There are many speakers on the market, but not all of them are created equal. Some car speakers will offer a better response in the low frequencies, while others may have loudness as their primary quality, for example.
Regardless, the best car speakers are those that offer great sound quality, a deep bass response and a wide and balanced frequency range. When buying this type of product, there are also a few things you should also pay attention to, such as the size of the driver and whether or not they fit on your factory speakers’ mounting space.
In this article, we will go through 9 products to find the best 6.5 Inch speakers for bass. We will also answer frequently asked questions about the subject, such as whether or not you need an amplifier and what are the differences between two of the main types of car speakers.
Tip: Also check our 2-Way vs 3-Way Speakers article.
We Tested 9 Products and Found the Pioneer TS-A1680F to be The Best 6.5 Inch Speakers for Bass
The JVC CS-J620 and the JBL GTO629 were our Budget and Runner-Up Choices, Respectively
9 Best 6.5 inch Speakers for Bass – Reviewed in Detail
Table of Contents
- Rockford Fosgate P1650
- Alphasonik AS26
- Pioneer TS-A1680F
- JBL GTO629
- JBL CLUB6520
- JVC CS-J620
- Infinity REF-6522EX
- Alpine S-S65
- HERTZ HCX 165
1. Rockford Fosgate P1650
Rockford Fosgate is one of the most recognizable names in the world of car speakers. The company has been around for decades and its products can be found in a wide range of vehicles across the country. The P1650 sounds great and offers excellent bass quality.
Product Specifications
- 6.5 Inch Car Speakers
- Built-In Crossover
- Power Rating: 55 Watts (110 Watts Peak)
- 2-Way Setup Speakers
Advantages & Disadvantages
Pros
- While they may not be the most affordable pair of speakers on the market, these offer an incredible value for the price.
- Comes shipped with grills and mounting hardware.
- Great build quality, with injection molded cones.
- Integrated crossover for the best sound quality.
- Aligns with OEM mounting holes. Easier installation.
- Wide frequency response: 45Hz to 20kHz. This will ensure a strong bass and crisp high-end.
- Dual voice coils for optimal sound quality even on very loud volumes.
Cons
- Higher mounting depth than other options: 2.24″.
- May need an amplifier to sound great.
Conclusion
The Rockford Fosgate P1650X2 is a great choice if you’re looking for some quality bass on your car. These speakers are not only powerful, but they also come with dual voice coils to make sure the sound quality doesn’t drop as you turn up the volume. The highs and mids are also crystal clear thanks to the wide frequency range that these offer.
The mounting depth is a little higher than other options: 2.24″, so it may be a little harder to conceal these wherever you’re putting them. You may also need an amplifier to get the best sound out of the P1650. Other than that, they’re an excellent choice.
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2. Alphasonik AS26
The Alphasonik AS26 is a great option for those looking to upgrade their car speakers. An excellent pair that offers the best sound quality, deep bass response and wide frequency range for a very low price. These have the potential to be an excellent budget choice.
Product Specifications
- 6.5 Inch Car Speakers
- Power Rating: 350 Watts Peak
- 3-Way Setup Speakers
Advantages & Disadvantages
Pros
- The 3-way design features a woofer for the low and low-mid range of the frequency spectrum, as well as two tweeters for the midrange frequencies and high-end. This configuration will give you excellent sound clarity.
- Each of the speakers peaks at 350 watts. This is a great peak power rating and you will probably be able to drive them without the need of an amplifier, only using your factory OEM head unit.
- High sensitivity.
- Low distortion, even on high volumes.
- Includes bass blockers.
- Even though this is a budget car speaker, the build quality looks pretty good.
- 25mm inverted dome tweeter with an aluminum cone.
Cons
- None particularly concerning.
Conclusion
This speaker is made by one of the most reputable brands in the industry and it’s easy to see why they are so popular: an excellent option for those looking for an easy upgrade on their car stereo system on a budget. The Alphasonik AS26 has great specifications and can be easily mounted on any car’s standard OEM mountings.
Depending on your head unit, there’s a chance you won’t need an amplifier to power this pair.
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3. Pioneer TS-A1680F
Pioneer is one of the most trustworthy brands in the aftermarket speakers industry. The TS-A1680F design looks great and will match most car interiors. It was priced around $70 by the time this article was written, a fair value in our opinion.
Product Specifications
- 6.5 Inch Car Speakers
- Power Rating: 350 Watts/Pair
- 4-Way Setup Speakers
Advantages & Disadvantages
Pros
- The Pioneer TS-A1680F has a 4-way speaker design. There are 4 drivers, each one for a different part of the frequency spectrum. This setup will ensure the best sound strength and clarity possible.
