I've just recently installed some upgrades to my audio.
These include a line converter which takes the speaker outputs from the premium amp in the boot and converts to line inputs for a new amp, this has also given me an aux in, a new alpine amp and new high quality speakers including sub woofers. No DSP.

This is what I've found with my new set up;
1. Playing music via the aux in from my phone which goes directly into the new amp and new speakers...amazing sound quality
2. Playing from the factory CD & radio, sound comes from the jag amp into the line converter then into the new amp and speakers.... quality better than before but notably much lower than 1.

Conclusion from this is that the quality of the signal coming from the factory unit even for the CD is no where near the quality coming from my old iphone 4s!
So there's a good case for updating the head unit.

On the other hand so much is done by our phones at the moment, calls obviously, music, sat nav, radio, why do you need a head unit? You'll always have your phone. Get one with a good screen, a good bluetooth connection, the right aps that are easy to use and a clean neat and high quality holder for it. That kind of what I'm starting to think. The phone is much more easily upgraded than something built into the car. Install a good amp and speakers with an aux/bluetooth connection and let your poine do the rest.

 

My thought would be that the reason for the degraded quality more than likely is that converting an already amplified signal from the existing speaker outputs then converting back down to a line level is not going to give you as good quality signal as a proper pre-amp output. To do a fair comparison you'd really need to do the aux-in mod to the CD player then run the factory Alpine amp directly into the speakers as normal, then swap over to the new amp feeding from the same source. Not very practical to do though I'll give you that.

Ben

 

This is going a bit off topic so apologies to the OP for that;

Ben, suffice to say that with the line converter, new amp and speakers the sound quality from the CD is definitely better than it was before with the stock arrangement but still light years away from the phone playing via the new aux connection. The line converter I've installed is a high quality unit. Unfortunately its not possible to do the comparison that you suggest but yes, probably the only way for a true comparison.

Milowokie please keep us posted on how the project to retrofit the ac controls is going. Like I said before I think its a great idea.

 

The a/c control panel arrived this morning, and it's the first time I've seen one.

There is only one connector on the back and, of course, it is different to the connector on the nav unit.

The nav unit connects to all sorts of things, but there's a black box behind it which I think is the Remote Climate Control Module (RCCM), which is also plugged into the loom.

Reading up on hear people have complained that their Climate Control Module can go wrong causing issues with heat or direction.

So, a couple of questions, is the RCCM in addition to the CCM or a replacement for it on touchscreen cars?

If it's a replacement I'll need to get one, from somewhere, and the associated connectors.

If in addition to, then I'll need to locate the CCM and, perhaps, get a cable which connects it to the new control panel.

Any ideas as to what's what?

 

(I last touched this about ten years ago, so my knowledge here is fading.)

Michael posted a drawing of the CCM, the relevant schematic and info in post #9.

The CCM is unpainted/grey, and mounted on the driver side of the evaporator housing. You can access it by removing the carpet board panel above the driver pedals and you'll see it above the transmission tunnel. I don't think the X350 uses a remote CCM like the X-Type does, so I think all you need is the manual panel and the wiring to your existing CCM. It may or may not need programming.

Here is a photo of my 2004 XJR with the dash removed - you can see the CCM on the top-right of the vents. (As mentioned, you only need to remove the carpet cover to see it. You don't need to remove all that!)



From your descriptions, the centre console harness may need to be replaced. That is a little harness that connects the central equipment stack to the main car harnesses, and is easy to replace. It connects from around the ashtray, and near the passenger airbag area.

The IP/fascia harness which connects the centre console harness to the CCM is identical for touch screen and manual control cars, so that wiring should be present.

You can confirm that if you expose the CCM and check connector AC101 (largest on the left/nearest to you), does it contain wires in positions 2-6, 9, and 16, 17, 19? If so then a new centre console harness should give you the connector you need, and remove the touch screen one.

I *think* the part you need is C2C28659 (was superseded from C2C17961, C2C20861, C2C23767, C2C25126, C2C26051, and C2C27214). That is non-premium sound, non-nav, with heated seats. Premium sound is irrelevant for you if you are going to be driving the speakers directly. Used you can search eBay for "Jaguar XJ 14B079", but be aware that will return all versions of the harness so you need to study the photos to select the right one (look for the smaller connector at the end, instead of the 22 way touch screen one). Currently there aren't any showing in the UK.

 

That's just what I needed. My local Jag Breakers has offered to let me rummage through their wiring as they weren't exactly sure which cables I was asking them about. Now your picture has shown me what's where, I've a better idea of which is required.

 

Before you get too carried away in replacing electronics with "better quality", consider taking out your car mats and shaking them.

The same amount of dust IS IN YOUR SPEAKERS.

Not to mention woofers and tweeters. You guys must be joking. But if you're enjoying your patent futility, that's great of course.

 

No amount of dust removal will allow my 'phone to connect to the Jaguar unit.

