End of an Era. 43 years with JBL is Over

[bubbleboy76]

Mr. Timbers started at JBL before many of us was born. That gives it some perspective.

[ARIKIP]

I am an avid lurker on these forums and an avid JBL fan since listening to a pair of 4412s in 1990..to currently owning 2 pairs of 250Ti's and Multiple 80/90s L series/Ti series speakers. I saw Gregs post and thought...is this for real??? I have never met you as i live on the other side of the planet but your name has come up in many discussions i have had with my other JBL friend/owners. Always in praise of what you have done for us as music fans in your products over the years. This has enabled us to enjoy the emotion in music as we have never enjoyed it before. I was always in awe of watching someone do what they love as a full time job...i can imagine the countless hrs you have put in over the years designing,building,listening. I cant understand why Harman did what they did but im sure you will go on to better things. They will end up kicking themselves for letting a person with your vast knowledge go....you wait. Any way...take care Greg,best of luck and like the others have said...i hope to hear from you more on this forum and thanks for doing what you do.

Ariki a JBL Fan from New Zealand

[Audiobeer]

There's no excuse for what went down. . At least Beatrice Foods didn't treat everybody like JBL Does now when they took it down. If you screw with your best people and out source based on cost you become as Dell has. Global Whores with poor customer satisfaction.

[Mr. Widget]

There's no excuse for what went down. . At least Beatrice Foods didn't treat everybody like JBL Does now when they took it down. If you screw with your best people and out source based on cost you become as Dell has. Global Whores with poor customer satisfaction.

I think you may be insulting Global Whores in the comparison.


Widget

[brutal]

There's no excuse for what went down. . At least Beatrice Foods didn't treat everybody like JBL Does now when they took it down. If you screw with your best people and out source based on cost you become as Dell has. Global Whores with poor customer satisfaction.

Not defending them, but Dell just bought/merged EMC for $67B and that's really going to shake up the enterprise markets.

[cooky1257]

Treat your products well and enjoy them while you can.Best Regards,Greg Timbers

Anyone else notice the implications of this part?

[gasfan]

Anyone else notice the implications of this part?

Yikes.




The End

[mech986]

I am sad and dismayed at what has happened to you Greg, but this has been part of the way corporate US culture has been for some time. I hope you were able to clear out your office for at least your personal items and materials. I hope this month and the next few months will provide clarity on where your next steps and direction will lead you.

The new venture with Allan at Samsung looks very promising and with it still in LA could be up your alley. Still, I'm not a huge fan of Samsung so would suggest you might consider approaching Apple with your considerable resume. Considering they have branched into so many areas concerning audio (cars, source devices), it would seem to me they could consider substantial sound systems as well. Maybe they could appreciate talent, success, and above all, meticulous engineering along with aesthetic taste in audio design, be it with small, medium, or large systems, especially with the potential to bring about a reboot in mid to large scale audio loudspeaker systems integrated into an Apple ecosystem. However, aside from the S106 or Aquarius IV, I don't recall you working with any speakers in white (excluding the JBL Creature).

Whatever you do, use your "benefits" (COBRA, health insurance, whatever vacation compensation) wisely, and moving your company retirement directly rolled over to your own managed and controlled IRA/Roth. If you have any company stock options, may as well translate them into other things (stocks of other companies) if you so choose.

Here's to your next endeavors, and may they be as blessed, successful and filled with integrity, passion, and soul as you have always been. It was a pleasure to meet and speak with you at the past 3 Lansing Heritage awards gatherings, and I hope there will be future chances to see you again. Best wishes.

Regards,

Bartley Yee

[4313B]

Anyone else notice the implications of this part?

He has been warning us for years to get what we needed because it wasn't going to be available forever. Nothing new there. We've all witnessed the steady decline in parts availability.

I think it would be insightful to understand the impact of Greg's departure on the JBL brand in Japan.

I think Harman Japan is dead. I think the 70th anniversary system was cancelled. Apparently the remaining large systems that are out there are all that is left. I suppose I could be wrong but that's the impression I got.

I will not comment further on details until a much later date. My decision, not theirs.

[pauly]

Greg,

My father (recently passed) and I are both musicians in sunny Australia. We have always appreciated, and often enjoyed the reality of a sizable pair of JBLS. Now I understand that there's a team involved, I also understand that the standards and tastes of a single individual can usually be attributable to certain products. I think I have found that individual - You.

