Regular speakers, or "coaxial speakers," combine a woofer (larger cone) and a tweeter (a much smaller speaker) into one speaker. It's a convenient way to get great sound from a single speaker opening. Component systems use separate woofers and tweeters, so each component can do its job better. You'll have to install the tweeter separately, which is a little more work, but totally worth it. You can mount the tweeters higher up in the car (dash, upper door, etc.) where you'll be able to better hear all the musical details.

Crutchfield carries a wide variety of component speaker systems. With so many choices available, it can be hard to know which ones to buy. Below, we'll cover the highlights to get you started, but for more guidance on what to look for when shopping, read our car speakers buying guide.

Finding speakers that fit

You'll quickly notice that every step of the way, we'll ask you to tell us about your car. That's because the best way to shop for speakers is to start by knowing which ones will actually fit in your car. This will also help narrow your search so you can focus on what's relevant for your vehicle.

Power handling – how much power do my speakers need?

Power handling is an important detail when shopping for new speakers, especially component systems. Speakers with a lower RMS power range will be more suitable for powering with an aftermarket stereo, while a higher RMS range will work better with an external amplifier.

When using an external amplifier, you should pick an amp with a power rating in the upper end of your speaker's power range. For example, if a speaker is rated to handle up to 75 watts of RMS power, it will perform closer to optimum as your power source approaches delivery of 75 watts.

Tweeter design

What the tweeters are made of dramatically impacts how they sound. Read our article about tweeter design for more details.