You will agree with us when we say that finding a good and cheap car speaker can get a little difficult.
To find a speaker that fits your car can be tough.
To save your time, we have compiled a list of car speakers to help you with your decision.
In the following review, you can find our top picks for budget car speakers along with some tips and commonly asked questions regarding car speakers.
Top Pick
Designed to produce organic and distortion-less sound effects. This speaker is highly durable and heavy duty.
Runner Up
A good replacement for factory speakers as it is designed to match the users specifications.
Also Great
High quality coils with large sound cones make this speaker high performance and a good speaker overall.
Best Car Speakers Under 100 - Top 9 Reviews
We’ve described all of the products with their features and weighed up their pros and cons.
#1: Best Overall Bookshelf Speakers Under 300 - Edifier R2000DB Review
This car speaker manufactured by JBL is a high quality speaker. A big magnet speaker is installed to ensure good sound quality.
The bigger cones in these car speakers displace more air than normal speakers. Because of this they produced better sound and bass.
Due to their heavy duty materials, these speakers make a good replacement for stock speakers of any car.
With an amplifier included, these speakers are very versatile in their utility and sound tweaking.
Features of GTO 609C:
- Carbon Injected Cones
- High power handling
- Durable ferrite magnet
- Universal round design
- Dust resistant grills
- High quality speakers
- No distortion
- Low power input
- Good bass output
- Amplifier compatibility
- Can be difficult to install
- Requires a lot of power
Best Overall Bookshelf Speakers Under 300
The Best Overall Car Speaker is the JBL GTO 609C. This speaker is designed to be the best replacement for your stock speakers. Bigger area and cones allow it to produce better sounds and bass with good quality. It is highly resistant to dust and very durable.
#2. Best Easy to Install Car Speaker Under 100 - Rockford Fosgate R165X3 Review
This speaker is specifically designed to help the customers with easy installation in their vehicles. The round design enables this car speaker to fit almost any and every vehicle.
The three way technology provides this speaker with good frequency range. Because of this it can perform equally well at low and high volumes.
The better diameter and depth of these speakers allow them to produce better sound effects compared to factory speakers.
The high quality speakers ensure the durability and overall life period of speakers. This allows them to stand the test of time without losing their performance abilities.
Features of Fosgate R165X3:
- 3-way technology
- Bigger cone
- Better depth speakers
- Polypropylene woofer cone
- Easy installation
- Round design
- Can be installed without any professional help
- Mounting gear included
- Factory built grills
- Good power handling
- Need a good battery for optimal performance
- Ferrite magnet weakens after regular high volume use
Best Easy to Install Car Speaker
The Best Easy to Install Car Speaker is the Rockford Fosgate R165X3 because it provides the best way and options to install a speaker. The multiple mounting holes and with included gear, you can easily install this speaker on your own. The high quality 3-way speakers generate good sound output and organic sound effects.
#3. Best 3-way Car Speaker Under 100 - BOSS Audio Systems CH6530 Review
These car speakers are designed to be the best 3-way speakers for all the audiophiles out there. A built in tweeter and subwoofer to ensure good high and low frequency range volumes.
The rubber surround material allows the speaker to perform and resist any sort of wear and tear. This ensures that speakers last longer and don’t lose any performance output.
The high quality tweeter allows this speaker to perform and be compatible with high power input without short circuiting.
Due to the overall depth and the basket area, these speakers produce crystal clear sounds.
Features of CH6530:
- Great power handling
- Resistant to wear and tear
- Temperature resistant voice coils
- Universal round design
- 3-way technology
- High quality speakers
- Very durable material
- Resistant to damage on high volumes
- Highly resistant to fatigue
- User manual included
- Can be prove difficult to install
- Requires good power input
Best 3-way Car Speaker
The Best 3-way Car Speaker is the BOSS CH6530 because it comes with the best tweeter and subwoofer installed. This allows the speaker to perform exceptionally good on high and low volume outputs. The high quality coils and rubber material make these car speakers highly durable.
#4. Best Coaxial Car Speaker Under 100 - JVC CS-J620 Review
A coaxial speaker is generally a good option as a car speaker. It takes less space and fits almost easily into any car.
