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Replacing the standard speakers in your car can often make a
substantial difference in the sound quality of your system.
Even on many expensive cars, the standard fit speakers are
of a very poor quality. An important factor to bear in mind
is that in most cases, new speakers on their own will not
make the sound system in your car louder. This is because
the speakers will usually be matched up well with the power
output from the head unit. Although you will be able to buy
speakers with ratings that go into the hundreds of watts,
that is just the rating stating how much power they can handle, if
that power is available. In many cases, the volume output
will actually go down after new speakers are installed.
This is because the new speakers will be made much more
solidly, making them heavier and therefore with a lower
sensitivity.
Which Speakers?
The first decision to make is which speakers you are going
to change. In most cars there are four speakers, two in the
front and two in the back. If you are only changing two of
them, it is recommended that you change the front two. This
is because its where you sit as the driver, so it makes
little sense to do it any other way.
There is however, one exception to this. When you are
looking just to add volume, and particularly bass, in a cheap
and easy way, one solution is to install 6x9 speakers in the
back. This is mostly only applicable to hatchbacks, as they
have a parcel shelf that 6x9 speakers can easily be installed
on. The downside to this solution is that it does bias the
sound stage in your car towards the back, so the sound will
be coming from behind you more than it does in-front. 6x9
speakers are also not known for having particularly good
sound quality. However, if you are just looking for a cheap,
easy and space efficient way to add volume, they are often a
good solution.
Speaker Sizes
There are several standard size of speakers used in cars.
These are:
- 4 Inches (10cm)
- 5 Inches (13cm)
- 6 Inches (16cm)
- 6:5 Inches (17cm)
- 6x9 Inches (mentioned above).
You can work out what size of speaker you need by
measuring the old ones. Alternatively, have a look online
for the information by searching for your make and model of
car. Once you know what size you require, you are usually
able to buy any speaker that is the correct size. The
exception to this, is that some models of car have a limited
mounting depth. This means that you need a speaker that is
not too deep in size. Again, you can find out this
information about your car either on the internet, or by
measuring, although in most cases it is not an issue.
Power Outputs
Buying speakers that can handle more power than your head
unit or amplifier can handle will not cause harm to any part
of your system. However, it is still recommended to try and
match up the power outputs as closely as you can, with the
speakers perhaps having a slightly higher maximum power
output than your source. If the speakers are hugely
under-powered, then you will loose volume as speakers
designed for more powerful systems will not be as loud and
clear on a lower powered system as speakers that are designed
for smaller systems. Most head units have a power output of
approximately 50 watts per channel (max output, not RMS). If
you are not using a separate amplifier, and you are not
planning on buying one in the future, then you would want to
look at speakers with approximately 60-70 watts maximum
output. If you do have an amplifier, then you should check
the specifications.
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