If you want to find the best car speakers for your car or truck, you will need to make some choices.
Firstly, you will need to choose between full-range speakers and component speakers.
Next, you will also need to pay attention to four other crucial factors namely size, power handling, sensitivity, and build quality.
Although your budget and other things will also matter, paying attention to the above four factors will enable you to find good car speakers that work with your car system as well as provide great sound.
1. Component vs. Coaxial
Choosing between component and coaxial speakers is not something that you can decide very easily. Although component speakers will provide better sound, they are usually more expensive.
On the other hand, full-range speakers are easier to install as you can readily find aftermarket replacements that can directly replace the OEM units.
If the most important thing that you want is sound quality, then you can go for component speakers. If not, you can consider buying full-range speakers as they can get the job done equally well. Also, if you plan to install the speakers yourself and you don’t have so much experience, you would be better off buying full-range speakers.
2. Size and Configuration of your current speakers
Check the speakers currently in your car before you begin shopping for new ones. In case you want to replace the entire speaker system, just remove them and get their measurements. If you cannot remove them, just have the model as well as the year of manufacture of your car, and the selling store will be able to check the speaker size for you.
In case you bought your truck or car from the factory with coaxial speakers, and you want to replace them with other new speakers of the same kind, it is very important that you know configurations and sizes of your existing speakers. It is possible to buy new speakers that you can easily drop into your preexisting speaker receptacles.
3. Power Handling
This means the power level that you may pump through your speakers. This is measured in watts but more commonly, it is measured in RMS (root mean square). It is critical that you consider the maximum RMS power handling speakers as opposed to peak RMS power handling.
In order to get the best from your car speakers, you need to ensure that your speakers can handle power put out by external amplifiers or head units. This is why a lot of people first choose the head unit before buying speakers.
4. Sensitivity
For you to determine the best sensitivity level to look for, it is important that you know the amount of power put out by your external amp or head unit. Sensitivity refers to the amount of power the car speakers need in order to play at a certain volume level. Speakers that have higher sensitivity generally require less power.
In case you have an anemic stereo from the factory, you need speakers with a high level of sensitivity. But speakers with low sensitivity levels will generally work fine with high-powered external amplifiers.
5. Surround Material
Build quality is one of the biggest reasons why you may want to upgrade your car speakers. The majority of OEM speakers tend to be constructed using low-quality materials which will surely degrade with time.
For this reason, you can get higher sound speakers by simply upgrading your speakers. Therefore, you can expect that your speakers will be more durable if you insist on those constructed with high-quality materials.
Check for the following materials:
- Rubber surrounds usually last longer and offer great sound quality.
- Cloth and foam surrounds are not as durable as rubber surrounds although they are still much better compared to foam and paper.
- Woofer materials that are stiff and lightweight such as metal-coated artificial fabrics are not only durable but also provide a bass response.
- Silk or polyblend tweeters or harder materials such as metal or ceramic depend on your personal taste.
Does the Cost Matter?
I already mentioned earlier that the budget will also matter in finding a good speaker. So I gather that you’re a bit keen to know how much you should spend on car speakers.
I personally believe that drivers should invest in their car accessories, especially if you spend a lot of time traveling. I also believe that a comfortable drive largely depends on how much you spend on speakers.
However, the first thing you should ask yourself is if you are a big spender or a spendthrift, just so you know where you are and how much you will be willing to spend on gadgets. And you also need to be aware if you actually have an allowance to spend (especially if you already have your own family and other priorities). Trust me, this can help you decide how much you can spend.
Now, once you put those trivial questions out of the way and you’re still unsure about how much to spend, go back and reread this article from the start and consider your expectations for sound quality, etc. Take note as well of how long you intend to be in your car.
I’d recommend entry- to mid-level speakers if you’re simply looking for a step up from factory sound and if you plan to trade your car in just a few years.
Meanwhile, if you’re planning to keep your car for quite a long time, you can opt to build a system/ It won’t be a bad idea at all if you start to invest by buying a premium set of speakers early on.
Always remember that if you step up in cost, you’re also stepping up the quality of design and materials used for car speakers. Most drivers know that a better design is more efficient and better materials will result in better sound quality. These speakers will also last longer.
Conclusion
As you can see, there is a lot that goes into choosing good car speakers.
You not only have to choose between full range and component speakers but you will need to know the size and configuration of your current speakers, sensitivity, power handling, and the quality of materials used to construct your speakers.
If you take the above factors into consideration, you will surely get good car speakers that give you the best value for your investment.