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Author Topic: Order from JBL taking forever Randy Stankey Film God Posts: 6539 From: Erie, Pennsylvania Registered: Jun 99 posted 07-13-2010 01:53 PM                     I have finally been allowed to make some upgrades to the sound system in my theater. The main thing we are doing is to replace a broken down center channel speaker. We ordered a 4675C speaker/horn combo from JBL nearly 2 months ago. They claim that some part or parts are on back order and they gave us a due date at the end of June which has already come and gone. I understand that this model speaker is something that JBL doesn't sell as frequently as many of their other products so I expect some lead time in fulfilling the order. I understand about back order and supply issues. What I don't understand is the lack of communication on their part, nor do I understand them missing a promised due date with no explanation. I know they aren't going to set aside an order for 10 products just to make one stupid speaker but, at more than 2 months without any explanation, this is getting out of hand. Normally, I would be calling them and asking questions but we could not order directly from the manufacturer. We had to order from a local dealer. Since I am not the customer of record with JBL, I have little to say about the issue. I can call my dealer and rattle some cages until he calls JBL and rattles some cages. Then I have to wait for the answer to be relayed back to me. I have already been through two iterations of this dance. I'm not getting very far. Does JBL normally have a long lead time on orders like this? Usually, companies will tell us if there will be a long wait. Ideally, I would have liked to get all new speakers behind the screen. I understand that QSC makes good cinema speakers. However, we've already got two JBL 4675C speakers behind the screen which work well. We don't have the money to buy all new speakers. I ordered the center speaker to match the other two. Now, I'm getting heat from my boss, asking me what the problem is but I don't have an answer for him. So... Does anybody else have any light they can shed on the situation?  |  IP: Logged James Westbrook Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1133 From: Lubbock, Texas, Usa Registered: Mar 2006 posted 07-13-2010 02:39 PM                     JBL also sells Crown amps and a few months ago I had the power button literally collapse in on itself, effectively killing the amp. We contacted JBL/Crown for warranty replace/exchange and were informed the amps were not currently in stock. A few weeks ago, one finally arrived. I know it's comparing apples and oranges, but your situation sounds similar to mine in that we had to wait to replace the amp like you are waiting to replace that speaker.  |  IP: Logged Brad Miller Administrator Posts: 17775 From: Plano, TX (36.2 miles NW of Rockwall) Registered: May 99 posted 07-13-2010 02:41 PM                     It might not be JBL. It could be the dealer you purchased it through took your order and goofed and didn't get the order into JBL immediately, thus causing the delay.  |  IP: Logged Randy Stankey Film God Posts: 6539 From: Erie, Pennsylvania Registered: Jun 99 posted 07-13-2010 03:13 PM                     We got the quote from the dealer on May 17. The P.O. was submitted a day or two after that. The product would have been ordered from JBL by the end of that week at the latest. (May 21) We called our dealer, asking where the stuff is and we got a reply from him on June 21. His answer was that JBL reports parts on back order. They said they would ship by the end of the month. I figured that would be June 30 or July 2. Give a week's time for the product to be delivered by motor freight. That means it should have been here last Friday (June 9) at the latest. I certainly understand that things take time. Just as James pointed out, they don't stock every item all the time. If they have a six week lead time or even a ten week lead time, I don't necessarily mind. What I mind is that we are being kept in the dark. I'm basically sitting here with my ass in my hand, having to answer questions from my boss that I have no power to solve. I have to ask somebody else to go ask JBL questions to which I might get a straight answer if I'm lucky. All I want to do is to get the job done. I'm stuck here doing busy work until this one thing arrives.  |  IP: Logged Louis Bornwasser Film God Posts: 4441 From: prospect ky usa Registered: Mar 2005 posted 07-13-2010 05:24 PM                        Your issue is with your dealer. It is his responsibility to keep you up to date (or to solve your problem). That is why factories HAVE dealers; to save them the grief of dealing with individual theatres. Louis  |  IP: Logged Brad Miller Administrator Posts: 17775 From: Plano, TX (36.2 miles NW of Rockwall) Registered: May 99 posted 07-13-2010 07:23 PM                     Is this even a CINEMA dealer, or some moron guitar center audio shop kind-of place?  |  IP: Logged David E. Nedrow Master Film Handler Posts: 368 From: Columbus, OH, USA Registered: Oct 2008 posted 07-14-2010 10:27 PM                        I've been waiting on a Crown DSi monitor and DSi amps for weeks now. Still "out of stock".  |  IP: Logged Tony Bandiera Jr Film God Posts: 3067 From: Moreland Idaho Registered: Apr 2004 posted 07-14-2010 11:51 PM                     Randy/David: Screw JBL. Cancel your orders and go with QSC. Great products, awesome sound and good price points. And their stuff is in stock a great majority of the time. No I don't work for or get kickbacks from QSC. I just have several locations with their stuff with very satisfied customers.  |  IP: Logged Randy Stankey Film God Posts: 6539 From: Erie, Pennsylvania Registered: Jun 99 posted 07-15-2010 12:39 AM                     I would like to but there are already two JBLs that work well. This order is to replace one that isn't working. First, the center speaker had the older, long horn. (I forget the model number.) The left and the right are the newer 4675C. They should have been all the same from the start but they are not. Second, the center speaker got a heavy fly pipe dropped on it and busted the top of the speaker cabinet. I patched it up as well as I could but it needs to be replaced. Thus, while replacing it, I want to make them all the same. If I could replace all three I would replace them with QSC but I had to kill for the money I am getting as it is. It would just not be possible to get three times the money to replace all three. BTW: This is the dealer we're ordering through. http://www.factaudio.com/index.html They are the contractor the theater uses for all sound system work. I don't have any say in which contractor/dealer to purchase from.  |  IP: Logged Brad Miller Administrator Posts: 17775 From: Plano, TX (36.2 miles NW of Rockwall) Registered: May 99 posted 07-15-2010 02:40 AM                     Well a few things... Yes QSC is the best bang for the buck out there. I can't speak highly enough for them, and not only do their speakers setup faster than anyone else's, they seem to ship faster than anyone else too. (I don't get a commission or anything for saying that either.) That being said, I completely understand why you bought JBL in this situation, and given the $ limitation I would've done exactly the same thing. After all JBL makes really good speakers (just not quite as good as QSC). I was right in my guess. These guys are NOT who you should have hired to do the job. I'm guessing whoever made the decision was fooled by this line of bullshit from their website: quote: From identifying acoustic problems and recommending solutions to precision sound system tuning, Fact AV is the only company in the region that can provide these services! Somebody call Penn & Teller.  |  IP: Logged Ron Lacheur Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 650 From: British Columbia, Canada Registered: Feb 2002 posted 07-15-2010 11:59 AM                     According to the Lansing Heritage Forums, JBL has closed their Northridge plant and has moved the operation to Mexico. The manufacturing in Northridge ended at the end of June.  |  IP: Logged Gordon McLeod Film God Posts: 9532 From: Toronto Ontario Canada Registered: Jun 99 posted 07-15-2010 02:12 PM                     Some manufacturers are fussy as to what product lines a dealer can sell JBL used to restrict the cinema line to cinema dealers only and the PA and music lines to there respective reps and one could not cross divisions QSC Peavey and others did the same  |  IP: Logged Randy Stankey Film God Posts: 6539 From: Erie, Pennsylvania Registered: Jun 99 posted 07-15-2010 05:34 PM                     quote: Ron Lacheur The manufacturing in Northridge ended at the end of June. Aha! So JBL fibbed a little, did they? They said some things were on backorder and they promised to have them shipped out by the end of June but, if the plant was shutting down, that must have meant that they had no intention of fulfilling my order and they were just going to wait until the plant in Mexico started production before they shipped my goods. I'm certainly willing to give a company some leeway in situations like this but if they knew they were going to be shutting down a factory they shouldn't have taken the order without telling the customer what was going on first. I knew that JBL was making some of their products "off shore" but I was not aware that they were planning to shut down their only US factory and move to Mexico. If I had known that I would have factored that into my buying decision. Chances are I would have said, "I can wait." But I would have only said that if the company was being honest. But, if they are going to pull this kind of shit and use stall tactics, taking people's money, having little intention of delivering the goods until some date in the future of their own choosing, I'm not pleased with that kind of behavior. I want my stuff! I want it yesterday! And it will be a snowy day in August before I buy anything from JBL again!  |  IP: Logged Louis Bornwasser Film God Posts: 4441 From: prospect ky usa Registered: Mar 2005 posted 07-15-2010 06:03 PM                        Exactly what did you order? Small quantities, we stock. Larger quantities, we can get good used ones. Could happen fast. Louis  |  IP: Logged Randy Stankey Film God Posts: 6539 From: Erie, Pennsylvania Registered: Jun 99 posted 07-15-2010 09:46 PM                     It is the 4675C speaker/horn cabinet. The passive version, not the bi-amped version. http://www.jblpro.com/catalog/General/Product.aspx?PId=77&MId=1 It would be nice to have the bi-amped version but, the way the sound system is set up it has to be full range. I have a 2446 driver and the mounting bracket. I just need the 2360 horn to go on top. I also have two of the 2035 fifteen inch LF drivers. I just need the cabinet with the 500 Hz crossover on the side. About two years ago, somebody dropped a fly pipe, loaded with scenery, down on top of the old HF horn and ripped it right off the top of the cabinet. I cobbled it back together with a piece of 1/2 inch plywood but the thing is starting to fall apart again. I won't be able to put it back together again, this time. Besides, the center speaker that I have now (and I am trying to replace) is the older model which doesn't match the left and right, which are the 4675C passive, full range speakers. I really want all three speakers to match for once and for all. If I had those parts I could use what I have from my old speaker to make what I need. I don't think it is possible to order just those parts from JBL or I would have done so.  |  IP: Logged

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