What is the difference between midbass and midrange speakers?

Midbass and midrange speakers reproduce different parts of the audio frequency range. Both are important for music to sound full, clear and natural.

The main difference is the frequencies they are designed to reproduce.

What is a midbass speaker?
A midbass speaker mainly reproduces upper bass frequencies and the lower part of the midrange.

It contributes fullness and impact from bass guitars, drums and other instruments.

A midbass speaker often works from around 60–80 Hz up to several hundred or a couple of thousand Hz, depending on its design and the audio system’s configuration.

Midbass speakers are usually mounted in car doors and commonly come in sizes such as 5.25 and 6.5 inches.

What is a midrange speaker?
A midrange speaker is designed to reproduce the middle audio frequencies.

This range contains much of the human voice and many instruments, such as guitar and piano. It is therefore very important for clear, natural-sounding music.

A dedicated midrange speaker often operates at approximately 300–3,000 Hz, but the exact range varies between speakers and installations.

Midrange speakers are used in three-way component systems and more advanced audio builds, among other applications.

Do I need both midbass and midrange speakers?
Not necessarily. A conventional two-way component system often uses a midbass speaker that also reproduces much of the midrange, alongside a tweeter for the highest frequencies.

A three-way component system instead uses separate midbass speakers, midrange speakers and tweeters. This offers greater scope to optimise each frequency range individually.

A subwoofer can also be added to reproduce the very lowest bass frequencies.

The best solution depends on the car, the desired sound quality and how advanced a system you want to build.

Need help choosing the right speakers? Contact our customer service team or visit one of our stores for advice.