The role of tweeters in a car audio system

Are you planning to upgrade a stock car music system? Want something to replace that cheap AM/FM radio crammed into your dash, with those little speakers in your dash and door panels? Installing a new sound system doesn’t have to be the electrical equivalent of brain surgery. The process can actually be quite simple, if you follow a few basic steps. In order, these are Input, Amperage, Output, and Wiring. If you have IAOW firmly in mind, the success of the sound system will be yours.

Input: This is where the sound comes from. The input can be a radio, CD player, or if you’re feeling retro, an old-school tape player.

Amperage: Amperage is power, the power to make large speakers work. Amplifiers are designed to take input and boost its power so you can really be heard.

Output: Output means speakers; in most cases, large subwoofers delivering maximum, curb-shaking bass response. We’ll get back to this very important area in a few sentences, but now, let’s look at the last part of the wiring of the IAOW equation.

Wiring: Wiring is the glue that holds your sound system together. You need cables to get input to the amplifier. You need cables for the amplified input to reach the speakers.

Back to Results: Settled for cheap speakers tucked into the door panels of your car? It’s time to rethink the show, dude! The speakers that normally reside in the stock stereo system are called midrange speakers. They’re good at handling everyday music, but they’re not really designed to reproduce solid deep tones or the bright tones of the higher frequencies. For those, you need subwoofer speakers to hit the best bass notes, or little “tweeters” that are designed to hit the higher frequencies that even dolphins and bats like.

Let’s talk about tweeters: tweeters are typically smaller than midrange speakers. They are built with lighter materials that carry shorter wavelength vibrations faster and with higher fidelity. Tweeters made from soft materials, such as polypropylene, textiles, or silk, produce refined, somewhat softened highs, while tweeters made from hard materials (such as metal, ceramic, or graphite) produce bright, snappy highs. Softer materials work best when your music needs a natural sound: strings, jazz, and classical music, for example. But if you’re looking for rock or metal, or especially techno, aim your sights towards harder materials to get that sharp edge.

In addition to materials, there are many types of tweeter designs. Dome tweeters are the most similar to the midrange designs found in stock automotive systems. They look and function like typical speakers, but their smaller, lighter build allows them to hit the treble better. Cone tweeters use a small cone-shaped emitter to shape the treble; they are powerful and best when treble is important. Horn tweeters add a compression driver around the throat of a horn-like cone, increasing the output to a louder level. Ribbon tweeters use a combination of thin pieces of metal between the positive and negative poles of a magnet. High current transformers vibrate the tape to create the sound. Again, each type of tweeter produces a different sound quality, which means you need to consider the type of music you plan to play when selecting a set. Most good car audio specialists will be able to point you in the right direction on this, so don’t be afraid to ask questions, they want to help you.

Remember: As long as you keep the IAOW in mind, upgrading your sound system with new tweeters can be as easy as putting on new seat covers. Enjoy!