No amount of dust removal will allow the playback of FLAC and MP3 files.

No amount of dust removal will modernise the map database of the Jaguar unit.

I'm unsure you have grasped the motivation behind the update, and are conflating 'better quality' with 'superior sound reproduction'.

 

ChrisMills;
As Oilstain noted earlier in the thread;
'If this isn't interesting to you, then you don't have to pay any attention to it. Your responses in this thread have not been helpful, polite, or even interesting.'
What is your problem?

 

I changed the head unit of my XK8 and XKR, it looks like the XJR is similar, so this may help. Cost for the XK8 was under $800, XKR was more like $15K (we got carried away). Sound in both cases improved but the XKR improved a lot (it better given the cost). No issues with the car throwing codes or having any issues. I did note that eBay has a kit for the XJR: https://www.ebay.com/itm/JAGSD-Singl...-/161813822195




XK8 With Flip up screen (no switches needed to be moved but the screen and the gear shift didn't like each other on deployment if in Park).

Screen open, it covered up the switches but you could close it to use them.

Forgot I did a sub in the trunk.

XKR double DIN, no gear shift issues and a ton cleaner.

Subs in XKR

Remote switches also the silver button is to turn off antenna.

Another picture of the double DIN.

This is the first attempt at the amps, the worked fine but wanted something a bit more spectacular.

Another shot of the remote switches, we also added two USB charge ports.

Final amp, this wasnt a cheap date, they got a tad carried away.

 

Quite right. I couldn't care less what you do.
1- iPhones and mp3's can be connected with a $20 bluetooth adapter. But that's OK, go spend your $xxx for all I care.
2- I think the OP mentioned sound quality. What a waste of space if the speakers turned out to be the limiting factor.

Have a nice dream. Of a custom system that no-one but you cares about. And can't be sold with the car. Who would want a buggered up console installed by amateurs (which means anyone who has to ask for advice here)

As for the last post, and moderator or not...spent $800...interferes with Park...ARE YOU SERIOUS?

Anyway, all Jaguar owners are strange. I'm one of them :-)

 

Chris, if we could lower the hostility a bit I'd appreciate it. Now, as far as your comment. The advantage to the motorized screen is it fits with the switches in place and it is more the case that if the screen deploys while the car is in park, it would hit the shifter on the way out (or in when you shut the car down) and fail to deploy. Leaving the screen up covers the switches and doesn't look as good. This really didn't work for me either which is why, in the next car I went to double-din. But going that route meant relocating the switches and massively increased the expense. Don't know if that would be the case in an XJ, because I don't own one. I'm just providing options like the OP requested.

This forum is about helping folks solve problems and acting as a friendly community, it really shouldn't be about attacking people that want, or who are, providing help.

 

As the OP I can safely say that improved audio fidelity was never mentioned.

Once again an angry and aggressive poster is either being deliberately belligerent for their own purposes or has completely misunderstood the original question.

Again, the $20 Bluetooth adapter is not a solution for the limitations the Original Unit has, as they don't work from USB stick based media with a simple interface.

Also, once again, they will not provide a better navigation solution.

 

Wow, Enderle, those are some serious mods! I have to say, if it comes to relocating controls, that's farther than what I'm willing to go, I'll chicken out right there, but kudos for sticking that one out. I imagine you had a few moments of doubt until you saw the final product.

The biggest reason I'm interested in this project is having full phone integration and all the functionality (GPS, streaming audio, switching inputs easily, apps like torque, rear camera, ect) that comes with it at a reasonable cost. Also, once the future turns infotainment on its head again, the ability to switch out to a different head unit once again. Secondarily for me is being able to run high voltage RCAs to my amps without use of the problematic RF 360.3 and signal loss of line conversions. That in turn would allow for higher volume/more efficiency from the equipment I already have.

 

I actually got the guy that did the last amp update fired by accident. They'd bid $3,500 for the job and all I wanted was a bigger amp, they ran up a $7K bill and I balked only paying $4,000 ($500 over what I'd agreed). But the nice thing is that now I can easily swap out head units and keep the thing up to date. Agree that stock optical link was problematic as were the old amps and speakers. (Jaguar used paper cones which don't age well). Remoting the switches was just time consuming, the difficult part was more fabrication and compared to what I'm doing on my XKE even that wasn't that difficult. Best of luck, looking forward to seeing what the OP ends up with!

 

I would never do this type of change, just crazy nuts in my opinion

 

Michael, where did you locate the pinout diagram for the module? I'd like to locate these for my X150.

 

Workshop manual etc are on this site as free download.
Or JagRepair.com - Jaguar Repair Information Resource if you prefer.

 

I have the workshop manual and unable to locate pinouts. Do you have a page number?

 

Its the 2005 MY XJ Electrical Guide that has all the connector details
I had initially the 2003.5 electrical guide that doesn't include these
I think Don B pointed me towards the 2005 MY guide.
Its available on the forum somewhere, can't recall where