[Carl Bill]

I think this is typical of any American company today. Corporate America is all about the upper management pillaging the company and taking out all value, then moving on. They do not care about employee morale. They do not care about the future. They are only lining their pockets at the cost of whats left when they are gone. Locusts of business.

That is what is wrong with America and what has caused the economy to get where it is. And the "stimulus" package being proposed today will only make the same CEO's richer and the rest of us left with the payment book.

When America returns to corporate morality and regard for the employee, then maybe there is hope. But I don't see that happening anytime in my lifetime.

Sad situation. Greed is running this country into the ground.

[westend9]

I think this is typical of any American company today. Corporate America is all about the upper management pillaging the company and taking out all value, then moving on. They do not care about employee morale. They do not care about the future. They are only lining their pockets at the cost of whats left when they are gone. Locusts of business.

That is what is wrong with America and what has caused the economy to get where it is. And the "stimulus" package being proposed today will only make the same CEO's richer and the rest of us left with the payment book.

When America returns to corporate morality and regard for the employee, then maybe there is hope. But I don't see that happening anytime in my lifetime.

Sad situation. Greed is running this country into the ground.

X2, I agree totally.

[bfish]

Well put, C.B.

It's certainly not just JBL. Actually, they held out longer than most.

The construction project I'm mainly working now is bound to the "Buy American Act"... followed by an exception clause that allows sourcing from a list of "designated countries" (primarily WTO members) in certain cases. Were it not for the exception clause, the job couldn't happen, simply because the majority of the needed items are no longer made in America.

Today's corporate weasels are starting to make the robber barons look like saints.

[Carl Bill]

The company I work for continues to "Best Shore" (TM), jobs out of Tulsa, Oklahoma. The CEO does not care that the client's work quality/quantity suffers. He says to just spread the work to the ones that are left. That seems to tell me that the "Best Shore" (TM) "resources" are not actually picking up the work they agreed to take. So that sends morale in Tulsa farther down the tubes. More work for the ones remaining and knowing that any day, you could be the one that becomes a "Best Shore" (TM) candidate.

Actually, the CEO has made it clear that all of us are expendable and are a target for "Best Shore" (TM) replacements unless we actually have a "Client Facing" position. But they have promised the client a cost savings for every job they can "Best Shore" (TM). So with the current economic times, the client is less concerned about quality and service, but saving money! So the trend continues in an expedited fasion to save the client money!

So I believe it is just a matter of "when", not "if". Sad thing is... our previous companies severance package is way much better than the new companies... so the thinking is, to get WFR'ed (Work Force Reduction'ed) aka RIF'ed (Reduction In Force'ed), before the new severance package comes into effect. Get a better deal to get sacked sooner than later.

But I do have a plan "B"... and "C"...

I will not let the @#$%^&*$ get me down!!!

[oface1]

Hey CB,,,

I know the pain,,

I am currently going through a "headcount reduction", I was told last Wednesday that Friday the 13th was lwhen the axe drops for me. I am prepared, but I saw others leave upset and such.

Coming into work has not been that great feeling I used to have, especially looking ta the faces of the others who have/had no back-up plan. Fortunately I am young and I "think" I am still marketable with marketable skills, none the less, I am going back to school to finish up my degree, and ride the economic storm out......

hang in there I feel we still have a good while till this smooths out.......



later,...


-chris

[Horn Savant]

I'm not a big fan of Klipsch but look at the inroads they are making into the theater business while JBL & Altec have suffered numerous corporate takeovers.

Klipsch reamains focused on speakers, based in the Midwest, and not buffeted by cost cutting corporate giants (thanks to Paul Klipsch keeping control & living to 98).

And it's cool that their GRAND-4 cinema speaker is ALL HORN --This pleases me, the HORN(idiot)SAVANT, whose home system is naturally all horn - including subwoofer.

[bfish]

Pretty safe to say that Altec hasn't even been in the theater biz for years and years, regardless of how often they renew the VOTT trademark. At least GPA is around to supply old-time-quality parts for the remaining installs.

If you're looking for quality, new, theater-grade gear, check out Tom Danley's stuff.

[Greg F.]

It isn't just the USA. Last fall my company needed to get some parts for manufacturing equipment. They weren't stocked in USA so the distributor had to send to Italy, place of manufacturer. Guess what, Italy closes down for month of August. So we were were told. Middle of September we get an answer and the answer is that we have the older model and parts are not available. The older model is fifteen years old. No way to run a business. We replaced it with USA manufacture.

"Hello Greg F. it appears that you have not made a post in any of our forums in several weeks, why not take a few moments to ask a question, help provide a solution or just engage in a conversation with another member in any one of our forums?"

[bfish]

...Klipsch reamains focused on speakers, based in the Midwest, and not buffeted by cost cutting corporate giants...

It's just a matter of time...

"Established in 2006 as wholly owned divisions of Klipsch Group, Inc., the Klipsch Group Americas, Klipsch Group Europe and Klipsch Group Asia Pacific distribution management companies are responsible for selling Klipsch, Jamo, Mirage, Energy and athena loudspeakers in their respective regions... These companies have the full financial resources and intellectual capital of the entire Klipsch Group at their disposal."

If that ain't the same, tired, pride-before-the-fall, tongue-in-cheek, Engulf & Devour patter we've heard so many times before, I'll eat your hat.