Best 6×9 Speakers – An Expert’s Review & Mega Guide

I’m going to get straight to it, choosing the best 6x9 car speaker takes more than just the brand name or the amount of money you’re going to pay for it. as a matter of fact, these two should be the last thing in your order of priorities. 

But how do you really get the best then?

Well, this is where we come in. We’ll be giving you the best upgrade options you could possibly get in the market- imagine how good of an experience it would be to get an outstanding performance from a speaker that’s amazingly easy to set up.

Let’s get started by taking a look at the best of the best in 2018.

Comparison chart.

How about you, first of all, have a look at the comparison chart below before taking a look at the detailed reviews, it surely would save you a great deal of time.

How & why did we settle for our top 30 list?

Just as it is the case when it comes to other audio components for your car, there are hundreds of options for you to choose from and there’s no way you can get the best via just a quick search on the web.

Considering how much trouble it would be for you to do all the hard work by yourself, we put our review team into action. We’re basically car audio enthusiasts who’ve had a great deal of experience when it comes to car audio systems for a long time and we deemed it suitable to classify the speakers in 3 categories- the budget speakers, average priced and the premium-quality speakers.

Well, after spending hours of research on some of the best eCommerce websites going through customer review, product features and adding our own first-hand experience with 6x9 speakers, we came up with this top 30 list.

Each speaker we’ve reviewed has also been put to test in different environments to determine how good a sound quality you can be able to get when you use it in your vehicle and trust me, you won’t be disappointed whatsoever.

Here’s what we came up with:

Top 30 6x9 car speakers 2018- an in-depth review

Budget-friendly 6x9 speakers

Are our reviews really as good as we say they are? I guess it’s about time you find out. Let’s kick start our review with the standard 6x9 speakers.
These are meant for you if you’re on a budget but at the same time would like a better performance than your pre-installed speakers

Top of the line 6x9 car speakers

If budget is not a problem and you’re willing to give your vehicle the best of the best, this section is exclusively meant for you

21. Morel Tempo Ultra 692 6"x9" component car speaker system

Being a 6x9 sized speaker which is basically what most people would have installed in their vehicles, there’s more to the Morel Tempo Ultra 692 than meets the eye.

If you're looking for a 6x9 speaker with a really serious power handling and premium audio quality, this, just like any other Morel speaker will definitely blow your mind. Well, as the name itself suggests, the Tempo Ultra series will be giving you nothing but a flawless performance with every musical note.

Here’s what you should expect from it…

The construction and design

Starting with the first impressions, the package comes with quite a lot and definitely more than you'll be getting from an average 6x9 car speaker. Here goes:

• Two woofers
• Two tweeters & 2 oval flush mount tweeter housings
• 2 large and 2 small angled surface mount tweeter housing.
• Installation hardware.

Besides just the above-mentioned inclusions of the package, the Morel Tempo Ultra 692 build quality is one of the best you could get from a component speaker.

• A treated paper composite woofer cone – being a component speaker system, the cone on this woofer is a paper composite cone. This, being hard and rigid will be quite ideal for handling the lows which in turn gives a deep and punchy bass- definitely qualifies as an audiophile-grade woofer.
• There’s a butyl rubber surround – around the cone is a butyl rubber surround. This, being flexible ensures there is an optimal motion of the cone and with every music note you get the bass going as good as it could possibly get.
• Silk-dome tweeter – well, the music won't be that good when you only have outstanding highs, don't you agree? In order to ensure that there a balance in every music genre you play, you'll also be getting a silk-dome tweeter which is also reputed for producing the best quality sound as far as car speaker tweeters are concerned- a mellow and well-defined sound.
• Ferrite & neodymium magnet system – working hand in hand with the voice coil in the woofer is a high-grade ferrite magnet system which will be giving you quite a high-quality bass. Besides the ferrite magnet, there is also a neodymium magnet for the tweeter that ensures the highs are at their best.
• The voice coil – the diameter of the voice coil in the woofer is 1.5” whereas that for the tweeter is 1.125”. The voice coil wire in both cases is made out of copper which will be able to take in quite a lot of heat especially when the bass gets deep and loud.
• An external crossover – in order to get the bass at its best, there’s also an external crossover included. This functions to have the high frequencies go to the tweeter leaving the lows to be handled by the woofer.

Morel Tempo Ultra 692 performance.

Is there more to the Morel Tempo Ultra 692 than just a top-of-the-line build quality. It’s about time we did find out.

• 92 dB sensitivity – at 2.83 volts, this component speaker will have a sensitivity of 92 decibels which should be enough to get the sound going loud without having to deal with any distortions whatsoever.
• 35-22,000 Hz frequency response – by being able to handle a bass that's as low as 25 Hz and handling highs that go up to 22,000 Hz the frequency isolation is optimal considering there is an external crossover which ensures you get to have the best soundstage.
• The power handling – for the power handling, you’ll be getting 140 watts RMS whereas the peak power will be 250 watts. This should be enough to give you a really decent sound quality

What to like

• Being component speakers, the frequency isolation and soundstage is outstanding.
• A High RMS and Peak power output for high-quality bass.
• It's got a high-quality magnet system and material construction for both the tweeter and the woofer

What’s not to like

• Installation is a little difficult considering the tweeter and the woofer are separate.