The 2-way technology of this car speaker allows it to perform with versatility on high and low frequencies.
The shallow tweeter and mount design greatly enhance the sound output and the clarity in sound effects. This makes the sound quality rather organic and pleasing.
Installed with rubber surround to withstand sound abuse and high volumes.
Features of CS-J620:
- Coaxial design
- Universal round shape
- High quality tweeter and subwoofer
- Great power handling
- Low-high frequency range
- Easy to install
- Dome tweeters
- Sold in pairs
- Flexible mounting
- Mounting gear included
- Grills serve no useful purpose
- Moderate quality material
Best Coaxial Car Speakers
The Best Coaxial Car Speakers is the JVC CS-J620 because it is equipped with the best 2-way coaxial technology. The easy to install design makes it very easy for the user to get it running. The speaker depth and design helps it output good and clear sound effects.
#5. Best 6.5 inch Car Speaker Under 100 - Pioneer TS-A1670F Review
Pioneer is a household name when it comes to car speakers. Pioneer only uses high quality material builds and speakers to ensure great sound quality.
The 6.5 inch design allows these car speakers to be fitted into almost every car. The round shape makes it easier to install and handle.
The optimal peak power produces streamline sounds with high quality sound effects. This allows the speaker to generate good bass with a pretty solid treble.
These mount speakers have multiple points for screws which make it very easy to install and get them in running shape.
Features of TS-A1670F:
- Universal round shape
- High frequency response
- Good quality car audio
- Elastic polymer surround material
- Reinforced outer structure
- Convenient to install
- Hard dome tweeters
- Good performance with amplifiers
- High power handling
- Multiple mounting options
- No mounting hardware
- No grills included
- No grill compatibility
Best 6.5 Inch Car Speakers
Thes Best 6.5 Inch Car Speakers are the Pioneer TS-A1670F. This is because these speakers are designed to fit almost any vehicle that has a round speaker port. The high quality speaker can easily produce ambient and organic sound effects without any distortion.
#6. Best High Power Car Speaker Under 100 - Kenwood KFC-1665S Review
Kenwood is a top tier producer of high quality audio products for cars that range from car speakers to amplifiers and other accessories.
This car speaker is yet another example of such a high quality build that not only uses good materials but is also outfitted with the best speakers in the market.
The universal round yet compact design makes it very for these speakers to be installed. They can fit a full range of vehicles that have round factory speakers.
A good power handling coil is outfitted in the speakers. This enables the speakers to handle the power surges easily on high and low volumes alike.
Features of KFC-1665S:
- Compact design
- Good mounting depth
- 2-way coaxial design
- Durable material build
- Great frequency response
- Easy to install
- Multiple mounting options
- Grills included
- High quality voice coils
- Small design
- No mounting tools included
- No speaker wires included
- Cheap grill material
Best High Power Car Speakers
The Best High Power Car Speaker is the KFC-1665S speaker from Kenwood. They are designed to be stable and longer performing on high volume levels. The deeper cone and tweeter placement allows the sound to be clear rather muffled when used for longer periods of time.
#7. Best 4-way Car Speakers Under 100 - Sony XSR1646 Review
These car speakers are designed by Sony in order to produce crystal clear and organic sounding voice quality.
The 4-way aspect of it includes an additional tweeter which allows this car speaker a high frequency range. This makes the speaker good at low and high volumes.
The strong and durable outer body reduces the chance of echo and unwanted vibration. This helps in generating clear music.
The power handling in these speakers is exceptionally good when it comes to low power input.
Features of XSR1646:
- High quality voice coil
- Highly durable ferrite magnet
- 4-way speaker technology
- Excellent peak power
- Rubber surround material
- Excellent sound quality
- Easy to install
- Multiple mounting options
- Deep cones
- High quality PVC material
- No grill compatibility
- Factory grills serve no useful purpose
- High chance of short circuiting
Best 4-way Car Speakers
The Best 4-way Car Speakers are from Sony titled XSR1646. They are designed to be very convenient to install. The 4-way technology makes these car speakers a very good replacement for stock speakers. Durable yet high performing all around.
#8. Best Budget Car Speakers Under 100 - Kicker CS Series CSC65 Review
Buying a budget car speaker can often lack some aspect regarding sound quality or its overall performance. They can also be made from cheap material which causes echo and vibration.
