Car Toys confirmed it will start carrying the JBL (Harman) MS-8 new $800 sound system-in-a-box for the car, giving this “new category in car audio” (JBL’s terms) a broader retail presence.
The MS-8 that began shipping around June is also at Crutchfield and Amazon but is otherwise still a bit scarce at retail according to a Google search, although JBL says it is now upping production of the the unit.
The MS-8 is “seriously beating expectations and we have had to up production…All that hard work was well worth it,” claimed JBL’s Chris Dragon.
Crutchfield said it is “generally pleased” with sales of the device so far but noted the first sales may be atypical. “This product was talked about for 3-years so we’re not sure how much is pent up demand,” said senior director mobile merchandising Carl Mathews.
In the desert of innovation in the car electronics market, we find the MS-8 to be one of the more advanced products to hit store shelves so we’re putting a little focus on it here. (See video below). It works with existing car stereo components to improve sound so you don’t need to go the typical route of adding speakers and an outboard amplifier. At $800 it may be a hard pitch in this economy, but JBL says a high percentage of its buyers are BMW owners.
The MS-8 has a built in 20 x 8 amplifier, 31-band graphic eq, requires no separate volume knob and has a 5-line LCD display for set up and menus. It also converts 2-channel CDs, MP3 audio, etc. to 5.1 or 7.1 channel surround sound. It has an aux in so you can add a device such as an iPod and the MS-8 will run the audio from the iPod through its processing for improved audio.
Source: CEoutlook
So BMW owners are going to make 6 x 4″ crappy speakers sound incredible with an 8 channel processor that the BMW owner is going to install in one hour?
Dont think so. Expect to see this system with awesome code on Ebay for Under $100 in about 10 months.
Why:
Reason 1:
They just ticked off all their dealers by stating its an easy 1 hour or so install, which we all know its not (no dealer support)
Reason 2:
Audio enthusiasts are the only guys that would think about spending $800 on a processor. Yet they think their target market is the average guy who happens to own a BMW and cant live with the horrible PIONEER system in the car.
Reason 3:
I said so. I know my stuff. Have made major miscalculations before and this one smells worse.
PS: considering there are 8ch @ only 20W each its safe to assume that many high end systems will not improve output nor sound quality, considering that high end processors are already built into the expensive OEM Audio systems and are designed specifically for the car their in, and these systems have as much as 40W per channel.
Oh yeah, 1 hour install! sure. I guess they still believe in the Tooth Fairy.