The Best 5.25″ Car Speakers For The Money 2022
By Robert Jones · 2020-08-21
In this article, I am going to review the best 5.25-inch car
It's funny, I've probably fitted more car speakers than I've had hot dinners. And 5.25-inch models? They're a bit of a staple, aren't they? Not too big, not too small. Fits in loads of different doors without too much fuss. But finding a decent set can be a right pain if you don't know what you're looking for. Loads of marketing guff out there, all promising the earth. Most of it's just hot air, believe you me. I've been doing this speakers game for donkey's years now, and I've heard my fair share of rubbish. But I've also come across some real gems. The trick is knowing what matters. It's not always about the biggest numbers on the box, that's for sure. It's about the sound, isn't it? How it actually *performs* in your motor. ### What to Look For (and What to Avoid) Right, so before we get into the nitty-gritty of specific speakers, let's chat about what you should be keeping an eye out for. And perhaps more importantly, what to steer clear of. First off, **build quality**. You want something that feels solid. Car doors are a pretty harsh environment, what with all the vibrations, temperature changes, and general muck. Flimsy cones or surrounds? They won't last five minutes. Look for good quality materials – polypropylene, woven glass fibre, or even Kevlar for the cones. Rubber surrounds are generally better than foam for longevity. Then there's **power handling**. Don't get too hung up on massive peak power figures. They're mostly for show. Focus more on the **RMS power handling**. That's the continuous power the speaker can handle day in, day out. Match this up with your head unit or amplifier. You don't want to underpower them, and you definitely don't want to overpower them and blow them to smithereens. I learned that lesson the hard way in my youth, trying to squeeze a 100-watt amp into a pair of 40-watt speakers. Cooked them in minutes. **Sensitivity** is another one. This tells you how efficient the speaker is – how much sound it produces for a given amount of power. Higher sensitivity (e.g., 90dB or more) means they'll play louder with less power. Great if you're just running them off your head unit. If you've got a separate amp, it's a bit less critical, but still worth keeping in mind. And finally, **the sound itself**. This is where it gets subjective, I know. But generally, you want something that sounds balanced. Clear highs, present mids, and a decent amount of bass without being boomy. Test them with music you know well. Pop them in, have a listen. Does it sound muddy? Is it too harsh at the top end? Use your ears, mate. That's what they're there for. ### My Top Picks for 5.25-inch Car Speakers Alright, let's get down to brass tacks. I've lumped these into a few categories, because not everyone's got the same budget, do they? #### Best All-Rounder: Focal Access 130AC I