Focal PC 165 FE vs Hertz CX 165 Coaxial Speakers Compared

Quick Answer

If you want a wider soundstage and can stretch your budget, the Focal PC 165 FE Flax Series is the stronger pick. If you need a balanced 6.5-inch coaxial that fits an OEM location without premium pricing, the Hertz CX 165 Cento Series is the smarter value. Both are drop-in coaxial upgrades, but the Focal leans toward hi-fi staging while the Hertz focuses on making the most of a factory speaker spot.

What Separates These Two 6.5-Inch Coaxials

The biggest difference is the tweeter approach. Focal equips the PC 165 FE with TAM inverted dome tweeters using an “M” profile, which the catalog says provide a wider diffusion angle and enhanced sound definition with minimal directionality. In practice, that means the high frequencies are less picky about exactly where the speaker points, which helps when a factory door location aims sound at your knees rather than your ears.

Hertz takes a different route with the CX 165 Cento Series. The catalog describes coaxial loudspeakers as a major design challenge because they sit in OEM placements that are often unfavorable, and says the Cento two-way coaxials were engineered specifically to achieve high performance in that situation. So instead of chasing a wide diffusion angle, Hertz is optimizing for the constraints of a stock mounting location.

Price reflects the gap in intent. The Focal PC 165 FE lists at USD 397.59 against a comparison price of USD 559.99, while the Hertz CX 165 lists at USD 159.99 against USD 249.99. That is roughly two and a half times the cost for the Focal, so the real question is whether your install and listening habits can take advantage of what the Focal tweeter design offers.

Tweeter Design and What You Will Actually Hear

The Focal TAM tweeter is the headline feature. A wider diffusion angle with minimal directionality tends to produce a more even top end across both front seats, which matters in a car where the left and right speakers are at different distances from your ears. If you have ever noticed that one side sounds brighter than the other, a less directional tweeter can reduce that imbalance.

The Hertz CX 165 does not publish a comparable diffusion specification in the supplied catalog facts, so do not assume it matches the Focal on that metric. What the catalog does say is that Hertz put engineering effort into making the Cento coaxials perform well in unfavorable OEM placements. That is a different promise: not maximum staging, but reliable performance where you actually have to mount them.

Neither speaker includes published sensitivity, RMS power handling, or mounting depth in the supplied records. If those numbers matter for your amplifier or door depth, verify them with the product listing or a fitment check before ordering.

Installation Fit and Mounting Checks

Both are 6.5-inch coaxial speakers, which is one of the most common factory sizes, so they are realistic drop-in candidates for many doors and rear decks. Coaxial means the tweeter is mounted on the same axis as the woofer, so you do not need separate tweeter pods or extra crossover mounting locations the way a component set would require.

Before buying either, confirm three things: the cutout diameter and mounting depth of your factory location, the speaker impedance your head unit or amplifier expects, and whether the factory grille will clear the tweeter bridge. The supplied catalog facts do not list depth or impedance for either model, so treat those as checks you perform rather than assumptions you make.

If you are also considering a lower-cost option for a second vehicle or a rear-fill position, the Hertz DCX 165.3 Dieci Series at USD 88.39 is worth knowing about. It uses a Neodymium magnet, PEI dome tweeter, built-in crossover, TPU surround, and pressed-paper cone, and Hertz describes it as designed for a linear frequency response and high reliability without giving up Hertz quality. That makes it a sensible budget companion when the front stage gets the premium pair.

Which One Fits Your Build

Choose the Focal PC 165 FE if your front doors are the primary listening position and you want the widest, most defined high-frequency presentation the two can offer. The TAM tweeter’s wider diffusion angle is the reason to pay more, and it is most useful when the speakers are mounted low or off-axis.

Choose the Hertz CX 165 Cento if you want a proven coaxial that was engineered around the reality of OEM placements and you would rather put the savings toward sound deadening, an amplifier, or a subwoofer. In a typical factory-location install, the Hertz will get you most of the way there for a fraction of the price.

If you are upgrading a boat or powersports vehicle instead of a car, neither coaxial is the right starting point. The Kicker 43KMTES8W 8-inch marine empty enclosures are designed for external listening on towers, with a nine-degree axis rotation in either direction so the cans can be aimed where you want them. They are empty enclosures, so you supply the 8-inch speakers separately.

Trade-Offs at a Glance

• Soundstage vs. price: The Focal PC 165 FE’s TAM tweeter design targets a wider diffusion angle and minimal directionality, which supports a more even soundstage. The Hertz CX 165 costs USD 159.99 against the Focal’s USD 397.59, so you are paying roughly two and a half times more for that staging benefit. Pay for the Focal only if your front doors are the main listening position and you can hear the difference.
• OEM placement vs. ideal placement: Hertz explicitly engineered the Cento coaxials for OEM placements that are often unfavorable to reproduction. Focal’s strength is diffusion, which helps off-axis, but the catalog does not frame it as an OEM-constraint solution. If your speakers must go back in the stock hole, the Hertz design intent lines up with your reality.
• Missing specs to verify: Neither the Focal PC 165 FE nor the Hertz CX 165 lists mounting depth, impedance, or power handling in the supplied catalog facts. Those are the numbers that decide whether a 6.5-inch coaxial actually fits and matches your electronics. Measure your cutout and confirm impedance before ordering, not after the door panel is off.

Product Facts

• Focal PC 165 FE Flax Series 6.5" Coaxial Speakers: Focal PC 165 FE Flax Series 6.5-inch coaxial speakers use TAM inverted dome tweeters with an “M” profile that provide a wider diffusion angle and enhanced sound definition with minimal directionality. Less directional highs make the Focal pair more forgiving of factory door angles and help both front seats hear a more consistent top end.
• Hertz CX 165 Cento Series 6.5" Coaxial Speakers: Hertz CX 165 Cento Series 6.5-inch coaxial speakers were engineered for high performance in OEM placements that are often unfavorable to reproduction. The Cento is tuned around the constraints of a stock location, so it delivers strong results without requiring custom pods or ideal aiming.
• Hertz DCX 165.3 Dieci Series 6.5" Coaxial Speakers: Hertz DCX 165.3 Dieci Series 6.5-inch coaxial speakers use a Neodymium magnet, PEI dome tweeter, built-in crossover, TPU surround, and pressed-paper cone, and are designed for a linear frequency response and high reliability. A lower-cost Hertz option for rear fill or a second vehicle when the front stage already has the premium pair.

Best For / Not For

Best for

• Drivers who want a wider, less directional high-frequency presentation from front-door speakers
• Builds where the front stage is the priority and the budget can absorb a premium coaxial
• Listeners who notice left-right brightness imbalance in a car and want to reduce it

Not for

• Shoppers who want the lowest-cost path to a 6.5-inch coaxial upgrade
• Vehicles where mounting depth or impedance is unknown and cannot be verified before purchase
• Boat or powersports tower applications that need weather-proof external enclosures instead of in-cabin coaxials