Car Speaker Buying Tips: 3 Important Features You Must Consider

We all have busy lives. That’s okay, because it helps us stay mentally and physically active. The issue lies in the fact that we often can’t find the time for the simplest tasks in life. A couple of months ago, I needed to purchase new car speakers. It seemed simple, but when I went to the store there were so many options it took me for ever to pick one.

The next available weekend, I took the time to research the best features for car speakers. With my new found knowledge, I was able to compare speakers in a jiffy. I also help family and friends compare speakers they want.

I’ve summarized the speaker’s most important comparable features into three main categories:

• Performance
• Speaker Range
• Materials

Once you understand all these categories, you too can compare quickly and pick the right speakers for you.

Performance

You probably see the word “RMS” or “sensitivity” but you don’t know what exactly they mean. You need to be in tune with speaker lingo. Sensitivity and power handling give you an indication of the speaker’s performance. Look at these two features together when comparing products.

Sensitivity

Sensitivity measures how the sound output a speaker produces from the power it gets. The power converts to volume and they’re measured in watts & decibels(dB) respectively. The higher the sensitivity rating—which is also an expression of dB—the louder the speakers. For example:

• 100W produces 85dB
• 25W produces 91dB

If you want loud speakers, look at the dB rating. The highest rating of the two or three products you’re comparing will obviously be the loudest.

For any given set of speakers, each 3dB volume increase requires double the amount of amplifying power. This is why you need a high power handling speaker.

Power handling

Power handling literally refers to how much power the speakers can handle. It’s pretty simple to determine if your speakers can handle high power or not. It all depends on the power source.

The lower number of the speaker should tell you the minimum wattage required to operate the speakers. This is expressed as “RMS”. The maximum RMS power handling measurement refers to the largest amount of power the speaker can handle on a continuous basis. The “peak power RMS” also refers to the power of sound bursts the speakers can handle.

Always consider the maximum RMS rating as it gives you the better performance. It’s also ideal if you’re running sound input from a secondary amp. www.caraudiologic.com/rockford-fosgate-p3d4-12-punch-p3-review/ demonstrates perfectly how a maximum RMS gives you the best performance speakers.

Speaker Range

Now that you understand the sensitivity and power handling you need to decide on the speaker range you want. The range may or may not include other sound audio equipment built into the speaker to drive maximum performance.

Full Range Speakers

To explain briefly, the full range speakers contain all speaker elements in the casing. The speaker elements include:

• Woofer for all your low music
• A tweeter which is built into the woofer to produce those clear high tones
• A midrange speaker which you need for all those middle frequencies
• This is a smaller driver designed for ultra high frequency production – it produces music higher than a tweeter

Component Speakers

Components speakers have a superior design and consists of those elements which produce the best sounds. It typically consists of woofers, tweeters and external crossovers. Crossovers are important because they ensure all the outputs produce the sounds they’re designed for.

Coaxial Speakers

These are the most basic speakers. They contain only two elements – the woofer and the tweeter. You will also see the words “one way”, “two way” and “three way” speakers. This refers to how many speaker elements the system possesses. The higher the number, the more elements you have.

Sometimes, people want to be simple and don’t want to purchase added equipment. It’s understandable. If you still want maximum performance then purchase the three way full range speakers. You don’t need to purchase additional items because you have everything for maximum performance.

The Materials

You need to consider what the speakers are made of. People often buy any old speaker without looking at the construction. Want to know the fate of these speakers? They weren’t equipped to handle heat. Yes, speakers can get hot when they’re used continuously. Speakers that have overheated are very likely to malfunction. Outside temperatures also have an effect on the car’s speakers. Hot weather can cause the speakers to warm up, which can be fatal to them.

The best type of speaker is made of aluminum. Speaking from experience, these speakers tend to last longer than the common steel type. Aluminum has heat resistance properties. If you travel far – especially in hot weather – aluminum is the better option.

The cone shape of speakers must be made of polypropylene. If you see it mixed with other materials such as mica, that’s okay too. This type of material emits accurate tunes and notes. Picture it like this: what you hear in the car almost matches how the music studio produces the sounds. This ensures you never miss a beat. The surrounding materials also make a difference. Trust me when I say, a rubber surround material is what you need. It gives you the best overall performance and durability.

Car Speaker Buying Tips to Pick the Best Sound Quality!

You learn something new every day. With these tips you can compare and quickly pick out the best car speakers or you can check our review here