Have you ever wondered what size speakers are in my car? Finding the right speakers for your car is quite a task, but does it have to be nerve-wracking? If this is the first time you are buying a new power-packed sound system for your vehicle, we understand that it can be a confusing task. There are so many things to consider before you have the speakers installed – what is the speaker size, are the speakers of good quality, what is the audio range, and most importantly, what is the best speaker size for my vehicle.
Our experts have put together a detailed guide with everything you need to know about the different speaker sizes in different vehicles. Keep reading to learn more about what you should consider when looking for a new music system, such as the speaker’s power, quality, and range. We have also covered the steps to fit your new car audio system in place, so you will have them installed in no time.
Things to Keep in Mind While Looking for a New Car Speaker
Here are a few important factors you should keep in mind while buying new speakers for your car:
Ensure the Speaker Size Is Suitable for Your Car’s Make and Model
While the size of speakers stays more or less uniform throughout the industry, various car speaker manufacturers may have speakers with slightly varying dimensions and sizes. For this reason, make sure to double-check the speakers’ size before buying them and do a check to ensure they fit correctly after installation.
Check the Speaker’s Dimensions
Keep in mind to check the speaker diameter and the dimensions of the installation space before choosing which speakers fit. This is one of the most critical factors for selecting the right stereo system. Don’t worry – finding the diameter and dimensions is pretty easy. All you have to do is grab a tape measure and measure the speaker space’s length, width, and height. Ensure that you select a safe space to keep your car speakers with the right mounting depth so that the speakers fit comfortably. You may also want to look for a mounting plane.
Don’t Forget to Buy Speaker Brackets
When buying car speakers, look for speaker brackets. Speaker brackets prove to be of great help, especially when the mounting panels of your car speaker aren’t the correct speaker size.
How to Determine the Right Speaker Size for Your Car
Nothing gets more confusing than finding out that numerous speaker sizes are appropriate for your vehicle’s model. Determining what size speakers to install in your vehicle can seem daunting at first, so we are here to lend you a helping hand.
Measure the Speaker Size
First, to choose the right speaker size, you must make sure you take down the correct measurements.
To do this, take off the panel from the door of your vehicle. You will be able to find your car speaker here for many vehicles in the scenario in which the speaker is sitting on the door panel. Otherwise, you can leave the panels in place if you have a front or rear deck.
Now, measure the mounting depth of the space and the height of the speakers. To calculate the mounting depth, place your tape measure at the base of the mounting plane all the way to the magnet of the speaker. Take note of this length. You want to ensure that the new car speakers will fit fine after installation while also ensuring that it isn’t impossible to install the speakers, to begin with.
Next, measure the speaker diameter. This is important as it will help you buy a suitable speaker model or music system.
What Are the Different Types of Car Speakers?
There are numerous powerful options to choose from when it comes to car speakers, such as:
3.5 Inch Car Speaker
- A 3.5 inch (89mm) speaker is categorized as a ‘small speakers for cars.’ People often use them in a vehicle where only smaller speakers will fit. They are speakers that come with tweeters and a subwoofer.
- While 3.5 inch speakers are great for car models that can’t do with larger speakers, their bass is not at all impressive. Since the speakers are smaller than standard-size speakers, they do not produce impressive bass waves. This is because they do not have a wider cone. They are great for midrange since a part of the car speaker with subwoofers fills in the gaps.
4 Inch Car Speaker
- Being only half an inch bigger than the 3.5 inch car speaker, the 4 inch car speakers are pretty similar, except with better sound quality. Of course, the 3.5 inch car speaker is one of the lighter speakers. Several 4 inch factory speakers have an impressive subwoofer, too, with outstanding quality.
- Like the 3.5 inch speakers, however, they don’t deliver well when it comes to bass near the lower range. On the other hand, the mid-bass is quite power-packed, which is why 4 inch speakers are often used in car stereos. After all, they do provide the best sound and audio range, especially if you pair them with a bigger car speaker.
- Like others, you’ll get the best sound by complementing them with bigger speakers if possible and especially subwoofers for the bass they lack.
5.25 Inch Car Speaker
- The 5.25 inch speakers are a progression from the 3.5 inch and 4 inch car speaker sizes in the mid-bass. The 5.25 inches are also one of the popular ones amongst other speakers. They provide more bass, good sound, less distortion, and more range. For this reason, most people prefer the 5.25 inch car speaker for their car stereo.
- People prefer to install these car speakers near the front door of their car. Another option is to place the 5 inch car speaker near the rear car door or rear deck, where they will serve as rear speakers on the rear doors.
6 Inch and 6.5 Inch Car Speakers
- Out of the two, the 6 inch size speaker is the less common car speaker. The 6.5 inch speakers are the right size for many different cars and can be installed pretty easily in any car model.
- Of course, with large car speaker sizes comes various features too, such as:
- These speakers deliver better sound quality
- Improved music hearing experience
- More power than other car speaker sizes
- Better car audio quality and sound range
- Impressive bass
Door 6.5 inch woofers with tweeters mounted with a sufficient mounting depth on the door panel are great alternatives for the 6 inch speaker size. Don’t forget to measure the mounting depth with your tape measure before you have installed the new car speakers, though!
What is the Difference Between Coaxial and Component Car Speakers?
What are Coaxial Speakers?
Coaxial speakers are speakers which come with subwoofers as well as tweeters. Many coaxial speakers provide impressive sound quality and are power-packed. However, with these wonderful features and high power ratings comes a slightly heavy price tag. Coaxial speakers are quite a popular choice when looking for speakers for a car music system. This is also why they are pretty easy to find.
What are Component Speakers?
Component speakers are speakers with subwoofers and tweeters, just like the coaxial speaker. Despite being similar in components, a component speaker is your best bet for good sound quality. Component speakers are also better for stereo imaging with music playback.
They are also highly convenient when it comes to installation, compared to coaxial speakers. The installation can get tricky if you need to mount the tweeters, for which you will need to measure the mounting depth. Unfortunately, these vehicle speakers are also more expensive than coaxial speakers.
Can I Use Different Car Speaker Sizes Instead?
We were pleased that you can install speakers with different speaker diameters in place of an original car speaker in your vehicle. In such a situation, you will need to measure the dimensions accurately to ensure that the installation is stable and sturdy.
In case, however, the original speakers in your vehicle are not of the standard speaker size, there are a few things you can try out:
- Look for a speaker adapter. Using a speaker frame or brackets, mount this in place of your original car speaker. Ensure sufficient space for your vehicle’s speaker to fit comfortably. Although it’s almost impossible, once installed, do a double check to make sure the speaker system is in place properly.
- You can also try speaker spacing rings, which will need brackets to keep them in place.
An Ending Note
Any car owner must be aware of the speakers in their car and the installation process. Some day or the other, you will encounter the need to replace your car speaker system. Thanks to our detailed guide, we are sure you will be able to pick out the right car speaker system for your vehicle in no time! So, by now we hope you know how to find out what size speakers are in my car.
If you have any questions, doubts, or queries, feel free to drop a comment in our comments section below, and our experts will get back to you with an answer in no time!
