Almost all speakers are sold in pairs since it’s difficult to produce a certain level of depth and clarity without a proper stereo system. While all cars today come with in-built sound systems, do manufacturers also ensure that car speakers come in pairs?
Car speakers usually come in pairs, so they can make a stereo sound. The left and right speakers play different channels, which sounds more natural to us than sound from a single speaker. While you can buy a single speaker to replace a broken one in your car, getting two at once ensures you get the same sound quality from both channels.
Whether you’re in the market for new speakers or looking to learn about your car’s audio system, there’s a lot of overwhelming info out there. Thankfully, this article will give you a better understanding of a car’s speaker system.
Can You Buy Single Car Speakers?
Although most car speakers come in pairs, you can buy single car speakers as well. That’s great if one of your speakers is broken. However, most people prefer to have the same speaker model for both the right and left channels.
If you are thinking of replacing only one of your old speakers because the others are still working ok, that’s probably not a great idea. It’s worth saving up to buy a pair instead.
Getting both at the same time ensures both speakers have the same audio quality. You wouldn’t want one to sound different from the other.
The Importance of Two Speakers
It’s important that you have at least two speakers in your car. While single speakers will work, they won’t provide the same sound environment as a pair. Since the sound will only come from one side of your car, it feels “off balance” or awkward to listen to. Most people prefer to have two speakers because of this.
Stereo speakers are by far the most popular audio option in automobiles these days. Mono speakers are more suited to speeches or radio and often don’t do justice to music being played. A good set of stereo speakers will make you feel like you’re right there in the studio or on stage while the artist performs.
Cars are the perfect place for surround sound since you can place speakers in all four corners of the interior. Adding more speakers increases the amount of channels, making it possible for the sound to surround you in the car. Since it’s a small space, you can easily achieve this!
Of course, not all car speakers come in pairs. However, using only one could dilute your music experience if sound quality is important to you.
How To Choose the Right Speakers for Your Car
When choosing the right speakers, you want a set that suits your car the best. That means not just Googling ‘best car speakers’ and picking the first thing you see. While those lists are helpful, you’ll be far better off if you tailor your choice to your preferences.
Here are a few things to consider when choosing the car speakers:
Components
Understandably, it can be difficult to know where to start with all these terms related to audio devices, so here is a quick summary of a few key parts that’ll make choosing a speaker much easier:
Tweeter
The tweeter is one of the different driver types you’ll become familiar with as you learn more about car speakers. Essentially the tweeter handles sound in a higher frequency (between 6,000-20,000 Hz) which makes a lot of people call it the treble driver.
Subwoofer
The subwoofer handles the lowest frequencies, usually below the 200Hz range. These frequencies give you the deep tones you associate with bass and are extremely important for certain genres of music like rock and hip-hop.
If you want to really feel the music in your car, then a reliable subwoofer is a must!
Mid-Range Speaker
The mid-range speaker handles the ‘mids,’ between the 200Hz to 6000hz range. The mids are usually important if you listen to things like spoken word, speeches, or the radio—generally, anything where a clearer voice will improve listening while you drive.
Woofer
Although woofers are designed to play low frequencies higher than the subwoofer, a good woofer can replace the mid-range speakers and the subwoofer. Because of this, many coaxial speakers are 2-way, meaning they only have a tweeter and a woofer.
Between the highs and lows of the tweeter and woofer, most of the required frequencies are covered.
Materials
The quality of materials you want in your speakers will play a big part in your choice. Generally, higher quality materials will give you better sound and performance but carry a hefty price tag.
If you want the best sound quality, then it’s worth saving up! It’s also good to read online reviews to see how the speaker materials worked for others.
Coaxial vs. Component
A coaxial sound system is a common option when it comes to cars. Coaxial speakers are speakers where the tweeters and woofers share the same basket which makes them easier to fit when there isn’t a lot of space available.
On the other hand, component speaker systems usually have one or more parts separate from the larger basket. Usually, the tweeter gets a smaller separate space above the main basket, making for better highs in your music.
The coaxial setup is more popular as it saves space, which is important for cars where space is limited.
Alternatively, component speakers use up more space but are better if you want those higher frequencies to really come through. The tweeter’s position makes for clearer notes and less distortion.
Apart from space, using a component system usually means you’ll need more work done in the car for installation.
Generally, the coaxial speakers can simply replace the car’s factory speakers, but a component speaker will need special allowances during installation.
Size
Size is one thing that can be overwhelming when choosing between speakers. A good rule of thumb is that bigger is better. You’ll want to choose the largest possible option that will fit in your car for the best audio.
Larger speakers produce clearer sounds on louder volumes because there’s less distortion in the sound. Since they’re much larger, they can displace a lot more air.
This displacement gives room for a wider range of highs, lows, and mids, giving you much richer sounds.
Music Preference
If your music taste leans more toward thumping EDM or hip-hop drums, then you’ll be far better served with a bass-heavy system. If you’re a bigger fan of a genre like classical music, then you’ll need something that hits the higher notes better.
Your music preference is the most important thing when it comes to your choice of car speaker. For example, getting an expensive, efficient set of subwoofers will give you amazing bass in your music. However, if most of what you listen to is classical music, then all of that bass goes to waste.
If you spend a lot of time in your car, the speakers should suit your music preferences!
Is Upgrading Your Car Speakers Actually Worth It?
Upgrading your speakers is worth it for better quality sound. Most car speakers are built for efficiency rather than for quality. If you only want something loud to play music, cheaper ones will still do a good job. However, for a wider audio range and higher quality sound, you should upgrade.
Installing a custom speaker setup is also good if you prefer your music a certain way. If you’re an audiophile, or just really like your music to sound as good as possible, then you should look into getting your speakers upgraded.
Final Thoughts
Car speakers mostly come in pairs to give you better stereo sound, replicating depth and perception similar to what you would hear if the music played in front of you.
Two speakers will give you a better listening experience, but if you truly want to upgrade your car’s audio, it’s best to upgrade the speakers to match your preferences.