Who should get these?

Are you an audiophile looking for a set of speakers that will take your car audio experience to a whole new level? Well, these component speakers should definitely do the trick.

Though the installation process may be a little bit tricky, the hassle will definitely be worth it at the end of the day since the sound quality will be just as good as the material construction.

22. Hertz Audio HCX 690 (HCX690) Hi-Energy 6"x9" 3-Way Coaxial Speakers

Is this really a good enough speaker to work as a perfect replacement for your OEM speakers? The Hertz Audio HCX 690 will be giving you an amazingly rich sound as well as a detailed surround all of which is reputed to both the build quality and design as well as the performance of the individual internal components.

Being a 3-way coaxial speaker, you’ll be getting a super tweeter in addition to just the woofer and the tweeter which, I’m sure already has you excited regarding the sound quality you’ll be listening to.

How about we move to take a look at the detailed specs of this bad boy…

The design quality

From my experience, I’d say that the design of a speaker is just as good as its performance when it comes to handling different genres of music. That being said, here’s what the Hertz Audio HCX 690 has got.

• A mesh fiber woofer cone- you'll definitely agree that it's not every day that you'll get this kind of material construction on a woofer's cone. It's basically a composite of damping material sand glass-fiber fabric; as already mentioned earlier on in this review, it's important ha an ideal cone be both lightweight and rigid which is what the cone on the Hertz Audio HCX 690 does offer you.
• Lossless rubber surround- you’ll also be getting a polymer rubber surround that gives you a long throw and maximum dumping- gets the bass going quite well.
• A Tetolon soft dome tweeter- this basically takes handles the high frequencies and considering it’s got a soft dome, high frequencies will definitely be crisp, and clear.
• An exclusive super tweeter- to back up the performance of the tweeter, you’ll also be getting a super tweeter that extends the bandwidth of the high frequencies to an outstanding 30kHz.
• Copper voice coil wound on a KSV former- the voice coil here gives the woofer an outstanding mechanical capability and to back its performance up, there’s also a Radial venting system which ensures that the heat dissipation is optimal.
• Soft iron plates– also included in the package are soft iron plates which function to make heat dissipation on the magnetic flux motor possible.
• An anti-vibration rubber magnet cover- to make the audio experience even much better, there a rubber magnet cover which does make the sound more accurate.

The performance

Moving on to what you’ve eagerly been waiting for, let’s have a look at what’s really behind the outstanding sound quality you’ll be getting from this 6 x 9 car speaker

• A 94dB sensitivity rating-from my personal experience, 94dB for the sensitivity is probably more than enough for a coaxial speaker considering the recommended decibel rating on any speaker is 88dB. the 94dB rating gets the music going loud and clear round the clock.
• 4-ohm impedance – with as low as 4 ohms for the impedance, power utilization will be at its best which does get the bass pumping quite well. Speaking of power, let’s see how this speaker holds up, shall we?
• 130 watts RMS & 260 watts peak power- to ensure the bass quality you get is one of the best, the continuous power rating on this speaker is high enough and you’ll be getting double the RMS for the peak power which qualifies this a good enough speaker for all music genres.
• 32Hz-23kHz frequency response- well, this is quite straightforward, the frequency response gives you quite good highs and lows and considering this is a 3-way coaxial speaker with a super tweeter included, you’ll be getting quite outstanding highs.

What’s to like

• It’s got an outstanding venting system to keep all the speaker components cool for utmost durability.
• Quality construction for the woofer and tweeters to give the best sound output.
• It’s got a wide range for the frequency response hence giving you decent highs and lows

What’s not to like

• Though it fits most vehicles, you should doublecheck the measurements to ensure it fits your vehicle

Who should get this?

Regarding everything you’ll be getting from this car speaker, I’d pretty much recommend it to anyone who’s looking to get a quick upgrade for their factory installed speakers.

They’re basically easy to set up, have got a performance that is above average and most importantly, this speaker just so happens to be one of the most durable as far as heat management and material construction is concerned. Most importantly, I’d recommend that you pay close attention to the dimensions of your installation location prior to making your purchase.

23. HERTZ HCX 165 6.5" 2-Way Hi-Energy Coaxial Speakers HCX165

I know what you’re probably thinking – what could make this 2-way coaxial speaker any different from my original speakers? – Well, I’ll just hit the nail on the head, this speaker has got everything your OEM unit does have only that it’s far much better.

The amount of detail employed in the design and build quality will blow your mind and as for the audio specifications, they do make this speaker a worthy upgrade. You’ll be getting more detail at all volumes and with the longevity of these speakers, it’ll be a while before you look for a replacement.

Build quality and design

Right out of the box, you’ll be getting a pair of the HERTZ HCX 165. The woofer size is 6”1/2 and that of the tweeters is 20mm hence you’ll need to have these in mind as far as measurement dimensions are concerned.

