The decision is generally difficult when you have to choose between two best options. Both 6×9 and 6.5 car speakers have different good qualities which makes it difficult to pick one.
To end this confusion, we have done a detailed research on the specifications and pros/cons of both the speakers and features that make them stand-out.
In this article, we will compare different features and specs of both the car speakers so you can decide and choose the best one according to your preference.
Features
Sound quality
Speaker sensitivity
Power-handling
Speaker types
Alnico Speakers
The sound quality comes with a deeper range and high bass.
The speaker sensitivity rating is generally 92dB
Mostly these speakers produce 250 watts peak power
Available in three types:
- 6×9 single
- 6×9 2-way
- 6×9 3-way
Ceramic Speakers
The sound quality is clear and precise.
The speaker sensitivity rating is 89dB.
The power range of these speakers is between 2W – 50W.
Available in two types:
- Component
- Full range
Now let’s dig deep into the detailed descriptions and features of the top rated products of both 6×9 and 6.5 speakers.
Focal RCX- 690 6x9 Car Speaker Review - High-performance and Full Range
The Focal RCX- 690 6×9 car speakers is a 3-way speaker that will provide an impressive sound quality and will definitely boost your car music experience.
It is known for a good sound quality at lower and mid-range frequencies. The specially designed dome tweeter and supertweeter ensure a much detailed and clearer music quality.
These speakers provide a long-time durability with its polypropylene woofer cone and butyl rubber covering. A large voice coil and powerful magnet ensures the power-handle of 80W.
The installation of these speakers is conveniently done. They can easily fit-in to your car’s door or rear package shelf without any placement modifications.
Features of Focal RCX- 690 6×9 Car Speaker
- 3-way triaxial speaker kit
- Polypropylene woofer cone
- ABS mesh grills
- Mylar inverter dome tweeter
- Sturdy steel basket
- HD sound quality at high frequencies
- Powerful bass response
- Affordable price
- Easy installation
- Additional accessories
- Requires more installation depth comparatively
Benefits of Focal RCX- 690 6×9 Car Speaker
Focal has introduced many new features and sound technologies in this Focal RCX- 690 car speaker. This is the first ever Focal product to introduce inverted dome tweeter.
The inverted dome tweeter and super-tweeter ensure a high definition sound quality that will uplift your music listening experience.
With the Focal RCX- 690 car speaker, you don’t necessarily need an additional amplifier. The speaker will work even with factory-installed or already existing radios.
The polypropylene woofers in the speaker system provide a mid-range response and mid-bass performance. The speaker runs on a little amount of power and produces a good quality sound.
The Mylar used for domes provides a great combination of minimal directivity and detailed sound projection.
The additional accessories kit includes ABS mesh grills for an easy installation. The flat shaped grills and mesh structure provides a great sound dispersion and high performance.
What do customers think?
We scoured through the internet to do a detailed analysis on the customer reviews regarding this product and to check if the customers found it worth buying it or not.
Almost all the customers appreciated the easy and convenient speaker installment. They fit perfectly in the front doors. Some of them even mentioned that they used the old factory 6×9’s screws to install the new set of focals.
Talking about the sound quality, it really impressed most of the customers. The sound precision, detail, clarity and accuracy was appreciated by all.
Some customers mentioned the high definition sound quality and powerful bass response even on high volumes. Out of the reviews I read, none of the customers complained about any sound distortion or weak bass.
People highly recommended these speakers because it is a package of affordable price and great sound quality. The customers specifically mentioned it’s affordable price.
Generally the car speaker systems are heavy on your budget and on the top of that, at times you have to pay for the installation as well.
Final Verdict
Now you know that this Focal RCX- 690 6×9 3-way speakers will uplift your whole music experience. With its exceptional features and easy installation, it gives you all the essential features at an affordable price.
Rockford Fosgate R165X3 6.5 Car Speaker - Premium and High-definition
The Rockford Fosgate R165X3 6.5 car speakers are the full-range speakers with high quality sound. It is produced under the Rockford’s Fosgate series that continues its legacy of durability and high quality sound production.
The speaker kit will provide you with two speakers, grills, high-pass crossovers and a durable mounting hardware.
The polypropylene woofers, midrange drivers and tweeters ensure to give you a great sound experience. The speakers are known for the durability factor since it’s all covered in a steel frame, keeping it safe from the environment.
