The 15 Best Car Speakers of 2022
From JL Audio to Cerwin Vega, this is your complete guide to the best car speakers of 2022.
Written by Sarah Gray
Reviewed by Jessica Barrett
Many of today’s new cars come with respectable sound systems, but none offer the power of aftermarket speakers like the JL Audio C2-650X or JBL’s GTO629. But with so many different speaker brands and styles on offer, finding the right set for your car can be difficult.
That's why
Jerry,
the trusted comparison tool
and car insurance
app, sifted through all the research and reviews to find the 15 best replacement speakers of 2022 for your car.To make things even easier, we chose the top three speakers of the year, based on overall performance and price, as well as a wide range of additional speaker options ranging in style, sound, and price. Read on to find out how to determine which speakers will be best for you and your car.
Here are the best car speakers of 2022.
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Best overall—JL Audio C2-650X Evolution Series
These are some of the most expensive options on our list, but for good reason—they’re the best car speakers overall. The JL Audio C2-650X Evolution Series is a set of 6.5-inch 2-way coaxial speakers with a 6.5-inch woofer and a 0.75-inch silk dome tweeter.
At 225 watts peak and a frequency range of 59 Hz to 22 kHz, these are some of the best sounding speakers around.
- Pros: What’s not to love?
- Cons: The price—that’s what’s not to love.
Best budget—Pyle PL463BL 3-Way
Available from Pyle, $51.99
When compared to the JL Audios, the Pyle PL463BL 3-ways feel like they’re free, but they sound like you paid a bit more than the estimated $50 they usually go for. The price will, of course, depend on the size, power output, and system class you choose—all of which still keep these well within a “budget” range.
- Pros: Affordable, endless choices for size, power, and system class
- Cons: They’re certainly better than stock, but—let’s just say you get what you pay for.
Best mid-range—JBL GTO629 Premium Coaxial
JBL has been one of the biggest names in home audio for years, but these GTO629 Premium Coaxial speakers prove they’re well-equipped to take on the biggest names in car audio as well.
In addition to a combined 180-watt dual output, they feature the brand’s patented Plus One woofer-cone technology, which increases output without using extra power.
- Pros: Plus-one woofer technology, crossover filters
- Cons: Even though they’re our mid-range choice, they’re still a bit on the pricey side.
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Honorable mentions
Rockford Fosgate Alphasonik 3-Way
The first entry on our list from car-audio legends, Rockford Fosgate, is the Alphasonik 3-way Coaxial speaker.
An RMS output of 45w makes these an excellent replacement for factory speakers, as does the dedicated tweeter in this 3-ways system that will outperform the factory-standard 2-way set.
- Pros: Well-built and durable
- Cons: Comparatively weak bass response
Kicker 43CSC654
Kicker is one of the most popular brands for basic replacement speakers, so it’s not surprising to find them on our list, but the 43CSC654’s extended voice coil makes these a particularly good choice.
This set is also surprisingly powerful for a 6.5-inch speaker with 600 watts peak power, and 200 watts RMS.
- Pros: Exceptional power at an affordable price
- Cons: Lackluster bass response
BOSS Audio CH6530 Chaos Exxtreme
BOSS Audio’s CH6530 Chaos Exxtreme lineup offers buyers a variety of speaker sizes, forms, and mounts to choose from, making them ideal drop-in options. Plus, if you buy them from Amazon, they come with a 3-year Platinum Online dealer warranty not offered through other vendors.
- Pros: Variety of sizes and power outputs, competitive price
- Cons: Mediocre sound quality
Infinity Reference 6530CX
If you’re looking to run a component system on a budget, these are the speakers for you. They avoid the often tinny sound produced by overzealous component tweeters to create a crisp, clear high range complicated by the surprisingly impressive bass response.
- Pros: Superior sound and brand name at a near-budget price
- Cons: Installation is difficult and complicated
Polk DB652 Ultramarine
Yes, they’re marine-grade speakers, but go with us here. Not only are these great-sounding replacement speakers for any car, but they can be especially practical for those who want to rock out in a rock crawler, work truck, or dressed-down Jeep.
They can handle water, dirt, rocks, a kid’s juice box—whatever you want to throw at them, and still sound fantastic.
- Pros: High-quality, near-indestructible, super-clear sound
- Cons: Not the prettiest design
Alpine SPS-610 2-Way Type S
Alpine’s SPS-610, coaxial speakers feature a unique swivel tweeter with over 10 degrees of movement. The optimally-shaped progressive Aramid fiber spider provides some bass, and the pair’s overall 80 watts offer good performance at a competitive price.
