Hi,
I'm about to install the original radio my (European) 1995 XJS came with, an Alpine 7514 with a CD changer in the trunk.
I believe that the XJS is pre-wired - I saw the blue M-Bus cable with the DIN plug at the HU side, but I wasn't able to locate the other end which I suppose should be found somewhere in the trunk. The Jag literature states various possible locations, but I didn't succeed at none of them.
Before I start to take apart the car: Does anybody know where I should look? Am I right when supposing that the CD changer normally was located on the left hand side of the trunk?
Thanks & best regards
Martin

 

Hi Martin

On my 1995 4.0L XJS Celebration Convertible the CD Changer was on the Left hand side of the Boot/Trunk and the Cable to plug it in with was just behind that piece of Carpet Trim

This was on my RHD (UK) Car where the CD Changer was already installed

 

Thanks a lot. I actually looked there, but perhaps I didn't dig deep enough, as I thought that the cable would be rather on the right side - this is were my Jag had a Becker CD changer. Mine is a LHD Convertible "Celebration".
Best regards
Martin

 

Hi Martin

As your Car is LHD then it is possibly on the opposite side

(on the opposite side to the battery holder)

 

Interesting, thanks. I wasn't even aware that battery location varies between RHD and LHD.The battery is on the right in my XJS, so the CD unit should go on the left. This is where you usually see it when you do a Google image search, so I'll have to have a deeper look there.

 

The plug is on the left side on my 1996 LHD car. Mine was not originally equipped with the CD changer but I did find the plug with the wiring to the left rear tail light. It worked perfectly when I installed a second hand CD changer.

 

Thanks, sounds promising. Will check this weekend.

 

What on earth is the point of a CD changer these days, especially when a better new head unit is available for $90 with Bluetooth and an aux input for the Ipod.

 

I prefer to have a car as the XJS in its original state, as far as possible. But of course I‘ve invested some 60 Euros to have hands-free, Bluetooth streaming, Aux-in and an enhanced sound, everything invisible and via the old Alpine system.
You could ask as well why on earth there are so many people listening to vinyl records in times of Spotify (I do both, depending on the situation and the kind of music).

 

I wouldn't ask that, as vinyl records have some advantages in terms of sound quality. If I asked that, I might have to explain how I'm still using vacuum tubes to listen to music, at home.

However, an in-car CD player has no advantage over an Ipod, providing that lossless compression was used.

 

Well, you could argue that this is your opinion (and mine), but it's not necessarily shared by others.
From a rational point of view, you're absolutely right. But from a rational point of view, you might also question the "advantages" of a mechanical Swiss watch over a electronic watch, let alone a SmartWatch. Or of the twelve cylinders of my DDS, when there are wonderful 8 or even 6 cylinder motors with better perfomance (and less thirsty...).
Even if we get *slightly* OT: I think that the mechanical fascination of "moving precision parts" plays an important role in all this: turntable, mechanic watch, 12 cylinder engine - and an CD changer moving a laser in your trunk over a silver disc while you are running on the highway. What I always try is to combine those things with the comfort of their modern brothers. Last weekend, for example, I dedicated time to integrate my freshly renovated vintage stereo (one of those legendary Wega Concept 51k, the one from MOMA's permanent exhibition) into my LMS based multiroom audio system at home. I used a Raspberry Pi to convert the vinyl sound losslessly into a FLAC stream.
But to come back to the topic: there is another reason for installing the original audio system, at least in Germany and other European countries. For cars older than 30 years (25 years e.g. in Spain), you can get a special H-licence plate, where H means "historic". This has several advantages: you pay less tax and insurance, you are exempted from pollution related access limitations to the inner cities etc.
But in order to get the H plate, they requiere your car to be in an original state, expressivley including the radio (even if I don't believe that they would insist on having a CD changer in the trunk, to be honest).
Best regards
Martin

 

If only my noise damaged ears could enjoy that level of sophistication in sound!!!!


I do have a fair sized collection of music. 8 track, cassettes and vinyl!!!!
And the "hardware" to play them. Hand cranked Graphanola included !!!


Carl

 

Talking about noise damaged ears... since I have my Oticon hearing aids, I notice much more differences in (music) sound than before... Unfortunately, I now hear some irregular motor noises by the DDS, too that I didn't hear before. So I'm hesitating wether to take it to a 12 cylinder specialist or simply switch off the hearing aids

 

with the lid off my cabriolet it matters very little the quality of sound as you can hear the music from my clarion radio cassette only just over the yelling camshafts at 5000 rpm. i dont drive it with the lid on as the wind rushing over my baldy head is too exhilarating