Best Car Speakers In 2020

Everyone loves listening to the radio or some music when they drive. It’s an integral part of the experience. And to get the most out of this experience you will need the best speakers for your car.

You may be wondering how you can find the right speaker for you and your car. There are a number of things to consider, and some of them can feel a bit confusing. In this article we will be looking into 7 of the best car speakers available in the market today. We have made our selection based on a range of criteria, from the sound quality to the price range.

Now without any further ado, lets get going!

Best Car Speakers

JBL GTO609C – Overall Best

The JBL GTO609C features an incredible frequency range, amazing bass response and a sound quality that simply cannot be matched for the same price range. The JBL GTO609C is loud, with a power of up to 270 Watts. The loudness is primarily due to the oversized voice coils that allow for increased power handling.

These speakers come with a larger than average woofer. These woofers have been designed to allow maximum air flow. Also the cones are made of carbon infused materials that are lighter and sturdier than the traditional polypropylene. The woofer does a fine job at handling bass which is why this is the speaker to go with if you aren’t planning on getting a subwoofer.

The tweeters on these speakers are also state of the art, featuring fabric diaphragms and dual level volume adjustment. The tweeter mounting system allows you to adjust the tweeter location as per your need. If your car has its tweeters placed at an awkward positions, this can be a great feature.

JBL is a renowned brand in the world of audio systems. And this budget line of car speakers is no different. While the GTO609C may not be a match for the other high end car speakers manufactured by JBL, given its price range, it definitely deserved a place on our list.

Kenwood KFC-1695PS – Budget Option

The Kenwood KFC-1695PS is a 3-way co-axial speaker that comes with an acoustic sound harmonizer and is one of the more affordable speakers on the list.

The Kenwood KFC-1695PS is better than most speakers on this list in terms of high frequency replication. But when it comes to replicating the lows, this speaker falls behind. The main reason why it is so good at replicating the highs is because of the more pronounced Tweeter (1.25 inches) and the Super tweeters (just 0.5 inches!).

The cones of this speaker are made of paper. What this means is that they will not be able to withstand very high volume. That is perhaps one of its downsides and can be linked to its low price. But other than that this is an excellent speaker.

Kenwood has a long history of manufacturing high quality audio systems. The KFC-1695PS is a great speaker for anyone looking to replicate high frequency ranges on a budget speaker.

Rockford Fosgate R165X3 – Great Mid-Range Replication

While Rockford may not be a brand name as popular as the others that have been reviewed here, the Rockford Fosgate R165X3 is certainly a great car speaker. This is a 3-way co-axial set, featuring an additional piezo super tweeter along with the woofer and the tweeter. The super tweeter is cable of handling ultra-high frequency range, which in turn saves the other cones from over-exerting themselves.

At 91 dB, the Rockford Fosgate R165X3 is one of the most sensitive car speakers out there. Also the cones are made of quality material. The woofer cone is made of polypropylene whereas the tweeter dome is made of silk. One notable downside about this speaker however is that it is quite weak, at only 45 RMS watts. Also this speaker seems to perform best with the mid-range frequencies, but it fails to produce quality lows or highs. It appears to have a problem differentiating between the different frequency responses and delivering the sound to appropriate speaker cone.

The Rockford Fosgate R165X3 is still a great speaker for your car. Due to its great handling of the mid-ranges, it is particularly recommended for those who enjoy listening to Talk Radio or Audiobooks.

Also, check out our list of the best shower speakers.

Infinity Kappa 60.11 CS – The Best Mid-Range and Highs

Infinity‘s Kappa 60.11 CS is a component speaker system that features Plus One cone technology, meaning that it has a larger cone inside it. It also features composite speaker frame and rubber surrounds.

In terms of the sound quality, these produce a stunning replication of the mid-range and the highs. For a speaker that is just 6.5 inches, you wouldn’t believe the quality of the sound. While the lows aren’t that impressive, this speaker manages to give you one of the best reproduction of the music you love.

One of the downsides regarding these could be the price range. Also, as with all components, in order to unlock the true power of the Kappa 60.11 CS, you will have to pair it with a good amplifier.

Alpine SPS610 – For Optimized Airflow

The Apline S9S610 has been designed in such a way as to allow maximum airflow within them. This prevents them from overheating. Furthermore, the woofer cone is made of polypropylene reinforced with mica. This not only ensures a good sound quality, but also a sturdy build that can withstand high volumes. The Tweeter dome however is made of silk. While this does produce great sound quality, it may not be the best choice in terms of durability.

The whole speaker frame is made of polymer and is protected by a butyl rubber surrounding. This helps control the response. The cones are regulated by specialized magnets, which ensures that a particular frequency gets delivered to the most appropriate cone.

