Thoughts on two-way coaxial and three-way coaxial speakers.

[kOrzbrO]

Just want to know everyone's opinion on two and three way coaxial speakers. what do you have in your car and why?

[mc-lovin92]

I have 2 sets of components and 2-way 6x9's in my car.

If i had to choose between 2-way's or 3-ways i would go with the 2-ways. I think that 3-ways and up produce too much treble. I know the second tweeter is meant to be for mid, but it just doesn't do the job.

[kOrzbrO]

My friend had 2 3-way 6x9's in the rear and they just couldn't handle it . The treble was good, but the bass wasn't too good, and there was a little bit of distortion once the music got turned up

[milkchicken]

i have components in the front of my car and 3 ways in the back. best speakers i have ever bought. Although i did buy the carbon kevlar ones from pioneer.

If you want good sound. You have to spend the money for them. In every sound system i have built i have never used base model speakers. for the reason that they do sound cheap. You don't have to go out and buy the really expensive ones, unless your like me and love your music and have some spare money to throw around.

In my first car, i has 3 way front 2 way rears all amped up and they were awesome. I bought the mid range speakers from pioneer and i was never happier with them. I find splits to be much better on the ears if you like your music. But cutting into the doors is something not everyone wants to do. to get the best sound you need to amp up the speakers, a normal head unit just can't put out the right amount of wattage to make them sound good. but again you don't have to spend a fortune.

I have never been a fan of the 6x9's. they have a fake sound to them, but this is just my opinion. also for the best sound you can ever get, dynomat your doors. this makes the doors act like a big speaker box and make the sound from the speakers amazing. but not good if your looking at weight saving as it is very very heavy once you do all the doors and boot if you feel like it.

[TMM]

I find splits to be much better on the ears if you like your music. But cutting into the doors is something not everyone wants to do. to get the best sound you need to amp up the speakers, a normal head unit just can't put out the right amount of wattage to make them sound good. but again you don't have to spend a fortune.

+1 for splits.

No need to cut the doors to fit some splits. Just mount the woofer in the stock location, and put the tweeter on the dash. Another option is to get some spare a pillar trims from the wreckers and integrate the tweeters into them with some fibreglass pods.

Headunits put out enough power, it's just that they create quite a bit of distortion at higher power levels. It really depends on your speakers and listening volume whether or not an amp would be worth it. For entry level to mid range speakers at a moderate listening volume, any decent headunit will be fine. Unless you listen really loud it's better to get a good headunit and no amp, rather then a crap headunit and crap amp.

[BMSSS]

Yea theres not really an argument that splits arent better up front...

Having the tweeters seperate gives better sound no matter what (as long as there set up properly and angled correctly and had some timing adjustment)

And as said above you dont need to cut into your door, hell i only see people cutting into their doors 1 out 15 installs or so.

Woofer in stock position and then tweeter up high, either pillar, dash or the little window 'sail' that covers the back of the inside of the mirrors and you will have a jolly old time listening to your music!

And the amp/headunit info is true. I wouldnt say headunits give out good power, they do give out 'enough' but thats enough to run the speakers without distortion etc.
As soon as you run an amp you will notice not just gains in volume but in clarity aswell!

[Wallie]

once you've had components (splits if you wish to call them that) you will never go back. the SQ is so much better, crisper & cleaner.

but if you must. id go the 2-ways over 3-ways as 2-ways put out a better sound.

my system i have
2-Way Components


tweeter on the triangle bit that hides the inside of the mirrors



6x9 3ways in the back.. i put them in before i had a sub but if i got the sub at the same time id probably gone 6.5" 2-ways

[doityourself]

When it comes to the choice of 2 or 3 way coaxial speakers, I choose 2 way - reason being it that a simple speaker can sound much nicer, especially when you consider that not many manufacturers put sufficient development into the placement of the extra drivers, and the end result is muddier sound.
As many have said nothing beats a split speaker - this is true. Even a cheap split will out perform a more expensive coaxial.
However I do have a soft spot for the oval speaker not the 6x9 but the 7x10, more to the point Kenwood HQ-718's. Those speakers in a sedan parcel shelf sounded awesome - almost no need for a subwoofer when 7x10's are amplified but if one chose to 7x10 with a sub you can push more bass from the sub due to the lower low pass filter.

Sorry got a bit carried away.