Best Car Speakers For Bass Without Subwoofer

Upgrading your car speakers is the single most cost-effective improvement you can make to your vehicle’s audio system. Not only are aftermarket car speakers relatively inexpensive, they usually aren’t terribly difficult to install.

Having the right car speakers with great bass reproduction can make a world of difference. But if you’ve been searching for a set of speakers for your vehicle recently, you already know there are thousands to choose from.

Not to mention, there are hundreds of technical specifications that you have to sort through before making a decision.

Well, the good news is, we’ve done the research for you and translated all the technical jargon, so you can make an informed-buying decision.

We’ve also compiled a list of the best car speakers for bass without a subwoofer. Regardless of your choice of brand or budget, you should be able to find something that will give you the best bang for you buck.

So, read on to find out what we think are the best car speakers for bass without subwoofer in 2021…

What Makes The Best Car Speakers For Bass?

For the best car speakers for bass, you’re looking for speakers that are very well-put together and can hit low bass notes. A rigid and responsive cone bonded to durable surround material is a must.

A high sensitivity rating and great power handling are also quite essential, as you might want to drop an outboard amp into the mix down the road.

Further, a quality crossover network to direct the highs to the tweeters, mids to the midrange driver, and low notes to the woofer is also important for well-balanced sound output.

Disclaimer

Undoubtedly, car speakers – even the most powerful ones – are a bit lacking in terms of bass reproduction when compared to subwoofers. Their small size doesn’t allow them to deliver teeth-rattling bass response as a properly powered subwoofer would.

Because car speakers are small in size, their cone’s range of motion is limited, preventing the speaker from producing sufficient force to compress the air beyond a certain point. This reduces the displacement of the speaker cone, which in turn lowers the output. The frequencies affected the most are those with the largest amount of displacement, i.e., low frequencies at higher volumes.

That being said, and despite these speakers being picked up based on their bass performance, don’t expect any of them to deliver ground-pounding bass.

So, if you’re a serious basshead, bear in mind that there’s no substitute for a powerful subwoofer. That’s not to say that the following speakers aren’t anything to write home about. Quite honestly, they definitely pack a punch and will sound way better than stock speakers.

Best 6.5 Car Speakers For Bass — Reviews

1. Rockford Fosgate P1650

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Rockford Fosgate P1650

• Injection-molded mineral-filled polypropylene woofer
• Santoprene rubber surround
• 3/4 inch treated PEI dome tweeter
• Vertical Attach Surround Technique (VAST™) increases cone area
• 1 inch high-temperature voice coil
• Rubber magnet boot cover

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Rockford Fosgate is one of the world’s leading car audio brands. They offer a wide range of different car speakers, amplifiers, and subwoofers. Rockford Fosgate’s car speakers are some of the top-rated car speakers on the market.

Rockford Fosgate Punch P1650 are some of the best car speakers for bass that you can buy. They’re featured with injection-molded mineral-filled polypropylene cone supported with Santoprene rubber surround. They use Rockford Fosgate’s signature VAST surround technique which expands the surface area of the cone, allowing for enhanced bass response than comparable speakers.

Furthermore, and no matter how heavy the bass gets, the P1650’s 3/4″ treated PEI dome tweeters produce clear and crisp highs for a rich full-range sound.

Rockford Fosgate Punch P1650 are rated for 88dB sensitivity rating and can handle up to 55 watts RMS. They can hit as low as a claimed 45Hz and as far up as 20kHz.

That said these are great sounding speakers for the money. If you tune your system right you should have some great sounding mids, highs and lows without any distortion. They’ll sound great running off your headunit, but they’ll shine when paired up to an external amplifier.

2. JBL GTO609C

There are a million car speakers on the market but JBL has always stood near the top. They offer some of the best sounding car speakers out there.

The speakers at hand are some of the best 6.5 component car speakers for bass that JBL has to offer. These component speakers will do pretty well without a subwoofer. They offer some of the deepest and most powerful bass we’ve heard from car speakers. The quality and quantity of bass offered by these speakers is impressive to say the least. Additionally, these speakers are designed to sound quite loud without distortion.

