JL Audio C2-690tx 6×9 Speakers
What is a 6×9 speaker?
If you are looking for the deepest bass possible without having to install subs, you probably want the top 6×9 speakers brand.
6×9 speakers usually refer to the size of the woofer in inches. A 6 x 9 speaker is 6 inches by 9 inches in size.
Why buy 6×9 speakers?
Since their introduction to the marketplace, 6×9 speakers have easily become one of the most popular sizes out there. They are usually mounted on the rear deck or in premade enclosure boxes.
While still not as big as an 8-inch stand-alone subwoofer, 6 x 9 car speakers offer a good amount of bass as well as high frequencies and mid-frequency audio.
Note that a 6 x 9 speaker can be either component or full range.
What are the differences between the component and full range 6×9 speakers?
Component speakers separate the woofer for lows to mids, the tweeter for highs, and the crossover for the mids to highs.
They can be two or three components and each component is a separate unit to be installed in a separate location with dedicated drivers.
On the other hand, full-range 6 x 9 speakers are units where all of the speakers are packed into the same unit.
They are coaxial or 2 part or tri-axial or 3 part systems composed of the woofer and the tweeter and/or crossover attached to the woofer. Overall, 6 x 9s are great all-around performers and are great at mid-range to low-range sounds.
They are the closest thing you can get to a full audio system without spending big bucks on a separate subwoofer.
What separates a good 6 x 9 speaker from an average one comes down to build quality, power handling, sensitivity, and price. In the audio world, you normally get what you pay for. Please don’t just look at wattage numbers and assume bigger is better.
We have taken these factors into consideration when evaluating the best 6×9 speakers on the market. Please see below for our top picks.
Best 6×9 Speakers Reviews
- 1. Jl Audio C2-690tx 6×9-Inch 3 Way Speakers (Top Pick)
- 2. Rockford Fosgate Punch P1692 6 x 9-Inches Coaxial Speakers
- 3. CT Sounds Meso 6×9 Inch 2 Way Coaxial Speakers
1. Jl Audio C2-690tx 6×9-Inch 3 Way Speakers
If you are looking for the ultimate 6×9 speakers and want a premium quality one, the JL Audio C2-690tx is your best bet. The audio quality on these speakers is simply amazing and if you like a prestigious brand name, you need to go with JL audio.
The C2-690tx features two 6 x 9 inch woofers with mineral-filled polypropylene cones and steel frames. The build quality is impeccable.
The quality of the woofer and real silk dome tweeters create some really smooth highs and mids, with extremely powerful bass.
This is a 3-way full-range system, so the tweeter and mid-range crossover are built into the middle on the 6×9 in woofer. The mid-range crossover driver is ferrofluid cooled to provide a very smooth transition from woofer to tweeter.
Next to the 2-inch mid-range crossover is a 0.75-inch tweeter that has an excellent dynamic range for high frequencies.
In terms of specifications, the JL Audio C2-690tx has more than you need or expect. It delivers 70 watts of continuous power with peak power at 225 W. it is recommended your amp outputs at 15-125 watts of power per channel. The system efficiency is at 93 dB which is pretty high. The 4-ohm impedance is also quite nice to have.
Finally, a dynamic range of 53 Hz to 22 kHz means that you have enough range to cover a bit of sub-bass all the way to the highest brilliance frequencies. The speakers weigh just under 10 pounds so they are highly portable.
The most important part is that these speakers sound amazing. The mids and highs are very nice and crisp. There is enough bass and a bit of sub-bass to even feel the rumble when you turn up the volume.
2. Rockford Fosgate Punch P1692 6 x 9-Inches Coaxial Speakers
The Rockford Fosgate Punch P1692 is the best 6×9 speaker if you want value. It is a 2-way coaxial speaker with a 6 x 9 inch woofer that covers the low to mid-range and a tweeter with a built-in crossover to cover the mid to high range audio frequencies.
The speaker is made of mineral-filled polypropylene injected molded cone and has a ring of butyl rubber protecting it. In terms of power handling, it has 75 Watts RMS and 150 Watts max power input.
The P1692 has a 91dB sensitivity, a 4-ohm impedance, and a frequency response range of 60 Hz – 22 kHz. On paper, these speakers by Rockford Fosgate look pretty good for 6×9 speakers.
However, when you actually listen to it and compare it side by side with say the Jl Audio C2-690tx, they are worlds apart. The build quality of the RF Punch P1692 is pretty average is it is reflected in the audio quality.
The highs and mids are decent, but it really struggles in delivering the strong lows. But hey, what do you really expect from a pair of cheap 6×9 speakers. For this price range, we actually think you are getting the best deal.
We are not saying these speakers are terrible. However, expect some distortion and clipping when bumping your favorite beats with the volume fully cranked up.
3. CT Sounds Bio 6×9 car speakers 2 Way Coaxial Speakers
If you want to take a gamble on a brand you probably haven’t heard of, you should give the CT sounds Bio 6×9, 2-way speakers, a try. It is one of the best 6×9 speakers under $100. At this price range, you really get getting a good bang for the buck with these speakers.
