JL Audio vs Kicker | Which Car Speaker is Best For you?
Car speakers are designed to provide in-car entertainment for the customers and information for the vehicle occupants.
Two features that are mainly considered when designing the car speakers are that firstly, they should be lightweight and hence can be easily installed in the car. Secondly, they should provide a good quality sound and accurate bass.
JL Audio and Kicker have introduced two premium car audio speakers that can be installed into your car and can be relied on with confidence. We will discuss in detail the features, pros, and cons of both speakers that’ll help you choose the best car speaker for your car.
Contents
Brand Overview
JL Audio has become one of the premier American car audio companies since 1975, known for producing premium car audio equipment with excellent sound quality and cutting-edge technologies.
They offer speakers, subwoofers, amplifiers, and accessories in their product lineup – as well as exceptional customer service!
While Kicker, another prominent American car audio brand since 1973, has long been recognized for their effective and impactful audio solutions. They specialize in manufacturing speakers, subwoofers, amplifiers and audio accessories to maximize your car audio experience.
What’s the main difference between JL Audio and Kicker?
| Category | JL Audio | Kicker |
|---|---|---|
| Sound Quality | Accurate and precise sound reproduction | Powerful and impactful sound, emphasizing bass response |
| Product Lineup | Wide range of speakers, subwoofers, amplifiers, and accessories | Diverse selection of speakers, subwoofers, amplifiers, and accessories |
| Build Quality | High-quality materials and robust construction | Rugged designs built to handle high power levels |
| Innovation/Technology | DMA-Optimized Motor Systems, Advanced Enclosure Designs | Solo-Baric Technology, KickEQ+ Equalization, FIT+ Technology |
| Price Range | Higher price range | Affordable range with good performance |
Sound Quality:
Both JL Audio and Kicker stand out as industry leaders in their own ways. JL Audio is known for its precise audio reproduction, focusing on natural sound reproduction through its speakers and subwoofers which produce clean and detailed audio across a broad frequency range.
Kicker stands out due to their sleek designs that produce clean and detailed sound across their product lineups.
Kicker speakers and subwoofers, on the other hand, prioritize powerful and dynamic sound. Their signature bass response adds depth and impact to your music while their high-energy audio experience often provides more energetic low-frequency reproduction.
Price Range
JL Audio and Kicker offer products across various price points to cater to different budgets. JL Audio products are positioned in the higher price range, reflecting their premium quality and advanced technologies.
On the other hand, Kicker offers a more affordable range of options while maintaining good quality and performance.
JL Audio may be a better fit for audiophiles and those seeking the highest sound quality, while Kicker provides an excellent balance between performance and affordability.
Innovation and Technology Both JL Audio and Kicker are at the cutting edge of audio technology, continually pushing boundaries to produce cutting-edge products. Let’s examine some key technologies employed by each brand:
JL Audio features speakers in the range of $110 to up to $500 depending on your criteria and budget. Here are some JL Audio Car speakers:
- JL Audio C1-650 – $130
- JL Audio C1-570x – $142
- Jl audio C2650 – $300
- JL Audio 6″ 2-Way Component Speaker System – $300
- JL Audio Evolution C2-650 – $300
Kicker offers a selection of car speakers that fall within the price range of $50 to $100, which is relatively cheaper than JL Audio. Below are a few examples of Kicker car speakers:
- Pair KICKER CSC65 6.5″ Car Coaxial Speakers – $72
- Kicker DSC650 DS Series 6.5″ 4-Ohm Coaxial Speakers – $64
- KICKER Pair DSC50 5.25″ Car Audio Speakers – $56
- KICKER Pair DSC670 6.75″ Car Audio Speakers – $64
DMA-Optimized Motor Systems: JL Audio utilizes its patented DMA (Dynamic Motor Analysis) technology to optimize the performance of its speakers and subwoofers, including minimizing distortion, improving power handling capacity, and overall audio quality.
Elevated Frame Cooling (EFC) technology: It improves heat dissipation in JL Audio amplifiers, enabling them to perform more efficiently and reliably under demanding conditions.
Advanced Enclosure Designs: JL Audio’s subwoofer enclosures utilize advanced modelling techniques for optimal performance and bass response.