- Carbon and mica reinforced IMPP woofer cone. Contributes to the great build quality of these car speakers, along with the elastic polymer rubber surround material.
- Includes grilles and mounting hardware and brackets.
- Easy installation process, provided you have the necessary knowledge.
- The protection mode will automatically turn off the car speakers to avoid any damage in certain situations.
Cons
- May need an amplifier to work at its full potential.
Conclusion
The Pioneer TS-A1680F sound quality is impressive, especially for the price. It has a very balanced sound signature with a slight emphasis on the bass. The speaker will give an enjoyable listening experience for most car owners.
Our favorite feature though was the fact that these have a considerably easy installation process. Provided you have the necessary knowledge, you can install these in your car on your own without much hassle.
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4. JBL GTO629
JBL is known for their excellent consumer-grade audio products. These 6.5 speakers have a great, sleek design and do a fantastic job at providing high-quality sound across all of the frequency spectrum.
Product Specifications
- 6.5 Inch Car Speakers
- Built-In Crossover
- Power Rating: 180 Watts
- 2-Way Setup Speakers
Advantages & Disadvantages
Pros
- Carbon-injected Plus One cones. This is only one of the features that shows JBL’s attention to detail with their products.
- Coaxial speakers: you can mount them without the need for an external crossover.
- Dedicated 12dB/octave high quality crossover.
- Dual-level tweeter volume adjustment. This can compensate for any difference of balance between the two car speakers.
- Patented UniPivot tweeters: the speakers can be aimed at your ears, even if they’re mounted on the lowermost part of your car doors. This will ensure optimal sound quality.
Cons
- May need an amplifier to work properly.
Conclusion
This pair of speakers has a deep bass response and a frequency range of 50-20,000 Hz. The GTO629 model is also capable of handling up to 180 watts peak power. If you’re looking for an affordable speaker with great sound quality and a wide frequency range, then these JBL speakers should be for you. The company is, after all, reputable in this market.
While these car speakers come with a built-in crossover that can provide good sound, keep in mind that you may need an external amplifier for them to work properly.
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5. JBL CLUB6520
JBL CLUB6520 is a two-way coaxial car speaker set that provides high sound pressure levels, which means they can provide great sound at low volumes. This product is perfect for those who want to upgrade their factory speakers without having to replace them, as they can serve as an addition to your already-existing car audio system.
Product Specifications
- 6.5 Inch Car Speakers
- Built-In Crossover
- Power Rating: 50 Watts
- 2-Way Setup Speakers
Advantages & Disadvantages
Pros
- These have a high-sensitivity design. Paired with the built-in crossover, it makes the speakers excellent for achieving a clear sound.
- Even though this car speaker has a small, slim design, they’re able to provide a good bass sound.
- If you have an existing sound system that you’re already happy with but feel that they could have a little extra thump, the CLUB6520 will be an excellent upgrade. These don’t have an exaggerated power handling (only 50 watts) so it will be easy to fit them in your system.
- Easy to install, even if you don’t have much experience.
- Great looking design, will fit most car interiors.
Cons
- Only 50 watts of power. May need an amplifier to work correctly, depending on your head unit.
Conclusion
The JBL CLUB6520 are great sounding speakers. We recommend them if you want an addition to your existing car sound system, since these have a low power rating (50 watts). If installed on their own, they might need an amplifier to give out the best bass quality.
Regardless, we like the fact that comes with a 12 dB crossover, which provides an even frequency response across the range of mediums. It also has a powerful bass reflex port, so you can enjoy clear highs and deep lows in your music.
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6. JVC CS-J620
One of the best 6.5 inch speakers on the market is the JVC CS-J620. This product offers a powerful and quality sound, with a bass response that will certainly make you want to dance in your car. It is also one of the most affordable products available, which makes it great for people on a budget: priced at around $20, it is definitely a steal.
Product Specifications
- 6.5 Inch Car Speakers
- Power Rating: 600 Watts per Pair
- 2-Way Setup Speakers
Advantages & Disadvantages
Pros
- Just like the JBL CLUB6520, these are a great addition to your car’s existing sound system.
- Mica Cone and Hybrid Surround components built onto a steel stamped frame. Despite the low price, the CS-J620 has an excellent build-quality.
- Great sensitivity: 92dB.
- Includes mounting screws and tabs.
- Slim mount depth, can be concealed on most car doors.
- Extremely cheap: priced around $20, the JVC CS-J620 is one of the best options for people on a budget, considering all their power, build-quality and specifications.
- Easy to install, will fit most OEM mountings easily.
Cons
- None particularly concerning.
