I have a 2011 XJL and the stereo is somewhat lacking, No brillentance,sounds flat. Anyone else notice this?

 

I've moved your question from USA North East Region to X351 forum. Members here with the same model will be able to advise.

Graham

 

My 2012 standard radio sounded the same to me, so if you don't have the premium then you can do what I did and that was change all speakers to premium JL, add JL dual subwoofer and add 2 premium JL amps and the sound is amazing! But it will cost you a penny....

 

That sounds like a problem I experienced when I purchased my portfolio XJ in 2011. With the 1200watt B&W system it should have sounded superb and not as flat as it did. I complained but the dealership thought everything was okay, even altered the treble and bass controls thinking I was incapable.
I took it to another dealership and showed them the test which you may like to try.
Put on a track that you know well, crank up the sound level high, say about 40. Then move the slider from the middle default to the rear sound. I suspect you'll find hardly anything coming from the rear and almost zero sub. Now move the slider to the front. It'll sound much better I guess. If so then the problem is the amplifier which controls the rear. Mine was swopped over from a demonstrator XJ to confirm and then a replacement was ordered and fitted.
Result: the sound experience I always expected from what some auto magazines described as the best in the world
Try it and report back.

 

Grizzley,

Did you try the test?.

 

I tried your test, and my 2011 XJL did the same as yours--hardly any sound from the rear. I'm going to print this and take it with me when I take my car to the dealership. Thanks.

 

Thanks...will do.

 

Yes I did, but It's not as apparent as you had,I have to find the right song for them to hear, it's the brilliance that's missing,cymbals,horns,I think some Tower of Power should show them what's missing.

 

Oak circle,
When my Bradford dealership ordered a replacement B&W amplifier, the one sent was also faulty so make sure that they check it out carefully. Maybe this is why Jaguar ditched B&W in preference to Meridian

 

Hmmmmm I think I have the Meridian system in my car....at least that is what I was told.

 

Grissley,

Are you sure its Meridian? I didn't think Jaguar switched from B&W in 2011.
My 2011 XJ's OEM system can be identified by silver plates 'Bowers & Wilkins' beneath the four door speakers and two on the rear parcel shelf.

 

The switch was made in the 2013 model year. As a matter of fact I had originally ordered a 2012 SuperSport with the Speed Package. That car had the B&W sound system, 6 speed transmission, and the early spring/damper setup. Because of factory delays the car that I ordered in February 2012 didn't get build till late June. Because it had taken so long and my dealer franchise had changed I had been turned over to the Jaguar Area Market Manager. He allowed me to roll my order over to the 2013 model year (cost me an additional 2k as the price had increased and the new dealer took an additional 1k). He even came by my work to show me the 2012 car and drive it. He was willing to offer me a super deal on the 2012 car, but I declined it and spent more for the 2013. So having driven both cars I can confirm that the 2013 is Meridian Audio.

 

I hate to bring up an old thread, but I think I'm having the problem with the rear amplifier. I took it into the dealer and according to the service record, they replaced the rear amplifier. It still has the same behavior. I want to go compare another car at a dealer somewhere locally that has the same system.

When I fade to the rear, I only hear sound from one small speaker in the rear deck. There is no subwoofer output in the rear at all. There is very little (if any) output coming from the rear door speakers. If I fade to the middle (default) I get low frequency response, but only from the front door speakers, even if I tune the sub control all the way up. I'm listening to 2 channel music, so I turned the surround processing off, and it's still the same.

Can anyone try this test and confirm that you're getting rear low frequency output either faded all the way to the rear, or even in the default middle setting? What about the output from the rear door speakers? In particular, the lowest speaker. Is this a small subwoofer?

I'm looking for ammunition for the next time I take it back.

So far, in my month of Jag ownership, the service department is definitely the weak link. I am less than impressed.

 

I think the diminshed sound when faded to the back completely is by B & W design. I thought I had this issue so I went to the dealer and tried it in another XJ on the lot with the same results, sounded like AM radio. In reading the reviews written when the car was introduced, B & W states that most of the bass is produced in the subs in the door with the subs in the rear providing "light" duty. In theory, the system and subsequent fidelity for the car was based on all speakers in the vehicle, not just the speakers in the package shelf. On the flip side, there could be a massive issue in which all our vehicles and the trial vehicle have bad amps. Now mine does have an issue with static when off and on and the tone settings reset but that's for another thread.

 

I have a 2011 XJL with the standard stereo system, and am very pleased with it.

I did read somewhere that if your trunk (boot) is filled with objects (groceries, luggage, shopping bags, gulf clubs, etc.) the audio system's bass response is diminished because the trunk (boot) chamber is used as a resonance chamber in the XJ.

I also adjusted the base and treble controls upward a bit to compensate for my age, and the fact I normally keep the volume moderate unless I really like the piece being played a lot, in which case I'll crank her up.

I do feel sorry for the majority of people today who have repeatedly been exposed to excessively loud music in night clubs, rock concerts, movie theaters, cars accessorized with after-market mega-amplifiers and bass speakers, or who used "ear buds" sound sources with the volume turned-up, to say nothing of military personnel who have been exposed to the extreme noise of combat. These exposures to excessive sound levels have diminished the ability of these folks to ever hear well again, or distinguish between "good" or "bad" sound systems.

 

Thanks for the input.

 

I refer you to my post#4. The supply of faulty rear amplifiers to the B&W systems could be the cause of lack lustre and dissatisfaction to what was generally described as the best car sound system in the world.

 

Your post is what I referenced to my dealer. They replaced the amp (supposedly) and I don't notice any change. For a system that's supposed to have two subwoofers in the rear deck, I'm surprised all the low end response is coming from the small drivers in the front doors.

When your amp was replaced, did the rear deck subs increase their volume?

 

Although I did do a number on my ears when I was younger,I still know good audio when I hear it. If in fact this car was billed as the best audio system in the world ..their wayyy off,listen to the premium system from Boston acoustics, I had it in my 300c,and it was amazing. The problem I was having was finally resolved when they did an update to the computer system in the car,and now that it's working correctly,it's nowhere near the sound I had with the 300, however I think I prefer this car,all in all.......
But if anyone else is having these problems,I think that might be the easiest test to start with when trouble shooting.

 

Uh2 ,

Please read my further post #9 regarding this problem.
When I bought it to my dealerships attention about the lack lustre sound, they did the check I explained in post #4 and ordered a replacement amp. The amp came the following day and was fitted. Following a further check that one was also faulty, so I suspect that yours was also faulty if the improvement wasn't immediately enough to blow your socks off. Crank up the volume to the loudest you'll ever use and then fade to just the rear. If the volume depreciates considerably then the rear amp or its connection is faulty. The rear parcel shelf only has woofers. The sub is integral to the total volume of space from the boot.
My dealership swopped amps with another XJs which was their demonstrator before I was happy to experience the best in car sound possible.
Jag must have fallen out with B&W over this quality problem before switching to meridian. The Meridian sound is of a much poorer quality. I've been an audiofile for many years and know the difference between a quality system, however only the last dealership out of the three I took it to could were able to tell the difference and rectify the fault.
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