Car Speakers - Best Brands (in your opinion)

[Rickman]

I'm a noob when it comes to car audio. I'd like to see who you guys think makes the best car speakers. Please relist these in order from best to worst in your opinion.

This should only be about car speakers, not decks, amps, etc.

here's the list off the top of my head:
Jensen
JBL
Kenwood
Pioneer
Sony
Rockford Fosgate
Infinity
Boss
Clarion
Audiobahn
Blaupunkt
Pyle
Cerwin Vega
Alpine
Bose
Boston Acoustics
JL Audio
Kicker
Polk

I know i've forgotten some, please feel free to include those in your list.
Also feel free to add comments or list why/why not's.

 

[servoeyes]

Hmm...well, you're gonna get a lot of different opinions on this. With speakers, it really depends on your personal taste as to how they sound. I'll give you my list of the brands that I've heard, though:

Boston Acoustics (Z6)
JL Audio (VRs, dunno about ZRs, didn't like the XRs as they were set, but there's a lot of adjusting you can do)
Eclipse (and I've only heard the coaxials)
Alpine (Type R)
Boston Acoustics (FS series Components)
Kenwood (Coax...didn't like their Comps at all!)
Pioneer (Coax..haven't heard any components)
Infinity (eh...they're ok)

Now, the brands that I would avoid on that list:

Jensen, Pyle, Cerwin Vega, Sony, Boss, Bose.

Other than that, you can at least give the other companies a try. Kicker, Blau, Clarion and Polk have potential. I'm not a fan of Audiobahn, but you might be. You might be surprised with my listing sony as a brand to avoid, but that's my taste...I think they make icky looking, icky sounding products.

 

[Rickman]

Hmm...well, you're gonna get a lot of different opinions on this.

Thanks, opinions are what i'm looking for.

 

[Poseur]

Why collect such a laundry list? just go listen and let your ears decide for you. What type/level of speaker are you looking for, that kinda plays a role in things as well. If you're wanting to drop like $100 on a 6x8 coax your options are ovbiously going to be way different than if you've got a grand for components, or realyl anywhere inbetween. In the end, though it really just comes down to what sounds best to you. My biggest surpise lately was Pheonix Gold inexpensive Coax's.. I was looking for speakers for my g/f and listening to midlevel coaxes that still sounded good (ended up going with eclipse's) But I was quite suprised by the PG's sound, I've always just sorta overlooked them.

Servo and I are pretty similar in taste, etc. One speaker I'd add to the list is Focal, and I'm kind aassuming he might just have forgot them. I also kind of like CDT, but I've ben having alot of isses recvently with one of their affiliates. Adire makes the Koda's that are very sweet as well, but only available as a 6.5" component set.

 

[Rickman]

Why collect a list? Because I dont know where you live, but the only place to check out speakers that are actually hooked up around here are Walmart, Best Buy, and Curcit City. And they all have the same 6 speakers, hooked up to the same crappy $100 decks.

There are a few places in town that do custom audio, but they happen to have the same store hours as my dayjob.

In the time it takes you to question why I want the info, you could have answered my question.

I understand everyone has different taste, and wants different things from their radio, but again, that's why I asked for OPINIONS.

 

[servoeyes]

Why collect a list? Because I dont know where you live, but the only place to check out speakers that are actually hooked up around here are Walmart, Best Buy, and Curcit City. And they all have the same 6 speakers, hooked up to the same crappy $100 decks.

There are a few places in town that do custom audio, but they happen to have the same store hours as my dayjob.

In the time it takes you to question why I want the info, you could have answered my question.

I understand everyone has different taste, and wants different things from their radio, but again, that's why I asked for OPINIONS.

Well...what Pos is trying to say, is that if you don't listen to them, it won't matter what we thought of them at all. Unless your ears are very similar to mine and Poseur's, then there's a good chance you'll be dissatisfied or question your choice.

The local shops around you must be open on weekends, I'd look into that as well. There should be a Tweeter in your area, too...or something of the like. I used JL Audio's dealer finder to locate some dealers near you that should carry a decent selection of stuff. Just go to JLAudio.com and you should be able to locate what you need. Good luck!

 

[sndsgood]

theres gotta be several high end audio shops in charlotte. and they are bound to be open on saturdays. never been to an audio shop that wasn't open on a saturday. and making a list is somewhat pointless unless you at least give an estimate of what u want to spend. i mean why run around looking at say rainbow that can run you around a grand if your only planning on spending 100$ there are hundreds of speaker manufacturers my top 5 choices havnt even been listed yet.

