Best Alpine Speakers: Enhance Your Vehicle’s Factory System
These top Alpine speakers will boost the sound in your car
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Alpine is one of the most well-known names in the car audio business. A pair of high-quality Alpine speakers can transform your vehicle's sound system and really distinguish it from the stock speakers. In this buying guide, we review some of the best Alpine speakers on the market.
Alpine R-Series 6.5 Inch 300 Watt Coaxial 2-Way Car Audio Speakers
Alpine 5" x 7" 2-Way Type-S Series Coaxial Car Speaker
Alpine S-S65 S-Series 6.5-inch Coaxial 2-Way Speakers
Benefits of Alpine Speakers
- Improve sound quality. Your stock or OEM car speakers may be great, but they aren’t the best when it comes to sound clarity and tone. Upgrading to new Alpine speakers will let you hear music and podcasts more clearly and crisply. You can crank up the music louder than your factory speakers without losing any sound quality.
- Enhance your car’s look and sound. Adding brand new Alpine speakers can transform your car’s look and sound. The addition of tweeters or subs can make your vehicle look more sporty and modern. Plus, the speakers will be more pleasing to your ears. You can also enhance them further by placing them exactly where you want for the best sound quality possible.
- Upgrade sound system. You don’t have to worry about swapping out your entire sound system with new speakers. A set of high-quality and premium speakers can vastly improve the sound and tone of music in your vehicle. You can get a deeper bass tone and hear high frequencies or vocals you’ve never heard before.
Types of Alpine Speakers
Component
Component speakers feature different types of drivers: tweeters, mid-rangers, and woofers. All three work together to produce all the sounds that make up your system. Tweeters focus on driving the high-frequency notes, woofers produce lower notes, and the mid-range produces middle to lower frequencies. Each driver is also separate from each other so they can be placed around the vehicle.
Full Range (Coaxial)
Full-range speakers are the most common type of audio system found in most new vehicles. They come with a woofer, with a tweeter placed over it. The woofer is responsible for both the low and middle-frequency sounds, while the tweeter handles the mid- to high-range noises. Since each driver is connected, all of the sounds will come from the same place.
Top Brands
Apine
Alpine began in 1967 in Shinagawa, Tokyo. The company is known for designing and manufacturing audio speakers but it also produces navigational systems. You can find Alpine speaker components in popular car brands such as BMW, Honda, and Dodge. Consider the Alpine 5" x 7" 2-Way Type-S Series Coaxial Car Speaker if you’re looking to upgrade your system.
Alpine Speakers Pricing
- Under $60: For those who prefer lower-budget Alpine speakers, this is the price range you will find them. They come with a peak wattage output of around 75 watts but can reach up to 100 watts. These speakers will also generally be smaller while still producing a clear sound quality.
- $60 to $100: The mid-price range for Alpine speakers can compete with some of the more popular name-brand systems on the market. They feature anywhere between 100 to 240 watts and are quite powerful and capable of producing plenty of noise.
- $100 and up: Once you reach over the $100 threshold, you will find a premium selection of Alpine speakers. These will make it feel like the concert is happening right inside of your vehicle. They are built for competitions and produce excellent ranges of high-, low-, and mid-range noise.
Key Features
Speaker Size
Speakers can be found in sizes as small as 3.5 inches and up to 12 inches. They can be found all over your vehicle but are generally placed beneath seats, indoors, and in the trunk. Larger speakers offer better sound quality since they have more space to reverberate sound. However, they can be a bit tricky to fit in cars. Smaller speakers are easier to find a home for, but can be more difficult to install if they are in a door or under a panel. It’s best to swap out all of your speakers at once to boost your overall sound quality. Uniform speakers work better together.
Quality
To get the best audio experience for your car, consider the way the speaker is built. Its construction makes all the difference when it comes to producing loud and clear audio. For the most durable and weather-resistant speakers, consider ones that come with polypropylene cones surrounded by butyl rubber. For the best tweeters, look for ones made with graphite.
Watts
Speakers are rated in watts or how much power the speakers can handle before overheating or blowing out. The lower the rating, the less likely you will need an amplifier. Your factory stereo should be able to handle anything around 200 watts, but to be safe, you should consider getting an amplifier to properly route the power to each speaker. You can check your stereo output to see just how much power it releases.