But these car speakers from Kicker are a balance between all the important things. The build material, the high duty speaker coils and the power handling.
The round shape enables these speakers to be fitted in almost any car. This design also produces even audio output for your car.
The UV treated outer shell makes them highly resistant to sunlight and dust. This indirectly increases the lifespan of the speakers and makes them last longer.
Features of CSC65:
- Universal round design
- Highly durable material build
- Multiple mounting holes
- Good power handling
- 2-way speaker technology
- 2 speaker pair
- Easy to install
- High quality ferrite magnet
- Versatile utility
- Convenient to use
- Low quality rubber surround
- Distorted sound on high volumes
Best Budget Car Speakers
The Best Budget Car Speakers are the Kicker CS Series CSC65 because it provides everything at a fair price. It is outfitted with everything that a speaker needs for good performance. The combination of good voice coils and a good ferrite magnet enables good sound output.
#9. Best 4 Inch Car Speaker Under 100 - MB Quart FKB110 Review
This compact design speaker is designed for an audiophile that is looking for a casual performing speaker. The small and round design makes it optimal for such use.
The 2 way technology enables this speaker to produce good quality sound effects while also taking very little space in your car.
The adhesive used in these car speakers ensure that the sound quality remains intact on high temperatures and volumes. It doesn’t let the surround and speaker detach.
The good power handling on these speakers show good performance on low and high power inputs alike. This also provides the speakers with a good frequency response.
Features of FKB110:
- 2 way coaxial design
- Aluminum dome tweeters
- Butyl rubber surround material
- Efficient heat dissipation
- Weather resistant materials
- Compact design
- Easy to install
- Resistant to wear and tear
- Good sound quality
- Product manual included
- No grill compatibility
- Does not fit every vehicle
Best 4 Inch Car Speakers
The Best 4 Inch Car Speakers are the MB Quart FKB110 because it provides all the good things of a speaker in a small and compact design. The 2 way build ensures that it takes little space in your car while also producing high quality sound effects.
Buyers' Guide
What should I look for when buying Car Speakers?
There are a lot of choices available on the market that are high performing and high quality. Deciding to buy a car speaker can prove to be a tough task. For a person that has expertise in this area, the number of choices is sort of overwhelming.
To help you ease this process of choosing, following are some of the things you should look out for when selecting your car audio speakers:
Speaker Design
There are a number of designs under which car speakers are manufactured. Some brands offer 1-way, 2-way, 3-way and some even produce 4 way speakers. The difference between all of them are the tweeters and subwoofers.
The 1-way speaker comes with a subwoofer that provides minor bass effects. A 2-way speaker on the other hand is installed with a tweeter too. This increases the overall sound quality and the frequency range of the speakers.
A 3-way and a 4-way speaker on the other hand has multiple tweeters and a better performing subwoofer installed that allows them to produce organic sounding large variety of sound effects.
A 2-way speaker is generally recommended as it has a good subwoofer with a high quality tweeter. It provides a full range of high and low frequency sounds that you need for your music experience.
Price
Most of the car speakers produced by high quality brands are generally moderately priced between $200 to $400. A speaker that is low priced usually has some minor lacking of features in it.
But there are a lot of great options on the market that provide all the good things a speaker needs. A fairly priced speaker between $50 and $100 is often longer lasting and has good quality sound output.
Buying an overpriced speaker might ensure that your speakers are high quality and such but its value compared to the price is very little. A moderately priced speaker might provide the same features and durability at a lower price.
It is good practice to explore your option in different price ranges before choosing a car speaker. This allows you to have a better grip at your choices and what you actually need from your product.
Power-handling
A key feature for any good quality speaker is how it handles the power input from the car. Majority of the high quality brands make sure the speaker’s magnet and voice coils are upto standard for such a task.
A good power handling speaker can power equally well on low and high power input. This also makes the speaker consistent even after extended duration of use. The temperature of the speaker remains at an optimal level.
All of this ensures that the speaker lasts longer on peak power and is durable even after longer and regular use at all sound levels. This also works against the speakers producing distorted sound because of magnet or coil defect.
How important are the cone materials?
