what about using a sound processor and aftermarket amps and speakers? I know we did a XK-R that way. Used a 8 channel processor for the the interior, and then a 2 channel (like an audio control LC2i) for Subs. Would need 2 of 4 channels and a bass amp, or a 4 channel and a 5 channel, other wise you would have to sum and loose a few things. Then the 3 way focals that are an upgrade for the front door speakers, are $2000 usd, just for the front... lol. A system revamp would be damn expensive on this car!

 

OK as this thread are related to audio,I hope moderators wont point it as junk - I will dig deeper on to sound in car and Focals you mentioned.
Money can not buy good sound in car. High end sound is not good technical BASICS, its HOW put everything together . Even in home you just cant buy good sound.
Regarding Focals, great speakers, I have this brand In my studio(see pics) - 2 pairs of Focal Maestro Utopia and Scala V2. those are 100 000EUR+ that is already expensive. 2000EUR is nothing to put in to car audio if this would gelf improove sound. but short answer is that it will NOT (at least easy way) I have also hughe collection of Focal Utopia raw speakers anything from berylium tweeters to 15 inch W cone subs. probably 40psc or so. I could fits all them to my car, but I wont. Because I will not make sound MUCH better unless I will spent SIGNIFICANT time for system tune. Which then coverts to nearly same price as original B&W system, which probbably in 2007 costed anywhere from 15 to 40 000EUR for Jag to hire B&W engineer design this system.
You just cant put focal speakers, amps in car measure, flatten requency response and expect high end sound. yes, the raw power and the bass will be way better. but high end sound is not that. power and bass its does not help to hear more realistics celo or valthorn timbre or enjoy Ceclilia Bartoli opera in car. raw power is good for young people (I’m 40years already) and bass heavy music to impress girsls or their buddies(read= FR +25db@ 30-60Hz)
I think genue B&W speakers+ amp set cost around 300EUR for JLR factory where main price part is for the amp( woofers is no more than 10eur- its cheap to make plastics basket speakers in china) but it have potental in sound better than very expensive aftermarket system. just need to work arround a bit.

Ant to finish on the more brigther note- se pics what happened when home audio guy decided to do car upgrade in studio- need to be closed for a 3 weeks

 

Just my opinion, but I think the performance of the "B&W" speakers in the 2008-2011 XF is just as good as you will get from some of the bigger names like Focal or whoever.

The quality of the construction is not bad.

They sound very good to my ears, I even put these yellow speakers into other cars like LR2, F-Type, etc and it sounds great.

Compared to the speakers fitted to the later models with "Meridian" system they are much better quality.

They really are great value for money in my opinion, I would not pay extra to have Focal or other brands in my Jag. I did that with my old X-Type, put in Focals and it never really sounded as good as the factory speakers...

 

this is not because focal is worse drivers but because


if you compare driver to driver put directly in home test panel Focal Utopia vs chinese Bower Wilkins focal will sound way much better than BW and will measure much better than BW. once you put them in the car where they ment to be focal have no chance. cant buy good sound in car. you can only design good sound in car.

 

Raising this thread from the dead but I have a question regarding the B&W drivers. Mine are black kevlar woven, not the yellow. Anyone know why this is? Did they run out of yellow at the PSS factory and substitute a run in black for a spell? '12 Facelift with upgraded system.

 

Here's a picture from when I was chasing down a rattle when I first got the car. Upon closer inspection, the dust cap looks completely different than that of a B&W driver. Although the carbon weave looks similar, I'm not convinced this is a B&W branded driver, despite the badging all over the car. If anyone knows what this driver is that would save me a tearing apart the door once again just to look at the basket for any markings. Thanks in advance.

 

the diferencies not in cone colour only- magnet system is neodymium not ferrite. i had both systems bower wilkins 2008-2011 and 2012. all drivers are diferent not only bass drivers.

 

Thanks for the clarification. I just learned that they updated the drivers for the 2012 MY and that coaxial speakers were used as well. Neodymium is preferred, so I'm glad to know that's what is being used. I'm happy with the way they sound and am now interested in upgrading the 8" sub to an aftermarket driver with a beefier voice coil, using the stock location. Hopefully that'll give me a bit more support on material that's not extremely well mixed.

 

i am afraid that neodymium version is downgrade. mids are mixed feeling .older b&W had shouty detaled mids, while 2012 B%W have more smooht mids with hole in 3-5khz. but they have suport from tweeters. i perefer older versons of both woofers and mids but that direct drivers comparisiion at home. maybe 2012 system used DSP to flatten curve . years passing i am stll suprised how well stock system sounds with such medciore drivers. 2088 B&W system with 2012 B&W central dasboard speaker sounded best to my ears, later i went to fully custom system.

 

I suppose from a fixed installation like a car, you're right. I am used to the lightweight neodymium advantages in bass cabinets for touring. Though, I'm a fan of alnico for guitars. What's the crossover point for these to the mids/tweeter? I'd imagine somewhere around 2kHz to 3kHz?

And do you think that simply replacing the 8" stock sub with an aftermarket unit with larger voice coils and beefier basket is a worthy cause? As opposed to adding a sealed enclosure with either a pair of 10's or single 12"? I'd rather not give up the trunk space if an aftermarket sub would be a worthwhile improvement over the stamped frame paper cone 8" driver.

 

as i recall the stock sub box is very shallow, you may not have an easy time finding a larger sub to fit there due to depth issues. If you are OK with losing the spare tire theres tons of room in the well for a 10 or 12 sub. I like my spare, so i fiberglassed a sub into a corner of the trunk, leaving the rest open, and used the empty space where the old sub was for the amp. Works well enough, except the car is so well sound proofed that i need the rear seats lowered to get the full effect! I plan on adding more power to the sub to compensate, i just reused a 450 watt amp i had laying around and the sub can take way more.

 

Alnico is nice, smooth dynamycs. At hoem I use electromagnet speakers. Ferite is less shouty and more calm sound,especialy i don tlike it on woofers. mids are more or less fine and in tweeters in car its almost always nessesary for the size. if you ask my opinion, i would throw sub away. door sof xf are capablem of real woofers with 55mm 4 layers voice coils and true 125rms wattage( to convert in car wats it sould be around 4x 400W) I put those 4 in genue woofers palce and sound is awesome.. goes to 26Hz , dos not have single note booming like original sub 35Hz or so.

 

sorry cant atach pics there with IE9 at least.

 

So I pulled out the stock sub and inspected the plastic "tub". My initial thought was to simply replace the driver with a beefier aftermarket shallow design and use the stock amp/wiring. But looking at the plastic "oil drain pain" enclosure, I said to hell with it and ordered a prefab sub. It'll be here in a couple of days. I'll use the stock amp and will see what happens. If I feel the need to up the wattage for increased headroom and control, I'll make the move. For now, I just want to augment the low end a bit more and I think upgrading to a stand alone box may be enough. I don't need it to slam like the soffit mounted Westlake BBSM12s in my recording studio.

Btw, I have the old KRK monitors with the Focal drivers and Beryllium tweeters from back when Keith Klattwater still owned the company. They're fast, accurate and perfect for placing vocals in a mix. The lack true bottom, but then again, they're only little near fields.

I don't like ribbons in the studio, as the sweet spot is far too narrow, but I do have handfuls of various vintage ribbon mics. Which I absolutely love for horns and brass.