2 Way Vs. 3 Way Car Speakers
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Perhaps the most common types of speakers or speaker systems are 2 way car speakers and 3 way car speakers. With the existence of different sound waves, which are measured in hertz (Hz), there is a need for speakers or speaker systems to accommodate these differences or specialize in producing a particular sound range. Low-pitched sounds need a speaker to move a great volume of air, while high-pitched sounds require a speaker to reproduce the sound at a comparatively much faster rate.
2-way car speakers are the standard, and they usually consist of a woofer and a tweeter. The woofer is the component that reproduces higher audio frequency sounds (3kHz to 20kHz), like those coming from a cymbal, a tambourine, or a flute. The tweeter is the driver that reproduces the lower audio frequency sounds (under 30Hz to 160Hz). Such sounds are typical of the notes from a bass guitar or a tuba. 2-way car speakers can also be referred to as coaxial speakers.
3-way car speakers, also referred to as triaxial speakers, usually consist of the woofer, the tweeter, and an extra component called the mid-range. It is designed for the mid-range audio frequency sounds (160Hz to 3kHz), like a human voice or musical instruments such as trumpets or saxophones. The mid-range speaker is also meant to enhance the sound's warmth and texture as it evens out the variance of frequencies. In this sense, 3-way car speakers can sound better than 2-way car speakers.
However, there are exceptions to the way some 2-way and 3-way car speakers are composed. For instance, a few 3-way car speakers use a supertweeter in place of a mid-range to extend high-frequency response or add greater detail to the sound.
Although 2-way and 3-way car speakers can add the number of components they are composed of, it does not change the "way" of the speakers. That is because they are labeled according to the number of ranges the audio signal is cut, not according to the number of components. For instance, a 3-way car speaker consisting of two woofers, one mid-range, and a tweeter is still a 3-way because the two woofers are serving the same function.
2-way and 3-way car speakers can also have their components separated as distinct speakers, each designed to transmit a certain frequency of sound. These are referred to as component speaker systems. A 2-way component speaker system comprises two speakers: the tweeter and the woofer. A 3-way component speaker system has three speakers: the tweeter, the woofer, and the mid-range speaker. As opposed to having the sound coming from the same place, component speaker systems separate the range of sounds through specialized speakers.
In picking 2-way or 3-way car speakers, it is important to determine the frequency response range. Speakers with a larger range will produce the highs and lows of the sound, which results in a much fuller, more accurate sound. Speakers with smaller ranges, on the other hand, will leave out lower and higher frequencies, thus producing a comparatively flat, less dynamic sound. Thus the broader the frequency response range, the better the overall sound.
