Well I replaced all four speakers. I can tell you that the doors are WAY easier to replace than the rear speakers.

I can confirm you need 5-1/4" speakers. I can also correct Crutchfield and Sonicelectronix and tell you that I don't believe they make speakers deep enough to be a concern. Both the rear and door speaker wells are deep enough that ANY depth should fit. I was told that there was a 2" depth limit, which is absolutely FALSE.

Anyways, there are 5 plugs in the rear that hold the rear speaker support wall to the rear seat panels and I have no idea how to take them off without snapping them. I ended up using some contact cement to get them back on (without the plugs). If anyone knows where I went wrong, I'd love to hear from you.

I would like to add that the 14 year old speakers in the back were halfway disintegrated. The front ones held up pretty well. I was just looking for speakers that could keep up when driving with the top down. Could have used some more bass, but apparently at the 5-1/4" size, no speaker can really bring it and I don't want to go through the hassle of adding a subwoofer.

 

Would you recommend the model and brand speakers you purchased. My rear speakers are giving me a cracking sound on bass. I know they must be shot (1994 XJS).

Thanks much.
Lou

 

I bought Alpine 610 speakers. They are 6-1/2" but they fit!

Bigger is better for bass.

If you wanted to go bigger and are handy, you could trim the opening for the rears.

The Alpine 610 fits up front too!

(I did not buy the 610c which are component speakers)

Most 6-1/2" speakers will not fit, so if you plan on using another make, the cutout dimension needs to be smaller than 5", or just stick to ANY 5-1/4" speaker.

 

VEE Are the alpine 610S speakers the same as the 610 speakers

 

Do you mean 610c? If so, then no, the 610c are component speakers. You'll have a separate tweeter and crossover. It's more complicated.

You want to stick to the standard 610.

Check eBay.

 

I would like to give a special thanks to "VEE" for his assistance in providing me the the knowledge to begin this speaker install on my 1996 Jaguar XJS. Thanks again to him.

Here is what I learned after my installation.
'First the Alpine 610 speakers will fit and give a very acceptable sound with my original Alpine radio. I purchase mine on Amazon for $58 a pair.
These speakers are 6 1/2" round... The rear installation is the more difficult than the front. The rear panels are removed after taking out the rear seat cushions. The right and left cubby/panel is held by a plastic push pin that can be removed when the top is down and view behind the rear quarter window... I recommend to remove the plastic pin by using a thin long nosed plier and gripping the pin with the long nose pushed past the center of the pin. This will give equal pressure on the pin and will not cause damage.
The panel can now be removed by pulling toward the front of the car and up. There are two more pins hidden on the front of panel and will come loose if care is used.
The seat belt will still be attached and it is your choice to remove them.. I decided not to remove them. There is a plastic panel that holds the speaker attached be three screws and about five push large push pins. They can be careful pried off using a tool under the panel and using pressure on top of pin. The new speaker will be attached by screws and chrome clips enclosed with the new speakers. Put back the panel. All but one plastic pin will be able to be attached. Because of size of speaker one will not line up and is not needed. The pins can be attached using a hard wood chopping board and a wood mallet. Hit the mallet with a hammer while mallet is pressed on the pin to be reinstalled.
Now the front speakers. Remove doors cards.
Held by
1. Two small screws on the bottom.
2. Remove the front chrome strike plate held by one screw.
3. Remove large screw at front of handle. Can be seen by pushing back plastic sleeve and turning it 90 degrees to gain access to the screw.
The rest is carefully pulling at the edges of door card to free up the pull/push pins.
Then pull up and card will come off easily off door.
The front speakers will attach by using three black screws provided... You will need to drill three new pilot hole for screws.
All the late XJS cars will need to the replacement of speakers. This is my choice, and it is a great improvement.

 

I, too, installed 6 1/2" speakers at all four corners on my '94 convertible. They are 6 1/2" Infinity Reference with swivel center tweeters. They fit perfect without extra cutting that I remember, and keeping the OEM grilles, of course. Each one of these speakers is driven by a separate 100wrms Sony amplifier and they've never disappointed me.