These speakers are featured with 6-1/2″ carbon-injected Plus One™ woofer cones which allow for great bass response. Their 3/4″ edge-driven soft dome tweeters ensure a rich experience in the upper frequencies, defined by crystal crisp highs. You can use the adjustable level control on these tweeters to tweak them to your liking, so the GTO609C’s sound is customized to your car.

Additionally, and no matter how complicated your car’s interior, JBL’s versatile I-mount and Starfish mounting hardware provide greater installation flexibility; this means you can flush- or surface-mount these tweeters, so you can easily achieve the ultimate in-vehicle sound experience.

JBL GTO609C component speakers come with dedicated crossover networks for superior clarity. The crossovers act as an audio traffic cop, directing each frequencies to the most suitable drivers — highs to the tweeters, mids to the midranges, and lows to the woofers.

JBL GTO609C 6.5 component speakers boast 93dB sensitivity rating and can handle up to 90 watts of power on continuous basis. They can hit as low as a 53Hz and as far up as 21kHz.

To get the best out of these speakers, you’ll need to fine-tune the acoustics of your music using the EQ settings on your headunit . You might also want to consider pairing them up to an external amp and let them fill your car with awesome bass and exceptional sound clarity.

3. Pioneer TS-A1680F

Pioneer TS-A1680F

• Carbon and MICA reinforced IMPP woofer cone
• Elastic polymer surround material
• Dual 11mm PET dome tweeters
• Rubber magnet boot cover
• High heat resistant wire voice coil
• 11.2 oz. ferrite magnet motor structure

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Pioneer is another well-established brand that offers a wide variety of car audio components of different types. They were founded in 1938 and they’ve been making quality products ever since.

If you’re on a tight-budget and looking for the best car speakers for bass without a subwoofer, Pioneer TS-A1680F speakers are a great option to consider. They’re some of the best selling 6.5 car speakers on the market.

The Pioneer 6-1/2″ speakers are very well designed. They are designed to deliver a satisfying punch thanks to their multilayer mica-matrix woofer cones which are supported with elastic polymer surround. These speakers are featured with 1-5/8″ Polyetherimide cone midrange drivers which allow very clean mids and treble, while Pioneer’s 3/8″ PET dome tweeters add in all the high-frequency details that make music exciting.

Pioneer TS-A1680F speakers boast a sensitivity rating of 88dB and can handle up to 80 watts of power on continuous basis. These puppies can hit as low as a 36Hz and as far up as 25kHz. You can pair them up to a new car aftermarket stereo for a refreshing sonic upgrade, or you can go all the way and power them with an external amp.

All in all, Pioneer TS-A1676R speakers will breath a new life into your stereo system without going over the top or breaking that bank.

Best 6X8 Car Speakers For Bass — Reviews

1. Infinity KAPPA-86CFX

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Infinity KAPPA-86CFX

• Plus One+ glass-fiber woofer cones
• Hi-roll rubber surround
• Edge-driven, soft dome tweeters with UniPivot design

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Infinity makes some of the best car speakers for bass. We are particularly fond of their Kappa series speakers. You truly get a solid sound experience with Infinity Kappa series speakers.

The speakers at hand are some of the best 6X8 car speakers for bass that you can buy. The bass on these speakers is pretty incredible even at higher volumes. They’ll add a more immersive feeling to your car’s interior at a relatively lower price.

Infinity’s KAPPA-86CFX 6″x8″ speakers are very well-engineered. They’re a little bit pricey than most car speakers we listed here so far, however, their impressive sound quality and rugged construction make sure they’re worth every penny.

These speakers are featured with glass fiber woofer with Plus One+ technology. The glass fiber woofers are responsive and hold their shapes even when the when the power’s cranked up, so you still get punchy and defined bass at high volume.

Glass fiber weighs less than most other materials, so you don’t need a ton of power to drive this woofer. Additionally, Infinity’s Plus One+ technology expands the cone right up to the edge of the basket, and thereby providing more overall speaker-cone area than other than most comparable speakers. A bigger cone means more bass to complement the superior high-frequency response.

Speaking of highs, Infinity KAPPA-86CFX speakers use 1″ soft dome tweeters. Thanks to their “edge-driven” design, these tweeters can handle more power and deliver smooth response way down into midrange frequencies not covered by conventional smaller domes tweeters. That said, you’ll hear a more clearly defined soundstage where you can picture the placement of every instrument.

