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Choosing the Optimal Aftermarket Speakers For Your Car Stereo
If you are looking to purchase aftermarket car speakers for your vehicle, chances are that you are going to have a lot of questions. What types of speakers should I get? What brands are the best? Does size matter? How can I find the best deals? How should I get them installed? Although we all can appreciate a high quality car stereo system, few of us are experts in car audio equipment. Because of this, we have compiled a collection of articles and expert advice that will help you better understand the options you have when it comes to buying car speakers.
The most important thing that you are going to need to consider when you are trying to purchase car speakers for your sound system is what size speakers will fit your vehicle. So before you get roped into buying a set of speakers that you can’t use, take some time to do your research to see what size speakers your car can support and how to choose them. Knowing the correct speaker size for your needs will save you time and money when putting together your car audio system.
There are two basic types of car speakers: component speakers and full range speakers. Both of these speaker types use various drivers to produce sound. Drivers are devices which convert electrical energy into sound waves. Different drivers produce different sounds, depending on the frequency of the sound. Component and full range speakers utilize drivers in different ways to create the sound you hear. Here are some more details about these 2 types of speakers.
Component Speakers
There are three basic types of speaker drivers: tweeters, mid-ranges, and woofers. Tweeters handle high frequency sounds, such as bells, cymbals, and whistles. Woofers produce low frequency sounds, such as bass notes. Mid-range drivers deal sounds between high and low frequencies, hence the name mid-range.
Woofer and tweeter drivers can be further specialized for ultra-low and ultra-high frequency sounds. First, car subwoofers concern themselves with only very low sound frequencies. When the bass drum or bass notes in a song seem to pound you in the chest and shake the surroundings, you’re probably hearing a subwoofer. Next, super tweeters deal with very high frequency sounds, specializing in frequencies of the highest range.
Component speakers’ drivers are separate from one another, and they can be placed in different areas of a vehicle. For example, the woofers and/or mid-range speakers may be placed on the sides of doors, the tweeters may be placed closer the dashboard, and a subwoofer will probably be housed in the trunk.
Full-Range Speakers
Full range speakers are more common in car audio systems than component speakers. Full range speakers usually include a woofer, with a tweeter placed over the woofer. The woofer will handle low-to-mid frequency sounds, and the tweeter will handle mid-to-high frequency sounds. Since the drivers of full range speakers are connected, sounds of all frequencies will originate from the same place.
Full range speakers are usually less expensive, easier to install, and more common than component speakers. Component speakers require a device called a crossover to separate the different sound frequencies and send them to the correct driver (high frequencies to the tweeter, low to the subwoofer, etc.), while full range speakers do not. Component speakers need to be carefully placed to attain optimal sound, while full range speakers are more flexible when it comes to placement. Although component speakers generally sound better, a good full range speaker system will be better than a cheap component system.
Each part of the speaker performs in a delicate balance. If one component is changed, then the other components perform differently. So it is essential that all parts work as the manufacturer of the speaker intended.
That’s where the importance of the manufacturer of the speaker comes in. The best speaker manufacturers have been performing their art for many years. They know the best materials to use in the construction of the various parts of the speaker and they know how each part works in relation to the others.
A good rule of thumb to determine a top brand is how long it has been in business, how has the top car audio publications and other car audio specialty sites rated them and whether they have performed major technological innovations
