350z - To rear speaker or not?

[Valdis]

So in the price range of ~$180... JBL has better speakers than MBQ? Is this true at all price points or just this one.

My thought was to keep the MBQ (just the 6.5") in the rear, since he already has them .... then match the tonality with another set of MBQ up front.

I understand that the MBQ he currently has are old... and buying new MBQ for the front won't have the same tonality anyway. I was just asking for sake of uniformity

 

[Chromatic]

So in the price range of ~$180... JBL has better speakers than MBQ? Is this true at all price points or just this one.My thought was to keep the MBQ (just the 6.5") in the rear, since he already has them .... then match the tonality with another set of MBQ up front.

I understand that the MBQ he currently has are old... and buying new MBQ for the front won't have the same tonality anyway. I was just asking for sake of uniformity

Hrmm.. interesting idea.

It would be next to impossible to "match" these MB Quarts. These 6.5" Coaxial MB Quarts are from 1998,.. $499 a set,.. and are IIRC Model QM-160 KX, 6.5" mids with 1" tweeters. I don't know the full story, but I do know these MB Quarts were built in Germany before MB Quart was bought out by .. I think.. Kicker? (Don't quote me). So while MB Quarts aren't junk now,.. they aren't the speakers they were back when these were made.

But.. I did A TON of question asking on what speakers to buy for the front components.. (So much so,.. more than one person got rather annoyed at me..) -- And the JBL MS-62C's were highly recommended here, .. AND on a 350Z forum I frequent. So after reading tons of reviews.. and research,.. I went with the JBL MS-62C's, for the front.

Now which speakers are the better speaker? That's a tough one. I know back in the late 90's.. these were some of the best Coaxials (under $750) you could buy. They sounded phenomenal and at 70watts RMS a piece (rather low considering).. they were louder WITH great Sound quality than TWO , JL Audio 12" subs in the rear hatch (sealed box) in a 300ZX.

When I started this "hunt" and research on upgrading the TWO 10watt factory speakers.. (Here's the build log, if you want to see what the factory Speaker looked like (magnet the size of a quarter).. and what the MB Quarts look like installed, etc.. --- Click For Build LOG: http://www.caraudio.com/forums/car-audio-build-logs-cars-trucks-suvs/598484-2008-350z-installation-process.html )

I was VERY much in favor of buying more MB Quarts, and Kenwood amps -- After visiting here for a month or so.. I ended up with JBL Components, and a PPI amp! I DID stick to my guns on the sub brand.. JL Audio 10" sub. People didn't particularly light my selection of JL Audio,.. saying essentially that JL isn't what it used to be.. and for $99 I could get a much better Sub than the JL 10" I bought. Shrug,.. I think it'l do fine for my needs.

Anyhow,.. my intuition is that I'm going to end up toning the rears down to about 20-25% with fronts at 100%.. Due to their location (you can see in the build log link above).. So it's going to essentially be less about matching tonality and more about making sure the mid/high stage is positioned up front properly.. and not blown out by these MB Quarts screaming at 100 percent fighting with the Front's,.. in effect creating a degradation of sound.

I had these MB Quarts as you read already,.. so it's no big deal to have them running at 20% or so of their "potential". They've been sitting in my closet in a sealed box for a decade anyway,.. Might as well do something with them.

 

[Side Show 10+ year member]

MBQ used to be qite high-end..... but now El-cheapo

 

[Chromatic]

Depending on what engine you have, the 350z has 280 or 300hp stock. The 300zx TT has 300hp stock... so they are the same.
They actually had a drag race with numerous stock Z cars... If I remember correctly they finished 300zx >370 >350

Heh. This car is the 2008 (last year of the 350).. and they upgrading the engine in 06-08.. This has the HR motor, which has 306 factory hp,.. (6 more than the fastest 300ZX TT, which was the 93 model). Hit's it at 6800rpm,..

At any rate.. The 0-60 stock is 5.1 on this motor/car,.. and Quarter mile is 13.5 Stock on this motor/car.

Don't get it confused with the 2003-2005 350z's.. they are slower (not a HUGE amount.. but they didn't completely reengineer the motor of the Z I have for nothing. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif ).

So essentially.. Stock for stock -- The 300ZX TT and 2008 350Z are identical in 0-60 times (nothing done to them). Differences are the 300ZX TT , well, has forced induction (two turbos).. is a 3.0 Liter, and 5 Speed Manual. The 2008 350Z has naturally aspirated,. one easy way to tell difference in the slower motor and faster motor on the 350's is to pop the hood,.. The older ones 2003-2005 have single intake. The Newer ones have dual intakes on each side of the engine.

The 350Z , as the name implied, is a 3.5 Liter engine,.. As opposed to the 300ZX's 3.0 liter (Turbo or NA)

The 2008 350Z has a 6 speed Manual *****,.. and is faster in the quarter than the 300ZX TT.

If I had my pick of either car.. 300ZX TT or my car.. I'd take mine all day long,.. just too many improvements not to. In fact the HR motors in the later 350Z year models share more in common with the 370's than the older 350's..

Don't get me wrong.. I LOVE 300ZX's,.. great cars,.. STILL look awesome 24 years later,.. A timeless design (Most 24yr old cars look , well, old!.. the 300ZX doesn't.. and I don't think ever will.)

