One of the most common accessory upgrade a car audio enthusiast deals with is a speaker. There are many types of speaker and with this, it can be confusing which one to choose. Today, we will discuss the basic anatomy of a car speaker so you will have the information in selecting the right speaker for your setup.

SPEAKER CONE

This is the part of the speaker that is usually constructed from paper, polypropylene, Kevlar or other materials. Manufacturers commonly use polypropylene due to its rigidness and easy to work with. However, some would say that it does not perform quite well with high frequencies but usually excel in midrange. Paper cones perform well and produce clear and crisp sound due to its lightness and stiffness. Some high end manufacturers make us of Kevlar as the main material for its durability and at the same for the light weight characteristic. Depending on the design, Kevlar material can also produce quality sound.

ANNULUS / SURROUND

This is the part of the speaker that serves as a suspension for the code to the frame of the speaker. It usually is made of paper, foam, butyl or cloth. There is other annulus design called the “m” which is claimed to provide a more effective way to absorb wave energy to the cone.

VOICE COIL

The voice coil is the coil of wire attached to the apex of a speaker cone. It provides the motive force to the cone by the reaction of a magnetic field to the current passing through it. The most common is the dual voice coil but single voice coils are also available as well.

MAGNET

Usually made of a rare earth metal called Neodymium for small tweeters; or ferrite commonly for speakers. Magnet is an essential part of the speaker as this holds the coil in place while it moves back and forth to push air and produce sound and at the same time preventing distortion. The result is a louder sound and better bas response.

SPIDER

It is responsible for the allowing the speakers parts to move in a linear fashion and prevent them from displacing and move consistently. It is fitted around the voice coil.

DUST CAP

This is the part of the speaker that covers the middle of the cone to prevent dust from accumulating inside the speaker elements. This part also provides as an aesthetic design for the speaker.

BASKET

Also called the frame of the speaker which houses the entire speaker assembly together. This essentially forms the main shape of the speaker or subwoofer. Some speakers are built deep and some are shallow to fit certain types of vehicle.

This week, we have featured speakers from various brands like Infinity, Memphis Audio, Pioneer, Kicker and more. Always visit OnlineCarStereo.com and browse our catalog of over 3000 products. You can also subscribe to our newsletter to receive weekly promotions and save tons of cash.