It is light in weight and provides you an easy installation. You can fix these compact speakers in many different cars.
Features of Rockford Fosgate R165X3 6.5 Car Speaker
- Polypropylene woofer cone
- ½” silk dome tweeter
- Piezo super-tweeter
- Durable mounting
- HIgh-pass crossover
- 3-way full range
- Loud and crisp audio
- Mid-high range speaker performance
- Easy installation
- Great build quality
- Full range sound dispersion
- Sound might distort at high volumes
- No powerful bass
Benefits of Rockford Fosgate R165X3 6.5 Car Speaker
The Rockford Fosgate R165X3 car speakers provide you a clear and powerful performance in a budget-friendly price range. The speaker with its rubber surround, polypropylene cone and stamped steel basket ensure a high-quality audio output.
The Rockford speaker set has an RMS rating of 45 watts and power handling capacity of 90 watts. It has some updated and exceptional sound tech features that will lift-up your music experience.
The features include a silk dome pole which is mounted with a piezo tweeter that produces HD audio quality in a mid to high frequency range.
The speaker pair is sturdy and durable that ensures the high quality of build material. The speakers are surrounded with a steel frame that keeps them safe from the external harsh conditions.
Furthermore, Titanium and Mylar materials have been used to design the tweeters of speakers so that they serve you a long duration of time.
The high-pass crossovers enable the speakers to produce audio of multiple frequencies without any major distortion. The sound quality is crisp, clear and considerably detailed.
You can add an amplifier to the system to boost up your music experience but with the sound quality it provides, you’ll be fine even without the additional amp.
The overall look of the speakers is quite attractive and will suit your car interior. The glossy dome tweeters and the sleek exterior makes it aesthetically pleasing.
Along with that, the price range is also affordable if you compare it with the features and audio quality.
What do customers think?
To ensure the speaker’s working and sound quality, we delved deep into the customer reviews to know if this product is actually worth buying or not. Following were some major noticeable aspects in the customer reviews.
Almost 90 percent of the reviews had customers appreciating the overall sound quality that justifies the price range of these speakers.
Although some of the customers did mention that the speakers did not provide a powerful bass as compared to the factory speakers. But the depth and clarity of sound in this price range did impress a lot of customers.
Another aspect that was appreciated by the customers was the easy installation. They were impressed by its compact size that can easily fit in small cars. Even without the powerful bass, the crossovers ensured the deliverance of high quality sound at different frequency levels.
Most of the customers compared its working with the prior speaker models and experienced a better audio quality with a number of features. It did satisfy the audio requirements of sophisticated car owners.
Final Verdict
If you want to replace your factory speakers with a modern yet affordable audio system, then these Rockford speakers can perfectly serve your purpose.
6x9 vs 6.5 Speakers - Buyers’ Guide
What factors should I consider while buying car audio speakers?
It is important to invest your money in good quality car speakers. Following are some major key features that can help you choose the right product for you.
Speaker Size
Make sure you buy the speakers which fit in your car properly. For this, measure the speaker size and mounting depth accurately. You can easily find speaker sizes ranging from 4-to 9 inches.
Moreover, the speakers can be installed in places with enclosed spaces (preferably doors). The bass and the quality of music are dependable upon the depth and size of the enclosure. Therefore, a larger speaker will produce better sound quality.
Build Material
The material used for the manufacturing of car speakers should be sturdy and reliable. Choose the system with the following characteristics.
- Woofers should not be bulky
- Rubber is used as a surrounding material ( due to its flexibility )
- polypropylene synthetic films because they are tough and thin
- Tweeters should be made up of soft and durable material
Coaxial Type
You can buy any of the two-way, three-way or four-way car speakers. A premium four-way speaker will provide you highest definition sound quality as the frequencies split up at all sides.
However, four-way speakers are comparatively more expensive than two -way or three-way speakers.
Car Compatibility
It is essential that you analyze the sensitivity and power handling of the audio system you want to purchase.
These two factors must be compatible with your car specifications. You can do so by checking the head unit or external amplifier. It will tell you about the standard volume of your speakers and how sensitive they can get.
What are the different types of car speakers?