First and foremost, you have 80 RMS @ 4 ohms, which is pretty delivery of continuous power for 6×9 speakers at this price range. Most of the speakers are less than 100 RMS @ 4 ohms.
The peak power is 160 watts, which is also a pretty nice number. There is a 25mm silk dome tweeter in the middle. But like all things, you can’t just look at specs and determine whether or not it sounds good. Build quality and side-by-side audio testing are mandatory. Luckily we have done this for you.
We find these speakers to deliver more than what you pay for them. While we still prefer the acoustics of the Jl Audio C2-690tx, the CT Sounds Bio is definitely a strong competitor. The Bio is very good at delivering powerful bass and low to mid-range sounds.
The problem comes at the mid to highs. Since it is only a two-way speaker, it lacks the crossover mid-range speaker that gives it more of a smooth transition from low to mid to highs.
We feel that the mid to high range is a bit dull, but then again the average person probably can’t really tell the difference. Since the average joe really just cares about the bass (like me), we say this system certainly delivers in that department.
Audio Specs Explained by the Best 6×9 Speakers
When trying to find the best 6×9 speakers, you often come across specs that look confusing.
While they are good for the techno-geek, the average joe (like me) has no idea what all these numbers mean.
There is all this confusing talk about impedance, RMS, Watts, sensitivity, range, etc.
We figure we would take the time to break it down for you so you can at least have an idea of what these stats mean before honing in on your purchase. Take the following example:
- 3-Way Coaxial 6×9 speakers
- Tweeter: 0.5 in, balanced dome type
- Midrange: 2 in, cone type
- Woofer: 6×9 in, cone type
- Maximum input power (RMS): 250 Watts
- Power Handling: 75W RMS/300W Peak
- Frequency response: 57 – 18000 Hz
- Impendence: 4-ohm
- Sensitivity 89 dB/W
Let us break down each line and try to explain what they mean:
3-Way Coaxial 6×9 speakers
3 way literally means the speaker has a tweeter, a mid-range crossover, and a woofer. Coaxial means that the tweeter and mid-range crossover is mounted on top of the woofer instead of as separate units.
Sometimes you will see 3-Way coaxial written as tri-axial, which pretty much means the same thing. And obviously, 6×0 speakers mean the woofer(mid to low range audio frequencies) is 6 inches by 9 inches in size.
Tweeter, 0.5 in, balanced dome type
The tweeter is the smallest speaker that is usually no more than a few inches in diameter and is normally circular. It is responsible for producing high-frequency audio. A 0.5 in the tweeter is the size of the diameter of the speaker.
Balanced dome-type means that instead of being shaped like a cone, it is more like a half-sphere. This is meant to disperse the sound better.
Midrange, 2 in, cone type
Midrange speakers are usually referred to as crossover speakers. However, if you are only dealing with a two-speaker system and you already have a tweeter, the midrange could refer to the woofer, which is responsible for mid to high-range sounds. Cone type just means the speaker is shaped like a cone. 2 refers to the diameter of the speakers.
Woofer, 6×9 in, cone type
The Woofer is a mid to low range audio speaker. It is not a subwoofer and does not confuse the terms. The woofer is not a dedicated low-frequency speaker and is perfectly capable of producing mid-range sounds.
Maximum input power-250 Watts
This refers to the maximum power level the speakers can handle before it starts to clip. Clipping is when the amp is overdriven as tries to deliver an output that is beyond its max capacity.
So basically, if you crank up the volume past 300 Watts, the speakers will simply cap it at 250 Watts and the rest of the audio signals above that will not go through. Clipping results in a distorted sound.
If your speakers say that their max input power is 250 watts, you don’t really want to connect them to an amp that is rated 500 watts output. The amp will then attempt to send 500 watts of power and you could end up damaging your speakers.
Power Handling- 75W RMS/300W Peak
RMS means Root Mean Square and in simple terms, it means the average power. Peak power means the absolute maximum. A speaker with a power handling of 75W RMS means that it can comfortably run with 75 watts of continuous power. 300W Peak means that it can handle occasional bursts of power up to 300W but not all the time.
Frequency response – 57 – 18kHz
This refers to the total audio frequency range that the speakers are capable of delivering. In the audio spectrum, there are 7 ranges: sub-bass (20 – 60 Hz), bass (60 to 250 Hz), low midrange (250-500 Hz), mid-range (500 to 2KHz), upper midrange (2 – 4 kHz), presence (4 – 6 kHz), and brilliance (6 – 20kHz).
Impendence- 4-ohm
Impedance measures how easy it is for electricity to flow through the speakers. Lower impedance numbers mean it is easier for audio signals to flow through your speakers. 4-ohm impedance draws more power from your amp than an 8 ohm one at the same input.
Sensitivity 89 dB/W
Sensitivity refers to how efficient your speakers are in terms of sound output for power input. The higher the number, the more efficient your speakers are.
