I am wanting to turn my 2016 Jaguar F-type into a competition car audio car. My first thought is to remove the entire Meridian system to include the radio unit. Replace the audio source with an Alpine Halo9 iLX-F509 unit. This unit will give me my back up camera, phone, text, Apple Car Play along with all normal volume and control. This Alpine unit would be connected to an entire audio system with Amps and speakers.

My question is what electronics obstacles have I missed that the Meridian and factory radio controls that this Alpine unit would not?

Has anyone done anything similar to what I'm describing?

Any suggestions or inputs would be appreciated. Thanks Wayne

 

I've read numerous times that, more than anything, the poor sound of the Meridian systems in the F-type is likely having a lot to do with the cabin design itself. So part of me wonders if the problems can actually be solved by spending a ton more on a different system.

Don't know for sure if this is true, but I have read this on more than one occasion...Something to consider.

Maybe you should change the car, not the stereo? lol

Cheers

 

I agree part of the problem may be the cabin but with good equipment and a decent tune you can have amazing results. Certainly the main problem is the “tune” that is on the amp. So in that respect, getting rid of the existing system might be a good place to start. Not sure how you’ll make an aftermarket HU look good in the Jag but I’m definitely interested in seeing your build log. Will it be here or on DIYMA? Personally, I don’t like the Alpine Halo’s interface. I’d be looking at Kenwood Excellon HU’s. Better interface and display’s IMHHEO.

The one thing I would miss is the cross traffic detection. Hell of a blind spot backing out of my driveway. The other thing you wouldn’t be able to control is the HVAC system. In fact, I’m not sure the car would be happy at all with the system removed. Might be all kinds of unintended consequences.

There might be products coming down the pike to bypass the amp at the digital coax. I heard rumors about MoBridge possibly coming out with a bridge and JagBass said he has something coming from Resonex. JagBass used to compete IASCA so hopefully he’ll chime in here.

 

In my XES the HU controls the entire car, and I have limited physical buttons for a few functions only. Several of these physical buttons - the one that controls where the a/c is blowing, for example - bring up a corresponding screen on the HU that requires touch input. I think the answer to your question is "Anything you don't have a physical button for."

I did some very early investigation into replacing the HU and VERY quickly decided against it. That being said, I'm not building a competition car 🤷

I did dynamat my doors and the difference was amazing, but I've also got a very different cabin to you so that's not much use to you 😂

 

Might be ahead of the curve here on my 2019 SVR with two new Audison Forza amps (one a DSP) powering new Hertz Legend speakers all round with dedicated wiring. Also a JL Monoblock amp running a 10" sub in the boot to provide over 2500 watts in total with still room for golf clubs. OEM amp gone and replaced with Digital Ethernet Decoder (not a Mobridge as they won't say when theirs is ready). Maybe the first currently installed in a f type. If you have M.O.S.T protocol (fibre optic ring) in your car instead of the most recent ethernet then you use a Bit DMI instead of the Digital Ethernet Decoder. Either one goes between the head unit and the DSP. Without these you leave the OEM amp in place and use the speaker outputs from the amp as your low level inputs to your new DSP amp. Still a nice sound but elimination of the OEM amp brightens things up albeit naturally a little loss in volume due to the elimination of that amp. But not much though as it's insanely loud :-). Catch more info of my self build at new instagram page.....TrueBlueSVR.


Forza DSP amplifier with slave amp. Alcantara covered beauty panel.

Amp mount with Digital Ethernet Decoder

Reworked OEM tweeter sails. Covered in nappa.

Re-worked pods for mids plus custom grp housings for woofers.

Custom enclosure with 10" sub and monoblock amp

Hertz Legend woofers in highly sound proofed doors.

DRC for control of channels and sub volume. Fits perfectly in place of cigarette lighter.

 

Used to do this stuff when I was younger but got my car broken into multiple times because of it. Stock is built in anti-theft for me ;-0

To each their own. Who they hell would want these Meridian or Meridian Surround units?!?!?! Certainly not F-type owners it would seem.

lol

 

Niiiiice 😎

 

Cabin size/layout/soundproofing does make a huge difference. I have the exact same Meridian 380W system on my other car, LR MY17 Discovery Sport, and it sounds like a totally different sound system. True, it is two years more recent than my Ftype, but the system is identical, it should not sound better in a diesel car :-), and it´s not only the sound system, but the whole soundproofing and road noise at highway speeds. But hey, we did buy a Ftype for a totally different reason/sound source, did we not?

 

Yup, Helix Conductor. Who makes the digital Ethernet decoder?