TOP 15 best 16 cm speakers for a car

The quality of standard acoustics in a car is often mediocre. Therefore, many drivers are thinking about buying new car speakers. Today, speakers with a size of 16 centimeters are the best-selling and most versatile, because... They can be installed not only in the front doors, but also on the rear parcel shelf. In addition, compared to 13 cm speakers, they produce more powerful and louder music.

This article is about how to choose a 16 cm speaker for car audio, as well as which models are the best in 2020-2022.

How to choose the best car speakers

The choice of speakers directly depends on the musical preferences of the car owner. However, there are a number of criteria that are considered before purchasing these devices.

The main parameter is the type of acoustics:

broadband;
coaxial;
component.

Wideband acoustics consists of one speaker. It plays music in all frequencies (low, mid, high). This option is suitable for listening to the radio or soft music. Speakers of this type are the most affordable, which is why automakers build them into their cars. It is recommended to buy such a speaker only if the car has no speakers at all. Whereas replacing it with a standard one, as a rule, does not make sense.

The next type is coaxial acoustics. This type of speaker is considered advanced. Instead of one speaker, there are several at once, located inside one housing. A separate speaker reproduces a separate frequency range. This makes the reproduced sound larger and increases its purity.

Component speakers, like coaxial ones, have the same set of speakers. But they are located in separate buildings. Because of this, the sound is rich and detailed. Today, component speakers are the most advanced, but they also have a corresponding price.

When you have decided on the type of acoustics, move on to the remaining criteria:

Rated and peak power. Nominal power is the power at which the speaker operates for a long time without sound distortion. Peak power refers to the peak sound level produced by the speaker. At the same time, the speaker only works for a short time.
Number of lanes. “Bandwidth” refers to the range width and number of speakers used in acoustics to separate sounds into frequencies. Without touching on theory, the principle of choice is simple: the more bands, the cleaner and more detailed the speakers sound.
Frequency range. This parameter determines the frequencies at which sounds are reproduced by the speakers. In simple models, the frequency range is from 50 to 20,000 Hz. If sound quality comes first for a car owner, then the range should be at least 30-35000 Hz. The wider the range, the better the acoustics sound at its boundaries.

Component car audio

Alpine X-S65C – for high quality audio

A powerful speaker with a rating of 120 W operates in a very wide frequency range of 55-40000 Hz. The system “sings” expressively, producing detailed sound at the level of expensive home acoustics.

Accordingly, it is designed for listening to the highest quality Hi-Res audio, which is greatly facilitated by speakers made of modern and technologically advanced materials such as carbon fiber and nanofiber.

Pros:

Powerful yet very clear sound.
The cone cone on the midbass is made of rigid and lightweight nanofiber, which ensures stability of the frequency response and reduces distortion to a minimum.
Neodymium magnets were used in the manufacture of the speakers - as a result, the manufacturer managed to reduce the seating depth, but maintain the required power.
Cast aluminum baskets of midrange drivers are rigid, strong and durable.
On a complete crossover, you can not only change the level of the highs, but also instantly switch the polarity of the tweeters when setting up an already installed system.

Minuses:

Tweeters are intended only for outdoor installation, and to obtain a “diffused” sound they require precise selection of direction.
There is a noticeable lack of bass - you will have to buy a subwoofer separately.
The price is about 30 thousand rubles, although you can pay that for such quality.

Recommendations: 10 Best Car Amplifiers

15 Best Car Subwoofers

15 best car speakers

Airtone S6.5 Comp – a good two-component budget

This inexpensive but very worthy set of acoustics pleasantly surprises with the manufacturer’s serious approach to workmanship. Here, the speakers use silk and impregnated cellulose compacts, which provide beautiful sound in any composition.

The kit itself includes a 6.5-inch midbass with a frequency response from 65 to 5000 Hz, as well as a crossover and a tweeter with a diameter of 25 mm - all in pairs.

Pros:

The system is moderately bassy - if you don’t listen to rock or jazz, you can even do without buying a subwoofer.
The speakers work cleanly, without extraneous noise, even at maximum volume.
Polyurethane foam suspensions on diffusers are clearly a low-budget solution, thanks to which the bass sounds more velvety and the speakers do not dull in winter.
The passcrosses provide the ability to switch the HF level control: boost or cut by 3 dB, or leave it in the neutral position.
High-frequency tweeters can be embedded into the surface or left outside - housings for external installation are included.
Neat assembly and at the same time a very affordable price - only 2800 rubles for the entire set.