Well, let’s have a look at what more they do have to offer:

• Soft iron plates for heat dissipation – now here's something that you'll hardly get on any stock speakers and other speakers in its class. The design has got soft iron plates which ensures there's no heat build-up regardless of how much power these speakers are channeling which, in the long run, increases their longevity
• Vented bottom plate – besides just the soft iron plates, the bottom plates are vented to release excess heat from the voice coil which is made of pure copper and wound on a KSV former for excellent thermal and mechanical capabilities
• Anti-vibration rubber magnet cover – also included in the design is a magnet cover that eliminates any spurious vibrations that could lead to audio distortions
• A loss-less polymer rubber surrounds material – for the surround, it’s loss-less polymer rubber which has got outstanding shape retaining properties in addition to standing up quite well to weather extremities such as UV light and moisture. The rubber surround is also really flexible to allow for optimal movement of the woofer cone.
• The tweeter – for the highs, they’ll be handled by a neodymium Tetolon dome tweeter. With the neodymium magnet being one of the strongest you could get on a tweeter; the highs will be pretty good. The tweeter group is also adjustable and you could orient it towards your ear hence no limits to the installation.

Audio specifications

For the sound quality, here’s everything that’s behind the working of the HERTZ HCX 165:

• 100 watts RMS power – this is quite high and RMS and possibly higher than what you’ll get from most 2-way coaxial speaker, right? with this, you’ll definitely be getting a huge pump in your music
• 50Hz – 22kHz frequency response – with the lowest frequency being 50Hz, you’ll not be getting an audiophile-grade bass that rattles your windows but nonetheless, it sure will be good enough for you to enjoy your favorite dubstep or hip-hop tracks. As for the highs, working hand in hand with the swivel tweeter, the music experience will be good enough.
• 92dB sensitivity rating – this is one of the few speakers in the market that’ll get your music going loud and clear even under a low power supply which should be reason enough for you to give them a try.
• 4-ohm impedance– for the impedance, it’s going to utilize as much power as possible and considering the RMS is 100 watts, these surely will sound good with both your stock head unit or an amplifier just in case you need to push the speakers a little bit.

What’s to like

• An adjustable tweeter hence no limits to the installation point.
• It's got a pretty good cooling system hence you get the utmost durability of your speakers
• Quality build for both the tweeter and the woofer for the best performance possible

What’s not to like

• Double check the dimensions with that of your vehicle to ensure it fits.

Who should get these?

With such a good balance on the material design and build quality for both the woofer and the cone as well as the technical specifications from the power handling to the frequency response, you have every reason to count on this to give you a really good audio quality.

Installation should be a walk in the park but you only need to ensure it fits your vehicle prior to buying this.

24. Jl Audio C2-690tx 6x9-Inch 3 Way Speakers with Silk Dome Tweeters

How far would you really be willing to go to give your car the best? Well, I’d really be willing to do anything and if you want to do your vehicle some justice, then you definitely should be willing to do anything it takes.

The Jl Audio C2-690tx boasts being from one of the most reputed brands in the car speaker market. But does it really live up to the brand’s name? will you be giving your vehicle the best with these? Is only just about the aesthetics or is the performance equally as good?

Let’s find out what the Jl Audio C2-690tx is all about…

First impressions- what do you get?

The packaging is quite standard and possibly what you would expect to get from any car audio speaker. You’ll be getting a pair of the Jl Audio C2-690tx. Each of the speakers has got a 2-way configuration.

You'll also be getting the grilles, 2 bottom mount rings, eight 2" self-tapping screws, 8-speed clips, 2 Crimp able female quick slides, an owner manual and just as it is the case inmost JL audio speakers, there are the 2 JL audio badges.

The design quality

This coaxial 3-way 6 x 9-inch speaker system measures 6 x 9 inches for the woofer, the cone Mid-range cone measures 2 inches whereas the silk dome tweeter measures 19mm. it should be pretty compact to fit in your vehicle easily, right?

But, here's how each of the components holds up…

• Silk dome tweeters – the tweeter is the tiniest component of this speaker and despite measuring only 19mm, the fact that it’s got a silk dome ensures that you get to enjoy smooth highs that aren’t ear piercing and at the same time, you get a decent level of realism in your music. Their small size also minimizes protrusions hence making it easy to fit them behind most factory speaker grilles.
• A mineral-filled polypropylene cone –the cone, being polypropylene, will be able to handle high power without distortions hence giving you a really good experience with the lows.
• 2-inch mylar cone diaphragm mid-range –well, this is not just your usual mid-range driver. In the case of the Jl Audio C2-690tx, you’ll be working with a ferrofluid-cooled mid-range driver. This allows it to handle high power and at the same time be able to bridge the gap between the woofer and the dome tweeter
• A polyether foam surround –for the surround, the polyether foam isn’t really as good as a rubber surround but it’s got amazing shape-retaining properties and a good level of flexibility to get the bass going just the way you like it.

Performance specifications

Complimenting the design is an amazingly good performance which makes this speaker a worthy replacement for your current audio system.

