hello everyone and thanks in advance for your help!! I'm a newbie to the forum so i hope i am doing this right - anyhow i need to replace the speakers in my 1996 xjs converible 2+2 and have no clue on how to remove the old speakers! anyone have an idea or has anyone done this project?picyures would be great too!! thanks!!

 

You won't need pictures.

For the front ones, you will have to remove the door cards. It's easy enough to do once you slide the trim back from the front of the door handle and undo the screw there.

After that you remove the screws at the bottom of the door and undo the clips the rest of the way around, then just lift the door card. Be careful, since there will still be some wire connected at the bottom. You can undo that connector, if needed.

The back ones are even easier...I think.

Pop out the plastic button which gets it's access blocked from the quarterwindows. (look at the top of that rear panel through the quarterglass and you'll see it) Once that's out of the way, you just have to separate the side from the trim along the edge of the door. The rest just lifts up. You'll probably end up destroying at least one of those plastic fir connectors, so you may as well order replacements now.

It's tougher to work on these panels because it's just easier to not disconnect the seatbelts to totally disconnect these panels.

The OEM speakers are 5-1/4". Any 5-1/4" will fit, do not be concerned with the depth of speakers. No one makes one deep enough to be a problem.

I learned that you can upgrade to 6-1/2" if the cutout dimension is small enough. (I used Alpines, which just fit) I believe the cutout cannot exceed 5".

While removing the rear panels, you may want to take advantage and replace the bulbs. You don't want to be monkeying back there any more than necessary.

 

On my '94 I installed 6 1/2" in all 4 positions and I'd doubt that the '96 is any different.
It'd be nice to use those with the swivel tweeter feature. Better stereo separation and more accurate high frequencies.

Cheers,

 

Thanks much all!!

 

I have a friend with a 1993 XJS Convertible. Only the drivers side door speaker is working. Since you have had success in replacing all speakers in the vehicle - can you recommend some replacement speakers?

Thank you.

 

Alpine SPS-610

Make sure it's not the 610c, which are the component speakers. You can use them, but it's a lot more work.

 

If I remember well, my 6 1/2" Infinity's are the 6022i model. Unfortunately they're no longer available, but I'm sure that Infinity must have new replacement for similar product.

Once again, high frequency sound is very directional, so good aim to the listener's ears is paramount for best quality sound, both, high frequency response and stereo separation and this is perfectly achievable with speakers that feature swivel tweeters, which in the Infinity's case is 350 degrees.

Cheers,

 

There are lots of good speakers out there, and you do not need to pay a fortune for them. In the rear I used 8ohm drivers from Jaycar with careful placement achieved amazing results, (my other hobby is designing and building HIFI speakers and amplifiers).

I'm going to bang on here with some technical info, but bear with me (don't nod off to sleep) and hopefully you will much better informed when you do go shopping for speakers.

People bang on about power (my xxxx is 1000watts etc) this is irrelevant, the specification that will give you VOLUME is sensitivity quoted as dB/watt @ 1 meter most car speakers are low sensitivity so they need a lot of power to generate volume. For example a typical car speaker is around 88db (eg Alpine SPG-17CS), The Infinity Reference X are 94dB this 6db difference means the Infinity with pump out the same volume consuming 1watt as the Alpine will consuming 4 watts so the 88dbv speakers require 4 times the power to generate the same volume level.

Power and impedance – I like 8ohm speakers with good sensitivity, this combination will make life easier for your amplifier, it will run cooler and provide better transient response (damn I’ll explain that next). I would avoid speakers below 4ohms. Power is simple ohms law P=VI so a 50watt amp at 12 volts will draw 4.1amps peak. But a 50watt amp needs plus and minus 36 volt supply rails into 8ohms and 72 volts into 4ohms so the amp needs to boost and convert the 12 volts. This leads me into Transient response – this is when you are playing your favorite track and there is a huge very fast loud transient. If your amp is running near its rating and one of these transients comes along the voltage rails will collapse causing the amp to clip which can damage or more likely destroy speakers. (I worked in the service department of a Major HIFI manufacturer and Monday we would get the cooker speakers and amps back for repair, NOT covered by warranty)

Speaker placement is critical to good sound. In a car I like coaxial speakers, these are the ones with the tweeter inside the woofer, make sure the tweeter is moveable, as has been pointed out high frequencies are directional, they will also bounce around the car, so move the tweeters until you get the best results. This may require the tweeters to be pointed differently in each speaker.

