Top 10 Best Car Speakers in the UK 2021 (Pioneer, Kenwood and More)

You don’t need to be an audiophile to shop for car speakers, but it certainly helps to be able to understand the different specs. Don't worry if they seem overwhelming now, these terms are actually rather easy to understand once they've been explained. Fortunately, that's exactly what our buying guide is here to do, so read on to discover how to find the perfect sound system for your car!

There's nothing better than playing your favourite song loud, but if you want a speaker system that'll hit high volumes, you'll need to know what to look for. It's surprisingly easy for those not in the know to misinterpret the specifications of a car audio system, and find that the speakers they've just purchased are not as powerful as they thought. Here's how to find a set of speakers that'll really raise the roof. 

If you’ve ever had a conversation with someone who’s chuffed with their new set of speakers, you’ve probably heard them rave about the number of watts their speakers can output. Every set of speakers comes with a peak output measurement, and while this figure might be the one that eyes are instantly drawn to, the truth is actually much less impressive.

Peak output actually refers to the highest power level a speaker can handle without blowing. While this offers a rough indication of the volumes that a speaker can reach, there’s much more happening behind the scenes that contributes towards a speaker’s overall sound quality. For this reason, it’s not uncommon to find a 1,000 watt speaker that outputs at louder volumes than a 1,200 watt speaker. 

If you really are committed to turning it up to 11, you’d do better to check the RMS power than the peak output. RMS watts describe the power level that a speaker can handle continuously and consistently without breaking or compromising sound quality. 

It's generally much lower than peak output and, therefore, might not offer as impressive a figure, but what it does offer is a much more reliable indication of your speaker’s actual power. Not to mention that nobody’s going to be impressed if you push your sound system too far and blow it!

When it comes to purchasing a sound system, frequency response is another specification worth paying attention to. It can seem complicated at first, but it’s really quite simple. Every soundwave has a frequency, measured in Hz (hertz). Individual hearing differs, but generally, the human ear can recognise sounds ranging from 20 to 20,000 Hz.

When placed within a musical context, this range of sounds is usually divided into bass (20-300 Hz), mids (300-4k Hz), and treble (anything above 4k Hz). Frequency response measures which of these sounds a speaker is able to reproduce. The lower the number that the frequency response starts with, the more accurately a speaker will be able to produce lower bass sounds, while the higher it ventures, the more capable it’ll be of handling trebles.

A sound system with a small frequency response range will produce music that sounds flat, with very little variation between different instruments. A high frequency response, on the other hand, will allow for deep, resonant bass sounds, and clear treble sounds - something that every true audiophile yearns for.

There are two speaker types to choose from when shopping for car audio systems: coaxial and component. There are many similarities between the two, but the crucial difference is in their structure. All the parts of a set of coaxial speakers are connected, while component sound systems consist of separate drivers.

Component speaker systems often offer superior sound quality, but this usually comes at a significantly increased price - in terms of the actual hardware, but also due to installation fees, as component speakers are notoriously difficult to install. 

Coaxial speakers, by comparison, are incredibly simple as they’ll often slot straight into the spaces left by your factory-installed speakers - meaning you’ll be able to fit them by yourself in no time. That's why for all but the most experienced, we recommend coaxial speakers. Don’t worry about the difference in audio quality, either, as a high-end set of coaxial speakers can still offer impeccable sound quality.

One way that manufacturers increase the frequency response of their sound system is to separate it into different speakers, each dedicated to managing a set range of frequencies. You’ll commonly find that a sound system consists of one speaker called a ‘woofer’, another called a ‘tweeter’, and - in the case of 3-way systems, another called a 'midrange'. 

A woofer is designed to handle lower frequencies, a tweeter handles higher treble frequencies, and a midrange sits somewhere in the middle. Sound systems with dedicated speakers are able to distribute a range of sounds between the different types of speaker, each of which is dedicated to handling a set frequency range. The result is a more satisfying separation of sounds, and bass notes and trebles that the ear is more easily able to recognise.

Like any top quality chef, every sound system manufacturer has a list of ingredients that they believe is an essential part of creating the perfect finished product. Upon first hearing, some of these materials can sound truly mind-boggling, but they often go towards creating a superior product, so they’re worth looking out for.

Many of these materials are utilised for their durability. Polymer, for example, is sometimes injected into the foam that makes up woofer cones, giving it air bubbles that make it lighter without compromising strength, while aluminium is often used to ensure that a speaker continues to perform even in hot temperatures. 

Be careful though, as sometimes manufacturers will dress up rather mundane features to make them sound like they're something special. If you're inexperienced, it's always worth browsing the list of materials used to make a speaker and doing a bit of research to find out what benefits they may bring.

Now that you know a little more about the characteristics that make up a great-sounding speaker system, you’re ready to begin shopping for your own perfect setup. Why not start by taking a look at our list, where we’ve gathered together ten of the best car speakers available to buy online in the UK.

There’s certainly no shortage of car-related products available nowadays, but how do you separate the wheat from the chaff? Luckily, we've got all the information you need right here! Read through some of our other articles to discover which ones are worth seeking out. 

Whatever your tastes in music, you deserve to enjoy your tunes in the best way possible, and a high quality speaker system can transform even the most mundane traffic jam into something to be enjoyed. We hope our guide has helped you find a speaker system to regain your lust for life on the road!

Author: Ben Willimett