Let’s take a closer look…

• 70 watts RMS & 225 watts peak power – you won’t always be needing an amplifier with these speakers since the RMS should be able to give you quite a good bass. If you’ll need to use an amplifier, you should observe about 15-125 watts per channel.
• 53 Hz – 22kHz frequency response – being a 3-way speaker with above average design for all the audio drivers, the highs, the mids and the lows will be able to give you a realistic and outstanding soundstage.
• 4-ohm nominal impedance – the impedance, being as low as 4 ohms ensures the speaker channels a really good amount of power to get the sound going just the way you like it
• 93 dB sensitivity – for a high and clear volume with minimal power usage, 93 dB should get the sound going just right

What’s to like

• A decent build quality for an above-average performance
• Installation gear is included for an easy setup
• A high quality and realistic sound production

What’s not to like

• Surpassing the power rating even the tiniest bit might blow the speakers or distort the sound

My recommendation

Everyone would like to get the best for their vehicle, right? Well, these speakers aren't necessarily premium or audiophile grade speakers but they, sure enough, have a decent sound quality which is definitely better than OEM speakers.

As for the design, it’s definitely built to last and yet another reason you ought to get these.

25. ALPINE SPR-69 6X9" 2-WAY COAXIAL SPEAKERS 300W PEAK/100W RMS

Most stock speakers come with a 2-way speaker configuration and you got an idea of what this pair of the ALPINE SPR-69 will look like.

However, …

Despite just having a similar appearance to your OEM speakers, your OEM speakers will not sound like anything close to the ALPINE SPR-69. With these, you'll be getting a high power handling a durable build, an easy fit, and a stylish design.

First impressions

These speakers come in a pair and they’re also compact which means easy installation in the door for a wide range of vehicles.

You will also be getting speaker grilles for protection against any physical impact and similar to most speakers nowadays, it also does have all the important installation gear included out of the box.

The build quality

Despite the slim design of these speakers, they’re built to last and simultaneously give you a really good performance and all this lies in the details observed during its construction.

• Hybrid multi-layer cone – the woofer cone is light and strong at the same time which gets the low frequency sounds going just the way you'd love them too. If you're looking for a coaxial speaker that's going to give you a window-rattling bass, then this one's definitely bound to do the trick.
• HAMR surround – for long and optimal cone excursions while at the same time ensuring complete control, these speakers are best suited for anyone who’d like a deep, muscular and possibly window-rattling bass. They’re guaranteed to give your sound a really powerful punch.
• Ultra-high-density neodymium magnet – through the speaker is compact in size, the ultra-high-density neodymium magnet is strong enough to get the sound going just the way you'd like it.
• Swivel tweeter design – to compensate for its 2-way configuration and ensure that you get to have a really awesome soundstage, the tweeter has got a swivel design hence you could point it to whichever direction you want and play your favorite tunes
• Large aluminum voice coil – to give you a really outstanding bass, you’ll want your speakers to have a voice coil with really good temperature handling capabilities and with the voice coil on this one being large, you’ll definitely be enjoying your music.

Audio performance.

A speaker is not complete if its built quality does not match up to its audio performance. Does this really have the juice to give you the best music? Let's find out…

• 100 watts RMS & 300 watts peak power – with the power rating being one of the most critical features of any car speaker, 100 watts ought to be enough to give you a good sound. You should only observe the RMS avoid blowing the speaker unless you're using an amp.
• 60 Hz – 29kHz frequency response – with the swivel tweeter and a high-quality woofer cone & surround, you’ll be having a powerful bass kick and natural and clear highs for all music genres.
• 4-ohm impedance – when it comes to the impedance, lower is always better and with as low as 4 ohms on this pair of speakers, you’ll be channeling as much of the RMS as possible for a way better sound quality than what your stock-installed speakers did offer you.
• 90 dB sensitivity – the motor components have got an amazingly high sensitivity of 90 dB which is hardly what you’ll be getting from OEM speakers. This means loud and clear music with minimal power usage at the same time.

What’s to like

• An above average and durable build quality.
• Wide frequency response for high-quality audio
• Includes a swivel tweeter design for a better soundstage
• Compact and easy to set up in place.

What’s not to like

• Be sure to observe the power rating to keep them from blowing.

Should you really get these?

From all we’ve looked at, there’s no way you could possibly go wrong with these speakers. The build quality is one of the best, the audio performance outstanding and it’s going to fit in most vehicles. Thanks to ALPINE you’ll also be getting a lot of installation gear right out of the box- definitely good enough reason to settle for these.

26. CT Sounds Meso 6x9 Inch 2 Way Silk Dome Full Range Coax Coaxial Speakers (Pair)

The meso series of coaxial speakers from CT sounds just so happens to be one of the few coaxial speakers in the market that will be worth every penny.

These speakers allow you to experience extremely rich highs and lows and at the same time, they do have an amazing power handling capability especially when powered through an amp. Other than the performance, the design is also quite mind-blowing for a 2-way coaxial speaker.

Here’s a closer look:

First impressions

Like most speakers in the market, these ones to do come in a pack of two. Each of the speakers boasts a huge magnet which means high power handling and also included in the package is a pair of speaker grilles.

Next, let’s have a look at how good the design and build quality is:

Build quality and material construction

Being one of the keys determining factors as to whether or not a car speaker is good enough for you, it's important that every detail is designed with utmost prowess as it is the case for this pair of speakers.

With the amount of precision put in the design of each component in this speaker, there’s no way you could possibly go wrong.

