Most cars are manufactured with poor-sounding speakers. You’ll hardly get clear music details with factory car speakers. Moreover, most stock speakers are designed to deliver a minimal sound frequency range. They hardly deliver any bass; when they do, it’s often distorted. Also, the highs are not what you’d ever want to listen to. The vocals are unclear and the treble is always terrible. In short, factory automotive speakers are not ideal for any good listening experience. Their flat sound is not what any car music enthusiast would ever want.
Due to the many shortcomings that come with factory speakers, it’s ideal to replace them with aftermarket car speakers. Aftermarket speakers come with many benefits that stock speakers can never have. With aftermarket automotive speakers, you’ll be assured of an enhanced listening experience. Read on through this article to learn why aftermarket speakers are more preferred than factory speakers.
Enhanced Build Quality
Factory speakers are usually designed as a formality rather than for quality purposes. Most car makers only build speakers into cars for the sake of making a car complete before selling it without minding the kind of sound quality they deliver. Factory speakers are often made from cheap materials. They tear and wear quite easily. They also burn out easily. Actually, adding an external amp to most stock speakers is a sure way of burning them out. Their build quality is usually poor since they’re manufactured just to add some sound to a car but not for quality sound.
On the other hand, high-quality aftermarket speakers are built with the best materials you can find today. For instance, cone drivers are built with the best cone materials, and some are even made using composite materials for enhanced performance. You’ll also find that voice coils in replacement speakers are made of high heat resistant wire to withstand heavy and prolonged usage without burning out.
Magnets in replacement speakers are also built with the best magnet materials to ensure that they don’t lose their magnetic strength sooner. Also, the speaker baskets are built with sturdy materials that keep all the interior components protected.
You can also find replacement speakers that are marine-rated. They’re made of materials that resist harsh weather elements such as UV-rays and moisture. Such speakers are ideal for car owners who reside in areas with extreme weather conditions.
In general, aftermarket speakers are designed with quality in mind. They’re prepared for durability such that upon investing in a high-quality model, you’ll be assured that you won’t buy another speaker sooner.
Enhanced Power Handling
Factory speakers have low power handling capabilities. Their RMS and peak power are extremely low. They even distort and crackle when the volume in factory head units is turned up. Worst, if you connect them to aftermarket head units, they distort to an extent of burning out. Actually, connecting stock speakers to an external car amp is a sure way of saying goodbye to them. Most of them will blow instantly. Their components tear and burn out easily since they’re made of low-quality materials.
Luckily, you can replace the under-performing factory speakers with new aftermarket units for enhanced power handling. Aftermarket ones are designed to handle more power. You can connect them to aftermarket head units and car amplifiers without any problems. They actually sound better when connected to aftermarket head units and external amplifiers than when connected to stock head units.
Enhanced Design Features
Factory speakers in most cars are designed with basic sound technologies, no wonder their performance is always below par. They come with the most basic features and miss outstanding ones. They may look like speakers, but they don’t sound the way a good speaker should sound.
Luckily, aftermarket speakers for cars come with enhanced design features in terms of performance and even aesthetics. For instance, aftermarket ones come with the latest sound technologies. Moreover, aftermarket manufacturers are always competing in the market. Thus, they always want their brand names to lead while others follow. Actually, some manufacturers innovate their own sound technologies to stay ahead of their competitors. As such, car owners benefit as consumers since they get more value for their money.
Car speakers built with the best and latest sound technologies sound best. Thus, aftermarket speakers are always preferred over factory ones due to their innovative features. Moreover, aftermarket speakers are more aesthetically pleasing than stock ones. There’re several replacement speakers that come with decorative finishes that add to the interior décor of a car. You’ll surely appreciate the new look they will give your car.
Multiple Options to Choose From
With factory speakers, you only have to stick with what you have. It’s either you upgrade them or continue listening to their dull sound. Aftermarket speakers come with multiple options to choose from. You can choose between matching sizes or even install bigger speakers by making new speaker holes in your car.
You’ll also have the freedom to choose from multiple models. You can even install different car speakers from different manufacturers based on your preferences. Moreover, you can choose any design you want, be it circular or oval.
You Can Install Component or Coaxial Speakers
Factory speakers usually sound flat. Their frequency range is usually limited. You can never enjoy the frequency range you love most with stock speakers. Thus, it’s worth replacing them with factory ones. Factory speakers are designed to cover a wider frequency range. For instance, if you love bass more, you can invest in a car subwoofer for a better low-frequency range. If you love highs more, you can invest in the best aftermarket tweeters for crisp highs. Those who love treble and mid can also invest in the best mid-range speakers.
With aftermarket automotive speakers, you can choose between component and coaxial speakers. With component car speakers, you’ll install separate speakers with different frequency ranges. For instance, a component sound setup can include a separate woofer driver, a separate tweeter, and a separate midrange driver. As such, you can install the kind of system you want depending on the frequency range you desire.
If you want all frequency ranges in one speaker, you can go for coaxial speakers. Coaxial speakers usually come as 2-way or 3-way speaker driver systems. For instance, a 2-way coaxial speaker can come with a woofer cone for midrange and lows and a tweeter driver for highs all in one speaker unit. A 3-way coaxial speaker can come with a woofer driver, a midrange driver, and a tweeter driver. Thus, you’ll get full-range sound with coaxial speakers.
In conclusion
Whether you’re a basic car music lover or an audiophile, you’ll hardly appreciate the sound that comes from factory car speakers. Upgrading them with factory car speakers introduces a better music experience in your car. As you can see from this article, aftermarket speakers come with multiple benefits over factory speakers and that’s why aftermarket speakers are preferred over factory speakers. If you’re still holding onto the factory speakers that came with your car, invest in aftermarket speakers to discover the kind of sound you’ve been missing.
Michael Evanchuk is a San Francisco-based sound engineer with 20 years’ experience installing, troubleshooting, and repairing commercial, automotive, and household sound equipment. Evanchuk owns an auto stereo center, where he offers highly competitive car audio installation and repair services. He has written dozens of articles on different sound engineering topics, all of which have been published in leading journals, blogs, and websites.