There are a few common reasons people decide to upgrade their car speakers. Considering the many variables involved in this decision, that upgrade can quickly turn into a rocky gamble if the basic components of sound quality aren’t properly considered. Below is a guide that breaks down the main components of a successful Car Speaker upgrade with the objective of obtaining equalized, quality sound.

The recommended three elements to a basic upgrade include the following aligned components:

1) Aftermarket Speakers
2) Amplifier
3) Sub-woofer

The aligning metric to balance these is called “maximum RMS”, also referred to as “RMS” or “root-mean-square”. This formula determines the continuous output of your sound system and its overall durability. You will also see a term called “Peak Power”, which represents the highest range that your speakers can shoot up to intermittently.

For example, if you have a speaker with a 50Watts RMS and a peak rating of 80Watts, it means your speaker can handle 50Watts continuously and 80 Watts intermittently.

With this in mind, your ideal amplifier should be able to handle both the RMS and Peak ratings. This alignment is the determinant of making your upgrade worth the effort.

Aftermarket Speakers

Factory speakers are not meant to last a long time as there is a gradual degeneration process that occurs. However, Aftermarket speakers do make a difference in that they are manufactured with higher quality materials that produce a more crisp, clear sound.

When you purchase aftermarket speakers, you should listen to some sound tests to determine the quality of sound you enjoy the most and then decide on an RMS rating range you enjoy. This number will determine what amp and sub-woofer you purchase and the longevity of your sound quality.

Power-Matching

Now that you have looked at a few aftermarket speakers that match your taste, you want to align these with your amp and sub-woofer.

1) Your Amplifier RMS should range between half to the full wattage of your speaker. For example, if your speaker is 100 Watts, your amplifier should range from 30-100 Watts.

2) Your sub-woofer RMS rating should match your amplifier. The reason being is that your sub-woofer will help your amplifier sense and output equal power.

As an alternative, if the budget is tight you can still get away with focusing on getting premium speakers with the appropriate amplifier to start. However, without the amplifier, the sound quality will only improve minimally in comparison to upgrading the above components.

Depending on the amount of time you spend in your car, and your budget, the component price may vary but is worth the effort