I just threw on a new set of Rubber on this 350Z.. Tirerack has great deals. Got some Bridgestone Potenza S-04 Pole Position 225/45/18 and for rears 245/45/18's for $650 shipped. In the store they would have been over a grand. As I just got this car,.. I'm content with my ~350 HP.. But, plenty of mods are coming down the line.. Right now I'm working on the speaker/amp/sub upgrade. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif

I understand why you are putting the MBQ's in the rear locations.... just wondering why you went with JBL up front and not another set of MBQ's

I addressed this best I could in a reply above this one.

 

[Jeffdachef 5,000+ posts]

you know, what you could do is disable the tweeters on those mb quarts and use them as midbasses in the kick panels pretty much running a 3 way active setup, will take some fiberglass work and tuning but it might be a fun project in the future.

 

[Valdis]

Heh. This car is the 2008 (last year of the 350).. and they upgrading the engine in 06-08.. This has the HR motor, which has 306 factory hp,.. (6 more than the fastest 300ZX TT, which was the 93 model). Hit's it at 6800rpm,..
I just threw on a new set of Rubber on this 350Z.. Tirerack has great deals. Got some Bridgestone Potenza S-04 Pole Position 225/45/18 and for rears 245/45/18's for $650 shipped. In the store they would have been over a grand. As I just got this car,.. I'm content with my ~350 HP.. But, plenty of mods are coming down the line.. Right now I'm working on the speaker/amp/sub upgrade. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif

Didn't know there was 306hp version of the 350z.. interesting.

I have Hankook Ventus V12 Evo's on my car now, 275/35Z/18 and they can't keep me on the road. I'm going to have buy some MT or Hoosier's.. lol

 

[Chromatic]

Didn't know there was 306hp version of the 350z.. interesting.
I have Hankook Ventus V12 Evo's on my car now, 275/35Z/18 and they can't keep me on the road. I'm going to have buy some MT or Hoosier's.. lol

Yup engine was overhauled by Nissan in '06 or '07.. As I said it's 75%+ shares engineering with the 370's,.. is totally different than the 03-06 350's.

This article explains it decently..

2008 Nissan 350Z - Overview - CarGurus

Just scroll down to 2008 350Z area. They mention bump in RPM range, HP increase,.. etc.. But the engine really got an overhaul. Which doesn't make a ton of sense doing that to an existing model of the car,.. but Nissan was doing it in transition to the 370.. So the 2008 350Z is sort of like a "360Z" in a sense,.. as it's a transitional model between the 350 and 370 if that makes any sense lol.

Torque didn't get boosted too much at all ,.. but horsepower and dyno curve, plus extended power in the higher rpm's were the goal with the engine re-design.

My first Z was a 300ZX NA,.. with 222hp.. And while that car was insanely fun,.. and fast.. This car is a beast compared to that car. Even with the meager 350hp (close to stock).. this thing will get you into trouble VERY fast. While the 300ZX I had was quite forgiving .. IIRC it did 6.7 seconds with the manual *****,.. I don't think manual vs. automatics change the numbers these days very much,.. but back in the 90's it still made a difference. Though I can't stand to drive an automatic, much less an automatic sports car. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/wink.gif.608e3ea05f1a9f98611af0861652f8fb.gif

 

[Valdis]

Yup engine was overhauled by Nissan in '06 or '07.. As I said it's 75%+ shares engineering with the 370's,.. is totally different than the 03-06 350's.
This article explains it decently..

2008 Nissan 350Z - Overview - CarGurus

Just scroll down to 2008 350Z area. They mention bump in RPM range, HP increase,.. etc.. But the engine really got an overhaul. Which doesn't make a ton of sense doing that to an existing model of the car,.. but Nissan was doing it in transition to the 370.. So the 2008 350Z is sort of like a "360Z" in a sense,.. as it's a transitional model between the 350 and 370 if that makes any sense lol.

Torque didn't get boosted too much at all ,.. but horsepower and dyno curve, plus extended power in the higher rpm's were the goal with the engine re-design.

My first Z was a 300ZX NA,.. with 222hp.. And while that car was insanely fun,.. and fast.. This car is a beast compared to that car. Even with the meager 350hp (close to stock).. this thing will get you into trouble VERY fast. While the 300ZX I had was quite forgiving .. IIRC it did 6.7 seconds with the manual *****,.. I don't think manual vs. automatics change the numbers these days very much,.. but back in the 90's it still made a difference. Though I can't stand to drive an automatic, much less an automatic sports car. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/wink.gif.608e3ea05f1a9f98611af0861652f8fb.gif

The automatic 300zx has smaller cams than the manual and was rated at 280hp, not 300hp. That is why there was a difference between the auto and manual.

I have a 1996 TT, it's OBDII... which means it has smaller cams than even the automatic and it doesn't have VTC... but it still had 300hp stock. The issue with the 1996 is the cams, you run into a wall at 400whp, you can't get past ~400whp with a '96 regardless of the mods you put on it. The cams are so restrictive that even with the largest turbos on the market you are stuck.

To get past this you have to upgrade the cams and while you're at it, may as well install VTC.

My TT has the Bose speaker system in it, so I'm leaving it alone. Not because Bose makes good speakers, it's just a PITA to make the change. Plus I want to keep it mostly stock on the inside... it's a '96 with 67K original miles, a collectors item //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif

I also have a 1993 Honda Prelude VTEC which is a blast to drive (this is what I'm putting new speakers in). It has 190hp and weighs 2,800, which is a little over 500lbs less then our "Z" cars weigh. It's a 1993 with 59K original miles... but it's my DD so that will be going up.