Minuses:

Low power of 50 W and not the most impressive sensitivity (91 dB) - lovers of loud music will miss all this.
The supply wires on the midwoofers are a bit short and are stretched during installation. The problem is partially solved by bending the terminal plate.

Hertz MPK 165.3 PRO – for bass lovers

The two-way system with 6-inch speakers covers the range of 40-22500 Hz. Moreover, in this generation, the manufacturer did a good job with HF tweeters, eliminating their main problem - the dry “sandy” sound that was present in earlier models.

He also managed to get deep, dense bass from the main speakers. So if you like “meat” in music, but don’t want to install a subwoofer, this speaker will cope quite well without one.

Pros:

Perfectly balanced sound at all frequencies.
Mid-bass speakers are installed in non-resonating cast baskets.
Conical cellulose diffusers have a large radiating area and produce a beautiful, open sound in the midrange.
Rated power 110 W.
A sensitivity of 92 dB will allow you to easily do without an additional amplifier.
Two levels of tweeter adjustment via crossover – 0 and +2 dB.
Adequate price 18-19 thousand rubles.

Minuses:

The system requires proper installation with noise and vibration insulation of the mounting surface, otherwise you won’t get good sound from it.

Which 16 cm speakers are best to put in a car without an amplifier?

The main thing in choosing a speaker is to decide on the type of speakers and what kind of music the car owner likes to listen to. Most acoustics reproduce individual frequencies well, but there are also balanced models.

If the user needs a car speaker with bass sound, then Morel Tempo Coax 6 is suitable for this purpose.

Among the speakers that play music equally across the entire range, the Audison Prima APK 165 stands out.

And for those car enthusiasts who are looking for which speakers without an amplifier are best to buy for their car, it is recommended to take the SoundMAX SM-CSA603.

Coaxial car audio

Pioneer TS-1675V2 – coaxial with decent sound

Among coaxial speakers, Pioneer TS is one of the few that can boast of really good sound. The updated line is distinguished by a competent approach to the layout of the acoustic system with a standard diameter of 16 cm.

Here the manufacturer managed to increase the area of the main radiator by 14% and achieve more surround sound due to an additional midrange speaker, as well as a super tweeter.

Pros:

Clear, balanced sound thanks to a precise frequency range of 35-20,000 Hz. The speakers play vocals especially beautifully and realistically.
The cast cellulose cone provides high detail and smooth frequency response.
The polyurethane suspension gently holds the main speaker, preventing it from tearing at the limit of travel.
The non-standard Z-shaped profile on the basket provides good rigidity without increasing the thickness of the metal structure.
Large peak power reserve - 300 W at nominal 50.
The seating depth is only 58 mm, which greatly simplifies the installation of speakers in a standard socket.
The price is only 5300 rubles.

Minuses:

The super tweeter reaches the stated 20 kHz to the limit of its capabilities.
The bass is detailed and beautiful, but it lacks power - this can be cured by connecting a subwoofer.

Infinity Kappa 93ix – three-way acoustics with a large frequency range

The oval 6x9 inch three-way system has such a wide frequency range that it doesn't even need a subwoofer. It itself covers a huge range from 35 Hz to 30 kHz. At the same time, the 93ix produces good power (nominal 110 W) and has quite decent sensitivity just above 90 dB.

Pros:

Elegant appearance and dimensions convenient for installation.
Increased area of the main diffuser (by approximately 30%) due to the conical shape of the emitter.
Durable yet lightweight speaker baskets made of ABS plastic.
The design includes a super tweeter, which makes the sound as detailed as possible and generally improves the whole picture.
The tweeter stand can be adjusted if you need to change the direction of the sound.
There is a treble speaker frequency switch for +3 and 0 dB - for convenience, it is placed directly on the panel with tweeters.
The kit includes a spacer ring that simplifies installation of the speaker into a standard socket.
Relatively low cost for a full-fledged system that does not require virtually any additions - about 7,000 rubles.

Minuses:

Sounds better when connected through an amplifier.
Not everyone likes the design with gold elements.

Subwoofers

Pioneer TS-WX36M

The powerful 12-inch subwoofer is housed in moisture-resistant birch plywood and has a beveled back wall. So placing it close to the back of the passenger sofa will not be difficult.

The characteristics are also impressive: 300 W of rated power and a sensitivity of 96 dB allow it to work perfectly even when paired with weak amplifiers.

Pros:

Wide low frequency coverage from 20 to 125 Hz produces deep bass.
Despite its 48 liters of volume, the sub's body does not take up much space in the trunk.
Works great with low-power amplifiers, but is not afraid of overloads.
The slotted bass reflex housing and the 300-watt speaker are capable of “rocking” even a sedan and at the same time delivering clean bass without distortion.
The reinforced polymer suspension will last a long time in any conditions.