Here are some major types of car speakers available in the market:
Component speakers
Component speakers will provide you with the best music experience in your car. Although they come with a high definition sound quality, the installation of these speakers can be a bit technical.
As the name suggests, component speakers come in separate parts that need to be installed carefully and professionally. Furthermore, the mounting of these speakers depends a lot on the interior of your car.
Coaxial/full-range Speakers
Coaxial Speakers have all the systems built inside the speaker. It saves you time and hassles of separately installing all the components in your car. Moreover, they are more economical as compared to component speakers.
Furthermore, coaxials have woofers and tweeters which deal with mid-low frequencies and medium-high frequencies respectively. However, the quality of sound is marked average in these speakers.
What is the best price for car audio systems?
Looking for a car speaker at an affordable price?
Here are some price ranges in which you can find car audio with desired specifications:
Below $60
- Fairly good sound quality
- Huge variety available in this price frame
- Heats up after continuous use, it is because they have narrow airflow
$60-$80
- The audio quality is HD / above average.
- The material used in manufacturing is durable
- The quality and longevity of these speakers are worth their price.
Above $80
- Best audio quality
- High-end material used for manufacturing
- Comes with modern technology and features
- Technical to install
Why should I purchase 6×9 speakers?
6×9 speakers will make sure you experience the best sound quality at an affordable price range. It comes with multiple features including mid-range and high frequencies, bass quality, and easy installation.
How do I look for the appropriate type of 6×9 speakers for my car?
You can find 6×9 speakers in three basic types
- Single speakers: These speakers provide an excellent frequency of mid-range. The bass quality is fairly good.
- 2-way speakers: 2-way 6×9 have better audio quality and a high-frequency transmission.
- 3-way speakers: They come with modern technology and high-tech music quality
You can find these speakers under multiple brand names. However, you can choose the product according to your quality and budget preference.
Which is the best 6×9 car speaker for good sound quality?
6×9 speakers have one tweeter in the speaker design and sometimes there are multiple tweeters. Some manufacturing companies use multiple tweeters to optimize the mid-range audio.
The tweeter material improves the sound quality. The polymer and fiber cones are considered the best since they are lightweight, good quality, and enable the speakers to produce high-quality audio.
Do we need an amplifier for a 6×9 car speaker?
You will need an amplifier with a 6×9 speaker if the car’s unit head does not transmit the necessary power to the speakers. However, if the RMS power speaker is compatible with the unit head. You don’t need to install any additional amplifier.
How is the bass response of 6×9 car speakers?
The bass response of 6×9 car speakers is pretty decent and will fill your basic bass requirements. Especially the oval or round speakers produce the best bass.
There are some 6×9 speakers that have Plus One technology in woofer cones to deliver better sound quality with deeper bass. Moreover, speakers with a rubber surround tend to deliver better bass quality.
What features to look for while buying 6.5 car speakers?
Power Handling:
You need to check two important factors i.e RMS power output and peak power output. RMS rating determines the loudness of a speaker. It basically indicates how much power a speaker can handle.
The peak power rating determines the power handling in short bursts. So if you are looking for a loud audio output, then you need to check the RMS rating.
Speaker Design:
Car speakers are generally of the same design. If the speaker’s overall look does not matter to you then you should focus more on the enclosure’s depth so that the speakers can fit-in your car easily.
Durability:
It is important for your car speakers to be durable so they serve you for a long duration of time. The hardware material and the inner components of your car stereo system should be tough and sturdy.
Where can I get a budget-friendly and good-quality 6.5 speaker?
There are many different car speaker manufacturing companies that produce good quality speakers. There are so many options so you can easily find some good products under your budget and as per your requirements. You can even choose any one of the speakers that we have reviewed above.
Final Verdict
With the detailed explanation of the features and specifications of both 6×9 and 6.5 speakers, we conclude that both hold different specialties and some loopholes.
6×9 speakers produce much better bass as compared to the 6.5 speakers because they have a larger cone area. On the other hand, 6.5 speakers will provide you with a full-range sound dispersion with high power handling.
We will conclude this article with the final winner that is Focal RCX- 690 6×9. It will serve you as a complete package of good sound quality, good bass, durability, easy installation and affordability. It will be an exceptional boost to your car stereo.
We hope that this article helped you in deciding the perfect speakers for your car.