Alpine is a German company with a rich history in area of audio system manufacturing. You can always count on this brand to deliver the best sounds. While the S9S610 may be a bit expensive, it sure holds up to the reputation of the Alpine brand name.

Pioneer TS6900PRO – The Best Bass Response

If you’ve been going through our list looking for an audio system that can deliver killer bass, the Pioneer TS6900PRO is the speaker for you. This 6×9 speaker system features quality components, amazing power handling and a superb bass response.

Let us begin by discussing the impressive power handling of the Pioneer TS6900PRO. With the rating of a staggering 600 watts the sound will be loud! Component wise, it features two ⅞-inch tweeters that handle the high-end of the frequency range and a woofer with a pulp cone that handles the mid and low range. The TS6900PRO’s woofer is great at handling bass responses.

So Pioneer does offer a pretty unique combination with its TS6900PRO car audio system. If you’re looking for a speaker system that can both replicate impressive bass and allow loud volumes, this is the choice for you.

BOSS NX654

The BOSS NX654 is the last car speaker on our list and it could be one of the best. This is a 4-way co-axial speaker, which means it has four different cones to isolate the different frequency responses. This means that each of the different frequency ranges will be more pronounced and this will in turn result in a clear and crisp sound.

In terms of the arrangement, you have the woofer cone and a mid cone with the tweeter and the super tweeter. While this arrangement is efficient in some ways, the woofer sound tends to get drowned out by the other cones. Another important point about the BOSS NX654 is the way it manages power. It has an RMS rating of 100 watts. It is also an incredibly sensitive speaker, at around 90 dB. But this still doesn’t change the fact that this speaker struggles to replicate an impressive bass response.

BOSS is one of the most popular brand names in the world of audio systems. The company has over 3 decades of experience in this domain. And the NX654 is a true testament to its reputation.

Understanding Car Speakers

We just looked at 7 amazing car speakers. But what exactly is it that makes one of these speaker different from another? It is important to understand this before you can head out and select one of these for yourself. So let us try and understand car speakers.

Speaker Types

There are basically three different types in an audio system:

Subwoofers: Subwoofers are the largest types of speakers, usually 10-15 inches in size. Most cars don’t come with one pre-installed, and they have to be installed later. Subwoofers are basically responsible for handling the lowest frequencies in your music. So while some users may be able to do without one, if you listen to music with bass in it, you may want one.

Woofers: Woofers are the second types of speakers in a car audio system. They are smaller than subwoofers, usually 3.5-7.5 inches in size. Woofers are responsible for handling the mid-range frequencies in your music. In a high end audio system, there are usually more than one woofers. For instance, there could be a bigger one to handle mid-bass and a smaller one to handle mid-high frequencies.

Tweeters: Tweeters are the third and the smallest kinds in a car audio system. They are usually under 1.5 inches in size. In high end systems they are usually mounted in the middle of the woofer. Tweeters are responsible for handling the high-end frequencies in your music.

Car Audio Systems

We’ve looked at the three types these. Now let us look at the different type of car audio systems:

Component Speakers: These are audio systems where each component (woofer, subwoofer, tweeter, amplifier and crossover) is a separate entity. While these are the more expensive of the two types of audio systems, they generate a much richer sound. This is because the tweeters and the woofers are placed separately. They are quite difficult to setup but in the end are totally worth it.

Coaxial (or Full Range) Speakers: Coaxial or Full Range speakers are the opposite of component. They come with every component (woofer, subwoofer, tweeter, amplifier and crossover) of the speaker is bundled together to form one system. While they may not generate sounds as rich as those generated by components, they are relatively affordable and still do a pretty good job.

Other Components

Besides speakers, there are two other important components that make a car audio system.

Amplifiers: Amplifiers are present in every sound system. Their job is to amplify the sound being produced by the input source and send it to the speakers. The stock amplifier that you get pre-installed with your car cannot provide enough power to an external audio system. Based on the sound system you have, you may choose between a one channel amplifier (capable of charging just one speaker) to a five channel amplifier (capable of powering five speakers).

Crossovers: Crossovers are the computer like devices that channel the sound into a specific type of speaker based on its frequency. The crossover channels the lower frequencies into the subwoofer, the mid-range frequencies into the woofer and the high-end frequencies into the tweeter. In coaxial systems, crossovers are built into the speaker whereas in component systems they are separate.

Closing Thoughts

So that was our article on the best audio systems/speakers you could buy for your car in 2020. We reviewed a total of 7 devices and we ended the article answer some of the most frequently asked questions about car speakers.

We hope this article helped you make a decision!

You may also want to check out our list of the best budget gaming headsets.