When you are changing or installing car speakers you will be faced by one big dilemma – 2-way or 3-way speaker system.
If you don’t know the difference which is preferable, don’t worry.
In this article, we will closely compare these two speakers and help you make a decision on buying either of these speakers.
Let’s begin.
Table of Contents
2-Way Car Speakers
A 2-way car speaker system has 2 drivers – a conical vibrating part of the car speaker that produce the sound you hear from the speaker.
Restraints from the nature together with the speaker construction materials influence the quality and nature of the sound produced by the speakers at a certain frequency.
With 2-ways car speaker systems, engineers manufacture these speakers with a sonic range of human hearing that range from 20 Hz to 20,000 Hz.
A 2-way speaker system mainly has a tweeter and woofer. The tweeter is responsible for producing any frequency above 2000 Hz while the woofer handle the frequency below 2000 Hz.
Inside the 2-way speaker, there is a crossover that subtracts the incoming audio signal and channels it to the right driver.
For instance, when the signal is above 2000 Hz it sends the signals to the tweeters.
In short, a 2-way speaker has a system that dedicates a certain level of sound to it’s driver adding more clarity and sound quality on the car speakers.
The woofer driver are dedicated to produce a low range sound. And this is why most of the 2 way speakers don’t have a very deep sounding basses.
JVC CS-J620 300W 6.5″ CS Series 2-Way Coaxial Car Speakers is the best car speaker under this category. It’s available on Amazon. Click here to check the latest price and buy it from Amazon today.
3-Way Car Speaker
A 3-way speaker system uses 3 speaker drivers in their operations. The speaker divides the sound in 3 ranges.
The first range is for tweeter which is sound above 2,000 Hz. This is usually a dedicated range for reproducing tambourines, cymbals, and other sounds that are above 2,000 HZ.
Second range is dedicated to percussive instruments, trumpets, and voices between 200 Hz and 2000 Hz. It’s a mid-range sound line.
The third range is for woofers and it’s for any audible sound below 200 Hz and below.
In simple, the 3-way car speaker has 3 ranges – high, mid, and low.
The speakers are available in market as component and coaxial systems. Coaxial systems have 3 drivers in one speaker box but the component system has 3 boxes each of the 3 drivers.
However, the performance of the 3-way-car speaker highly depends on the quality of the speaker’s construction materials.
Rockford Fosgate R165X3 Prime 6.5″ Full-Range 3-Way Coaxial Speaker (Pair) is the best under this category. Click here to check the latest price and buy it from Amazon today.
Comparison Between 2-Way And 3-Ways Car Speaker
Sound Quality
3-ways speaker reproduce a better sound quality as compared to the 2-way speakers. If for instance you pick a speaker made with the same material quality and specifications, you will find a 3-way speaker reproducing a better sound quality.
This is mainly because a 3-way speaker has an extra driver dedicated to sounds of below 200 Hz. This is the sound that enhance and give your speaker a stable and deep tone.
The drivers are fully divided to ensure that sound is not compressed in one single driver.
Sound System
2-way speakers are perfect for coaxial speaker systems. These are systems that come with more than one speaker in a single box but both producing sound on the same axis.
3-ways speakers, on the other hand, are perfect for component systems. This is a result of separating drivers. It keeps tweeters at a high level while the low level sound is well divided to give the best directional sound reproduction.
Bass Reproduction
2-way speakers sacrifice the bass frequencies. However, bass is an important part of the music that shouldn’t be compromised. And this is why the 3-way speakers are the best in reproducing bass. A 3-way car speaker has a fully dedicated driver for the bass.
Power
Mainly the importance of separating drives in a speaker is so that systems can handle much power. And the more the separation the better the sound produced by your speakers.
When it comes to power handling a 3-way car speaker will handle more power than a 2-way car speaker.
Cost
When it comes to the cost of buying, 2-way car speakers win. They are cheaper than 3-ways speakers because they require less components to install and reproduce sounds.
The speakers only need a simple crossover circuit to split signals over them.
However, the cost of the speakers is also depended on the materials used to construct the speakers. But when you compare these two sets of speakers made with same material quality, the 3-ways speakers will cost you more than the 2-ways speakers.
Relavent Resources: Car Subwoofer Not Working but Amp Has Power: The Solutions
Which Is Preferable? 2-Way Or 3-Ways Car Speaker
Choosing a preferable speaker between 2-way and 3-way speaker depends on the purpose and goals you need to achieve with these speakers. You need to ask yourself a very simple question – what are you looking for?
If you are looking for a speaker that will give you a deep and high quality sound without compromising the bass sound, then 3-way speaker should be your choice.
However, if you are looking for a cheap and affordable speaker to have in your car, 2-way speaker system is the best choice.
So, first understand your goals and choose a speaker system that will satisfy your needs.
Parting Shot
If you are wondering which is the best between the two speaker systems, first check your goals. Buy the speaker that will satisfy and meet your goals accordingly.
