True story: In 1983, Honda didn’t bother to include a car speaker system in any of its Civics, even the super-fancy 1500 “S” model. You bought the whole audio system from a dealer, who then installed it for you. Nearly 30 years later, things have changed. Today’s car audio is integrated at the factory and is often wired so intricately into the rest of the vehicle that it’s difficult, and in some cases nearly impossible, to change or remove any of the components.
No need to fret—there’s an affordable, low-tech way to improve your audio quality. All you have to do is swap out your factory speakers with aftermarket ones. The average factory-installed car speaker is designed more with durability and cost control in mind rather than ultimate audiophile enjoyment, so an upgrade is a chance to make a big change for relatively small bucks.
BEST VALUE COMPONENT SPEAKER SYSTEM
- Works well as a replacement for factory separates
- Good value
- Won’t be an easy install if your car wasn’t built this way
Key Specs
- Woofer: 6.5 in.
- Midrange: 4 in.
- Tweeter: 1 in.
MB Quart has a long history with audiophiles, and now it has a value-priced system to replace the “speaker separates” in many high-end cars. Instead of a “two-way” design where both a woofer and tweeter fit in the same area, this system offers six individual speakers in three different sizes. So if you have a car that’s wired this way, as some Audis and Mercedes-Benzes are, this is a good choice.
Power handling is a robust 100 watts, up to the demands of most factory-supplied amplifiers.
BEST FOR MUSIC LOVERS WITH MONEY TO BURN
- Sound
- Look
- Impeccable audiophile street cred
- Very expensive
- Complexity of installation
Key Specs
- Woofer: 2 x 6 in.
- Subwoofer: 1 x 10 in.
- Tweeter: Two (2) dome tweeters
Whether we’re talking headphones or automotive audio, it’s hard to find people who don’t enjoy the clear, musical, and powerful offerings from French speaker-builder Focal. This complete automotive kit offers five of the firm’s best car speakers plus the amplifiers to push them. Using an interface kit to upgrade your car’s head unit (available for most modern cars for just a few hundred dollars), you can give your automotive audio experience the same kind of power and clarity offered by high-dollar brand-name systems in the finest luxury cars.
Be aware that installation of this system is best done with at least the advice of a professional. It’s also not the loudest choice out here, but the focus is on clarity and quality.
