Tips on Picking the Right Aftermarket Car Speakers for Your Life

You want the very best aftermarket speakers for your lifestyle, right? We've got some tips for you to consider while you're shopping around: Here's what you need to know about audio sound before making any big decisions.

For the Best Sound, Focus on Sensitivity and Power-Handling

If you are an audiophile primarily interested in fidelity and the highest quality sound around, consider these two factors. Sensitivity refers to how effectively a speaker can turn power into sound. Low-powered stereos work well with high-sensitivity speakers, and vice-versa, so know your stereo! Power-handling refers to how much power in total a speaker can effectively use. Look for maximum RMS ratings and make sure that they match your stereo system – here, external amps that handle a lot of power will need speakers that can pump out what the amps are providing, so larger and more complex systems will require speakers that can handle more power.

Full-Range vs. Component: How "Live" Do You Want Your Music?

Full-Range speakers are single speaker devices that include woofers, tweeters, and possibly a couple other drivers based on the speaker. Everything is compact, in one package, which makes installation easy. Component speakers, meanwhile, split up each driver as a separate component that can be installed in the best possible spot. Here installation is more complicated and expensive, but your music with have a much better "live" component that makes you feel like the band is really there. Full-range speakers, meanwhile, are better for smaller cars that don't have much room to split up the system.

Want to Tailgate? That Subwoofer is Going to Come in Handy

If you are looking at aftermarket systems with an eye on tailgating and similar party-like events, then pay special attention to the subwoofer. It's difficult to understand just how loud tailgating can be when you're away from the party. There's a lot of noise, and you need a way to cut through it. Powerful bass is one of the best ways, so focus on a high-quality subwoofer.

Have Kids? Think Less About Audio, and More About Video

Yes, kids like music…but probably not as much as you do. If you really want to keep your kids and their friends entertained for longer car rides, then upgrade to video components as well as audio so that they have something to watch. Build your speakers around screens, and make sure you are the one who has access to the controls up front.

Spend Some Time With Your Digital Downloads

Music quality does depend on your speaker setup – but it also depends on the quality of your digital downloads. Compressing audio, for example, tends to lower quality and you may find yourself disappointed with how auto speakers react. Low levels of compression and high-quality audio files will produce much better results if you really want great sound.