Conclusion
The JVC CS-J620 speakers are an excellent budget choice. With a sensitivity of 91 dB and an impedance of 4 Ohms, they are able produce very good sounds even without an amplifier. Another feature that we like is that the model has been designed to fit factory mounting points and have a slim mount-depth, so there is no need to change your car’s configuration.
This is the best speaker for those on a budget, in our opinion.
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7. Infinity REF-6522EX
A great product for bass is the Infinity REF-6522EX 6.5 Inch Speaker. With a frequency range that reaches down to 57Hz, these speakers have a phenomenal bass response, which is what many people are looking for. They’re also decently priced: around $70, by the time this article was written.
Product Specifications
- 6.5 Inch Car Speakers
- Built-In Crossover
- Power Rating: 165 Watts Peak
- 2-Way Setup Speakers
Advantages & Disadvantages
Pros
- These speakers have one of the best designs on the list. As you can see in the image, they look amazing.
- Shallow mount depth.
- Priced at around $70. Not the most affordable pair on the list, but we feel that the price is fair for what you get with these speakers.
- Great frequency response. The low-end can go down to 57Hz, lower than most other speakers on the article.
- Includes mounting brackets. The installation process is fairly easy too, as 6.5 car speakers praise for a minimalist design.
- The deep bass response of this speaker ensures that it will be capable of handling the sound pressure levels of the vehicle’s interior cabin environment. You won’t have to worry about distortion or loss of sound quality at loud volumes.
- No need for external crossovers: there’s a built-in one in the product.
Cons
- Some reviews state that these don’t sound as powerful as other options.
Conclusion
Our most favorite feature about the Infinity REF-6522EX was, by far, the design. They not only look great, but the materials and components used to build these speakers, such as foam surrounds and the reinforced bracket frame, improves their durability.
We found some reviews from customers stating that these don’t sound as powerful as other options. In our view, this will largely depend on how much power your head unit can give to the pair, so these can still be a quality choice.
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8. Alpine S-S65
Alpine is one of the most reputable brands in the car audio industry. They produce high-quality products that will last for years, delivering a rich sound along with excellent bass response. The S-S65 6.5 inch speakers are no exception to this rule. They offer great sound quality with a frequency range of 70Hz to 22 kHz, which is perfect for their size.
Product Specifications
- 6.5 Inch Car Speakers
- Power Rating: 240 Watts Peak
- 2-Way Setup Speakers
Advantages & Disadvantages
Pros
- Great response in the low frequencies. These 6.5 car speakers can also give you crisp highs as their frequency range goes up to 22 kHz.
- High sensitivity: 88dB.
- Can be powered without an amplifier, depending on your head unit.
- Easy installation.
- Aimable tweeter.
- Specialized rubber surround 1″ silk dome tweeter.
Cons
- Higher mounting height than other options on the list.
- Doesn’t include grilles.
Conclusion
Overall, the Alpine S-S65 speakers are great if you’re looking for a good balance between highs and lows. The best part is that these 6.5 car speakers are not very expensive considering what they offer, so if you don’t want to spend too much money on new speakers, this is a great product.
The only drawback is that the mounting height is a bit higher than other options on the list, so you might want to measure your car’s mounting spaces before commiting; We didn’t like the fact that it doesn’t come with a grille as well.
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9. HERTZ HCX 165
The last product on our list is the HERTZ HCX 165. They are a set of component speakers with a low price and a lot of features that you can enjoy. The product comes with two high quality drivers, which creates an overall sound that is powerful and well-rounded. The design looks pretty good and original as well.
Product Specifications
- 6.5 Inch Car Speakers
- Power Rating: 200 Watts
- 2-Way Setup Speakers
Advantages & Disadvantages
Pros
- With polypropylene cones and rubber surroundings, these full range speakers are made with excellent materials and components.
- Included wiring and hardware for mounting.
- Great frequency range, especially on the low-end: 50Hz to 22kHz.
- 92 dB of sensitivity, for a loud sound without distortion across all of the frequency spectrum.
- Protruding tweeter design that can be freely aimed.
- Peak power of 200 watts. These coaxial speakers can be used without an amplifier on most setups.
Cons
- High price.
Conclusion
The HERTZ HCX 165 are premium coaxial speakers. The materials and components used on this product are among the best you can find on the car audio market and the power handling is pretty good. However, they’re considerably more expensive than other options on the list.
If you like the HCX 165, also consider if it wouldn’t be better to buy a more affordable pair along with a high-quality amplifier. Depending on your particular use-case this may be a better choice.
