Best Speakers for Car (Review and Buying Guide) in 2020

All drivers probably want better quality sounds when they are listening to their favorite songs while on the freeway or in traffic. When searching for the best speakers for car around, there are some important qualities you should look for.  Among others, the car speaker should be easy to install and operate, has impeccable sound quality, and has a reasonable price and one that can last for years. If you are in the market for this staple car accessory, here is a list of the best speakers for car that will surely improve your audio experience.

The Best Speakers for Car

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1. Rockford Fosgate Prime- Plug and Play Car Speakers

Are the factory speakers on your car, not up to the task? You can replace them with the Rocksford Fostgate R165X3 Prime, a 6.5-inch speaker that offers superb sound quality. It’s a 3-way full-range speaker with a sensitivity of up to 91 dB.

The product features a silk dome Piezo tweeter, polypropylene cones, and tweeter midrange. It weighs at around 4.6 pounds and requires one 12V battery. Included in the kit integrated tweeter high-pass crossovers, two speakers with grilles rated at 45 watts RMS and mounting hardware.

PROS

• Tough rubber speaker lining
• Produces crisp and loud sound
• Straight plug and play

CONS

• Bass level is average quality
• Speaker wires are too thin

The Rockford Fostgate Prime has a lot to offer in terms of how audible the sounds it produces compared to stock speakers. However, it still left us wanting for better bass level (you can add woofers, too) and the 16-inch 26-AWG wire is a bit of a letdown. Regardless, it’s still one of the good ones around.

2. Kenwood KFC 1665S- Premium Sounds at Excellent Price

Many premium midsize car models use Kenwood speakers. It’s not surprising it will land on this list. The KFC- 1665S, is a 6.5-inch 2-way coaxial speaker that has a max power of 300 watts per pair and an RMS of 30 watts per pair.

Among its notable features are: a 1-inch balanced dome tweeter with PP cone and a noise cancellation reducing steel black basket. This device weighs 8.2 pounds and its speakers have a 92 dB sensitivity rating.

PROS

• Lows, highs, and mids can be heard clearly
• Excellent price

CONS

• Hard to install on some car models (e.g. Camry)

One of the cheapest ways to upgrade your car’s speakers is through Kenwood KFC 1665S. One important note though, first check if the speaker is compatible with your car before buying so you won’t regret it later.

3. Pioneer TS F1634R- Portable Car Speakers

 

If you want a lighter pair of speakers, then the Pioneer TS-F1364R is the perfect item for your car. This 6.5-inch, 2-way full-range speaker can withstand max power rating of 200 watts and 25 watts of RMS. Its sensitivity is set at 88 dB.

It only weighs 2.2 pounds, which makes it one of the lightest speakers on the list. Because of its shallow basket design, it can be installed in different ways in your car.

PROS

• Good bass and a decent amount of treble
• Fits even in old car models

CONS

• Thin wires and connector
• Challenging to install (depending on car model)

You are getting exactly what you paid for. This speaker still works wonders even when paired with the factory radio. It can be quite a hassle to install on car doors with deeper panels.

4. Boss Audio NX654 – Quick to Install Car Speaker

Boss is another popular name in the car speaker segment and NX654 is one of its leading products. This 6.5-inch, 4-way speaker pair can withstand 400 Watts MAX and 200 Watts RMS per pair.

Among the notable features in its design are a poly injection cone that makes it more flexible and durable; a butyl rubber for its surround allowing it to take wear and tear; aluminum voice coil for better performance; and Mylar dome tweeter which boosted its sound dispersion.

PROS

• Bang for the buck, it’s cheaper than most competitors
• Easy to install

CONS

• Hard to fit in old car models
• Reliability is so-so

When you have a meager budget for your car speaker upgrade, but still wants to do it anyhow- then the Boss Audio NX654 fits the bill. If you are fitting it in an old car model, better check first if it is compatible.

5. Kicker 41DSC654- D Series- Heavy Duty Car Speakers

Blasting sounds inside your car requires doesn’t require a lot of power. The Kicker 41DSC654- D Series’ 2-way car audio speakers have 240 watts MAX power per 2-pack and 60 watts RMS. It has a drop-in coaxial design which allows it to be flexibly installed in almost any car door.

The device also has thin-profile woofers that allow it to avoid messing up with the car window mechanisms. Optimizing its performance are polypropylene cones and acoustic-foam surrounds. It weighs 9.5 pounds, which makes it one of the heavier units in the list.

PROS

• Impressive sound quality
• Easy to install

CONS

• More expensive than most competitors

If you have extra money to spare, then the Kicker 41DSC654- D Series is a good investment. In terms of the many features, it can deliver, this car speaker comes highly recommended.  It fits almost every car door from compact cars to pickups.

6. CT Sounds Bio-One Stop Car Speaker Solution

If your car has a shallow door, then the CT Sounds Bio is a perfect car speaker for you. This 6.5-inch 2-way silk dome speaker has a power rating of 120 watts MAX and 60 watts RMS (per pair). Its speaker is rated at 89 dB SPL.

