I think you completely misunderstood, but I'm not sure because I don't understand your post. My 380W (base system in the U.S.) sounds great even at very high volumes, has not even the hint of a rattle, and I'm very pleased with it.

I'm not questioning that you and others have problems, but I do not.

 

I have the R with the 770 and its really good, and no rattle or vibration.. so the problems may be random.
Lawrence

 

I had my loose back panel behind the passenger seat replaced....since that time, it's been great!

 

I re-read the post, and it was clearly stating that you thought that the base wasn't the problem according to your view, and I was merely and clearly responding that there is no valid evidence that the base or the premium systems are better or worse. The posters keep stating that it is the engineering around the speakers that is creating the rattle/hum and cheap listening experience.....no matter what the unit. I believe I was clear as a bell in my post, but that is because I wrote it, excepting for the mis spell in the word "not", LOL.

Have a great day and enjoy life, as there is more to it than our posts, lol. Take care and thanks for taking the time to clarify and glad yours sound good. Wish I had gotten a good base stereo, or a great 770W upgrade that worked well.

Take care

 

No correction from this guy, so let's keep "Fighting the Fight" as they have said in previous posts.

 

Foosh, there you go again. I thought earlier that I may not have posted well, and you said you "didn't understand my well written post". I thought, ok, maybe not, and thought this guy is speaking out of some hunch, guess or whatever. I have read a few more of your posts, and for some reason, I am not caring that you, and one other veteran member are happy, excepting for my human respect being happy for another human, and believing jealousy is a disease. ok, back to the issue. I have been a musician (businessman/musician as a side gig) for 55+ years, and know the technology of sound, formats etc., very well.

This system is inferior = check
This system doesn't come up to jaguar standards = check
Most people being happy is "how do we say in NJ, ....CRAP" = check
I now know my posts aren't emotional, and make sense, and feel as a senior member along with your other colleague that there appears to be a bias that doesn't help us out, but feels like our noses are being rubbed into the problem we have, and you are minimizing the issues, which I for one find to be irritating on first blush, thought, ok...., maybe I didn't post well, then upon reading further posts by you, quite snarky to other members.

Please take my inputs as not mean spirited, but think before you post and recognize that we need "FACTS" before stating that mine is good, what could be wrong with all of you? We are all frustrated with this, and Jaguar needs to know this, and do something about it, vs. the lack of clear cut steps in the journey towards what is almost a "perfectly made car". To think, the stereo they couldn't get right, and that is like wearing a Tux and putting converse sneakers and sweat socks on to finish it off...."with a hole in the bottom of them to boot".

My 2 cents, and just want to get this right as an owner of two Jags, who has the right to push back on the mfg. of my car.

 

You're reading a lot of old posts and then taking them out of the context of an entire conversation. I heard your viewpoint, I get it, and you can stop now.

I feel sorry for those with problems, but I believe in accuracy, so I push back from time-to-time.

 

RickyJay....I like your response, and funny how as an avid musician...., I stay away from a car that has a lousy system. But to each our own, and after paying so much money for two jags, i expect perfection......otherwise I wouldn't have bought the "F", the XJL is decent though.

My view...., have a nice weekend.
Joe

 

Cool Foosh, this is a technique which has value also, and I appreciate it. point, counter point. I am reading old posts as well as new, since I am so surprised by the inferior F type system vs. the XJL, both 15's, both base systems.

We march on, and thank God the cars functionally are still perfect.

Thanks
Joe

 

Slojotaa

You started participating here just recently, which is great, and I've read through your multiple posts expressing in strong terms your displeasure with your Meridian. However, there are inconsistencies in your accounts. At one point you reported that the "clarity" is wonderful, but the "vibration" is driving you nuts. Unless I missed it, "vibration" is the only factual symptom you've reported.

In multiple posts, you use words like "crap," "unacceptable" and your posts come across as exaggerated and emotional. Those are NOT facts, just your frustration coming through.

I'm not the only person who has reported no problems. Many have reported in these same threads they don't have any problems. It's also true that some are more critical than others, and some are hyper-critical.

I have one other tip for you. Try turning the lower bass frequencies down a few notches, and increasing the midranges a few. There is a theory here, reported by multiple people, that the factory defaults have the bass set too high, and even after turning it way down, you still have plenty of bass. I've done that as have others, and it sounds markedly better, but that's my listening preference. I don't like dominant, overpowering bass, but I do like enough to balance with the other tonal frequencies. After adjusting for my preferences, I think it sounds great.

I've also experimented with many other car audio systems, and if you turn the lower bass ranges up very high, you can usually get them to vibrate. In other words, I don't think the factory defaults are appropriately tailored for the F-Type interior, but you have the ability to control that.

Lastly, have you taken your car in to have your vibration problem looked at? I do suspect that there has been a quality control problem with panel mounting on a fair number of cars. If you haven't taken it back for service, I would recommend that you do that and report back.

 

I have seen one person that has taken the leap of replacing some of the speakers in their car. Has anyone else made modifications to the sound system? Curious to find out what others have tried as I am contemplating a few aftermarket things in an effort to improve the overall sound. I know it will never compare to what I have at home, but I want something that is more enjoyable to my ears when I am on the freeway back and forth M-F.

 

I think the 770w is ok, I have no problems, not a high end B&W or B&O but not $5k to $7k. For $1200 bucks it is what it is. The $1500 premium in our Ghibli really sucks, they are on 2nd attempt to upgrade with no parts! I would suspect the base would have been fine but no surround mode, which I enjoy. The Harman Kardon surround in our last Audi Q7 and Merc SLK55 was better than all of these for roughly a $1000. The 770w seems to be the equivalent to the Bose standard in a lot of better cars.