Kicker Technologies
Solo-Baric Technology: Kicker’s Solo-Baric subwoofers utilize a patented square cone design, increasing cone area while simultaneously increasing efficiency for more accurate bass reproduction and increased efficiency overall.
KickEQ+(tm) Equalization: With this technology, users can adjust the bass response and add low-end impact through an equalizer built directly into their audio system.
FIT+™ (Fail-Safe Integration Technology): Kicker amplifiers feature FIT+ technology to ensure compatibility with various vehicle systems while protecting against potential electrical issues.
JL Audio vs Kicker: Reviews
JL Audio C2-650X car speakers
Specifications
- 2-Way 6-3/4” speakers – come in a pair
- 4 – ohm impedance
- ¾” silk dome tweeter
- 15-60 watts RMS of the power range
- Injection-moulded mica-filled polypropylene woofer
These speakers come in at 6 ½ inches and are two-way coaxial speakers, so they play mid-range and high music frequencies all in one location. There is a component in these speakers that segregates the mid and high-range sound frequencies called the tweeter.
Tweeters are relatively small speakers that emit out the upper ranges of sound that are then further used to reproduce the sound, music, and speech called trebles.
The speakers are comparatively cheaper than the other prominent speakers available in the market. It is easy to install the speakers in the car and provide a great sound with solid repetition.
JL Audio C2-650X has a high bass game and provides an excellent base response. Its DMA-optimized motor systems deliver a linear woofer excursion capability. They have:
- A high output capability
- Better power handling
- Very less distortion
- Deeper bass response
- A strong mid-bass
The speaker also features a silk dome tweeter that produces high-quality sound without any distortion. You get a loud and clear mid-range which, even at higher volumes, won’t sound harsh; thus, they retain the ability to reproduce the sound perfectly.
The speaker also features a mineral-filled polypropylene cone with a well-controlled breakup, providing a good sound and damping and thus is durable. It has a continuous power handling rating of 60 watts and a peak music power of 225 watts.
The speaker has excellent substantial weight and built quality. This feature enables the speaker to be very reliable and durable. The material used in the speaker’s manufacturing is solid and very well-engineered to bring the speaker to its original form. The speaker is also very nice looking.
Tweeters are coaxially mounted and are built with ¾” of silk dome. These silk dome diaphragms are destined to deliver a smooth, extended response. Its small size also minimizes tweeter protrusion, allowing C2 coaxials to fit behind factory speaker grilles.
Woofer grills include a black grille tray with satin silver accents and a black steel mesh grille. An electroformed JL Audio logo also comes along.
KICKER CSC65 CS series 6.5-inch Coaxial Speaker
Specifications
- 6.5-inch 4-ohm 2-way car coaxial audio speakers
- EVC technology for improved woofer performance
- 0.5 inch PEI dome tweeters
- Polypropylene cone to protect against heat
- 300 Watts Max per speaker
If you are considering upgrading your factory music system, this speaker is the best upgrade you can have. This music system with exceptional features stands out and provides the user with a fantastic listening experience.
The speaker delivers remarkable performance and an ultra-clean bass with a heavy-duty magnetic structure that usual stock speakers lack. The stamped steel framework supports a rigid polypropylene cone with Extended Voice Coil technology and thus gives out the best sonic sound quality.
Zero protrusion PEI Tweeters with neodymium magnets bring you the perfect clarity you need without any interference from factory grilles. CS Speakers provide maximum efficiency with a continuous power of 100 watts.
Two pairs of CS series 6.5 inch 4-ohm, 2-way speaker systems are engineered in such a way that they perfectly fit most cars and provide you exceptional performance with an ultra-clean bass.
Performance features of kicker CSC65 CS Series 6.5 inch are as follows:
- 300 Watts Max per speaker
- 200 Watts RMS Power per 2 pairs
The speaker has a polypropylene cone and a ribbed UV-treated polyester woofer surround that is heat and light-resistant and thus protects against heat and sunlight.
Conclusion
JL Audio speakers and kicker both have their own unique and matchless properties that make them distinct from each other. Both speakers provide excellent sound quality and ultra-clear bass that fulfils a speaker’s essential requirement.
Select according to your choice, considering all the above-explained facts and figures that will help you through your selection.
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