If you’ve ever noticed that your car’s music system gets taken over by noise from the outside while driving, it might be a sign telling you that it’s time to invest in some new, good-quality speakers in your vehicle.
While there’s technically nothing wrong with stock car speakers (they often get the job done for occasional listening), if you wish to experience high-quality sound and want to enjoy music to the fullest, you need upgraded speakers that will produce more bass, enhance the lows and highs, and provide a richer and more natural sound overall.
While you are out shopping for car speakers, you’ll most probably come across two of the most common types of speakers, 2-way speakers (dual car speakers or coaxial speakers) and 3-way speakers (triaxial speakers).
Each of these two types of speakers has its unique set of pros and cons but generally, both of them are able to produce more precise and fuller sound than most factory-fitted audio speakers.
It might seem obvious, but as the name implies, dual car speakers (2-way or coaxial speakers) have two loudspeakers in the system, with each providing a separate frequency of sound, usually low and high.
On the other hand, 3-way car speakers are made up of a system of 3 speakers, which produces low, mid-range, and high-range audio.
But, which audio setup would work be best for you? What are the pros and cons of each type of loudspeaker? And what considerations should you take when choosing the best one for your needs and wants?
Keep on reading to find out the answers to all these questions below! Let’s get started.
Speaker Setup Basics
Before we get ahead of ourselves and decide which speaker type would be the best for you, you should know more about how a car speaker system functions and the components involved.
All sound that you hear, whether it’s honking cars or the sound of rain, is made up of audio waves with specific amplitudes and frequencies.
When you listen to music through your speakers, the device sends out sound waves through the air with different amplitudes and frequencies, allowing you to listen to high-pitched or deep bass audio.
When audio waves collide, it creates a phenomenon known as “resonance,” which makes the sound output by your speakers feel louder and more prolonged in duration.
Dual car speakers or triaxial speakers are different from most factory speakers. What makes them so unique is the number of speakers and the specific frequencies each speaker produces.
Most stock car speakers produce only high and low frequencies, while some can handle the entire frequency range. It might sound logical that the more speakers an audio system has, the better the output sound will be, but this isn’t always the case.
The overall quality of audio depends on a variety of factors like cabinet design, quality of the speakers, the crossover setup, and how well the speakers are matched together.
Loudspeakers can increase their output audio by generating certain wavelength sound waves. Depending on the frequency of sound, the audio setup can boost sound by producing only certain wavelengths of audio.
Deep pitch audio produces long wavelengths while high pitch generates short wavelengths.
The Components Involved In A Speaker Setup
The Woofer
A woofer is a type of speaker that generates bass and deep audio like a tuba playing. It primarily produces lower frequency audio compared to other speaker types.
Woofers are also generally very big (can go up to 15 inches) and often consume a lot of power.
The Tweeter
The tweeter is a speaker that is responsible for generating high-frequency audio like a ringing cymbal.
These drivers tend to be much smaller than woofers and are used to give music more brightness and clarity.
Mid-Range Speakers
Also known as “range” speakers, these drivers look similar to woofers but are generally much smaller.
As the name implies, it is used to produce mid-range frequency audio that lies between the highs of tweeters and the lows of a woofer. They are usually at least 8 inches in diameter.
Dual Car Speakers
These are some of the most common speaker types you can find in the market. They are also relatively cheap, making them the ideal option for audio enthusiasts who wish to upgrade their vehicle’s audio quality.
The two drivers included in the 2-way car speakers are the woofer and the tweeter. Due to the absence of a third speaker, this setup often lacks high-quality mid-range capabilities.
But, they do produce low and high-frequency audio well. The bass levels vary depending on the size of the driver and can be decent if you choose to go with larger-sized drivers.
A relatively larger woofer can produce a much louder bass as it generates more air movement but is not ideal for producing higher-frequency music.
However, despite having only two speakers, most individuals are often satisfied with its results as an upgrade to their vehicle’s stock audio system. It allows them to enhance their audio experience and prevents outside noise from interfering with music playback.
| Pros | Cons |
| A budget-friendly option | Not as loud as other alternatives |
| Handles low and high frequencies well | It doesn’t have mid-range capabilities |
| More than capable of blocking out ambient noise |
3-Way (Triaxial) Speakers
These types of speakers contain a tweeter, woofer, and another driver that is often called the “midrange.”
Due to having an extra speaker, 3-way speakers are capable of producing more detailed and sharper audio with a much broader frequency range than its dual car speakers alternative.
This audio setup can give you the opportunity to experience more pleasurable sound and is one of the highest-end speaker systems you can purchase.
3-way speaker setups can also give you a high degree of flexibility. If you’re searching for a speaker setup that can accurately generate higher-end frequencies, you’ll be pleased to know that some triaxial speakers replace the mid-range for another tweeter. This can give you much more detailed audio in those high frequencies.
| Pros | Cons |
| More detailed sound than dual car speakers | Generally quite expensive |
| It comes with three drivers | |
| Broad frequency range | |
| Produces more natural audio |