 

I added midrange speakers in the door.. but i would add some sort of subwoofer in the trunk....think that's the cheapest thing to do for some sort of compromise improvement.

 

My car is currently in process of having a bespoke system engineered and installed. Mine will be the R&D vehicle, and if the results are as expected, will be offered to other F-Type owners. This firm engineers the system for each vehicle, above simply replacing speakers, to ensure the sound stage is correct as well as greatly improved fidelity.

Once the system is installed, I will report back to those interested.

 

Will definitely be curious to see what comes out of those efforts.

 

I see that you are in Los Angeles, once the install is finished (this week) the car will be demo'd at Cars & Coffee (Tustin, Aliso Viejo, and Palos Verdes). I will be at the PV C&C this Saturday, feel free to stop by and check it out in person.

 

BierNut, genuinely appreciate the offer. I am already committed to some family things so I will need to pass. Hopefully another opportunity will present itself some time soon.

 

For those who are having problems or find the audio system unacceptable, here is what I was able to find out:

Dealer is key, and getting the car back to them is core to any solution

Calling Jaguar will only point you that way, which is fair...need to diagnose

There is a problem with the rear panels, and this can be sorted out (my rear speakers sound like they are blown, and in reality they are not)

The clips on the doors could be supported with double sided adhesive, which I am looking into, i.e. when the base kicks in, the doors stay steady not solely relying on the clips.

May be (hypothesis of some) a wiring harness/bundle that is vibrating and can be adjusted/corrected.

My dealer is very courteous and stands behind the customer/brand, which is key to the solution. I don't want more than I paid for, just "what I paid for", and I believe that a solution to this will take time and patience, but aside from the rattles and distracting vibrations, the rest of the system is clear and solid. I have the same system in my XJL, and zero problems with it, and one has to conclude that one of the above is the issue. I don't see the quality of the system itself as being bad, and strongly feel that vibration in surrounding/interfering something is causing it.

In reality, never thought that JLR Customer Service can do anything but direct us back to our dealer, and if the dealer of choice is worth their weight in salt, and mine is, the remedy is close.

I ask those who have found corrective actions, or success in correcting the base/vibrating issues, to please post what the resolutions are so that the members can learn and leverage accordingly from factually based resolution. This would be very constructive for us all, and allow us to get back to what the car is, a fantastic machine with a little static (pun intended) in the experience.

Make is a great week all, and "stay positive"...., we are blessed to have a fine car for sure, and with the weather breaking on to the polishing and keeping it nice....

 

There are a number of potentially confusing conversations happening here at once As a professional audio engineer & music producer please let me clarify this thread a little if you'll allow me.

1. Firstly, it is safe to say that the F-Type has inconsistently poorly-fitted speaker cabinets. For many they rattle and hiss. There are a few like a Foosh that got lucky, but they are in the minority. This is the main brunt of my issue since Meridian have been making high-end speakers since the 70's they should not have allowed this to happen.

2. Secondly, there is a discussion of the quality of the system. Quality is not to be confused with the poorly fitted speaker cabinets. When considering the quality of the system you must consider the cost of fitting 6-12 speakers & subs inside a sports car and the reputation of the speaker company, in this instance Meridian. Meridian built their reputation on (hand) building extremely high end speaker cabinets and amps. eg. $65k for a pair of their flagship speakers. Now, Meridian have decided to get on board the Car Audio train and build systems that cost a 20th of what they sell their flagship products for, so you can expect a 20th of the quality when you hear those speakers, DESPITE the fact they have the Meridian name attached. I personally have listened to their flagship speakers units and can attest to this.

3. Thirdly, its important wen you speak of quality to discuss audio format. If you are listening to iTunes or mp3s you are listening to a 90% compressed audio file and if you use Bluetooth there is further digital compression algorithms at play. So if you then push that compressed music loudly on a system with low end power you will hear distortion in the bass and digital artifacting. Even if you don't know what that sounds like you will sub-conciously understand it as far 'lesser' than say hearing a real piano or guitar in the flesh. If you think your iTunes sounds great than good on you. Ignorance is bliss as they say, enjoy your music and carry on.

4. Now, lastly you all must remember that any audio experience is subjective for the listener. For example you and I may be both front and center at the Lincoln Center enjoying a Wynton Marsalis solo but perhaps the person next to me has a vibrating cell phone that is distorting my experience at the particular moment?

It is far more variable in an 85db/spl (very loud) sports car (with or without poorly fitted speaker cabinets). The only way to test everyones experience fairly would be to do it in a silent place with the engine off etc.

So to answer some questions:

- Did Jaguar overlook quality control with the speaker cabinet fitting? Certainly.

- Could Meridian have done better with their budget? Probably.

- Are there better car audio systems? Yes.

- Should you pay more money on a car audio system? Up to you

- Is the Audio system an important factor in whether you should or should not purchase the F-Type? IMO if so, I think you are missing the point of the F-Type.

 

Don't forget, there is also the theory of comparing the same song from the same device on two cars that have Meridian speakers .For instance, I can definitely feel that the sound quality is very sub par on the 770W Meridian speakers on my F-Type compared to the 1280W Meridian set on the Evoque. Well, yes, its about 60% of wattage, but the perceived quality of sound is not at 60%. Also keep in mind that F-Type has a smaller cabin and speakers fitted more closer to each other and you would think this should result in much better sound quality from 770W.