In the market for new car speakers? Ready to upgrade or take those factory speakers to another level so you can really start enjoying that daily commute? Let’s review 5 fast facts that you should know before purchasing your new car speakers.

1. Be Aware of the Different Types of Speakers

Love the loud thumping bass that comes from car speakers? That deep, low range sound comes from the subwoofer. From 8” up to 15” sizes, these subwoofers are usually housed in an enclosure or speaker box. If you are considering adding bass make sure to refer to the subwoofer’s manual on the correct enclosure dimensions. There will also be other things to consider as well such as getting the proper amplifier and wiring kit for that corresponding amp.

On the other end of the spectrum, range are tweeters. They capture the high frequencies and provide clarity to voices and musical instruments, whether playing rock, jazz, techno or hip hop. Many vehicles these days have factory tweeters that will be easy to replace.

In between those two are the midbass and midrange speakers that span from 3.5” up to 8”. The most popular sizes are 6.5” and 6×9”. These types of speakers handle the sounds and frequencies that fall in between the tweeters and subwoofers. These speakers are also fairly plugged and play. Refer to this quick video to get a better understanding of how to replace them.

Focal PS 165 F3

2. Car Speakers Vary Significantly in Price

When considering your next car speakers, determining your budget range is critical. As you will see there is a large spectrum of prices when it comes to car audio components and brands. 

Brands like Focal and JL Audio will be more costly while Boss Audio and Power Acoustik will be more affordable. For example, you can purchase a pair of Boss Audio speakers, like these, for under $25. On the other hand, a pair of focal 6.5” component speakers, like the PS 165 F3, for nearly $1000.

Having a budget range and idea of what you want to spend will help you stay focused to narrow down your choices.

3. The Right Car Speakers Can Make a Huge Difference in Sound Quality

Although, certain brands may be more expensive than others, the difference in sound quality and longevity can be massive. Higher quality products produce better results. In some cases, it may be worth spending a little more money to get longer-lasting speakers. Brands like NVXAlpineRockford Fosgate, and Kicker offer a number of speakers with a fairly affordable price tag without sacrificing on quality.

For many vehicles, almost any brand of car speakers will be an upgrade over their factory ones. Vehicle manufacturers are not car audio experts and although you can find some cars and trucks with solid factory speakers and sound, upgrading the speakers can provide dramatic improvements.

4. Know Which Car Speakers Fit Your Specific Vehicle

One critical step to finding and ultimately purchasing new car speakers is knowing the correct specifications and sizes for your specific vehicle model. The last thing you want is some shiny new speakers that don’t even fit your car correctly.

To simplify this process, use Sonic Electronix’s Auto Fit Guide to help narrow down the right options. Choose your make, model and year to view speaker sizes and to shop the right components.

5. Not All Car Speakers are Built Equally

Depending on your budget and the current layout of your vehicle, you will have the choice of coaxial and component speakers to choose from.

Component speakers give you a better placement of your speakers that will allow you to hear the higher frequency range better. This is due to the tweeters being positioned closer to your head allowing those high-frequency sound waves to travel a shorter distance. You can also purchase separate component mid-bass speakers to give you higher quality audio at every frequency. All of these types of speakers will completely depend on your vehicle’s fitment unless you are looking to do some custom fabrication to your interior. 

Coaxial speakers typically contain two drivers and in other cases, they may contain more. They allow you to achieve a full range of frequencies, but the sound will not be as directional as may get out of a set of component speakers. With that said, coaxial speakers are typically lower in cost and more budget-friendly. 

For a more detailed look at the differences between full range and component speakers, check out our article, Coaxial and Component Speakers: What’s the Difference?

There are multiple decisions that you must make when replacing car speakers. Hopefully, this article will help simplify the process. If you need additional assistance, do not hesitate to contact our in-house experts to assist you.