How to Choose Car Speakers

5 Easy Questions to Ask Yourself That will Make You Decide Like a Pro

Because driving is so much fun when we’re singing our hearts out, it is only proper for us to get the right car speakers that will make the singing even more fun.

Here are some questions you can ask so that you’ll know how to choose car speakers (and get the best one out there).

• How much power can my head unit handle?

If your head unit has an RMS of 15 W or below, you need to get a speaker that has a high sensitivity rating.

Speakers with high sensitivity mean it doesn’t need much power to play the song quality you prefer. Go for ones that are 90 dB and above.

If you have a high-powered head unit, on the other hand, you may go for speakers with lower sensitivity.

Aside from sensitivity, consider the power handling as well. Check out the speakers’ RMS power and match it with your audio system, especially with the amp. Low-powered systems may work best with speakers whose RMS are from 2 to 50 W.

These considerations ensure that your song gets played in the quality that you want and, of course, to avoid dealing with an electronic barbecue.

• How much time do I have to install?

Installation time is faster if you would go for coaxial or full range speakers. Because these types of speakers have all the drivers—high to low—in one enclosure, it is easier to place them in your car. This is good news for busy ones and the newbies.

The downside of it, however, is that you are limited in terms of mixing and matching your drivers. So the sound quality may not be as you expect it to be.

If the installation time is not a problem, go for the component speakers. You get one separate driver for each range it can play and you can go on experimenting with them to get the best sound you want. You may also be creative in choosing the best spot for them, especially the subwoofers.

• How much is my budget?

Car speakers come at various prices, but obviously, if you go for the component speakers you’ll have to spend about triple the price of the full range ones. If you are buying just the drivers, you will also need to buy enclosures and so on.
So if you mind is saying “Let’s go” but your wallet is saying “No”, go for the full range speakers. There are a lot out there that still sounds great despite their limitations.
Or look for the best speakers that may fit your budget—both component and full range.

• Am I upgrading or looking for a temporary replacement?

Whether you are upgrading or merely replacing your factory speakers, the first thing you have to know is the size of your driver. This will ensure that your newly bought speakers will actually fit your car.

Also, knowing the drivers you need will make sure you don’t get deafening nor too quiet sound when you press the play button.

Another consideration you may want to think of is the quality of these speakers. In general, rubber surrounds spells better durability than foam and cloth ones. For subwoofers, find cones that are made of stiff yet lightweight materials such as polypropylene. For tweeters, you may go for silk or ceramic ones.

If you are upgrading, it is best to choose speakers that can last for a longer period. But if it is an urgent need or you’re seeing yourself to get new ones in the near future, you may go for the cheaper variants. Just make sure that the sound quality is not compromised.

• What features do I want along with my speakers?

Aside from the above features, you may also consider other factors such as pivoting tweeters and crossovers.

What’s good about pivoting tweeters is that you can aim it directly at the listeners, which results in better sound production because tweeters are directional.

You may also opt for detachable tweeters that you may use for both full-range and component speakers.

Having crossovers will allow you to filter which frequency goes to which driver.  Say, if you want the sub to play only frequencies below 100 Hz, you do so with a crossover. This will result in a cleaner sound from each of your drivers.

In short
Choosing the car speakers for you should be compatible with basically three aspects: your car size, your preferences, and your budget.
Knowing each of these will save you from buying the wrong product and make sure you have the best company in that belting out you always do.

Erin Taylor is the founder of YouthTune.Com, a music adventurer. She loves learning about music and audio devices, and she’s probably been to the music festival you were at last summer.