Minuses:

The subwoofer is passive, so even though it is poor, it still needs an external amplifier.

Sundown Audio SD3-12 D2 – compact subwoofer with precise bass

This sub is addressed not so much to lovers of powerful bass, but to those who appreciate clear SQ sound even at low frequencies.

The two-arm model has a diameter of 12″, but due to the reduced mounting depth and design features without a vertical outlet, it allows for a more compact installation - even close to the wall of the box or with a “stealth” design.

Pros:

Absolute control of the speaker by the amplifier due to the shortened coil, which reduced sound distortion to a minimum.
The sound of the subwoofer is harmoniously woven into the midrange, without falling behind or detaching from the overall “picture”.
Good sound output without loss of clarity is obtained even in a small box with a volume of 26-40 liters.
The impressive appearance and decor on the flange hint that the speaker can be installed without a box (however, then you will have to tinker with the acoustic design).
Impeccable assembly right down to gluing the nuts on the bolts so that they do not unscrew under vibration loads.

Minuses:

The subwoofer is not designed for high decibels; its element is neat acoustic design. At the maximum stroke of the speaker, sound distortion appears.
The price is within 10-14 thousand rubles.

Cadence QSA-PR8 – active subwoofer under the seat

The compact subwoofer in its original 290x245 mm case already comes with a built-in class D amplifier - it has the highest possible efficiency and, accordingly, minimal heating.

Inside the sound box there is a passive diffuser, which made it possible to create in a small box the same acoustic amplification effect as in a bulky bass reflex. In general, if there is not enough space, but you want bass, this is an ideal option.

Pros:

Unexpectedly confident bass for such a baby.
The frequency range of 20-150 Hz allows the subwoofer to harmoniously fit into almost any speaker system.
Convenient location of the control panel with all inputs and outputs for connection.
Durable metal casing with an effectively built ventilation system - feels barely warm during operation.
The raised aluminum “grill” mesh on the speaker is rigid enough not to ring even under heavy load.
An adjustable low-pass filter and bass boost are for those who like their acoustics to really punch.
There is a polarity switch that allows you to adjust the sub to an already built system.
The kit includes a compact control panel - wired, but the cord is long (enough to reach the trunk).
A carefully tuned subsonic filter cuts off infra-low frequencies that are inaudible to the ear, without affecting the “meat”.

Minuses:

In principle, it is impossible to get super-deep bass with a compact subwoofer.

What is it and what are the features of such systems?

Today, such equipment for cars is mainly presented in two versions:

Coaxial speakers.
Component acoustics.

The first option is usually one woofer type, working in tandem with heads designed to reproduce high and mid frequencies. This makes car coaxial speakers more affordable in price and in terms of installation than their component counterparts, which consist of a number of different devices, crossovers, and so on.

Naturally, the coaxial version is somewhat worse in terms of sound, so it is important for any car enthusiast to know which speakers and from which manufacturer are better in order to achieve the ideal combination of quality and cost.

Analysis of the operation of Kingz Audio TSR-HSQ tweeters

The fact that TSR-HSQ is higher class is obvious not only from their appearance. The own frequency response is much smoother - the material of the domes, the internal geometry, and, again, the motor play their roles here.

The phase characteristic has no fractures at all, so one can expect a very interesting and natural HF character in its presentation. For now this is an assumption, although listening later confirmed it.

At the bottom of their range, TSR-HSQ perform reliably. Look at the distortion graph - no sharp increase in distortion as the frequency decreases. Of course, this does not mean that they need to be released almost to the full band, but there is freedom in setting - even if the high-pass filter in the channel is set low (say, 3-3.5 kHz at 12 dB / octave), it will not whistle or ring will begin.

In general, although these tweeters cost as much as the entire two-way set, but, forgive the tautology, they are worth it.

Crossovers Hertz DX 200 and DX100

The separation filter included in the kit is difficult to evaluate adequately. It is not possible to connect any midwoofer to the DT 16 tweeter due to the complete unsuitability of the tweeter. And this result is no exception. The division point is located around 5 kHz, which in itself is bad - for good processing of the signal front, it is better to turn on the high-frequency driver as early as possible. Plus, the resulting frequency response is terrible, with a dip from 2 to 9 kHz with a depth of 9 dB (we look at the midwoofer frequency at an angle of 30 degrees). On the other hand, the low-frequency arm (DX200) may come in handy if you find a tweeter that can operate from -2.5 kHz.