Hertz DCX 87.3 Review: The 87 mm Dieci Coaxial for Small Dashboard Openings
Updated: Oct 7
The Hertz DCX 87.3 is an 87 mm (3.5-inch class) two-way coaxial speaker, the smallest Dieci coaxial we sell. It pairs a water-repellent paper woofer on a fabric surround with a 15 mm neodymium PEI-dome tweeter, and Hertz rates it at 30 W continuous (60 W peak) into 4 Ω, 92 dB sensitivity and a 130 Hz to 21 kHz response. The India MRP is ₹11,990. It exists for one job: replacing small factory speakers in dashboards and other tight spots where nothing bigger fits. See it on our Hertz DCX 87.3 product page.
Quick summary
A compact two-way for 87 mm openings, with a 15 mm PEI tweeter and a 20 mm voice coil.
Rated from 130 Hz, so it is a midrange-and-treble speaker that needs a high-pass filter or a modest bass setting.
Hertz's website headline shows 600 W peak, but its detailed table and tech sheet say 60 W peak and 30 W continuous.
Only one owner review exists that we could find, a top score with no comment.
Hertz DCX 87.3 specifications
Specification | Hertz DCX 87.3 |
|---|---|
Type | 87 mm two-way coaxial |
Tweeter | 15 mm PEI dome, neodymium magnet |
Power handling | 30 W continuous, 60 W peak |
Impedance | 4 Ω (Re 3.1 Ω) |
Sensitivity | 92 dB |
Frequency response | 130 Hz – 21 kHz |
Woofer cone and surround | Water-repellent pressed paper; fabric |
Voice coil and magnet | 20 mm pure copper on Conex former; ferrite, 60 x 24 x 8 mm |
Xmax | 1.5 mm |
Fs / Qts / Vas | 190 Hz / 1 / 0.7 litres |
Weight | 0.31 kg |
India MRP | ₹11,990 |
Figures come from Hertz's official DCX 87.3 page and its tech sheet, and match our listing. Dimensions are printed only as lettered figures (87, 81, 45 and 34 mm, plus 120 mm) without a legend, so compare them with your factory speaker.
A note on the 600 W figure
If you've seen this speaker advertised at 600 W, that number appears in the headline of Hertz's own product page and range listing. The detailed specification on the same page, and the downloadable tech sheet, both give 60 W peak and 30 W continuous, which is what our listing uses and what an 87 mm driver with 1.5 mm of excursion can realistically take. Treat the 600 W figure as a likely misprint, and plan any amplifier around the 30 W continuous rating.
What a speaker this small can and can't do
With a published resonance of 190 Hz and a response that starts at 130 Hz, the DCX 87.3 is built for vocals, instruments and detail, not bass. In a dashboard it fires up at the windscreen, which reflects the sound back into the cabin and can lift the stage to eye level. Hertz gives it a fabric surround and a 20 mm voice coil, and our listing describes an oversized magnet for control despite the compact size.
The practical rule is to keep bass away from it. If your head unit has a high-pass setting for the front or dash channel, set it no lower than the 130 Hz where the rated response begins, and higher if the speaker still sounds strained. If it doesn't, keep the bass control moderate, because the small cone has only 1.5 mm of travel. In cars where door speakers handle the low end, this works naturally.
Dash corners, centre speakers and wiring
Small dash speakers usually sit in the corners near the windscreen pillars or in a single centre grille. Corner speakers usually get the normal left and right signals. A centre speaker is different: in some factory systems it receives a combined signal, and an aftermarket head unit may have no output for it at all. If you're replacing a centre speaker, check what feeds it first. A DSP can create a proper centre channel; our article on why DSP matters in car audio covers the basics.
On head-unit power, 92 dB sensitivity is enough for a dash speaker. With an amplifier, such as the 60 W-per-channel Hertz DP 4.300, set the gain conservatively and use its high-pass filter, because 60 W is twice the continuous rating.
What owners and reviewers say about the Hertz DCX 87.3
We found almost nothing when we checked in October 2026. Four Car Audio, a UK Hertz dealer, shows a single review from July 2016 with the top score and no written comment, so it tells you nothing about how the speaker sounds or where it was fitted. The retailer's description, supplied by Hertz, is promotional. We won't stretch that into a verdict. If you have DCX 87.3s in your dashboard, we'd like to hear how they perform.
DCX 87.3 vs DCX 100.3 and other small speakers
Price is the awkward part. In our current list, the DCX 87.3 (₹11,990) costs roughly twice as much as the 4-inch Hertz DCX 100.3 (₹5,990), which has the same 30 W continuous rating and a response quoted down to 70 Hz. It even costs more than the 6.5-inch DCX 165.3 (₹8,990). So before choosing it, make sure your opening really can't take a 4-inch speaker.
For a more ambitious dash upgrade, the JL Audio CF-350mt (₹27,990 MRP) is a 3.5-inch mid-tweeter with breakaway mounting tabs and its own crossovers, rated at 35 W RMS from 450 Hz. Our listing for it gives an 80 mm cutout and 40 mm mounting depth, which makes fitment easier to plan. Alpine's DP2-35M (₹17,999 MRP) is a 3.5-inch midrange rather than a coaxial, meant for multi-way systems with separate tweeters.
Who should buy it, and who shouldn't
Buy the DCX 87.3 if your car has 87 mm or 3.5-inch dash openings that won't take anything larger, and you want a coaxial with its own tweeter to replace tired factory units on head-unit power.
Look elsewhere if a 4-inch speaker fits, in which case the DCX 100.3 costs about half as much, or if you're building an active system, where a dedicated midrange or mid-tweeter with its own crossover suits better.
Installation notes for Indian cars
Dash grilles are usually clipped in, and plastic that has spent years in the Indian sun can be brittle, so prise it out gently. Compare the factory speaker's diameter, screw holes and depth with Hertz's lettered figures, or ask us to check fitment for your car. Foam tape around the frame stops buzzes, and a dust-free dash grille keeps the small cone clean. VA3 Car Studio in Ghaziabad offers professional installation.
Price and where to buy
The Hertz DCX 87.3 carries an India MRP of ₹11,990 for the pair. Check today's price and stock on our DCX 87.3 product page, and ask us whether your openings could take the DCX 100.3 instead. Every pair we sell is a genuine Hertz product.
The bottom line
The DCX 87.3 is a specialist part for small dashboard openings. It is efficient, compact and sensibly built, but it needs bass kept away from it, owner feedback is close to non-existent, and in our price list it costs more than the 4-inch, 5-inch and 6.5-inch Dieci coaxials. Buy it when the opening leaves no alternative, and check the wiring if it is a centre speaker.
Hertz DCX 87.3 FAQ
Is the Hertz DCX 87.3 rated at 60 W or 600 W?
Hertz's detailed specification and tech sheet give 60 W peak and 30 W continuous. The 600 W figure in the headline of its product page conflicts with both and looks like a misprint.
Can the DCX 87.3 replace a centre dash speaker?
Physically, yes, if the opening and depth match. Check the signal first: some factory centre speakers get a combined feed that aftermarket head units don't provide, and a DSP may be needed.
Does the DCX 87.3 need a high-pass filter?
It is strongly advisable. The speaker is rated from 130 Hz and resonates at 190 Hz, so a high-pass set at or above 130 Hz keeps bass out of its 1.5 mm of travel.
Buy the Hertz DCX 87.3 Dieci in India
Check the Hertz DCX 87.3 Dieci price in India, browse more Hertz speakers or compare all coaxial speakers in India. Want it fitted properly? Book a speaker upgrade at our Ghaziabad studio.
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