8 Best Car Speakers

Key Specs

• Subwoofer: 12 in.

If you’re willing to build (or buy) a separate subwoofer enclosure for your audio system, the JBL Arena is a best-of-breed choice. The aluminum long-excursion cone can handle 1,600 watts of power — that’s not a misprint. It’s chock-full of exotic materials and technologies. Pair it with the custom enclosure of your choice and rattle your license plate off—or simply enjoy symphonic music as if you were sitting between the bass and percussion sections.

Key Specs

• Subwoofer: 12 in.
• Amplifier Power: 150 watts

This is one of those products so nice that I bought it twice: first to add some much-needed punch to a $5,000 high-end aftermarket components speaker system, and then a second time after it was stolen. This box fits in almost any car and needs just two wires to get it going: the low-frequency line from a head unit, and a power line. Don’t have a low-frequency line? The GT-Bass Pro can be its own crossover system, separating the low bass from your existing speaker wiring.

Used correctly, this is the biggest and most noticeable change you can make to a car for $300. Just make sure you keep your trunk locked.