Understandable Information for 6.5″ Speakers
6.5″ speakers are one of the most common speakers used in car audio systems. You may be looking to replace your car speakers for a number of reasons: to improve on the sound quality offered by the OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) speakers; to accommodate the power provided by a subwoofer or amplifier upgrade; or to replace a blown out speaker. Depending on your reasons, the choice of speaker that you make will be affected, so it is helpful to understand all of the options so you can make the most informed decision possible. Here are a couple of the biggest considerations and specifications to look for when buying 6.5″ speakers.
Size
Obviously they’re going to be 6.5″ but there’s more to size than just the diameter. Depth is also another big issue, and if you’re not buying a stock set of the original speakers then you need to be sure about that depth. Certain 6.5″ speakers are extremely shallowly built, and the enclosure for it will not accommodate a cheaper, bulkier version.
Likewise, make sure that your vehicle actually takes 6.5″ speakers by default. If it takes a larger size and you think you’re going to save a few bucks by getting the next size down, think again. All that extra space inside the enclosure WILL affect the sound produced, allowing sound waves to be heard from both sides of the speaker. This degrades sound quality and is a waste of your own money if you try it.
Power
If you’re upgrading the entire car audio system to include additional subwoofers or amplifiers, make sure you check the specifications on the 6.5″ speakers you’re considering to be sure that they can handle the power you plan on generating. A lot of the time this will represent a sizeable increase in the overall cost of speakers, so make sure you price ALL aspects of your audio system prior to committing to it.
Installation
If all you want to do is replace a blown speaker and you think you’ll buy a stock replacement and do the work yourself, you may want to reconsider. If you’re not familiar with car audio systems then it can be confusing, especially if you have to take interior panels, trim and other things apart in order to access the speaker enclosure. (This is the case with the rear mounted column speakers in my S10 pickup truck; simply replacing two small 6.5″ speakers in a base model truck took several hours of labor and at least one specialty tool.)
Even if you do get everything taken apart, figured out and put back together, the quality of the installation counts. Even after spending several hours on my S10, the connections were still loose and now my audio randomly skips and cuts out for twenty or thirty seconds at a time. It didn’t help matters that we also used the wrong size speakers. It was a good learning experience though: don’t get in over your head with it.
Manufacturer
Many times people will head to their local Wally World and look for car speakers by familiar brand names: Sony, Kenwood, and the like. Here’s a tip: just because Wal-Mart keeps it behind a plastic sliding door with a cheap, flimsy lock on the front doesn’t mean it’s valuable. Even if you don’t want anything fancy, if you’re planning on buying 6.5″ speakers please take my advice and look for a reputable brand in the car audio field, and purchase from a reputable retailer.
Taking the time to research your 6.5″ speakers will play a large part in determining the success of whatever it is you’re doing to your car audio system. The fact that you’re reading the articles on this website is a step in the right direction. Your car audio is something that will prove to be surprisingly important to you as time goes on, especially if you do a lot of driving or plan on selling your vehicle any time soon. Always follow these simple guidelines when buying 6.5″ speakers, and don’t make the same mistakes that I did.
CB is a qualified provider of web-based work and an experienced scribbler, and as of right now writes on subject matter like 6.5 speakers and 6.5 inch speakers.
Processing your request, Please wait....