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Choosing 6.5 inch Car Speakers for Bass – Things to Look For
With many variables, choosing the best 6.5 inch speakers for bass isn’t an easy task. Here are a few things to keep in mind when shopping:
Frequency Response
The frequency response of a speaker is related to the frequencies it can produce across the frequency spectrum. Ideally, you want a pair of speakers with a balanced response across the lows, mids and highs.
Frequency Range
Frequency range is often confused with frequency response, but they are different things. The frequency range states how low or high your speakers can go on the spectrum. For Example: 70 Hz to 22 kHz.
Impedance
The impedance of a car speaker is its resistance to the flow of an alternating current. It is usually expressed in Ohms. Higher impedance speakers (4 Ohms and up) can usually be powered without the need of an amplifier. Below that, you will certainly need the device to get the best sound possible.
Speaker Size / Mounting Compatibility
Obviously, you gotta make sure that the mountings in your car are compatible with the aftermarket speakers you buy. Most 6.5 car speakers can fit into OEM standard mountings without any problems, however it is great to double check and take measures before making your purchase.
Another important factor is the mount depth. This is a measure of the height of the speakers. Some speakers are shallower than others, which means they will protrude less from your car doors. Make sure to double check this measure in your car too.
Coaxial Speakers vs Component Speakers
Coaxial speakers are a type of speaker that have a tweeter and woofer built into one. The tweeter and the woofer are placed within the same housing. This means that the coaxial speakers eliminate the need for separate drivers, and usually feature a built-in crossover. They’re not as versatile as a component speaker though.
A component speaker system consists of a woofer, mid-range driver, tweeter, and crossovers that divide the frequency spectrum into three bands (bass, midrange, treble). They can be mounted separately, which gives them more customization potential.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I Need an Amplifier for my Setup?
If you’re on a budget, we recommend you also check our Best 6X9 Speakers for Bass Without Amp article, as the products on the guide have enough power to deliver great sound without an amplifier.
2-Way vs 3-Way Speakers – Which is the Best One?
A 3-way speaker system consists of three drivers: a subwoofer, a mid-range woofer, and a tweeter. The benefit of this type of setup is that you will have a better bass response.
The drivers are connected using crossover components that help direct the sounds from each driver in order to produce rich, full sound across all frequencies without distorting them in any way. Keep in mind that some car speakers already feature a built-in crossover.
What is a Speaker Crossover?
Speaker crossovers are usually passive devices, meaning they do not require power to operate and can be configured in a variety of ways. As we mentioned before, many 6.5-inch car speakers feature a built-in crossover.
Which Brands Make the Best 6.5 Inch Speakers?
Hertz also has many highly rated products on Amazon, as does Alphasonik.
Of these brands, JBL, Rockford Fosgate, and Alpine are the brands we repeatedly hear the most acclaim for – and that’s for good reason!
However, we’ve hopefully demonstrated that there is a wider range of brands that are worth considering.
Which 6.5 Inch Speakers Have the Loudest Bass?
Therefore, when it comes to the loudest bass, the JBL GTO 629 is our winner. Of course, bass output is not the only factor to consider when choosing your next speaker.
Our Pick for Best Budget 6.5 Inch Speakers
You save even more money with this option as they don’t require extensive car configuration upgrades to install.
Our Pick for Best 6.5 Inch Speakers for Bass and Clarity
With its unique 4-way design that produces balanced and excellent sound quality, ease of installation, and a beautiful, robust build, our only complaint with the Pioneer TS-A1680F was that it may require an amplifier to unleash its full potential (and it certainly packs a lot of potential).
For those with the money to spend who are looking for the best 6.5-inch speaker to consider, this is our overall pick!
JBL GTO629 – Runner-Up
With good sound and a fair price, we decided to choose the JBL GTO629 as our runner-up due to its high-quality characteristics as well as for the company being very transparent about the components used in this product. Also topping the list for the loudest bass, it is a great alternative to our top pick, the Pioneer TS-A1680F.
In Summary
As you can see, there are many 6.5 car speakers for bass on the market. All of the products on the list will be a great factory speaker upgrade, but each one has their own particularities and features that are worth weighing before you make your choice. Without further ado, let’s see our top picks.
How to Buy
The link for each speaker is at their respective titles on the list. We recommend that you also read customer reviews and our related articles before deciding the best 6.5 car speakers for your particular use-case and needs. Thank you for reading our best 6.5-inch speakers for bass guide. Feel free to get in touch if you have any questions!
Ian Sniesko is an experienced music producer and musician who loves to share his knowledge about the best audio equipment for making and enjoying great music. For the past 6 years, Ian has written extensively about the audio equipment industry and has contributed to many of the top music magazines.