The cone material of a speaker is a very important part of the speaker. It is responsible for producing organic sound effects which include bass, treble and the vocals. A good material ensures that the sound effects produced are high quality rather than sounding distorted.
Usually a high quality cone material is made from metal or a high tensile plastic material. The material’s strength ensures that the speakers stand the test of time and the abuse of high volume usage.
Why choose market speakers over factory speakers?
Factory speakers are usually good enough to meet your requirements for music or whatever you need if for. A third party speaker provides you with added benefits and multiple features.
A third party market speaker enables you to customize your car with speakers that provide extra sound effects like bass and treble. They are also equipped with highly durable ferrite magnets and speaker coils.
Furthermore, a third party speaker is a good replacement to save your factory speakers for resale. Having a set of factory speakers installed increases the overall resale value of your vehicle by a lot.
Are speakers really that important in a car?
Speakers are an essential component of a car. A lot of people don’t realize it but having an audio system installed can greatly enhance your travelling experience as a whole. A good audio system can change your overall mood easily.
The ability to play music along with your car rides lifts the overall mood of your car. It can turn a long boring car ride into a fun and pleasing experience.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Is it easy to install the speakers personally?
It is generally easy to install a car speaker all by yourself. Most of the speakers come with a handy use manual and multiple mounting options. The hard part is the wiring. Even though it is still rather easy to wire your speakers, it is recommended to use a professional’s help to avoid short circuiting.
It is good practice to learn how a speaker interacts in order to solve a small problem on the go. This might include soldering a wire, wiring with speaker nodes and battery nodes among other things.
Is wire replacement required for new speakers?
It is recommended to buy new wires along with your new speakers because the wires that are installed by the factory are specifically made for that speaker. They might cause short circuits when connected to a third party speaker.
This is due to the fact that a third party speaker generally requires a lot more power than a stock speaker. Having a wire that doesn’t provide enough power might destroy your audio system along with your expensive speaker set easily.
Do new speakers fit my factory built fittings?
Third party speakers are designed to cater every type of customer. Many have 4 inch fittings while some have 6 inch by 9 inch fittings. Also, they come in different shapes too. Some are circular and round in shape while some are slightly oval shaped.
Before buying any sort of third party speaker, measure the size of the fittings your car has. This enables you to search and buy the speakers that fit your speaker slots perfectly without any external aid.
How much power do I need for my speakers?
The power usage of a speaker is always mentioned alongside it. It is good to compare it with the battery you have installed in your vehicle. A lot of third party speakers require more power than a factory issued car speaker.
It is good to buy a durable and large battery for your third party speaker because it will ensure that the speakers work properly and last their intended lifetime. A smaller battery will hinder the speakers from performing at their optimal level.
The speakers start to sound distorted when I volume up. Why does it do that?
Sound distortion is usually caused by some fault in the voice coils, the speaker magnet of the cone of the speaker. This is usually due to rough use of the speakers which cause some sort of wear and tear in the speaker’s sensitive parts.
It is recommended to use your speakers at a moderate level often to avoid destroying them beyond any sort of repair. Even high quality speakers can easily break down if they aren’t used properly.
Is it easy to uninstall car speakers?
It is quite easy to uninstall a pair of car speakers. All you require is a pair of gloves and a screwdriver that matches the screws mounted on the speakers. You can just unscrew the screws and detach the wires to uninstall them.
A professional’s help is recommended to do this task rather easily and efficiently. This reduces the risk of any damage to your cars or your speakers.
Is an amp required for speakers?
An amplifier is used to streamline your speaker’s sound output and enhance the sound signals. It also provides multiple features to customize your sound output. This allows versatility in the usage of a normal third party speaker.
Even though a car speaker can work efficiently without an amplifier, buying one is always a good addition.
Final Verdict
Choosing a good car speaker can prove beneficial in the longer run. It can elevate your car ride experience significantly.
After testing and reviewing a variety of car speakers for a period of time, we have come to a conclusion that JBL’s GTO609C are the most viable option for a third party car speaker under $100.
It provides all the necessary features required in a car speaker while also providing with high quality material build and sound effects.
This brings us to the end of our review car speakers under $100.
Do let us know which car speaker you think is the best?
