I have an 2002 x-type with blown door speaker (No big surprise). It has the Alpine system with the 1 x 43-18808-BA speakers. The local car audio shops say these need to be replaced with factory units only. Is this true?

 

No, you can upgrade to any of the same size but you would need to cut off the plug in the loom and then fit your own connections I would think they say this to ensure you have the correct fitment? However you could always get replacement speakers from a salvage car there are plenty about these days especially on eBay. Might be worth considering?

 

Audrey, the big thing you need to find out is what the rating is of your speakers. It should be printed on the back of the speaker. Should have 2 numbers there. One will be a number followed by the letter "W". The new speakers should be rated for that number at a minimum with their wattage rating. The other number will be a number followed by what will look like an "O" with feet. The new speakers need to be that number in resistance (normally noted as ohms) or higher.

 

I used Panasonics. Great sound.
I had the local car stereo place do it. They did a nice job.

 

I'm usually a fan of "DIY", but car audio can actually be quite a beast to install. You can go to a lot of places that'll do it for cheap. Best Buy will do it for under $100 for all four usually, and many local places will do it for less. However, Thermo is correct. If you're just replacing the speakers and not the amp/head unit (also known as a receiver), it's a good idea not to exceed the wattage on the speakers you have now and DEFINITELY don't decrease the resistance (as Thermo said, this is in ohms. The lower the number of ohms, the harder the amp has to work to power the speakers. If you get speakers with a lower resistance, you risk blowing your amp).

As for good speakers, Kicker's KS series is amazing for the money. Simply outstanding.

 

Thanks for the help guys. There are no numbers on the back of the speaker and really no magnet to speak of. I tried to attach a photo, I hope it works. The back has a heat-sink instead of a magnet. The label only has the part number 1x43-18808-BA. My big concern is blowing the HU or amp if the replacement is wrong.

 

Audrey,

Honestly, the best bet would be for you to take it down to a shop. They usually have systems that can show you exactly what specifications you need. I used to be a manager at Best Buy, so I know for a categorical fact that they have a system to look this up (if you're in the States).

If you don't want to go down that route, I'd buy a set of speakers with 8 ohm impedance. This is a pretty high resistance for speakers and shouldn't be a problem for any amp.

The other option, of course, is to purchase an aftermarket 4-channel amp AND speakers, which will make all the difference in the world. I promise you that. A good amp will make a bad system sound good, and a good set of speakers sound like you just died and went to audio heaven (okay, maybe not quite).

I'm actually an audio expert, so if you'd like more info, feel free to PM me! Or, I'll answer on the forums. Whichever.

 

Thanks Kosterhout, Bestbuy is the only outfit that I talked to today that could/would look up anything. Foss Audio and Car Toys just looked at the speaker and shook their heads. I think I'll measure the resistance on the one good speaker I have left and verify it against their recommendation.

This forum is incredible and thanks to all who responded. It's you all who make this site such a powerful tool.

 

Hey buddy?! I need some help! Do you know whether or not it’s possible or a good idea to get someone to convert my 4 speaker 2002 Jag into a 10 speaker system? Like could I go to a junk yard and find a 10 speaker X-type and gut the door to fit on my 4 speaker doors to get the Premium sounds? I don’t know much about cars and speaker systems enough to go to a business and ask because I’m sure they’ll see thru to my naiveness and rip me off! Lol! Please HELP!

 

@NewJagger

https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/x...ade-pics-4556/

 

As an auto electrician/hifi installer in an earlier life, the first thing I do when I buy a car is upgrade the sound system. On my X type I installed a 4 channel amp and replaced all the speakers with Focal, and installed a Pioneer active bass unit under the rear parcel shelf, I listen to everything from opera to 80`s music and don`t need high volume but demand good sound quality.

 

I always recommend checking out Crutchfield dot com. Select your car and they'll list all options for upgrading. I'm going to upgrade my system door speakers are 6-1/2.