• Plastic polypropylene cone – being one of the major audio drivers of any car speaker, the woofer cone, in this case, is lightweight and stiff just as it should be. With outstanding flexibility and responsiveness due to its lightweight, polypropylene will ensure that you get the full audio experience at whichever volume you listen to your music
• Nitrile Butadiene rubber surround – NBR rubber, being flexible and boasting to have a really high longevity allows the cone to move with utmost ease and in the process push as much air as possible hence giving you a bass unlike any other.
• Silk-dome tweeters – for the tweeters, their silk design for the dome renders them eligible for handling the high frequencies quite well. It does have a high-power handling and considering it’s extra stiff, there’s improved damping.
• Crossover circuitry – to make the speakers sound even much better, there is a crossover circuitry that is attached to the speaker basket. This way, there won't be a frequency overlap of the lows and the highs which ensures that you get a really rich sound

Technical specifications

• 120 watts RMS per pair – the power handling, being the most critical aspect of a speaker’s audio performance should be just enough to give you an optimal performance. In the case of these two, each will be taking in 60 watts that should be just enough for a high performance.
• 4-ohm impedance – a low an impedance as this ensures that there’s optimal utilization of power hence even if you’re just using your head unit, the speakers will not be compromised on the sound quality.
• 40Hz- 6kHz frequency response – if you’re all about getting quality low frequencies, 40Hz should do you some justice. In the higher end of the scale, you’ll be getting 6000Hz for the tweeters which, though not too high will be loud and clear enough.
• 89dB impedance- there’s no better way to enjoy high volume and clarity than getting a speaker with a really amazing impedance rating. 89dB is considered as above average and considering the ideal material construction and other audio performance aspects, you’ll be getting quite a kick for your buck.

What’s to like

• Includes a built-in crossover for the best highs and lows
• They're designed to deliver an outstanding bass and mid-bass.
• Include a pair of protection grilles for longevity.

What’s not to like

• They don’t fit perfectly in all vehicles and you should check your dimensions before purchasing these.

Who should get these?

Even though they’re not really audiophile-grade speakers, they might just be what you’re looking for if you want to experience a really good punch in your bass.

The build quality is above average, the installation process easy and from what we’ve seen, the audio performance quite good. Getting this pair will definitely be an upgrade.

27. Polk Audio DB692 DB+ Series 6"x9" Three-Way Coaxial Speakers

It’s amazingly easy to install, has got amazing audio and one of the most durable speakers you’ll get in the market. Think of the Polk Audio DB692 as a coaxial speaker that’s going to offer you a little bit of everything.

But is it really worth having in your vehicle? Who is it really meant for?

let’s find out whether there is more to the Polk Audio DB692 than just it’s marine certification and why it’s among the top car speakers on in our top 30 review.

Build quality and design.

Starting with the most striking thing about any car speaker, you'll probably notice that this is a 3-way coaxial speaker right after you take it out of the box. The woofer, the tweeter, and super tweeter the being handled by one single basket.

• The woofer – this occupies the larges surface area on the speaker and it is responsible for handling the low frequencies or rather producing the bass. For the cone, you’ll be getting a polypropylene cone which being lightweight and rigid ensures that the bass quality is one of the best.
• A rubber surround – besides the woofer polypropylene cone, there is also a rubber surround which is around the cone. Being flexible, it allows the cone to move freely hence giving out a quality bass. Besides just it’s flexibility, it also boasts to be one of the most reputed materials as far as longevity is concerned as it stands up quite well to weather extremities.
• Situated in the middle of the speaker are the silk dome tweeter and the super tweeter which are responsible for the low frequencies. With both of these working hand in hand with the woofer, you'll definitely be getting clarity for both the highs and the lows.
• Marine-grade certification: with the IP55 rating, it is both water and dirt-resistant which is a feature that you can be able to find in only a handful of speakers in this price range. It is also tested for salt-fog, UV light, and humidity – guaranteed to give you quality sound for quite a long time.

As for the measurements, the cut-out diameter is 5.97” H x 8.8” W and the bottom mount is 3.83” whereas the top mount is 3.25”. You should definitely check on the size prior to making your purchase especially if you want to use the grilles that come with this pair of speakers.

The performance

Behind its one-of-a-kind design, there is more to the Polk Audio DB692 than meets the eye. Let’s find out whether it’s got a good enough performance to give you a decent sound quality.

• 93dB sensitivity- the rule when it comes to sensitivity is quite simple; the higher it is, the better the sound quality as far as volume and clarity is concerned. This way, there’ll be zero distortions regardless of the music genre you’re listening to.
• 30-22,000 Hz for the frequency range should be enough to give you both clear highs and lows and with this working hand in hand with the 93dB sensitivity should be worth every penny.
• 150 watts for the RMS and 450 watts for the peak power. Unless you like a really loud bass, you’ll barely use the peak power. Either way, it’s wise not to exceed the RMS rating to avoid blowing up the speakers

What’s to like

• Simple drop-in installation hence easy to set up and get your music going.
• It’s durable and stands up well even to weather extremities such as salt-fog and extreme sunlight
• Offers an above-average performance as far as power handling, sensitivity and frequency response is concerned.
• Comes with grilles included for protection against physical damage

What’s not to like

• The sound is barely audible at peak power

Is it really worth purchasing?

