JBL No Support!

jnoyes

Super Member
A few months ago I purchased a set of JBL Studio 530 speakers. Because of the many positive reviews I was curious to hear them. I found a used set on Amazon and decided to pull the trigger.

After trying them out I was impressed, especially their voicing. Unfortunately after listening to them for a while and doing my own personal shoot out they didn't make the cut and I decided to sell them.

Of course as luck would have it they were damaged by Fedex. Both woofer baskets broken, obviously because the box had been dropped (factory box and packing, then double boxed with foam between boxes). Clearly the weight of the magnets was too much for the basket when they were dropped.

Well I'm still waiting for Fedex to respond to my claim, but they sent the speakers back to me. The only issue is the woofers and one plastic port is broken. Everything else is fine.

So I sent an Email to Harmon International requesting info on purchasing replacement woofers to fix these.

Their response was, they are not available and are obsolete. Check Parts Express. Yeah, right!

Really, obsolete in three years?

They are still selling the Studio 530's on their website with a 5 year warrantee.

I couldn't believe it, so I called and talked to a rep and then a supervisor. They are out of stock, not on order and likely will never be available.

I will never purchase another JBL or any other product from this company!

Jon
 
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US Federal requires manufacturer to supply replacement parts for 7 years AFTER being discontinued. You may want to talk to them again and remind them of the requirement. Out of curiosity did you ask them what they do regarding warranty period parts and repairs?

Sadly, manufacturers are more and more ignoring the law and seems it is becoming an issue with Chinese sourced products.
 
Decades ago, JBL built some good speakers. Once they hit the 'growth through acquisition' phase, it's been all downhill ever since.

I wouldn't touch anything JBL that's less than 40 years old even if they were given to me.
 
I wouldn't touch anything JBL that's less than 40 years old even if they were given to me.



I owned some excellent JBL Pro gear from the big tent sale about 12 years ago--compression drivers, bassbins and complete speaker systems. You wouldn't take the gear pictured below if it were given to you?







 
Cool stuff Tom. I like the various vintage PRO pieces too ...
But - I would not buy any NEW JBL (or Harman Kardon) gear -
too much risk from the new Harman folks - no support.


I owned some excellent JBL Pro gear from the big tent sale about 12 years ago--compression drivers, bassbins and complete speaker systems. You wouldn't take the gear pictured below if it were given to you?
 
US Federal requires manufacturer to supply replacement parts for 7 years AFTER being discontinued. You may want to talk to them again and remind them of the requirement. Out of curiosity did you ask them what they do regarding warranty period parts and repairs?

Sadly, manufacturers are more and more ignoring the law and seems it is becoming an issue with Chinese sourced products.
Unfortunately the Federal "guidelines" are rather murky and not as clean cut as one would like or believe. This article helps clear the muck somewhat...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magnuson–Moss_Warranty_Act

I've read a few posts regarding warranties and I don't believe the perception is in sink with actual meaning or practice.
 
A few months ago I purchased a set of JBL Studio 530 speakers. Because of the many positive reviews I was curious to hear them. I found a used set on Amazon and decided to pull the trigger.

After trying them out I was impressed, especially their voicing. Unfortunately after listening to them for a while and doing my own personal shoot out they didn't make the cut and I decided to sell them.

Of course as luck would have it they were damaged by Fedex. Both woofer baskets broken, obviously because the box had been dropped (factory box and packing, then double boxed with foam between boxes). Clearly the weight of the magnets was too much for the basket when they were dropped.

Well I'm still waiting for Fedex to respond to my claim, but they sent the speakers back to me. The only issue is the woofers and one plastic port is broken. Everything else is fine.

So I sent an Email to Harmon International requesting info on purchasing replacement woofers to fix these.

Their response was, they are not available and are obsolete. Check Parts Express. Yeah, right!

Really, obsolete in three years?

They are still selling the Studio 530's on their website with a 5 year warrantee.

I couldn't believe it, so I called and talked to a rep and then a supervisor. They are out of stock, not on order and likely will never be available.

I will never purchase another JBL or any other product from this company!

Jon
Sorry to hear. I've had, with a JBL 125a, the magnet separate from the basket. No other damage, well other than the magnet beating the crap out of the back of the basket. Had to be quite the drop to jar the magnet free.

Stuff like this drives me nuts.
 
OK lets set this straight

The PO stated he bought "used" JBL studio 530s.

Harman int. is in no way obliged to offer any warranty of any kind.

This includes any parts orders (unless bought from a authorized retailer & with a Harman int. RA#)
 
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Actually the magnets didn't separate from the basket, the basket snapped. Cast aluminum and looks like maybe too flimsy.

It occurred to me that perhaps the reason they don't have any replacements is that this is a common failure.

Jon
 
OK lets set this straight

The PO stated he bought "used" JBL studio 530s.

Harman int. is in no way obliged to offer any warranty of any kind.

This includes any parts orders (unless bought from a authorized retailer & with a Harman int. RA#)

Absolutely understood.

OP did not say he wanted FREE REPAIR, he was simply trying to get the parts so he could fix the speaker and found there were NO replacement parts anywhere.

Would YOU expect to be able to at least GET the parts somewhere?
and if they are NOT AVAILABLE, why wouldn't you expect people to stop purchasing from that source [eg, Harman]?
 
OK lets set this straight

The PO stated he bought "used" JBL studio 530s.

Harman int. is in no way obliged to offer any warranty of any kind.

This includes any parts orders (unless bought from a authorized retailer & with a Harman int. RA#)

You are correct.

I don't expect them to fix these under warranty, I was trying to buy replacements.

Jon
 
I don't expect them to fix these under warranty, I was trying to buy replacements.

That was what I understood, too.

At this point I guess I'd be looking on eBay for a damaged pair with good woofers, or just the woofers.
 
Unfortunately the Federal "guidelines" are rather murky and not as clean cut as one would like or believe. This article helps clear the muck somewhat...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magnuson–Moss_Warranty_Act

I've read a few posts regarding warranties and I don't believe the perception is in sink with actual meaning or practice.

The requirement to supply parts is not contained in the Act but predates it by several decades in response to issues related to the emerging consumer appliance market but targeting the auto industry's then practice of not carrying replacement parts, especially custom parts related to specific years.

The actual you cite targeted the warranty issues and complexity whereby there was almost no uniformity between States and the consumers were continually finding they had no coverage. Sadly, today the act has been continually eroded by manufacturers.

The OP did not mention warranty service, I brought it up as a separate issue because the model has not been discontinued so questioned how JBL handles warranty issues. Regardless, of it they are required to maintain replacement parts for 7 years AFTER a product is discontinued. The part my not be an original as to manufacture by is required to meet the specification or be better. For instance with my ADS L300 speaker, some 5 years after buying I had to have them replaced as the foam surrounds had disintegrated. ADS did not have the original as they found the foam surrounds was a problem but offered a direct replacement with the rubber surround with a deal to exchange both of my drivers for the new ones. They were not original but we're drop in and met or exceeded the original specification.
 
Dear OP: sorry that some stuff came your way. We all have stuff like this happen and the only thing to do is to suck it up and move on. I don't think that JBL is being bad it is simply a case of the economics of today's market that is all.

There are likely others in the same boat as you are. You would be well to consider parting out the speakers, you might even come out ahead. Good luck and best regards Moray James.
 
The B&Ws bested the JBLs? Dang. I have some of those B&Ws (or very similar) and I've never especially loved them.
 
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