One of the first upgrades most people consider to make to their new car or truck usually involves the car audio system.  The one area that usually has the most impact on any sound system is the car speakers. If the shopper is new to car audio, selecting the best car speakers for his or her vehicle can really be a challenge.  In many cases it isn't difficult to find the size and power rating of the existing speakers but how do you go about finding the best speakers for your existing system?

The first thing to consider is the size of your speakers.  There is only one way to be sure of what size you might fit and that is by removing the door panel and actually measuring the diameter of the cutout in the frame and the allowable depth with the window in the down position.  This isn't as difficult as it might seem and usually with a couple hand tools and some common sense most people can do this themselves.  Of course if you don't feel comfortable doing so, you can always ask a friend for help.  Another way to handle this is to consider one of the many "shallow mount" speakers on the market today.  In the majority of cases these will fit in just about any door.  Of course things get a bit more challenging if you are dealing with dash mount speakers.  This is one reason many opt to simply add another set of high end speakers to a new location like in the kick panels.  Q-Logic Q-forms are custom fit kick panel replacement panels and they were always a popular install in our shop.  You will find they come in two sizes and accept 5 1/4" or 6 1/2" diameter speakers of just about any depth.  The added benefit of this type of install is they are easy to remove when you trade in your vehicle.  If you go with expensive high end speakers, this is something to consider.  Personally speaking, I always liked CDT component speakers for kick panel installs or CDT Braxials for door installations when possible.

To keep things simple, a full range set of speakers will be call co-axial or tri-axial speakers and appear as a single speaker to install at each location.  As mentioned, CDT Braxial speakers are actually a component mid range with a high end tweeter mounted on a bridge above it.  This enables component quality sound in a standard door install.  You will find component speakers will consist of a separate woofer and tweeter to install at each location.  Component speakers usually provide the best quality of sound since there are separate speakers to handle the highs and the mid frequencies.  You can actually find three-way component systems also which will have a mid, a woofer, and tweeter for each speaker location.  As mentioned earlier, if you opt for installation in kick panels you will find they already have provisions for component speakers.  The CDT line also features 8 inch extended bass woofers to install as component systems.  This enables you to enjoy good bass without the added expense and space needed for a subwoofer install.  But of course finding a location for a 8" mid can be challenging to say the least.

Beyond the size of your speakers, you have to consider the power requirements of any speakers you might select.  All speakers, both full range and component systems will provide the RMS or continuous power rating of the speakers.  While standard speakers from the likes of Boss, Infinity, Pioneer and Kenwood are usually easily driven by any vehicle head unit with even a minimum output, many high end speakers with names like MB Quart, CDT, JL Audio or Alpine will require an amplifier for best performance.  Many OEM premium sound systems today have an amplifier built-in to their system.  It might be good to check with your car dealer or a custom audio shop just to be sure.  If this is so, you might have to purchase an adapter for your aftermarket speakers.  

Of course if you are upgrading your vehicle's source unit or radio at the same time, this will allow you to match your speakers perfectly either with or without an amp depending upon the speakers and the source unit.  Another thing to consider if radio replacement is considered is whether you will upgrade front and rear speakers.  If you do and an amplifier is needed it is always a good idea to select a 4 channel amp since it will provide the best control for sound quality.  YOu have several options here.  Some guys will install mids or coaxials for rear fill, some will simply use the stock speakers and push the power to the new comps while others will go with high end braxials or components in the rear as well as the front.

A bit of good advice is to remember that no speakers will sound the same in your vehicle as they do in a store's showroom.  But then again, no one in your vehicle will be comparing the sound to anything else either.  So what ever you select be asured it will be a great improvement over any OEM sound system.  But never expect to get the same sound from a $59 set of speakers that you would from a $800 component system.  If you want the very top car speakers for your ride, be prepared to pay a little more for them.  As with most things in life, when upgrading car speakers expect to get exactly what you pay for.