Well, it’s marine certified, offers drop-in installation and it does include mounting grilles out of the box for both pairs. In addition to this, the sound quality is far much better than the OEM factory systems and the durability is not compromised as well.

My own personal opinion on this pair of Polk Audio DB692 speakers is that it’ll be a huge bargain which is not easy to come across and you should definitely give it a shot.

28. Pioneer TS6900PRO PRO Series 6 x 9 Inches 2-Way 600W MAX 2 Speaker

One thing’s for sure with the Pioneer TS6900PRO- you’re definitely going to fall in love with the design. The red and black color blend of these speakers has got an elegance unlike any other but this shouldn’t really be the reason you should bound to suit the interior of any vehicle quite well.

The speakers are designed for both high sensitivity and high-power handling hence leaving you with a much better audio experience as compared to your stock-installed speakers.

Here are this pair packs under the hood:

The build quality and design

From my experience, a car speaker is normally as good as it looks and since we’ve already established the fact that these ones do have quite breathtaking aesthetics, let’s move on to taking a look at how good the material construction really is.

• Optimally blended pulp cone woofer – these are the simple 2-way coaxial speakers which is just the same configuration that you’ll be getting from your stock installed speakers but even so, the woofer cone is light and rigid enough to get the bass going loud, clear and deep.
• Bullet tweeter design – the design is an optimal blend of the woofer cone and a bullet tweeter which functions to get the high frequencies going loud and clear with minimal distortions. Definitely not something you’ll come across easily on OEM installed speakers.
• Dual layer Urethane surround – around the blended pulp cone is a urethane surround that works hand in hand with the optimally blended pulp cone to give you a really good bass

Something else you need to know about the build quality is that it boasts a stamped steel basket frames that house the tweeters, mid-bass drivers as well as a subwoofer. The three of these provided a mixed match in order to give you an impressive output and at the end of the day, this pair will definitely be a worthy investment for your car audio system.

The speakers also do have an oversized magnet that guarantees the delivery of quality sound regardless of the music genre.

The performance- is it really good enough.

Backing up the aesthetics and quality construction is a performance unlike any other. Here’s what makes these interesting:

• 92 dB sensitivity – starting with the sensitivity rating, you’ll be getting 92 decibels on each speaker. Being high, it can be able to handle a high volume without distorting the sound. This also ensures that the speaker gets to last for as long as possible.
• 4500Hz crossover frequency – in order to give you a really good music experience, the frequency isolation is quite outstanding since there’s a crossover that directs anything above 4500Hz to the tweeters and anything below this is handled by the woofer.
• 4-ohm impedance – with as low an impedance rating of 4 ohms, power utilization will be amazing since it's going to channel as much power as possible. At the same time, it does compensate for the thin wiring in most vehicles
• 29 Hz to 40kHz frequency response – both the higher and the lower end of the frequency range ensure that you get the best of both the highs and the lows. Considering the premium material construction, it’s got for you, you’re definitely going to enjoy every bit of your music.
• 100 watts RMS and 600 watts peak power – finally, being the most important of all, the power rating is quite ideal and working with other specs such as the impedance and the sensitivity, you’ll be having an experience unlike any other.

What’s to like

• A unique attractive design and quality construction.
• It's got a 4500Hz built-in crossover for optimal frequency isolation.
• There’s a high-power handling for both clarity and quality music

What’s not to like

• You need to be sure these will fit before making your purchase.

Should you get these?

If you’re all about the aesthetics but at the same time would like to get equally as good a design, then these speakers are definitely meant for you.

The power handling is amazing and the optimal blend of the woofer cone and the tweeters are not something you'll get on just any 2-way car speaker plus there's also a 4500 Hz crossover to boost the sound quality.

29. Infinity REF9620CX 6X9" 750W Reference Series 2-Way Component System

It’s been a really good review and we’re almost through with our review. Coming right up second last is the Infinity REF9620CX. Whereas the brand may be a key determining factor when purchasing speakers for some, I prefer to actually put a speaker to test and see how it does hold up.

Upon putting this speaker to test, I've got to admit that it definitely lives up to its brand. Being a component speaker, it's way better than what comes pre-installed for you. The highs and the lows are more pronounced, the soundstage is great and the power handling quite awesome.

The first impressions and package contents

Being a component speaker, the package is quite loaded. There’s one pair of woofers and tweeters, a pair of speaker grilles and a pair of crossovers. It also does come with an owner’s manual to help you set things up just in case you settle for DIY installation.

Also included in the package is all the essential installation gear such as the speed clips, mounting screws for the tweeter and the woofer, etc.

That being said, let’s have a look at how good the build quality is.

The construction

• Edge-driven, textile tweeters – for smooth and clear high-frequency sounds, the tweeter on the Infinity REF9620CX are bound to do you some justice. Even at high volumes, you won’t be experiencing any ear-piercing uncomfortable highs.
• An adjustable tweeter output level – in addition to having a high-quality build, the tweeters do have an adjustable output level. You can be able to adjust the output control level of 0dB or +3dB which stabilizes system linearity regarding the installation location.
• Plus one woofer cone architecture – reputed for giving a greater speaker-cone area than most cones in its class, the cone on the Infinity REF9620CX will be delivering an increased low-frequency output, high sensitivity, as well as a really great musical character and an enhanced mid-range frequency production.
• An optimized frame size – despite being available in a wide range of sizes, speakers in the reference line feature a really compact design hence they are easy to fit in almost any vehicle.
• An external crossover – in order to give you a really good soundstage, there's an external crossover which ensures the highs and the lows are exclusively handled by the tweeters and the woofer respectively.