- Pros: Alpine sound quality
- Cons: Almost unnoticeable bass
Kenwood KFC-1696PS 2-way
The Kenwood KFC-1696PS 2-way is a perfect example of what happens when you learn from your mistakes.
Kenwood keeps all the things customers loved about the KFC-1695PS but adds to them polypropylene woofer-cone and yoke and plate design to better dissipate heat. Among other things, they’ve also removed material in the frame for enhanced bass response.
- Pros: Ceramic super tweeter, great price
- Cons: Only 100 watts continuous output, very sensitive to proper mounting
Pioneer TS-A6886R
While it’s priced similarly to your standard 2- or 3-way systems, the Pioneer TS-A6886R is a 4-way system. This means you get a much fuller, more distinct sound without paying the extra price. Low-end frequencies handled by the multi-layer, mica, matrix woofer produce rich bass, free of distortion and resonance.
- Pros: 4-way system at a 2-way price, exceptional sound quality
- Cons: Oval shape could make for complicated installation
MTX Terminator 2-Way
Another frontrunner in our best-budget battle, the MTX Terminator 6 is a great basic replacement speaker with a good name. Unlike many budget replacement options, this one can handle the power of an added amplifier, so they work well as part of a full sound system upgrade as well.
- Pros: Bright red polypropylene cone looks great and lasts longer than paper
- Cons: Weak bass, distorts at highest volumes
Focal ES 165 K
Kind of like the Rolls Royce of car speakers, Focals are handmade and hand-tuned, so don’t expect to ever see them at a bargain price. But, as with most things, you get what you pay for, and these speakers are quintessentially top-of-the-line.
The ES 165 K features a Kevlar woofer cone and separate aramid fiber dome tweeters that will shame anyone planning to run these on a factory head unit into upgrading their full sound system.
- Pros: Works of both audio and visual art
- Cons: Don’t even think about DIY-ing these, the price tag puts them out of most people’s range
Rockford Fosgate Prime R169X2 6x9 Full Range
Rockford Fosgate’s Prime series of speakers come in a variety of sizes, but the 6x9 Full Range will give you the best bang for your buck. These full-range units offer a frequency response range of 52 Hz to 20 kHz with a 45 watts RMS rating.
- Pros: Street cred—people know the name, competitive pricing
- Cons: Not as powerful as you’d expect
Cerwin Vega XED693
These were almost our pick for best budget speaker, but with sound comparable to the Pyle PL463BL 3-ways, the Cerwin Vega XED693 3-ways come in a bit more expensive. Still, for the price, these 300 watts max power 6x9s are a great replacement to run with your stock head unit.
- Pros: Great price, impressive response range for a budget speaker
- Cons: Don’t work well with amplification
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Choosing the right speakers for your vehicle
There’s a lot to consider when choosing the right replacement speakers for your car, but the most important thing is likely the size of speaker you need. It is possible to install larger speakers than factory, but this will require a lot of money for your installation team or work for you if you plan to DIY.
Next, consider if you plan to replace your head unit. Whatever you decide, you need to ensure the speakers you choose can be powered by the head unit. Otherwise, you may need to install a separate amplifier.
Finally, determine if you plan to run a component or coaxial setup. Component setups generally offer better sound, but they also tend to be more expensive to buy and complicated to install.
Keep in mind that just replacing your car’s speakers will not turn your vehicle into a concert on wheels. Yes, you can certainly improve your sound quality, but if you’re really looking to turn heads, you’d be better served by a full sound system upgrade.
How to find affordable car insurance for your car
Once you’ve selected and installed your new car speakers, it’s time to make sure they and your car are protected with the right
car insurance
. You probably don’t realize it, but your current car insurance may not cover your upgraded sound system—especially if it’s an expensive system. You should reach out to your agent as soon as possible to check—or better yet, let broker and comparison app
Jerry
check for you!Just download the app, answer a couple of questions, and in less than two minutes, Jerry will compare rates from over 50 top providers that can include the
sound system coverage
you need. Just select your top pick, and Jerry will take care of the rest, getting you set up with your new policy and even helping you cancel your old one.This level of service is why Jerry is the top-rated insurance app in the country!
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Can I install car speakers myself?
You can install simple systems yourself, like drop-in speaker replacements and other minor upgrades. When it comes to major system installations—like switching from coax to component or full sound system upgrades—it’s better to have a professional take care of it.
They’ll not only ensure all your connections are solid but they can also add cushion and wadding to stop vibrations—the tell-tale sound of a DIY job.
What are full-range car speakers?
A full-range speaker reproduces as much of the audible frequency range as possible.
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