 

[RyanJayG]

Focal
Morel
Dynaudio

my favs.... but you will pay through the nose for them (relatively)

 

[ards]

From your list. I would go for (but not in order) and have listened to:

Alpine
Boston Acoustics
Infinity

The rest is just alright.

 

[servoeyes]

theres gotta be several high end audio shops in charlotte. and they are bound to be open on saturdays. never been to an audio shop that wasn't open on a saturday. and making a list is somewhat pointless unless you at least give an estimate of what u want to spend. i mean why run around looking at say rainbow that can run you around a grand if your only planning on spending 100$ there are hundreds of speaker manufacturers my top 5 choices havnt even been listed yet.

Hmm...nobody's mentioned your Top 5???

Ok...Well...Focal came before your post, and I was thinking they were in there.

I would say...hmm...dangit...what else would I say?

I know there's stuff out there that I want to hear, but haven't yet, so I'll add to that list:
Image Dynamics
Focal
Adire
Arc Audio / Rainbow
Dynaudio
High-end Kicker
High-end Eclipse
High-end CDT (Real HDs and Euros)
Oz Audio
High-end MB Quart (That brands in your top 5, right?)
Phoenix Gold Ti comps
Lightning Audio Storm Comps
A/D/S
Directed
PPI


The reason that I listed all those is because they're hard to find and get a listen to for me up here. Ironically, I don't really have the time at the moment to be doing that, since I'm unumployed. Hopefully, those brands will give you something more to chew on as well.

 

[Rickman]

thanks to those who answered my question, to those who didnt... well.

 

[chuyler1]

Focal
Dynaudio
A/D/S
Boston Acoustics
Diamond Audio
Eclipse
JL Audio
Infinity

in that order IMO. Of course afordability starts half way down the list.

 

[sndsgood]

rickman those that didnt directly answer your qeuestion offered just as much help and tips as those that did. you admitted you are a noob when it comes to car audio so why try and snub guys who have more knowldedge then you.. are point is why offer names of the "best" when your list is basically allot of it bottom of the barrel stuff. if your listing bottom of the barrel we have to assume this is where your budget lies. kinda like saying i want to know the best cars out there cause i'm looking to buy. then you list a ford escort, honda civic and chevy cavalier. by looking at that list i surely wouldn't thinkg your looking at buying a ferrrari or lamborghini.




as for my top 5 i'd problaby be looking at

rainbow
dynaudio
dls
q series mb quart
morel
okay focal would be 6 lol

of course I like most people can't afford most of what we consider "best" speakers, well maybe its not that i couldn't afford it, just that i'm not going to spend 500-1300$ for my car speakers.....

 

[billzebub]

Look, I know Rickman personally, so I'll try and clarify what I think he meant:

The list is all the brands available locally (or that he's aware of on the internet). Anything not listed is not listed because Rick was unaware of it. If you know of something better please list it (He siad he forgot some). It's true he's not looking to spend a small fortune and he's not going for a competition stereo either...just something that's good to hear music on. SO Given those two things, please recommend the best (He's not trying to cheap out either) speakers for his car.

 

[p5tom]

Cliff Designs...????

Anyone try Cliff Design speakers...or Heard them..
The TX line is carbon fiber. Looks like a great quality speaker (lol2)

 

[Rider69]

Since he obviosly does not want to take advice from people who know that...what we like for speakers might not sound good to him, why not just go for some Pyramid or Rockwoods. They are cheap enough that if he does not like the sound he can toss them and get something else. It is pointless for us to tell him what is going to work for him, cause no one really knows for sure. Some people like the JL Audios, I personally did not like them or MB quarts that I have heard. But you will find many that liek them and many that don't. It all depends on his ears.

And if you cannot find a shop open during your off days, maybe you take a vacation day or maybe even get sick if finding speakers is important to you. Or you can go to Crutchfield.com and order some up, try them out for a week or two and send them back if you do not like them.

 

[Rickman]

ok, nevermind. you missed the point.



thanks anyway billzebub.

 

[Joker_Fl]

(wow) and no mention of DLS? Don't forget to look into your local DLS dealer.

 

[sndsgood]

pay attention joker, they made my top 5 list lol

 

[RyanJayG]

Anyone try Cliff Design speakers...or Heard them..
The TX line is carbon fiber. Looks like a great quality speaker (lol2)

yeah, there is a cliff design's store here locally. and a buddy of mine has some CD's in his P5... they do sound pretty good for the price.... but as for me I am a high end *****, and I buy what I want (focal, morel, dynaudio, etc.) even if I have to save for longer.. I just dont skimp.