Then, as if that’s not enough, Infinity’s UniPivot design allows you to aim each tweeter toward your ears for excellent stereo imaging even if the speakers are mounted way down low in your doors. Each of these tweeters feature a level control switch so you can adjust the brightness to your taste.

These 2-ohm impedance speakers feature a high sensitivity rating of 94 dB and can handle up to 100 watts of power RMS. They’re sensitive enough that you can power them with an aftermarket stereo, but you’ll get a solid sound experience feeding them plenty of power from an external amplifier.

With that said, it’s safe to say that the Infinity KAPPA-86CFX are the best car speakers for bass without a subwoofer.

2. Pioneer TS-A6880F

Pioneer TS-A6880F

• Twin 11mm polyethylene terephthalate (PET) hard dome tweeters
• 1-5/8 inch cellulose fiber cone midrange
• 6 x 8 inch carbon and mica reinforced Injection Molded Polypropylene cones
• Elastic polymer surround

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If you’re on a strict-budget and looking for great sounding speakers for bass without a subwoofer, then Pioneer TS-A6880F are great speakers to consider.

These speakers sport innovative technologies and materials that’ll breathe a new life into your sound system and put your car’s sound miles ahead of where it was.

Pioneer TS-A6880F speakers feature rigid, lightweight cones made of high-tech composite material consisting of carbon, polypropylene and mica. This design allows for solid bass output with exceptional midrange definition, while the elastic polymer surround ensure smooth and linear cone excursion for deep, powerful bass response. The extra-thick stamped steel frame on the other hand supports the woofer cone, reduces resonance and dampening vibrations that can impact your music’s natural sound.

As far as highs are concerned, these 6X8 speakers 1-1/8″ soft dome tweeters which deliver exceptional highs aided by a special wave guide that improves off-axis performance allowing for better stereo imaging throughout your car.

The tweeters on these speakers use compact and powerful neodymium magnet which provides impressive performance even when it’s cranked all the way up.

These 4-way speakers are rated for 88 dB sensitivity rating and can handle up to 80 watts of power RMS. They can hit as low as a 34Hz and as far up as 34kHz.

You do not know what low quality speakers you have in your vehicle until you upgrade your stock speakers to a good set of aftermarket speakers.

3. Rockford Fosgate Punch P1683

Rockford Fosgate Punch P1683

• Mineral-filled polypropylene woofer
• Butyl rubber surround
• 3/4 inch and 1/2 inch Polyetherimide (PEI) dome tweeters and supertweeters
• Vertical Attach Surround Technique (VAST™) increases cone area

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Rockford Fosgate offers three car speakers series : “Prime”, “Punch” and “Power” scaling downwards in build quality and upwards in performance. car speakers in the Prime series are considered to be Rockford Fosgate’s entry-level models while “Punch” is a middle of the road line of products. Power series speakers are considered the company’s high-end subwoofer lineup.

Rockford Fosgate Punch P1683 are among the top-rated 6X8 car speakers for bass out there. These mid-range speakers represent the perfect mix of price and performance.

These 3-way car speakers are designed from the ground up to be a high-grade replacement for your factory speakers. They’re featured with responsive polypropylene cones bonded to butyl rubber surround which ensures linear cone movement for tighter bass and less distortion.

The dome tweeters and super-tweeters that these speakers are equipped with provide clear, crisp highs that can hold their own when the bass gets heavy.

Rockford Fosgate Punch P1683 speakers are rated for 90 dB sensitivity rating and can handle up to 65 watts RMS. They’ll sound great without distortion even if you crank up the volume.

Best 6X9 Car Speakers For Bass — Reviews

1. Pioneer TS-A6970F

Pioneer TS-A6970F

• Multilayer carbon and mica reinforced IMPP woofers
• Elastic polymer surround
• Triple polyethylene terephthalate (PET) hard dome tweeters
• Rubber magnet boot cover
• High heat resistant wire voice coils
• 12.7oz. Type magnet motor structure

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You might have noticed that we included multiple Pioneer speakers on this list of the best car speakers for bass without a subwoofer, and that’s no coincidence. Pioneer offers some great sounding speakers at friendly price tags.

