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A versatile, three-way speaker with great sound quality for the price.

A two-way speaker system that provides listeners with great value for the price.

A component speaker with some of the industry's best innovation.

An outstanding car speaker with a strong bass response.

A high-quality car speaker system with dynamic response and low distortion.

Listening to the sound of your vehicle as you drive along can be peaceful, but new speakers can turn a quick trip into a concert on wheels. This guide to the best car speakers is for the audiophiles who also happen to be gearheads, and for those who simply want an upgrade from their factory speakers.

Our team of experts has sifted through dozens of high-quality car stereo systems in the hopes of helping customers make informed purchasing decisions. From coaxial car speakers to component speaker systems, we have performed in-depth analyses across a variety of frequency ranges to help you find the quality sound you’re looking for.

The Rockford Fosgate R165X3 is a 6.5-inch speaker with a mounting depth of 2.15 inches. These full-range speakers are coaxial and are rated at 45.0 watts RMS (root mean square). The speaker set features polypropylene cones, a silk dome Piezo tweeter, and mid-range loudspeaker driver. The three-way speakers also have a 4.0 ohm impedance, which is relatively standard for car speakers.

Rockford Fosgate R165X3 separates itself from competitors with its rubber surround and high-pass (HP) tweeter crossover. The rubber surround makes the speaker system durable, while the HP tweeter crossover allows for benefits usually reserved for component speakers. Although these are coaxial speakers, the HP tweeter crossover allows you to isolate low frequencies from high frequencies like component speakers do.

When you purchase a Rockford Fosgate R165X3, you can expect to receive two speakers with grilles, integrated high-pass crossovers, and mounting hardware. A trim ring is also included, while the integrated high-pass crossover is more specifically an integrated tweeter crossover.

The Rockford Fosgate R165X3 features over 11,500 customer reviews on Amazon, 88 percent of which rate these car speakers 4.0 stars or higher.

Reviews mention the sound quality and the large kHz range of the rear speakers. Many reviewers note how much better these car speakers are than the factory speakers or OEM speakers that were originally installed in their vehicles.

Recognized for being the Best Value car speakers in the industry by our review team, the Pioneer TS-F1634R is an affordable two-way speaker system. These car speakers feature an injection-molded polypropylene (IMPP) composite woofer cone and film balanced dome tweeters. In terms of power handling, this car audio speaker has peak power of 200.0 watts and 25.0 watts RMS.

Additionally, these aftermarket speakers hold a frequency response between 30.0 to 28,000.0 Hz and a sensitivity of 90.0 dB. The subwoofer has a diameter of 6.5 inches, but it’s the injection-molded polypropylene composite woofer cone that separates this product from the competition, as it gives the bass more of a punch.

The Pioneer TS-F1634R comes with two 12.0-inch lengths of speaker wire, eight ⅝ -inch self-tapping screws, and eight speed clips.

Additionally, a one-year warranty for the speaker system is included with the product, though not physically in the box.

There are about 4,400 customer reviews for the Pioneer TS-F1634R. A total of 86 percent rate the speakers 4.0 stars or higher.

Reviews from customers mention how the Pioneer TS-F1634R is an incredible value for money, while others note the ease of installation. Many reviewers mention that the car speakers were an upgrade from the OEM speakers originally installed in their cars. However, a few negative reviews note that the speakers don’t produce the listed maximum power, albeit it being mentioned in the product description.

The JBL Club6520 is a high-sensitivity component speaker setup with a compact design to allow it to fit in most cars or trucks. This speaker system’s Plus One™ woofer cone architecture provides increased low-frequency output and greater musical character. In terms of high-frequency output, the speaker’s dome tweeters are polyetherimide (PEI) balanced for smooth and high-quality sound dispersion. PEI is a polymer used for a variety of products.

The biggest differentiating factor of the JBL Club6520 compared to competitors is its acoustically damped and UV-resistant polypropylene cone. This design is unique to the industry and delivers clean and non-resonant sound quality, with the ability to withstand the sun’s rays and the humidity of a car.

You can expect to receive a pair of woofers, a pair of tweeters, and a pair of crossovers. Additionally, a pair of tweeter surface mount accessories and a pair of tweeter flush mount accessories come included in the box.

Over 3,400 Amazon customers have left reviews for the JBL Club6520, 74 percent of which rated these speakers a faultless 5.0 out of 5.0 stars.

Many customer reviews note the excellent midrange and high sensitivity. Some reviews reference how much power the sound system could pull from a stock head unit, while others simply note the great sound. Negative reviews tend to mention the long break-in time for the bass.

From one of the most recognizable brands in the speaker industry, the Kicker CS Series CSC68 does not disappoint. This speaker setup features Extended Voice Coil (EVC) technology, ribbed surrounds, and sturdy cones to deliver remarkable bass response and a smooth midrange. These three-way speakers have a stamped-steel framework that supports a rigid polypropylene cone and zero-protrusion PEI tweeters.

