There are two basic types of car speakers: full-range and component speakers. Each uses a combination of drivers to convert electrical audio signals into sound waves that you can hear.

Full-range speakers consist of tweeters, mids and subwoofers all in one housing. Also referred to as coaxial speakers, these are more convenient and less expensive than component speakers but may have some sound limitations in comparison.

Component car speakers are drivers that are not housed in a single unit. They consist of mid-range drivers and tweeters that are mounted separately from the speaker’s structure. Component speakers are often paired with a crossover to limit each driver’s frequency range. They produce better sound quality than full-range speakers but are more expensive and harder to install.

Tweeters, or treble speakers, are small drivers used to reproduce high-pitched sound frequencies. They’re typically used in tandem with subwoofers that provide low-pitched sounds.

These speakers — also known simply as “mids” — are often used as standalone speakers, but sometimes are paired with tweeters or added to full-range speakers. As the name suggests, they produce audio frequencies in the middle ranges, which helps fill out the sound