The Best Car Audio Brands of 2021

Five Brands to Consider for Your Car Stereo Upgrade

If you’re looking for the latest and greatest in car audio from all the top brands, then look no further. The team at San Diego Car Stereo has you covered on all fronts for your car, truck, or SUV in 2021, and we can even do the car audio installation as well. We know that there’s a wide selection when it comes to car audio, so we thought we’d narrow things down to our top five to keep things simple.

These are the brands that have proven to be reliable, affordable – but most importantly – heavy on the bass with a nice clean sound. You can’t go wrong with any of these.

Alpine

Founded way back in 1967, Alpine has made a name for itself in the audio and electronics industry and has continued to steadily grow out their product line over the decades. Their brand gets sharper and better with each passing year, and 2021 is no different. Alpine’s R-Series line-up is being renowned by critics as one of their most comprehensive and overall satisfying set-ups that you can install in a vehicle. The woofer cones feature carbon reinforced polymer so that they can handle wave after wave of crashing sound without breaking a sweat. The Alpine package consisting of two woofers, two tweeters, and two external crossovers will run you about $300, and entirely worth every penny. A lot of our customers enjoy the Alpine system because it’s super affordable while providing drivers with superior sound far beyond the factory level.

Infinity Kappa

Infinity Kappa might not be the household name like some of our other features on this list, but audiophiles are highly aware of them. This is a brand that’s not messing around when it comes to the speaker game. They come out swinging and never relent. Their flagship Kappa Perfect Series sets the bar high on name alone, but they rise to the occasion with solidly built speakers and tweeters that can achieve a frequency response up to 30,000 Hz. Infinity Kappa’s Perfect 600 Series costs close to $600 for the 2-woofer/2-tweeter/2-crossover package, so it’s more of an investment than the Alpine Series, but a worthwhile spend in our opinion. This is about as close to perfection as it gets, and you’ll hear it from the very first track you play through these awesome speakers.

Kenwood

We’ve been in the game a long time, and we haven’t seen a set of speakers quite as gorgeous as the Kenwood Excelon series. Not only are they as elegant as a bottle of champagne with their metallic gold finish, they can hit extremely hard. The woven glass-fiber woofer cone packs a ton of punch while the aluminum die-cast basket keeps out any unwanted vibrations, giving a full and clean sound, no matter what track you’re bumping. As far as price goes, the Kenwood Excelon XR-1703HR falls in the $500 for two woofers and very crisp tweeters that can handle frequencies up to 48,000 Hz. If you appreciate aesthetic as much as sound, this is the package for you. The Kenwood Excelon is the gold standard of speaker systems.

JBL

We’ve been throwing a lot of pricey options at you, but sometimes you need good reliable car audio that’s not going to break the bank. If you’re wanting to upgrade from your factory-made speakers for under a couple hundred dollars, then JBL speakers are going to be the option for you. The JBL Club 602C speakers hit all the right notes with crisp, clean sound with a ton of boom coming through when you need it. Expect good solid performance from the UV-resistant polypropylene woofers, just so long as you don’t push them too hard. The package includes woofers, tweeters, and two crossovers. A very solid upgrade for someone who is on a tight budget.

Rockford Fosgate

We love the Rockford Fosgate brand here for a lot of reasons. First, they build a solidly constructed speaker that is made to be highly durable for many years of use. The materials high-quality and the design of the speaker is compact, allowing it to fit on a large number of vehicles. Beyond the perfect construction, this is an overall punchy and hard-hitting speaker that’s just as bold as its build. The T2652-S component system is stunning audiophiles out there in the car audio world for delivering hard-hitting sound at a reasonable price-point. For under $300 you can get two 6-1/2" woofers made of carbon fiber/polypropylene molded cones, two tweeters that use VAST technology, and two external crossovers. You can’t go wrong with the Rockford Fosgate brand.

Upgrade Your Stereo Today at San Diego Car Stereo

Whether you’re looking for a simple factory upgrade or a full-fledge elevation of your car audio sound, the team at San Diego Car Stereo can help. We carry the very best brands in car audio and the industry, and can help you select the perfect system for your ride and budget.

The best way to get started with your stereo upgrade is to come by our shop and let one of our resident experts help you out. Or, give us a call today at (858) 683-7405.