The speaker’s cone is made of plastic polypropylene with NBR Surround matched with a black stamp steel basket that ensures it won’t form fractures even when you are playing at high sounds. If your vehicle has a single speaker installation, this pair of coax speakers is a one-stop solution.

PROS

• Crisp and clear sounds at all levels
• Guaranteed tough

CONS

• Only comes with speakers

This product is in the middle of the price range of the car speakers on this list. However, the value you will get is much more. It’s one of the most durable in the bunch and it’s sound quality doesn’t fall behind.

7. JBL GT0638-6 – Realistic Sound Experience

Aside from their great sounds, many of JBL products are known for their durability. The GT0638-6 is no exception! It delivered a home theater-quality sound from its tweeter which is both rich and detailed.

The device also has two prominent features- Myla-titanium edges that enrich the sound and built-in crossover networks that give off natural-sounding midrange vocals. Included in the kit is a pair of speakers, mounting brackets, grilles, 4 sets of speaker wire, and buffer for mounting grille/ bracket.

PROS

• Can handle very loud music
• Delivers full-spectrum sound

CONS

• More expensive than most of its contemporaries

If your car has gadgets like DVD players, this is one of the products that best improves your cinematic experience.  Its 3-way design produces true audiophile sounds.

8. Pyle PL683BL – Unique Car Speaker Design

Many of the car speakers on the list are rounded. One of the few exceptions is the oval-shaped Pyle PL683BL. This 6×8 inch, 3-way speakers can handle up to 360 watts MAX allowing it to have a fuller range sound. It is also more flat with a depth of only an inch.

The design is sleek and eye-catching. Among its notable features are: a 10inch neodymium film dome midrange, ¾ inch Piezo tweeter and poly-mica coated woofer cone. The kit also includes grilles, mounting hardware, and wires.

PROS

• Unique design
• Affordable price

CONS

• Some distortion at high volume

Pyle PL683BL delivers exceptional performance even though one may be skeptical about its affordable price. The sound experience is very satisfying and the unit easily fits in the car door.

9. Infinity Reference X REF-9603ix- Play it Loud

When you want to play ear-blasting music in your car, the Infinity Reference X REF-9603ix got you covered. This 6×9 inch, the 3-way speaker has a maximum power handling of 600 watts per pair and 200 watts RMS per pair. Its frequency response is rated at 94 dB.

It weighs at 9.4 pounds and is one of the biggest speakers in the list. It comes with 3 ohms impedance that goes well with all 4-ohm amps devices. Among its notable features is super tweeter for high-frequency sounds, plus one woofer cone technology that maximizes the cone’s surface area, 1-inch edge-driven dome twitter with protective grilles, and Butyl rubber that helps it to be more flexible.

This car speaker has a relatively larger woofer that equates to more bass. It has bigger cones than most 6.5-inch speakers, which gives it smoother and accurate highs. These together with its other features give off amazing levels of sound details without being too heavy.

PROS

• Produces best quality sounds at all range
• Handles high power for beat thumping sounds

CONS

• Buzzing tin noise at high treble

When you want to play loud music without sacrificing sound quality, then this is the go-to car speaker. While you may be paying more (even double in some cases), the Infinity Reference X’s sound experience is definitely worth that price.

10. JVC CSV628- Value-Driven Car Speaker

 

The JVC has a futuristic appeal. This 6.5-inch, 2-way car speakers are part of the manufacturer’s infamous DRVN series. Its hybrid speaker surround design boasts a power handling output of 500 watts MAX (per pair) and 80 watts RMS (per pair).

Weighing at only 3.3 pounds, it’s easy to be skeptical where it would get such power. However, this 4-ohm system does wonders and makes the sounds even more vibrant. Its carbon mica cone material matched with the 1-inch polyetherimide (PEI) tweeters brings out the best sound quality.

The speaker has a rigid, durable and light cone thanks to mica being added to aramid and carbon fiber composite matched to its olefin base. When mounting the woofer, the halls for the smaller outline opens an air leak which needs to be sealed using speaker baffle.

PROS

• Affordable price
• Rich and vibrant sound quality

CONS

• Doesn’t handle a lot of bass

The JVC 6SV628 has very balanced features that make it a great bargain. Even the sound from its radio is great. There are a few times that the sound becomes muffled, but this happens rarely that it’s forgivable. As a bonus, it’s the best looking speaker on the list, in our opinion.

Conclusion for The Best Speakers for Car

Upgrading your car speaker doesn’t need to be pricy, nor does it require a lot of automotive expertise. There are tons of original equipment manufacturer (OEM) products in the market that can jumpstart you into having a better sound quality experience.

While there are other notable car speaker products that were not mentioned in this article, we feel that these 10 best car speakers we mentioned are enough to give you a shortlist. They are after all contain all if not the majority of the qualifications we3s, versatile, durable and have excellent value for your money.

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