Other Considerations
- Compatibility: You need to make sure the speakers are compatible with your vehicle. You should select the same size speaker as your stock stereo so you don’t have to modify mounting holes or brackets. Also, check to be sure your factory stereo can properly power the speakers. Your external amp can give you an idea of the correct volume levels for your speakers. The RMS (root mean square) will determine how much power the speakers can handle.
- Sensitivity: A speaker's sensitivity level is the amount of power required so a speaker can produce sound at higher volumes. Low sensitivity speakers need more power to run them, so you may need an amplifier to boost the signal.
- Impedance: This is the amount of resistance the speaker has when the current and voltage is sent to it. A lower resistance means a stronger signal will get through to the speaker.
Best Alpine Speakers Reviews & Recommendations 2020
These coaxial two-way speakers are capable of handling up to 100 watts RMS or 300 watts peak power. They feature a sleek and bold modern-looking design to enhance the look of your car. Plus, they include a hybrid fiber woofer with multi-roll rubber surround and a one-inch silk dome tweeter.
Considering their size, they are capable of packing quite a punch as well. The speakers produce great bass response even though they are on the smaller size at just 6.5 inches. They also produce very sensitive high tones and a crystal clear sound when matched with the right amp.
There are a few downsides you may notice when listening to these speakers, though. In order to get the best sound out of these speakers, you will need a strong amplifier to boost the sound throughout the vehicle. Also, you may need to drill some holes when mounting them for a proper fit.
These Alpine speakers feature a component style for a more precise and clear setup. These speakers feature a durable carbon-fiber-reinforced plastic woofer cone with specialized rubber surround and a one-inch silk dome tweeter. Plus, they can handle up to 80 watts RMS or 240 watts peak power.
You will notice a complete difference as soon as you swap out your factory speakers. Compared to the stock ones, these produce a sound that is much clearer and they come with a deeper and throatier bass level. You can turn up the music nice and loud, and the speakers will still be super clear.
As far as mounting them, you will have to find your own hardware to do so. The speakers don't come with screws, and you may have to drill new holes to get them to fit. Also, to reach a deeper bass, you will need to add an amplifier and subwoofer if you want more boom in your car.
Tips
- While speakers will improve the overall sound in your audio system, you should also consider purchasing a new head unit, an external amplifier, and a subwoofer for even better performance.
- It can be challenging to create a new sound system in your vehicle. If you are not mechanically inclined, you may want to consult a professional or get help from knowledgeable friends when installing the equipment in your car or truck.
- To cut down on road noise and vibration, consider using a sound-deadening material such as Dynamat. It will help deaden the vibrations and create a more acoustically pleasing environment for your speakers.
FAQs
Q: Who makes the best car speakers?
A: There are many different, yet reputable, brands of car speakers, so it often comes down to personal preference. In addition to Alpine, popular brands include Kicker, Polk Audio, JBL, and Pioneer.
Q: What’s the difference between two-way, three-way, and four-way speakers?
A: A two-way speaker has two separate frequency bands and includes a tweeter and a woofer. The tweeter delivers higher audio frequencies, while the woofer produces lower bass notes. Three-way speakers are commonly used in car audio setups. They are also known as tri-axial speakers and contain woofer, tweeter, and mid-range drivers. Four-way speakers contain four components: one bass, two tweeters, and a mid-range cone.
Q: Are four-way speakers the best?
A: They require minimal wiring and don't take up a lot of space in your car. The extra tweeter helps to achieve extremely high frequencies, yet you still get a lot of bass and volume. However, these speakers tend to be more expensive.
Final Thoughts
Our pick for the best Alpine speakers is the Alpine R-Series 6.5 Inch 300 Watt Coaxial 2-Way Car Audio Speakers. They will boost the performance of your audio system with clear sound and good bass response.
For a more budget-friendly option, consider the Alpine 5" x 7" 2-Way Type-S Series Coaxial Car Speaker.
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Our reviews are driven by a combination of hands-on testing, expert input, “wisdom of the crowd” assessments from actual buyers, and our own expertise. We always aim to offer genuine, accurate guides to help you find the best picks.
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