What separates the Kicker CS Series CSC68 from competitors are the CS series tweeters. A 6.0-dB inline crossover guarantees the proper frequencies are sent to the driver, while a built-in poly-switch protector provides peace of mind when playing music at higher volumes. Neodymium magnets and titanium domes ensure you can hear every last detail of your music.

Included are two 12.0-inch lengths of speaker wire, four plastic wire caps, eight 1.0-inch screws, eight speed clips, and an owner’s manual.

Featuring over 800 reviews on Amazon, the Kicker CS Series CSC68 is one of the most popular sound systems available on the market. A total of 73 percent of reviewers rate this product an exemplary 5.0 out of 5.0 stars.

Many reviewers mention the quality of the bass and that these speakers make great replacements for specifically Ford’s factory speakers. A few negative reviewers mention that they blew the speakers out, but this could possibly be attributed to user error.

The Kenwood Excelon KFC X683C are full-range speakers with balanced dome tweeters that provide smooth audio at high frequencies without sounding harsh. These car speakers feature a diamond-like pattern etched into the woofers that increases the strength of the carbon-propylene cone for better dynamic response and lower distortion. Additionally, the butyl rubber surround is weather-resistant, meaning you can play your music no matter what.

Kenwood’s Excelon KFC X683C separates itself from competitors with its more accurate response. This is achieved through specially designed magnetic circuitry and neodymium magnets, as the tweeters in this speaker system feature less steel in their construction than most other speaker’s tweeters do.

Customers can expect two 11.0-inch lengths of speaker wire and eight self-tapping screws. 

A warranty card is also included in the box and details the exact conditions of the speaker’s warranty.

Although the Kenwood Excelon KFC X683C only has about 90 reviews on Amazon, they are undoubtedly great speakers. A total of 64 percent of reviewers rate the car speakers a perfect 5.0 out of 5.0 stars.

A large number of reviewers specifically mention the clarity of these speakers, as well as how well the speakers fit in their vehicle. Additionally, many reviewers note how easy it was to connect to the speakers via bluetooth. Some negative reviews for this product can be attributed to a lack of awareness in regard to the dimensions of the speakers, according to our research.

Speaker systems in general, especially car speakers, can be a bit complicated to fully get your head around. We recommend knowing whether you want coaxial or component speakers, as well as if you want two-way or three-way speakers, prior to purchasing a car audio setup.

There are two types of speakers that you are likely to encounter when looking for a car audio setup.

With varying degrees of soundwaves, it’s imperative to know the differences between a two-way speaker system and a three-way speaker setup. It’s human instinct to believe three speakers are better than two, but this isn’t always the case. It depends on the quality of components and the crossover setup.

Not all speakers are the same size, and size impacts the actual sound quality. A general rule is that the larger the speaker diameter, the deeper the sound. 

Speakers that offer deep bass fall in the 10 to 15-inch range, and larger speakers are typically better at producing a clear sound at high volumes.  Speakers between the 4 to 8-inch range, commonly found in most car interiors, are good for mid-frequency response and musical aspects like vocals. 

Subwoofers are their own category of speaker mainly due to their size. They range from 8-inches all the way to 15-inches and, as we mentioned earlier in the buying guide, they deliver a strong bass sound. 

Subwoofers have their own enclosures separate from the other speakers in your car’s door frame. These come in two different styles:

To select the five car speakers in this review, our team searched Amazon for top products, looking at factors like Prime shipping eligibility, customer ratings, Amazon superlatives, and price.

Each year, we review over 1,000 auto products. Our team of product experts thoroughly researches top products and tests items on real vehicles when possible before making our recommendations.

We publish hundreds of product and service reviews to bring car enthusiasts detailed guides on automotive tools, detailing kits, car seats, pet products, and much more.

There is not a single car speaker brand that’s better than the rest, as the best car speakers are the ones that fit your needs. Besides the car speaker brands reviewed in this buyer’s guide, other leading brands include Infinity, Alpine, JL Audio, and BOSS Audio Systems.

Unfortunately for budget buyers, expensive speakers do tend to sound better than less-expensive speakers. As a general rule of thumb, high-end car audio systems will produce better sound and higher sound quality than cheaper car audio speakers.

Most aftermarket speaker systems will perform well with about 25.0 watts RMS or 50.0 watts max per channel. However, the amp’s output or wattage should match the speaker’s capacity.

The best sounding speakers for bass are those within the subwoofer range. Subwoofers range from 8 inches to 15 inches and are excellent at reproducing lower frequencies. 

Depending on the components needed, speakers can cost anywhere from around $50 to upwards of $500 or more. 

Most cars can use speakers between 4 and 6-inches, but you can also upgrade your vehicle’s stereo with quality speakers and a subwoofer for greater range.

*Data accurate at time of publication.

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