The car is a '95 XJ6 Vanden Plas. We bought the car with 60xxx miles on it, and ever since we've owned it the sound system has sucked. Just bad quality and volume out of it. We replaced all 4 door speakers with quality German units, I don't remember which brand, but they were nice; however, the sound still sucked.

We bought a new radio from Best Buy that we wish to install. It's just a regular CD player, front aux in radio, nothing fancy. We want to have a CD player and an aux input. I was thinking the radio would fix the sound quality issues, but now it occurrs to me that the amp could be blown. Is this possible? Where is the amp in this car, and where can I get a new one, or should I go aftermarket?

Any helpful input on this topic would be great! Thanks in advance

 

The "premium sound" external amp, if you have one, is in the boot/trunk, mounted on the underside of the package shelf.

If you haven't noticed it by now then you probably don't have it.....which I'd find a bit odd seeing as you have the VDP model.

Cheers
DD

 

Sorry, but what/where is the "package shelf"?

I looked around in the trunk and found what looks like an amp. It's within the "Fuse" compartment near the battery. It says "Combined lamp control module on it" which does not describe an amp... Sure looks like one though...

 

Package shelf = the horizontal panel beneath the rear glass....where rear speakers are often mounted on many cars.


Cheers
DD

 

Looks like this:

Jaguar XJ6 Harman Kardon Amplifier - 1995 XJ6 - LNA4170AB | eBay


Cheers
DD

 

Scratch that last post. I see what you mean by "If you haven't noticed it by now..." Just stumbled upon a blue cable in the trunk, same connector that plugs into the back of the stereo. It is just taped away. I guess the amp blew and somebody just removed it. I didn't think the radio would work at all without an amp.

Anyway, should I get a new factory amp?

 

On the cars that had the external amp the speakers were driven *from* the amp. Removing the amp would mean a total re-work of the speaker wiring. Any sign of that? I sorta doubt it but you never know.

Another clue to identify if your car originally had the premium sound with the HK amplifier is the presence of a woofer in the rear package shelf. No woofer = no "premium sound" = no external amp.

Jaguar often wired the cars for a variety of optional (or market specific) equipment...even if the components themselves were not installed. Look under your console cubby box and I'll bet you'll find the wiring for the factory optional mobile phone!

Cheers
DD

 

Hello, Daveoby,

Just adding My 2 cents here even though after conversion from CAN to US it's more like a penny, however, here goes...

If it were me I'd return the car stereo to BestBuy for a refund then I'd go buy a factory Jag amp like the one in the eBay ad posted by Doug, and the reason is this; the technicians that came up with that combination of hardware (speakers/amp/stereo/wiring) are actual engineers having spent a lot of time configuring a sound system worthy of being labeled "premium". That's years of Research & Development already done. I'd attempt to bring it back to factory specs with the stereo if your budget allows it.

Plus, in my opinion, most aftermarket "decks" look goofy in a Jaguar.

 

Couple of quick notes: Doug, I have the '95 VDP and no premium sound...so they do exist. Don't know whether more rare or more common that way, but mine is what it is.

Daveo - I suspect your blue cable probably originally went to the CD changer also mounted to the underside of the rear shelf.

Perhaps I have a tin ear, but once I replaced the blown speakers in the doors, mine sounded fine to me. I'd be suspicious of those "German" speakers. I am an engineer who worked for a German Tier 1 auto supplier for 6 yrs and remain singularly unimpressed by "Precision German Engineering" - it simply means there is a repository of 3-ring binders somewhere in Stutgartt proving beyond all doubt the customer abused the product, thus it won't function correctly, nothing more.

 

Newbie to the site with a 1996 XJ6. I would like to upgrade the current unit to a CD/ aux for Pandora configuration. What is a reasonable way to go with this to get quality sound, change out speakers?, what head unit etc? Much appreciated.

Mark

 

My 1997 XJ6 didn't have the premium stereo, my stock radio works well and was thinking of adding the CD changer, amp and subwoofer. The radio has the CD button and the blue CD changer cable was run from the back of the head unit to the back of the car. Question is there is no plug for the amp other than what looks like an old style plug like the ones used for a computer monitor or a printer. Does anyone know what factory amp was used and what this dangling plug was supposed to be used for? If not the factory amp?All the factory amps I see on ebay have a standard plug none like the one that's hanging loose from the top of my gas tank? Thanks

 

you could try bypassing the power amp....not something I've done in a Jag' but done plenty on Jeeps with the Infinty power amps that have the output go down...sounds like a similar issue?

I have seen a few 'standard' Jag heads go quiet back in the day and changed speakers assuming that the fault when it wasn't.

 

Anybody know what impedance the speakers should be (to match the original radio with no premium amp)?
I replaced the front door speakers because one was dead, now the stereo sounds terrible, all mid range and weak bass. I am wondering if I have fitted 4 ohm speakers and should have fitted 8 ohm ones.

 

That "old style computer connector" is for the in-car telephone. The module and antenna mounted in the trunk, and the other end of that cable is an RJ45/48 connector inside the console for the Jag phone. It isn't for the audio system.

As noted in your other thread, and mentioned in this one, to retrofit the premium system would be big job. You would have to install the harness from the dash/console back to the trunk, fit the HK amplifier, CD changer and install a new package shelf with subwoofer. You would also need new rear door panels for the armrest mounted tweeters, and the premium speakers and tweeters themselves. You may have to get different front door speakers too. And you'd have to get A-pillars that supported the tweeters mounted in them. ...that's just off the top of my head.


That all being said, you may be able to just mount and plug in the CD changer to its M-bus (blue DIN) cable and that may work without all the other premium parts. I've never tried it, but it would be a relatively cheap test if you had a CD changer from a wrecker or eBay. You would just need to make sure the M-bus cable was plugged into the radio as well.

.

 

[QUOTE=al_roethlisberger;1441476]That "old style computer connector" is for the in-car telephone. The module and antenna mounted in the trunk, and the other end of that cable is an RJ45/48 connector inside the console for the Jag phone. It isn't for the audio system.

As noted in your other thread, and mentioned in this one, to retrofit the premium system would be big job. You would have to install the harness from the dash/console back to the trunk, fit the HK amplifier, CD changer and install a new package shelf with subwoofer. You would also need new rear door panels for the armrest mounted tweeters, and the premium speakers and tweeters themselves. You may have to get different front door speakers too. And you'd have to get A-pillars that supported the tweeters mounted in them. ...that's just off the top of my head.


That all being said, you may be able to just mount and plug in the CD changer to its M-bus (blue DIN) cable and that may work without all the other premium parts. I've never tried it, but it would be a relatively cheap test if you had a CD changer from a wrecker or eBay. You would just need to make sure the M-bus cable was plugged into the radio as well.


Thanks, I picked up a jaguar CD changer from ebay. It was a quick install and it works well. If i do a subwoofer, I'll probably do something after market. Probably cheaper and less trouble. Not to mention my current system sounds good with no issues. Thanks for the info!