Technical specifications

Besides the high-quality construction, the audio performance is also above average and unlike anything you’ll have in your stock-installed speakers.

Here’s a detailed look into what’s behind the high-quality audio:

• 46Hz – 21kHz frequency response – being a component speaker with a crossover present, the highs, and the lows will be handled separately which ensures that you get to enjoy the lowest lows and the highest highs
• 3-ohm impedance – the impedance gives the speakers the ability to channel as much power as possible from your head unit or amplifier and in the long run, give you rich sound quality
• 125 watts RMS & 375 watts peak power – in addition to the impedance rating, you’ll also be getting quite a high RMS and peak power rating. Both of these should work perfectly well considering there’s also a 3-ohm impedance rating that does work well even with low-powered head units.
• 93dB sensitivity – each of the speakers has got a 93dB sensitivity which besides just utilizing less power ensures that high-quality sounds are clear as well.

What’s to like

• An adjustable tweeter output level for quality highs
• Plus one woofer cone architecture that’s got a larger cone area for the best lows.
• Optimized frame size for a perfect fit with most vehicles.

What’s not to like

• Installation may be a little difficult since the tweeter and woofer are handled by different drivers

My recommendation

With everything that this speaker has to offer, it's bound to be a worthy upgrade. Frequency isolation is at its best and since you could install the tweeters anywhere in your vehicle, the soundstage should be quite realistic.

Speaking of installation, it’s possibly the only challenging thing about it owing to the fact that everything comes separately. You might want to seek expert aid on this one.

30.Infinity Kappa 693.11I 220W 6 x 9 Inches 3-Way Kappa Series Coaxial Speakers

With the kappa series of the infinity speakers, you sure are going to step up your car audio system. For starters, the power handling is quite high and for a coaxial speaker, this pair will definitely be worth every penny.

In addition to the power handling, the aesthetics are quite outstanding and more so, what lies beneath the speaker is an amazing build quality and material construction which we’ll be looking into shortly. But first, let’s see what the package contains.

First impressions

Besides just the pair of the Infinity Kappa 693.11I speakers, there's also a pair of speaker grilles which matches the interior of most vehicle designs.

There's also a user guide that makes the installation process simple even for first-time users amazingly simple. Also included are 2 speaker grilles, bottom mount adaptor rings, grille rings, 8-speed clips, 2 adhesives backed foam gaskets and logo badges. One more thing you should know about the design is that there'll be no visible mounting screws once it's all set up.

Moving on to the next section, how about we take a look at what it packs under the hood?

How good is the construction?

It's a 3-way car speaker hence you will be getting more than just a single tweeter and the woofer to better produce the different frequencies in your music. Here's what lies behind the working of the different audio drivers in the Infinity Kappa 693.11I

• A soft-dome edge-driven fabric tweeter – the tweeters as expected are the smallest in size in this speaker but just don’t their small size blind you, their performance is quite breathtaking. Even though they’re not really premium quality, the tweeters will give crisp, detailed and realistic high frequencies.
• Carbon-injected glass woofer cone material – hard and rigid as the woofer cone is, it’ll take care of the lows quite well. Considering the amount of power that the speakers can handle as we’ll see later on, you’ll definitely be blown away by this pair.
• Plus one woofer cone – in addition to being hard and rigid, the woofer cone is designed with the adherence to the plus one technology. This gives a slightly larger surface area as compared to what you'll get from other speakers in its class

Performance specifications.

As promised, let’s move on to taking a look at the performance of each of these speakers and starting with the feature that stands out most, let’s first take a look at the power handling capabilities.

• 110 watts RMS – with each speaker having an RMS of 110 watts, it means that you’ll be getting 220 watts from each pair as they work together which is possibly enough for you to wire them up without requiring an amplifier. For the peak, each speaker gives you 330 watts hence you get 660 watts for a single pair. With all these, you sure are going to get a noticeable improvement from your current OEM speakers.
• 96 dB sensitivity – this basically ensures the sound remains clear even at a high volume which is a feature that only a few coaxial speakers would offer you
• 35-30,000 Hz frequency response – yet another mind-blowing feature on this speaker is the frequency response, which, considering all the other specifications and material construction will give you distinct highs and lows.
• 2-ohm impedance – well, for the amount of power these speakers have to offer, you surely will be enjoying every bit of your music.

What’s to like

• The power handling is higher than what most coaxial speakers in its class.
• It includes all the essential mounting hardware for an easy setup.
• The quality woofer and tweeter construction for the best audio and utmost durability

What’s not to like

• Be sure to observe the power rating to avoid any audio distortions

Who are these meant for?

If you’re all about the brand name and would, at the same time like to get equally as good a performance, then these speakers are definitely meant for you.

