This thread is nearly seven years old. I just re-read Gordon's beginning post but didn't feel like reading anything else in it. We still can end up waiting anywhere from three to eighteen months for replacement parts or drivers. The thing is, sooner or later the parts have always shown up. I know that someday they won't. We've all been told many times that one day there just won't be any more.
I have several legacy JBL systems that I was planning on restoring but I've found that I've completely lost interest in the brand since learning at the beginning of this year that JBL is moving all of manufacturing out of the United States at the end of June.
I'm very probably going to be using Tannoy for my newest home theater system and I've been toying heavily with the idea of getting rid of every last JBL driver I own just to be rid of the whole mess once and for all. I have next to no desire to finish putting together my extremely expensive Array system. My wife thinks I should just pack it all up and see how I feel about it in a few years. She's probably right.
I view the 1400 Array and the Everest II as the end of the line. There is a new system coming out but my last glimmer of interest was killed after talking to you know who. Who knows how I'll feel in a year or two or three or four...
JBL isn't the only company moving everything they possibly can out of the United States. Quite frankly they all disgust me. I view it as Corporate Treason and them as losers because they can't seem to be able to run their businesses profitably. I really don't care who's fault it is, employees, management, stock holders, government, etc. I'll just chalk it up to them being failures and go on with my life.