If your Jeep is your passport to the outdoors this summer, you need a good, solid set of Jeep speakers to blast your favorite tunes while you’re cruising, overlanding, or hitting the beach. Jeep’s factory audio systems do a decent job of playing your favorite media, but with audio, there’s always room for improvement. And whether you’re looking for a sweet set of aftermarket roll bar speakers, or upgraded cabin speakers with better bass response and clarity, there are plenty of fantastic options available to you.
Here, we take a look at our favorite Jeep Wrangler speakers, from OE replacements to add-on units, for kicking out the jams wherever you and your Jeep find yourselves next.
Cabin Speaker Upgrades
When replacing your factory Jeep Wrangler speakers, it’s important to verify that what you’ve selected will fit where you want it to. There is no one-size-fits-all speaker, and proper fitment demands that the breadth and depth of the replacement are within the acceptable range. Unfortunately, even among factory Jeep Wrangler speakers, speaker sizes changed over the years, so there’s no simple solution. Even some same-sized aftermarket speakers won’t fit perfectly without some modification, often due to their larger mounting tabs.
As such, it’s important to arm yourself with as much information as possible regarding the factory Jeep speakers and their sizing before pulling the trigger on any replacements. The Jeep JK Wrangler came equipped with 6.75” woofers and, where applicable, 3.5” tweeters with an 8” weather-resistant subwoofer in the cargo area. From 1997 through 2002, the Jeep TJ Wrangler shipped with two 4”x6” speakers under the dash, and optional 5.25” speakers mounted in an overhead sound bar, but a 7-speaker upgrade option featured 4” woofers and 1” tweeters in the dash, the same 5.25” overhead speakers, and a 6.75” subwoofer in the center console. But from 2003 through 2006, the TJ pivoted entirely to 4” dash speakers and made the 5.25” roll bar speakers standard, with dash tweeters and the same 6.75” center subwoofer remaining optional.
Of course, that’s only a partial list of sizes for the factory Jeep Wrangler sizes, and you’ll want to verify fitment any way that you can prior to purchase.
Table of contents
- 1. Editors Choice - VDP Six Speaker Overhead Upholstered Sound Bar
- 2. Best OEM Upgrade - Mopar Jeep Wrangler JK Kicker Speaker Upgrade
- 3. Best Universal Installation - EasyMount Waterproof Roll Bar 8” Speakers
- 4. Kicker Car Audio 4” Coaxial 300W Peak Full Range Speakers
- 5. Rockford Fosgate R14X2 Prime Full Range Speakers
- 6. JBL Stage3 527 Two-Way Audio Speakers
- 7. VDP Supreme Four Speaker Overhead Sound Wedge
- 8. Select Increments Pillar Pods with Kicker Speakers
1. Editors Choice - VDP Six Speaker Overhead Upholstered Sound Bar
Not all Jeep TJ Wranglers came standard with an overhead sound bar, but worry not; you can always add one. Vertically Driven Products makes this denim-upholstered 6-speaker Jeep sound bar that looks as good as stock, compatible with TJs from 1997 through 2002, and even YJ Wranglers from 1987 through 1995. The housing underneath is made of weather-resistent, impact-resistent plastic engineered to withstand whatever the trail might throw at it, and it’s loaded with six crystal-clear speakers, along with a dome light. How useful.
2. Best OEM Upgrade - Mopar Jeep Wrangler JK Kicker Speaker Upgrade
With one of the biggest names in aftermarket vehicle audio, Kicker is among the most trusted sources for factory speaker replacements – so much so that Chrysler’s official Mopar parts division sells these Kicker speakers for the Jeep Wrangler JK. It comes with two 6.5” Kicker woofers rated at up to 150 Watts, giving you plenty enough overhead to leave the volume knob cranked, and they’re suitable for use in either the doors or overhead sound bar.