The build quality is as attractive as it is durable and the sound quality is definitely worth the upgrade once you settle for these. All the essential installation gear is also included in the package to make the setup process a walk in the park.

Buying guide – how to get the best 6x9 car speaker

Now that you do have the top 30 6x9 car speakers at your disposal, how about we take a look at everything you need to know before you actually make your purchase.

Which speaker system should you go for?

Full range speakers

Full range speakers are the kind of speakers you’ll be getting in most vehicles and probably what you have installed in your vehicle.

All the elements are handled by a single driver or rather, for a standard coaxial speaker, you’ll have the tweeter and the woofer in one basket alone. Whereas a standard coaxial speaker comes in a 2-way configuration, others have as much as 5-way configurations in which case you’ll have a super tweeter and a mid-range driver as well.

The most common size for a coaxial speaker is a 6x9 but you can get them in different sizes as well.

The best thing about these is that mounting is quite simple and DIY installation is possible even for a first-time user. All it will take is a few hours and considering there’s a manual from the manufacturer and tutorial videos to set everything up, it should be much simpler- the quicker you enjoy your music, the better.

But here’s the thing…

Though you'll have the advantage of an easy setup process, the audio quality is not as good as what the component speakers will give you which brings us to the other popular audio system.

Component car speakers

Even better than the full-range car speakers are the component speakers. If you crave a superior speaker design that’s got equally as good a sound quality, I’d really recommend these for you.

Component speakers, unlike the coaxial speakers, have the tweeter and the woofer being handled by different drivers. In addition to these two, there is a crossover as well.

What makes these special is the fact that the woofer gets to handle the lows exclusively whereas the tweeters handle the high frequencies. With this being the case, you get to have a more realistic sound quality and since you can be able to install the tweeters in any location, you could direct them to your ears to have a really good soundstage.

Then, there’s the crossover. This is what filters the highs and the lows hence allowing each to be handled separately. You could set this anywhere in your vehicle such as in the dashboard or under the seat.

The only problem with these is that they’re quite cumbersome to set up since you may be needed to do a lot of adjustments with the wiring process, and cutting out new holes for the installation.

Material construction

This is what determines both the durability of the speaker as well as the sound quality. Here’s everything you need to know about what material you ought to have for a good performance.

The woofer cone.

For both speaker systems, you’ll have the woofer handle the low frequencies. The best cone material to have should be lightweight and rigid which is why the best speakers will normally have polypropylene for the cone. You could also get this blended with other minerals such as mica to increase the stiffness which yields an even much better bass than polypropylene cones working alone.

An alternative to the polypropylene cone is woven fabrics or synthetic materials coated with titanium or aluminum.

Surround material

Around the woofer cone is a surround that holds the cone in place and simultaneously it should be flexible enough not to restrict the cone as it moves while pushing air to produce sound.

The best material for the cone would be rubber since most importantly, it is flexible and in addition to this, rubber is durable and suitable for use in temperature and humidity extremes. Speakers with this kind of surround are normally the best though they are a little expensive.

An alternative to these would be a foam or paper surround which cost less and even though they perform well, they’re not really as good as rubber.

Tweeter construction

You’ll want the high frequencies to be just as good as the lows hence it is critical to have just as good a tweeter as the woofer is.

In order to have this, you’ll want the tweeter made of a soft material such as silk, poly or textile blends all of which will give you a great deal of realism and highly refined sound. Harder materials such as graphite or ceramic make the high frequencies brighter and snappy.

Other tweeter designs such as the piezo tweeters have got a higher power handling capability and operate under extreme stress without relying on a crossover necessarily.

There's also the pivoting or swiveling tweeters which are normally suitable in coaxial speakers. You could point these to the listening direction and enjoy a really good soundstage.

Technical specifications

Besides the material design and quality, you’ll also need to know the material specifications that will give you the best audio quality.

Let’s start by taking a look at the power handling.

The peak and RMS power ratings

Being the most important aspect of a car speaker, the RMS power rating should be paid attention to. This is the continuous power within which the speaker should operate without getting damaged or having any distortions.

The peak power, on the other hand, is above the RMS and is not recommended to have your speakers run on constantly since this may damage the voice coil. I'd recommend that you get an amplifier if you want to push the limits of your speakers.

Sensitivity

The sensitivity, otherwise known as the decibel rating is the measure of how the speaker yields with regard to the power supplied to it.

If you have a car stereo with a low power rating, then you should go for a speaker with a high sensitivity and on the contrary, if the stereo has a high-power rating, you should go for a speaker with a lower sensitivity rating.

The suitable frequency response

The frequency response is basically the range of sound within which the speakers can play your music tunes. This is normally within the range of human hearing (20Hz-20kHz). It’s advisable to pay attention to the lower end of the scale on the frequency response especially if you want a high-quality bass.

Final verdict

I’m pretty sure that we’ve covered quite a lot as far as getting the best 6x9 car speaker is concerned. Matching the speakers to your vehicle should now be simple and with as much as 30 speakers at your disposal, it should be a walk in the park.

Provided you ensure you have a perfect fit, you should be good to go. As for the brand name and price, these should be the last things you look into while shopping for your car speaker.

All in all, take your time, weigh your options and know what you really want before making your purchase.