audi-o-man

THE SPEAKER BASKETS ARE PLASTIC!!!! I can't believe a company that prides itself on making good quality speakers from "Only the best components" can do this!!! If the speaker is not installed EXACTLY correctly, the basket deforms and the mid-range driver is out of alignment, causing distortion...I don't think the baskets are plastic on the high end Q models (hopefully not)...but this is still outrageous for even mid-level speakers...Even companies like Alpine make their $79.00 coaxial speakers with metal baskets..I mean come on, that's fundamental..........WHAT DO YOU ALL THINK????

Gary

With the MBQuart adapters (which are also plastic), the speaker has quite a bit of flex. Shop had a hard time figuring out why I kept blowin' 'em out - they're conclusion was warpage from the plastic baskets combined with the flex from the adapter.

But I still love the sound of my MBQ's.

recognized1

I always thought they are overrated.

The R

equipment for almost 10 years. And no, the higher end speakers do not have plastic baskets.

audi-o-man

Only if you get the top-top of the line do they have aluminum baskets...But, what's the point?...

The R

Ooops...my bad on not paying attention to you saying you didn't own in MBQs.

That's the first I've heard of someone having that kind of issue. Sounds like someone was being extra rough on install. My PSDs, PSCs and Q series didn't have plastic baskets. I could careless what they did on their bottom line or any line that I'm not going to buy...I don't have to get it. I agree that if you are going to get MBQs, you need to buy the at min. the PSDs...but I personally wouldn't go less than the Q series.

So, what do you mean by that "what's the point?"

audi-o-man

producing a so called "good speaker" with plastic speaker baskets? To save a couple of pennies? They could have just as easily made them with aluminum baskets and make their speaker a lot better just by doing that...Also, the Q line is the top of the line...This means you can only get a decent speaker if you spend at least $400.00...I wouldn't get a speaker that only has 1 decent speaker in it's line -up...this shows me that MB is being careless and thinks the customer can't benifit or know the difference in a metal basket...WHAT DID THEY SKIMP ON WITH THE Q-LINE?...

The R

design/development team? The majority of most companies will not use the same process/materials/technology in their bottom line product as they would in thier top of the line unless the company is has a strictly highend target market. Thats like saying, lets judge M-B on their little A class car in europe or BMW on it's 318ti...LOL Do you really think those cars will have the same technology/processes/components as their top of the line flagship cars? No, it would drive the cost higher than the target market. In the speaker world, you would end up killing off your highend speaker segement...Why buy the top end, when the bottom does everything for half the cost of less? That would defeat the purpose of making multiple lines of products. All companies are in business to make money. Most people that are buying, considering the reference are not trying to get the highest quality components out there...they typically (IMO) are trying to get something decent for a low cost...by doing that, you're going to sacrifice on quality. Weither that be sound quality, power handling and/or construction. You know in car audio, you get what you pay for...I believe everything is overpriced (retail that is) but when you try to be cheap (speaking retail prices only), you will get what you pay for. I can't think of one top speaker manufactuer that doesn't have a set above $400 retail. And those highend sets are usually much better than their bottom line speaker. I wouldn't judge any of them by their lowest line either. That's like saying Lexus sucks becasue Toyota makes/designed the Corolla also. ;-) I'm going to go for their highend...cause I know that's where their focus will lie and typically weither their best speakers will be. But I also know how not to pay retail so I will pay the same price of the low end at retail for the high end. :-p

I'm not here to flame you or start a long debate, but posts like yours give the uninformed about car audio very one sided, unsubstantiated (sp?) claims/biases (sp?) of a good speaker company (not saying they are the best, but certainly not bad) being bad and having bad quality/design issues. You don't have to like MB Quart and that's fine, I've never had an issue with their product and know alot of people who havent' either...at the same time, you have experienced or know the people who have.

You don't think alum. can bend doing a rough installation process? Their are reasons for using a hardned composite vs. a metallic basket....****, don't people use carbon fiber in racing now vs. metal.? ;-)

Installation is always one of the major factors...just like a driver is in a car. I'm trying to figure out how they were installing these speakers and flexing the baskets....sounds like they were not installing them properly....but then again, could just be a poor speaker design...don't know without seeing what was being done. I'm concerned with MBQs feature now that they're bought by you know who.

Dislike them, hate them....but be relastic...don't judge the company by one line...I mean, the reference line? hahah

John P. (TT 225)

Keep in mind that plastic flexes, but metal bends.

mike-lur

and it's not tupperware plastic, it's a composite material that is quite strong and resilient. also can't really imagine a decent install that would make the basket flex in such a way...oh well, been running quarts for about 4 yrs and i don't have any complaints.