3. Best Universal Installation - EasyMount Waterproof Roll Bar 8” Speakers
Looking for a pair of robust, durable Jeep speakers you can mount just about anywhere? These EasyMount units might fit the bill, making them just about the perfect Jeep roll bar speakers. Rated to 300W peak (each), with adjustable steel-reinforced mounting brackets and full protection against fresh and salt water damage, these are some of the only speakers as rugged and long-lasting as your Jeep is. And with integrated midrange tweeters and a rated frequency response of 60Hz to 20kHz, they’ve got all the makings of a high-quality audio source, too.
4. Kicker Car Audio 4” Coaxial 300W Peak Full Range Speakers
If you’re shopping for a TJ Wrangler, you can still get quality Kicker audio in your ride without having to try and shoehorn the Mopar kit into place, with these 300W Kicker full-range speakers. These Jeep TJ speakers deliver even more overhead than the 150W pair, with internally damped cones and rubber surrounds that help generate accurate midrange and midbass frequencies. They’re also thin and designed for easy fitment with factory grilles in mind, making them one of the best speakers for a Jeep Wrangler.
5. Rockford Fosgate R14X2 Prime Full Range Speakers
Who knew that Rockford Fosgate sound quality could be had for so little money? These R14X2 Prime units are among our favorite Jeep speakers because they offer premium sound and construction on the cheap, with a standard one-year warranty against defects. Rockford Fosgate is the same company that supplies some of the auto industry’s best factory audio systems, and with integrated high-pass crossovers, polypropylene cones, and a rated frequency response from 100Hz to 20kHz, these speakers are worth every penny. They’re available in a variety of sizes, too, so you can fit them into most any Wrangler.
6. JBL Stage3 527 Two-Way Audio Speakers
Just as renowned as Kicker and Rockford Fosgate, JBL has been producing high-quality audio components since the middle of the last century, and these JBL Stage3 two-way Jeep speakers make for a substantial upgrade over the factory units, with several notable innovations. The brilliant design of the woofer cones is such that they provide up to 35% more cone area by moving the attachment point outward. More surface area means they can move more air, for superior output with or without an aftermarket amp. Meanwhile, vented baskets supply cooling airflow to the voice coils, helping extend longevity and mitigate distortion. Also available in 4” and 4”x6” sizes.
7. VDP Supreme Four Speaker Overhead Sound Wedge
Another nifty, factory-looking option from Vertically Driven Products, this four-speaker sound wedge pair packs all the usability and practicality of the sound bar, but in a different format, for Jeep TJ Wranglers from 2003 through 2006. Each wedge is loaded with a pre-wired high-output Boss woofer and a 1” “super dome” tweeter, for a broad frequency response rating of 55Hz to 20,000kHz and clear, quality audio reproduction.
8. Select Increments Pillar Pods with Kicker Speakers
Maybe you just need a few more speakers in the cabin, right where you sit, to drown out some of the wind noise that comes with cruising with the top down. For that, we suggest these “pillar pods” from Select Increments, for JK Wranglers from 2007 through 2014, without the factory premium audio. These pods are pre-loaded with high-quality, responsive Kicker speakers, and they’re a clean, all-inclusive, factory-looking way to add a pair of Jeep speakers where there weren’t any before.
What is the benefit of installing a Jeep Wrangler sound bar?
First and foremost is the simplicity of installation. Most sound bars come pre-loaded with higher quality speakers and amplifiers in one convenient package. All you need to do is mount it up to your roll bar, run and connect a few wires, and you’re good to go! A much more quick and convenient way to get increased sound out of your Jeep Wrangler.
If I’m upgrading my speakers, do I need to install an amplifier?
While aftermarket speakers can handle an increase in power from the source (radio) it’s not a requirement to install an amplifier when you upgrade. This doesn’t mean that you wouldn’t benefit from the installation of an amplifier since it will help to provide a cleaner sound and better performance from your Jeep Wrangler speakers.
We are committed to finding, researching, and recommending the best products. We earn commissions from purchases you make using the retail links in our product reviews. Learn more about how this works.
Updated 03/19/2021: Updated product, added FAQ, ranked options