Pioneer offers a wide variety of car speakers of different types. However, We’re quite fond of their TS-A series of speakers, which are some of top-rated car speakers on the market as they’re designed to be a high grade replacement to stock speakers.

These speakers come in three configurations: 3-way, 4-way and 5-way. An N-way speaker is featured with N sound drivers in it. 3-way speakers for example consist of one woofer, one tweeter and one mid-range. 4-way speakers add in an extra driver “super-tweeter” for higher frequencies reproduction, while 5 way speakers uses two supertweeters instead of just one.

Whichever configuration you decide to go for, you’re set to enjoy a solid sound experience with good bass response thanks to the speakers’ multilayer mica-matrix woofer cones that are supported with elastic polymer surround.

Additionally, the paper cone midrange, the PET dome tweeters, and the supertweeters on these speakers are going to add in all the high-frequency details that make your music exciting.

These speakers are quite efficient. They can handle a great amount of power. They’ll do quite well running off your headunit, but they’ll truly shine when paired up to an outboard amp.

2. Polk Audio DB692

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Polk Audio DB692

• Marine certified — recommended for fresh water and powersports applications
• 6x9 inch polypropylene woofer cone with rubber surround
• 3/4 inch silk dome tweeters
• 1/2 inch supertweeter
• IP65 rated - dirt and water resistant speakers
• Tested to withstand salt-fog, UV and humidity
• Waterproof inner and outer surround

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Polk Audio is another great car audio brand that offers some great-sounding car speakers. Polk Audio dB series of speakers seem to be well-liked. They offer great bang for the buck.

If you’re looking for the best car speakers for bass without a subwoofer and you don’t mind spending over $100 on a set of speakers, then Polk Audio DB692 6X9 speakers could be a great match.

These speakers are very well-engineered. They’re marine certified speakers, which means they’re built to withstand harsh outdoor conditions such as heat, UV-rays, moisture and . That said, these speakers can be mounted in vehicles, boats as well as in ATVs.

Polk Audio DB692 6X9 speakers are featured with polypropylene woofer cones supported with a strong rubber surround which ensure a solid playback and smooth, linear cone excursion, allowing for powerful, punchy bass response.

These 3-way speakers are incorporated with 3/4″ silk dome tweeters and and 1/2″ super-tweeters which deliver smooth highs with precision to give you a vibrant soundstage, while the built-in crossovers keeps the highs and lows flowing to the proper drivers.

Polk Audio DB692 speakers boast a high sensitivity rating of 93 dB and can handle up to 150 watts RMS. With such specifications, these speakers will sound great running off your aftermarket receiver, but they’ll truly come into their own when driven by an outboard amplifier.

3. Alpine S-S69

Alpine S-S69

• Carbon fiber-reinforced plastic woofer cones
• Rubber surround
• 1 inch silk dome tweeters
• Rubber magnet boot cover
• 35mm Voice Coil

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Alpine is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of car audio components. They’ve been around since 1967. In its first years of existence, the company focused on developing and manufacturing electronic products for the flourishing Japanese automotive market. It’s until mid-1970s that they entered the automotive audio market.

Nowadays, Alpine offers everything you need, from speakers to subwoofers, headunits to amplifiers. Most Alpine products are reasonably priced and offer solid sound experience.

At their price point, the speakers at hand are some of the best 6X9 speakers for bass that Alpine has to offer. They are designed to be a high-grade replacement to factory speakers.

Alpine S-S69 speakers are featured carbon fiber-reinforced plastic woofer cones which provide next-level sturdiness but are also agile enough to handle the complexities of the midrange.

These woofer cones can push out punchy, refined bass. They’re supported with specialized rubber surround which helps keeping the woofer centered for accurate cone movement, reducing distortion.

As far as highs concerned, these speakers sport 5/8″ silk dome tweeters which are meant to bring out the character of the instruments and vocals in your music without any distortion or harshness.

Alpine S-S69 speakers sport 90 dB sensitivity rating and can handle up to 85 watts RMS. They can hit as low as 65Hz and as far up as 22kHz.

All in all, Alpine SPS-619 are great sounding speakers. They provide very accurate midrange, above-average highs and slightly below-average low frequencies. That’s not to say that they produce no bass, but quite honestly, the can push out decent bass but not as good as that of speakers that can hit lower frequencies.