If installing component speakers DO NOT put the drivers near your feet and the tweeters near your ears, this causes phasing errors at the crossover range (approx 3kHz). There are 2 things that happen here;

• The woofer is producing part of the sound and the tweeter the rest. At 3kHz the wavelength in air is 11.45cm so if the distance from the woofer to your ear and the tweeter to your ear is 11.45cm you will effectively double the volume at that frequency. This causes screechy vocals, especially female.
• Percussion instruments especially drums are low frequency with harmonics stretching well into the tweeter region this will cause lack of definition in these instruments. I’m sure everyone has heard booming bass drums, a live bass drum sounds tight and dry.

Coaxial speakers remove this complexity, this is why I like them for simplicity.

So to sum up.
Speakers need to mounted RIGIDLY any vibration in the mounting will add/subtract from the sound.
Coaxial speakers are the easiest to setup, it helps if the tweeters move. Tweeters pointing directly at you might not be the ideal orientation, experiment.
Look for sensitivity above 90db.
The most expensive speakers may not give the best sound.
A quality class AB external amplifier is a good investment. Don’t use class D except for subwoofer.
My preference is to avoid speakers lower than 4ohms
Experiment with placement if possible

 

Vee,

Did the SPS-610s fit behind the factory trim panels or did you have to modify anything?

TIA.

Andy.

 

they fit behind the trim. You wouldn't know anything was any different once the door cards go back on.

the holes dont all line up, so you'll end up driving screws through the metal that folds the speakers in place. I think I used self driving metal screws.

 

Just registered so I hope this is in the correct space. (I know this is an older thread, too) I am replacing all 4 speakers in my 1996 XJS. I can see how some 6.5"s fit for depth but the cone is too large and will not be able to move as it should. Are the cones on the Alpines mentioned smaller than most 6.5"? I've tried some Infinity Kappa 63XF's but worried I will puncture the surrounds and they won't move they should. Any good advice is appreciated.

 

As far as I know, most 6-1/2" speakers will NOT fit in the front. The Alpine SPS-610 will indeed fit. I also can confirm that the JBL Stadium GTO 620 fit, since that's what I put in my car. I don't believe I needed to make any modifications, other than possibly using one or two self tapping screws because the mounting holes may not have lined up. I initially bought a Rockford Fosgate pair of 6-1/2" speakers. They did not fit in the front.

 

Very appreciated!

 

Since it appears appropriate, I'm gonna jump in with a '93 convt speaker question as well. Disregarding the idiocy of speaker placement in the "locker" box behind the seats, any suggestions on both speaker choice and placement other than OEM in the back. Wondering if 94-on rear qtr panels with speakers will work?
Dave in AZ

 

Sorry, I cannot help with that answer. Wish I were more versed to help.

I do have a couple questions I hope someone can answer. What is the hum generating from the fuse box area where a glove box is usually located? It sounds like a PC case fan. I had no music source on but had the ignition turned so there was accessory power.
Speaker note-Ordered the JBL GTO620's.This led me to discover/notice the slight angle of the speaker positioning due to the angle of the door's inside metal work. I then tried the Infinity Kappa 63FX, since they are built on the same structure as the JBL, and they do fit! The two have different musical specs and cone material. I found the Infinity more to my liking sonically.

I cannot get a 6.5" to fit in the rear due to the constraints of the enclosure that secures them. If there is a work around, please pass along that info. I did manage to remove the connects from the OEM speakers and solder new wires to them, making it a little easier to work with, and not be limited to the short length of OEM wires.

When I do put in an amplifier, where are the door speaker wires concealed? I haven't figured out a successful and clean way to utilize the OEM wire loom from door to interior.

Have a wonderful weekend!!!

 

The facelift cars, at least 94-96, had an air sampling fan in the lower passenger side bolster.
It was supposed to be part of the climate control system.
For what it's worth, you could probably disconnect it, or remove the offending debris causing the chatter.

 

Thank you very much for the information! I'm a little over 2 weeks of ownership and finding the eccentricities of Jaguar engineering phenomenal.

 

Yes, it can be disconnected. The only change is that you need to operate your AC panel on Manual permanently. That fan is what allowed the car to auto adjust the temperature in the car.

 

I appreciate this info very much. It's not loud, barely audible. I was just curious and want to make sure I'm doing my best to keep this beauty purring.