If you shopping for PA loudspeakers or even studio monitors, there is a chance that you have come across the term 2-way or 3-way speakers. If you don’t know what they are, it is very easy for you to get confused by the term. In this article, we will explain 2 way vs 3 way speakers – what they are as well as their similarities and differences.
A 2-way speaker has two speaker drivers in it, a woofer for low frequencies and a tweeter for high frequencies. On the other hand, a 3 way speaker has 3 speaker drives inside. In addition to the woofer and tweeter, it has a mid-range driver for the mid frequencies.
Before we move on, we should note that 4 way speakers also exist. You can check out our article on 2 way vs 4 way speakers to learn more.
| Feature | 2-WAY SPEAKERS | 3-WAY SPEAKERS |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Cheaper | Expensive |
| Coaxial | Great for coaxial | Not ideal for coaxial |
| Bass | Good bass | Good bass |
| Mids | Poor mids | Good mids |
| Highs | Good Highs | Good highs |
| Crossover | Okay with a passive crossover | Requires a good crossover |
| Installation | Easy | Complicated |
| Power output | Average | High |
2 Way vs 3 Way Speakers Quick Comparison
So now you understand that 2 and 3 way speakers handle different bands along the audio frequency spectrum.
This means they behave differently and sound differently. However, what are the other similarities and differences?
What’s Better 2 Way or 3 Way Speakers?
Since 3 way speakers support all 3 frequency bands, and each driver owns its specific efficiency in a wide range of sound frequencies. This means 3-way speakers are more efficient and produce smoother and wider-ranged frequency sound. This means 3 way speakers typically sound better than 2 way speakers.
In most cases, the lows are handled by a large driver, the mids by a smaller one and the highs by an even smaller tweeter which makes 3-way speakers even better.
What Are 2 Way Speakers And How Do They Work?
2-way speakers refer to a combination of a woofer and a smaller high-frequency speaker also known as a tweeter.
In this kind of speaker combination, mid-range and lower range frequencies are split off and directed to the woofer.
On the other hand, upper-range sound frequencies are directed to Twitter. The sound frequency splitting and transmission are performed by a crossover network.
Because the crossover network in the speaker split sound signals in two ways, they are generally referred to as 2-way speakers. This system improves the clarity of low, mid, and high frequency sounds as they are independently resounded by the speakers.
2-way speakers have two types of speaker kits. These are coaxial and component speaker kits.
1. Coaxial 2-Way Speakers
In this set of 2-way speakers, the tweeter is mounted in the center of the woofer cone, making it much easier to mount in existing speaker enclosures. They are commonly used in car door speaker units.
2. Component 2-Way Speakers
These speaker units are built in a set of six speakers. 22 tweeters, 2 woofers, and a pair of crossover networks.
As opposed to coaxial 2-way speakers, the tweeters are not mounted in the center of the woofer cones.
The tweeters are therefore mounted independently and each woofer is wired to its crossover which is then connected to the Home Theater-Stereo.
What Are 3 Way Speakers And How Do They Work?
These types of speakers are built with three drivers – a combination of one large full-range speaker or woofer and two tweeters.
A 3-way speaker, therefore, produces sound from the three speaker drivers generally known as a woofer, mid-range, and tweeter.
This type of speaker is much more efficient in producing finer sound quality. This is because it can be optimized to operate in a certain range of frequency.
Understanding Crossovers
So Why do 2 way and 3 way speakers need these devices called crossovers? Well, when the full range signal (lows, mids and highs) comes from the audio signal source, it needs to be split into the different frequency ranges needed by each driver in the 2 or 3 way speaker system.
However, because crossovers cannot precisely divide the frequency ranges into specific ranges with clear starting and ending points, there is always overlap at the adjacent speaker ranges.
The speakers, therefore, need to be fine-tuned to generate precise outputs from the overlapping range of frequencies. Crossovers should therefore be properly set up in the 2-way and 3-way speakers to improve the quality of sound produced.
2-Way VS 3-Way Speakers
Naturally, you may tend to think that the extra speaker in a 3-way speaker makes the system more efficient. That the 3-way speaker sound better? In most cases, yes but it may depend on your requirements.
Although it makes more sense that dividing the job between three speakers instead of two should make the speakers sound better, it is not always the case.
The truth is, the performance of a 2-way or 3-way speaker system depends on some important factors.
Some of the factors you should consider are:
- The design of the speaker enclosure
- The quality of the speaker components involved
- The way the speakers have been matched
- How well the crossover has been set up
If you encounter a 2-way speaker that completely outperforms a 3-way speaker, it is not magic. One or more of the factors we have listed must be in play.
Choosing A Good 3-Way Speaker For Home Theater Systems
As we already mentioned, a 3-way speaker should have three distinctive drivers – low, mid, and high. Choosing a 3-way speaker with all 3 powerful drivers is therefore a good starting point.
Next, it is recommended that you consider speakers from a company that makes their drivers.
This is necessary to ensure that the drivers are perfectly matched for a precise range of frequencies. However, it is common to find brands that work closely with driver manufacturers for increased precision.
Are 2-Way Speakers Risky For Your Home Theater System?
A 2-way speaker has an advantage because of a simple filtering process. The crossover frequency between the midrange drivers and the tweeter is however somewhere between 2 or 3 kHz. This is bad news because, in this range, the sound is interrupted by electronic components.
If the frequency increases, the full-range speaker will cover even much higher frequencies above its range. As a result, the sound becomes muddy.
On the other hand, if the frequency gets lower, the tweeter is forced to cover very low frequencies below its power handling capacity. They will therefore face a risk of blowing at very high volume.
The Major Differences Between 2 and 3 Way Speakers
If you opt for 2-way speakers for your Home Theater system, you will be sure to get some balanced sound.
The perfect balance between tweeters and woofers ensures that the speaker does not produce excess bass and the tweets are equally balanced.
Besides, 2-way speakers are much easier to install. This is because the speakers come with very few cables to connect.
If you love R&B or rock music, then you may need a 3-way speaker to add to your Home Theater. 3-way speakers are built to aim at the low frequencies as much as possible. Besides, you get more customization options with 3-way speakers.
On the other hand, because of the additional drivers in 3-way speakers, they are expected to be much more expensive than 2-way speakers.
Which Speakers Should I Get For My Home Theater System?
As we have mentioned, if fitted with quality filtering and distinctive drivers, 3-way speakers can be superior. Besides, it can move crossover frequency by two channels higher and will not interfere with your listening experience. However, if you make this comparison with a cheaper 3-way model, a 2-way speaker wins.
It is, therefore, true that the factors we mentioned earlier must be put into play before deciding which of the two speakers is the best. For instance, if you love music with less bass, you will need to add more 2-way speakers to the Home Theater system. However, if more bass makes your music livelier, adding 3-way speakers to your Home Theater is the way to go.
Are 3-Way Speakers Good For Bass?
Yes, 3-way speakers produce much better bass than 2-way speakers. This is so since the sub is strictly specialized to lower frequencies. The mids are committed to the mid-range sound.
Can You Mix Coaxial And Component Speakers?
You should avoid mixing coaxial and component speakers up since it hurts stereo imaging and overall frequency response. At the same time, using two tweeters is too much. You can consider cutting the lead to the coax tweeter. However, you may still get poor quality due to the unsuitability of the crossover.
The Verdict
From the discussion, you can now tell the clear difference between 2-way and 3-way speakers. Choosing between the two speakers will however depend on your preferences, budget, impedance, and power ratings of your Home Theater System.