Ok...went to an car audio place today to see what i can do about this.
I have a leased car so i don't want to do huge changes...
the two low cost solutions he proposed:
a kenwood under seat sub....with installation 400$....
or 3 focal component speakers to replace the door speakers. 725 installed.

I want midrange, so i am thinking the focals are the way to go...
the subwoofer appeals to my cheaper side, and also the installation is virtually harmless...
thoughts anyone?

 

Where are the 3 focal speakers to be placed?

 

You want to here really bad radio rants go to the Maserati Ghibli forum, worst premium radio ever sold!

 

Have you not got a sub already? How will getting a sub fix your sound quality? I would have thought focal speakers would be a better strategy?

Out of interest, what's the cost of the 770W upgrade option in the US?

I looked back at the OP and he was complaining about the 770W vibrating his doors. He mentioned that he'd turned down his bass (but didn't mention his sub). Turning down the sub should have been his first strategy, not bass.

 

I'm not overly impressed with the Meridian system but I have solved the rattling and vibration by adjusting the tone.

As others with more knowledge than I have said, it's a shame that Jaguar did not do a better job of installation of what could be a good audio system.

 

in the door....replacing the factory speakers

 

Jaguar wouldn't tell me what the speaker sizes are when I asked. What makes me nervous is their literature talks about active crossovers, which could be problematic if you replace just the speakers - new ones would typically have their own passive crossovers. I have some terrific MB Quart component speakers I took out of my last car that I'd love to use, but no idea if they would fit or how to bypass the existing crossovers.

 

hmmm, the car audio guy was pretty confident that it was an easy install. i don't know anything about how crossovers work. he was very convinced that the vocals would dramatically improve the audio.

 

Has anyone ever heard an employee of a car audio shop tell you that it wouldn't be a straight-forward install and dramatic improvement?

I haven't, but I have been unhappy on numerous occasions with the result.

 

We could all join forces and exert more pressure on Jaguar to man up to their technical issues, learn what customer service actually is (not the 1970's version) and solve the installation design faults.

 

That's the direction I would go and tie down the vibrating bits while I'm in there.

 

That's the right solution, no doubt. The problem however, and you have probably experienced this for yourself, is that Jaguar's "customer service" team in the US is utterly worthless. They are absolutely hopeless. It pains me to say it, as it epitomizes a lot of what we all wish were different about life here in the US, but you probably won't get their attention without a lawyer getting in on the action. And frankly, with some of their responses to date on things like this, that may even be a path worth exploring. This audio system has fundamental design issues and Jaguar should put it right.

 

you are absolutely right. although i doubt that Jaguar in another country would be much different. The level of dishonestly at the dealerships here in Los Angeles is pitiful. the people who represent the cars are sad losers, liars, and people on the fringe of society representing what should be an institution. With that being said, i have only encountered worse people at Ford or Toyota. I think problems like this are best fixed in our own hands...after all we are talking about a radio...not a lethal problem with brakes or steering. Honestly, as much as i love this car...there are some really serious visibility problems...and the car should not be sold without radar, and a rear camera. I have an FJ cruiser, and two fastback 60s mustangs...these are all cars with horrible visibility, but this coupe exceeds all of these cars... it scares me, even with my years of experience driving my mustangs.

 

All of you with 770w system need to contact your dealer and ask for a refund. difference between the 330w and 770 is what I've asked for. Jaguar messed up with this, they just ported the RR system and didn't insulate it correctly or custom fit correctly, hence all the rattles for everyone.

 

Nope - happy with mine. No rattles (at least not yet). Sorry you're having a bad experience.

 

You are so right!! Its Jaguar Customer Service that annoys me WAY more than the vibrating door components. @Jaguar sent me a Tweet PM last week asking me to get in touch. Guess what: They've still not contacted me. They really are unbelievable. I watch another F-Type forum in the UK, and there is a story where two individuals had paint issues with an Evoque and F-Type. It took lawyers to get involved and 8 months before they finally got a new car.

Meanwhile I see in another thread a new owner continues to talk about the Meridian system still vibrating on brand new vehicles. There will be a TSB soon asking us all to only play classical music - you watch.

 

Well, I'm afraid that the lack of customer service - service? what service? - is emblematic of a general lack of customer service universally speaking. In a day and age of increasing automation - many institutions make it so that they want you to "hang up" or "give it up" - it's really quite pathetic, never mind damn frustrating.

Particularly with an automobile manufacturer of this stature (never mind their aspirations of "improving" the marque).

 

It will either hurt them or potentially kill them in the end. They are fortunate that they have a cycle of purchases where customers buy beautiful design. In other stages of the curve, customers are expecting service as well as design - Tesla lives in this stage and in time it will become the expectation of a broader audience. If Apple becomes part of this list then some of the traditional auto firms are going to disappear. And the CEO's know it - look at GM's comments recently. They are scared - all of them.

Jeremy Clarkson had a great expression last week that we are looking at a period from which we are moving from typewriters to laptops. JLR is delivering beautiful typewriters. Unfortunately, when the ribbon doesn't work they show they don't really care. And people will remember!

 

Well said mawheele and, unfortunately, I agree completely. And, as we all know, it takes a very long time to win back people's confidence - and more to the bottom line point ($'s) - once a brand disappoints and/or drops the ball and just doesn't give a s#%* about their customers. I'm seeing a trend here - in the Forum and with this thread - and I don't like it.

That said, I personally have not experienced anything yet from JLR which disappoints (but it's still early in the game; I bought my car last Oct) and needless to say I LOVE my F-Type. We shall see...

 

So, today I set up the balance and fade and levels as others have suggested and put it in DTS mode.

And then I played this at about level 50-60.


No vibrations no distortions and have to say it sounded f...ing fantastic.

I think this tells me that whilst there are better systems, it is not a fundamentally bad system. It does definitely sound like some people in some cars are experiencing build and installation quality issues which fortunately seem to be absent on mine.