I think that "wear" or "poor sound", etc. is hardly the matter here. These are 19 to 21 years old speakers and that's the only reason why they must be replaced: age. Of course, it is all about what sound is "OK" with the owner and only a matter of personal taste.

Cheers,

 

Adding bass in a convertible is not easy.

I am a huge fan of these clarion powered compact subs.... I have fitted 3 of them in various cars. Go on Amazon and search for "Clarion SRV250 - 6.75" 150W Powered Subwoofer" They are priced currently at $140 which I think is an absolute bargain.

I have mine in the cubby box behind the front seats. Installation is very easy. Power from the battery in the trunk. "On" signal from the electric aerial, either run a wire from the stereo or go looking for the wire in the trunk by the aerial mast itself. Ground anywhere. Signal from one of the existing speakers in the cubby box. It is fully adjustable so you can turn it way up when you have the top down, then wind it back when the top is up via a handy little controller that comes with it.

 

Hmm, they appear to be a very practical alternative to traditional subwoofer approach. I'm curious as to how they project the under-80Hz frequencies. Price is not bad.

What I did on my XJS is actually rather unique, but it does imply a bit of labor. The sealed enclosure driver is actually located inside the rear seat back cushion with a "port" at the bottom to help sound travel. I do not listen to "boom-boom" music/noise, so I do not need so much sub, but even with classical music it is awesome to have accurate below 100Hz frequency reproduction, so this is what it looks like without the cushion:


Cheers

 

I purchased the Alpine KTP-445u

Small amp definitely fills out the sound.

Not looking for anything to rattle windows, but this compact amp delivers.

 

Forcedair1...what jl audio sub is that and how did you mount the enclosure to back? isn't the gas tank right behind the rear seat?

 

No problem, as with screws at all 4 corners, the "L" brackets holding the eclosure do not really need long screws, no more than 3/8", just gotta make sure that they're real tight and secured, so they won't come loose. My driver's model # won't do you any good because I opted to use a sub of different impedance for which I had to develop a resistive network in order to match my subwoofer's 4 ohm impedance, but it sounds great. But there are plenty of excellent subs out there, plus if I had to do it again I would like to try, for once, some of these newer flat, (as in under the seat) powered subwoofers that are supposed to be surprisingly good, plus one heck of a lot easier to install. I envy the XJS with the interior trunk, it'd be so easy to do wonders with your stereo.

Any questions, just ask.

Cheers,

 

I just noticed it was a jl audio. in my other ride i have the jl shallow mount 13tw5 and it performs well. i bought a polk audio mm1040 which is considered a shallow mount that i plan on using in my jag doing the same kind of setup you have for your sub, thats why i asked what model to see the sub enclosure size comparisons. i don;t really care too much about keeping too much of the originality of my jag as some want. i'm new the xjs world but enjoying mine for sure. but i'm a music aficionado so i gotta have my tunes. i hear most people putting alpines in the doors and rear or infinity's. but i am going completely custom. i got a kenwood single din so far for the headunit and i have some 6.5 zapco components for the front and 5.25 for the rears. and a rockford power t8004 for my amp with an audio control crossover/processor. gonna put it in next weekend once i finish running all the wiring. i sound proofed the doors and floor boards already. will post pics once i'm done.

but i like the push button you put in, saw you on cardomain as well with plenty of after market mods...love them.

 

Looks like you're all set for great sound. One of the reasons I lack some info for you here's that I've been packing to move and everything is in storage right now, including features, diagrams, model numbers, etc. Actually, one of the reasons why I chose that driver was because JBL offered the most shallow option, which gave me the least protrusion of the seat. I wish I had the data with me.

It's too bad that the XJS dash is angled backwards, making it hard to achieve a proper viewing angle with actually a single din radio opening, the way I placed a 7" display head unit on my XJR (see my gallery here for reference).

The XJS cabin is small, so the speakers are quite close to your ears, adding "intimacy"... to the sound and making sound defects more noticeable, such as "hiss" and/or alternator whine, however small, which with sound processors can get hard to control.

And yes, I really love my engine start/stop push button; it's absolutely unique.

Cheers,