Frequently Asked Questions

• What are coaxial speakers and how do they work?

  Coaxial speakers are designed to give you fuller sound with your car audio setup. Coaxial speakers provide this extra sound by stacking multiple drivers onto a single unit; this can include woofers, tweeters, and mid-range drivers.

• What are component speakers?

  Component speakers are speakers with separate drivers, including woofers, tweeters, and mid-range. They usually include a passive crossover that separates the frequencies and sends them to the individual drivers. Component speakers are designed to provide quality sound by using multiple separate drivers that work together to provide clear and superior audio.

• Coaxial vs. Component speakers: What’s the difference and which should I buy?

  Coaxial speakers provide fuller sound for your car stereo by having multiple drivers (woofers, tweeters, mid-range) stacked on top of each other. Due to this setup, coaxial speakers are an affordable and easy way to upgrade your car stereo system.
  
  Component speakers use isolated drivers to provide a fuller sound to your car stereo system. The separate drivers (woofers, tweeters, mid-range) work together to present high quality audio; the speakers can also be adjusted for optimal listening.
  
  Due to their straightforward construction and easy installation, coaxial speakers are more affordable than component speakers. However, component speakers provide superior quality in both audio and construction, due to using isolated drivers. At the same time, component speakers are more complex to install and cost more than coaxial speakers.
  
  Which speakers you should buy is up to you, since both coaxial and component speakers provide superior sound to your car stereo system. It will come down to your preference for quality, installation process, and customization.

• What is the difference between 2-way vs. 3-way coaxial speakers?

  2-way coaxial speakers feature two drivers, usually a woofer and a tweeter. 3-way coaxial speakers feature three drivers: woofer, tweeter, and mid-range. The sound quality can be better with a 3-way vs a 2-way, but it ultimately depends on the build quality of the speakers and drivers.

• Do coaxial speakers have bass?

  Coaxial speakers have bass, especially in 2-way and 3-way configurations. 1-way coaxial speakers have bass, but it’s handling all the other frequencies, too. This is why bass performance with coaxial speakers is better with 2 and 3-way setups.

• Do coaxial speakers need an amp to perform?

  Coaxial speakers benefit greatly if they are used with an amp. Amps can improve the performance of coaxial speakers by providing more dynamic range and fuller bass. Otherwise, a coaxial speaker only using OEM will underperform.

• Where should I install coaxial speakers (front or the rear)?

  Coaxial speakers are ideally placed in the front and rear of your car. An easy way to know is to see where your car’s current speakers are placed. Wherever your current car speakers are is where you would want to install your coaxial speakers.

• Can you mix or replace component speakers with coaxials?

  You can mix or replace component speakers with coaxial speakers, but it is generally not recommended.

• How do you wire and install component speakers?

  For learning how to wire and install component speakers, we will use the DS18 ZXI-26C 2-way component speakers as our example.
  
  Start by mounting the separate woofer and tweeter; typically, the woofer is placed in the door and the tweeter higher up near ear level for better sound staging.
  
  Run new speaker wire from your amplifier (or head unit) to the included passive crossover, which acts as the control point dividing the frequencies.
  
  From the crossover, connect the designated output terminals to the woofer and tweeter, making sure polarity is correct (positive to positive, negative to negative).
  
  Secure all connections and mount the crossover in a dry, protected area inside the door or cabin. Make sure to test the system before reassembling panels to ensure everything works properly.

• What size coaxial speakers should I get for my vehicle?

  The speaker size you get would entirely depend on the vehicle you drive. DS18 has coaxial speakers in a variety of sizes, including 4”, 5.25”, 6.5”, 6x9”, 8”, and 10”.

• Are expensive coaxial speakers worth the investment?

  Whether or not expensive coaxial speakers are worth investing in is up to you. If you value your audio experience, it can be worth it to buy the best of the best. It can also be argued that, if you are willing to invest in coaxial speakers, you should also look into component speakers.

• What are the best coaxial speakers for extreme output?

  One of the best entry level options is the 2-way DS18 G.5Xi coaxial speaker. These speakers are 150W 4 ohm and output frequencies as low as 35Hz, along with a steel basket for maximum durability.
  
  For the best high-end option, we recommend the 2-way DS18 DXQ6.5CX coaxial speaker. It has a frequency response ranging from 45hz to 20kHz, 150W RMS and 300W MAX power handling, and 4 ohms. The speakers also feature composite foam and an aluminum basket that provide durable and long-lasting performance.

• Do coaxial speakers have crossovers?

  Most coaxial speakers have built-in crossovers, so you should not need to buy separate ones.