This short sighted 'Greed for the shareholders' also encompasses most Australian businesses now, and even though the outcome is obvious following this creed (Complete domination by the Chinese who make and own everything) - it continues. Bloody sad.

From the bottom of my heart, I want to thank you for the enjoyment I would feel, & see in my fathers eyes when we would listen to his music through the big JBLs.

Please keep us posted with your future plans as I would like to follow any projects you get involved in.

Thanks again Greg.

I was unceremoniously separated from employment by Harman following a 90 second explanation. My position was eliminated! Following an explanation of benefits, I was escorted out. The timing came as a surprise and as such, I haven't thought about my future plans. While I don't need to work financially, I need to be active and challenged so I must figure out what makes sense for me going forward. To be clear, this is not what I wanted or deserved, but I will not comment further on details until a much later date. My decision, not theirs.It was a good run and I am very pleased that I have brought so many people enjoyment with the products I have developed over the last 4 decades. Once things settle down, I hope to be more available on the forum, but I need some time to adjust.My best wishes to all you JBL fans. Treat your products well and enjoy them while you can.Best Regards,Greg Timbers

[martin_wu99]

I was unceremoniously separated from employment by Harman following a 90 second explanation. My position was eliminated! Following an explanation of benefits, I was escorted out. The timing came as a surprise and as such, I haven't thought about my future plans. While I don't need to work financially, I need to be active and challenged so I must figure out what makes sense for me going forward. To be clear, this is not what I wanted or deserved, but I will not comment further on details until a much later date. My decision, not theirs.It was a good run and I am very pleased that I have brought so many people enjoyment with the products I have developed over the last 4 decades. Once things settle down, I hope to be more available on the forum, but I need some time to adjust.My best wishes to all you JBL fans. Treat your products well and enjoy them while you can.Best Regards,Greg Timbers

Dear Mr.Timbers

It's my great honor to meet you on this forum,i have been known you from books/magnizes/web for many years,you designed JBL products brings me so many happiness and joy,i really appreciate your outstanding work and contribution in JBL CO.i wish you more happy than during Harman.
By the way,do you consider to found a new speaker brand by yourself? because you have so many fans all over the world

Best regard

Martin

[4313B]

I was watching some Crown videos on YouTube and thought I'd go check out the JBL and JBL Professional channels.
One can definitely see where JBL has been headed.
There was a video published 4 months ago on the JBL Pro Channel with G.T. in it.

[Alobar]

Such sad news.. I have owned and loved JBL for 40 years and now I feel left with nothing but the past. What is it about corporate America that they just don't get it anymore? It is the people who created the products which generated the brand loyalty and reputation they ride on the back of today, and it would seem (and used to be the case) that it would be of the utmost importance to preserve and add to this reputation. But ignorant (or just plain selfish) corporate leadership is just hell bent to cash in on the hard work of previous generations with only their huge pay packages seemingly their sole consideration. It is getting to the point where there is going to be no brand loyalty left as every company with a quality reputation races to the bottom of the barrel.

[LowPhreak]

That is exactly the case, Alobar. It's self-centered profit taking pushed to every extreme that can be found. That's basically what's taught in business schools now, not also corporate responsibility to its employees, customers, and environment in which it operates.

The over-weening douchebags named above (a few of which have worked for nefarious outfits such as Rand Corp.) and others like them at Harman would have unceremoniously canned an Einstein or Steve Jobs or Edison like they did Greg T. if it served their greedy interests in the slightest.

There is no brand loyalty or respect for what came before, or even national loyalty (keep the brand in the U.S. made by Americans), thanks to globalization. If an extra nickel in profit can be squeezed out by using a cheaper fastener or grade of paint or process, or lower-paid workers, etc., that's what they'll do...AND while attempting to ask the same or higher price for the same model but lower quality product.

[badman]

There's a documentary on Enron called "The smartest guys in the room". Basically, the essence of modern corporatism is that the ones making the millions got there by racing to the bottom. By being willing to behave poorly from a humanitarian perspective, they've taken advantages unavailable to better people, and been more successful- they think they're clever because the better people didn't see those "opportunities", they're narcissistic to go along with their sociopathy.

Eventually, people will get fed up with the long-term destruction this brings, but until then we're borked.