Hello all,

I am looking to upgrade the stock head unit in my 1998 XK8 convertible. I have the standard sound system, and will be installing a new single DIN head unit. I'm not looking to go with an amp, or navigation. I just want to remove the "dog" stock unit.

What I need help with is:

1) Adapter plug from stock harness, to aftermarket unit (I don't want to hard-wire).

2) Steering Wheel interface. Has anyone had success with this? If so, how?

3) Can you interface the stock CD changer (no big deal if not)?

4) Simplified breakdown of stock wiring diagram (i.e. diagrams for dummies).

If you have the list of wiring parts needed, I would be very grateful. I already have the fascia trim, that was provided by a fellow forum member.

Thank you

 

I can't help you with most of your questions, but here's the wiring diagram for the standard audio system in the 1998 XK8.

 

It appears that this UK company has the harness:
http://www.nexxia.co.uk/product.asp?...tion=Car Audio

and the steering interface: Buy PC99-X10 Jaguar Steering Control interface lead=

You may require another device for the steering interface...it was not clear to me from the site, but you can contact them.

The CD player will not work with an aftermarket head unit.

 

Thank you Rev and WhiteXKR. You guy's are always spot-on.....

 

I've always wondered about why one would upgrade the head unit and still want to use the stock 6 CD changer in the boot.

I've used my changer a few times and found that I've been spoiled by using an iPod. The changer simply cannot hold enough music for a reasonably long drive and my iPod currently has over 3,000 titles with room for more. I use an iDeck through the cassette interface of the original head unit which is OK but could certainly be better.

If I were to upgrade the head unit (and someday I might if I save enough pennies by being frugal with the gas mileage ) I'd be looking for a unit which has fully integrated iPod interface and skip the CD player altogether. I recently had a couple of modern auto rentals with this feature and I'm hooked.

Just puttin' it out there for discussion.

 

Even better would be a head unit with built in memory where you could store you music directly on unit. That way you wouldn't even have to connect your iPod to the system to play your music. And if you forgot your iPod you could still listen to your music.

I've thought about upgrading my stereo, but I'm just concerned about the aftermarket look. If someone sold a decent surround that would slip right in to the existing space I would upgrade in a heartbeat.

 

Thanks Reverend! It figures that they'd go to units with the storage built in although I haven't been shopping in that area recently to know they're now available.

I agree with these cars I too would like to minimize the aftermarket look.

 

Music is one of my strongest passions. I listen to everything from country to opera and play guitar. Before my kids were born (18+ years ago) I spent a small fortune on stereo equipment. While the digital age has many blessings compared to records (not the least of which was an incentive for record companies to reissue out of print recordings) the sound quality of digital sucked compared to analogue. I spent $3,500 20-years ago on a digital to analogue processing unit alone just to make the digital recording sound closer to the natural warmth of records.

All that said; with no disrespect intended; the quality of sound from a CD is light-years beyond what you will hear from an ipod. Obviously we all have our own order of importance with these types of things but to answer your first remark about "wondering why"; the above may be the reason for most.

Cheers -Terrapin

 

A very good point Terrapin. I agree completely with your points and no disrespect is taken at all. This is a discussion and thank you for reminding me of something I really should have known! Everyone does have different priorities and now I understand why there would be a desire for a CD over and iPod or MP3.

 

Cool. I do have an ipod for when I take long walks and want to hear music and do appreciate your point. Although you'd laugh seeing me at the gym on the treadmill. I'm the guy with a mini amp plugged in with huge headphones on. lol "Rolls" makes this wonderful little amp that dramatically improves the sound from the ipod in terms of dynamics and sound staging.

I should add, the joy of driving my XK8 with the top down on a beautiful day is greatly enhanced by having some high quality recordings surrounding me. I'm actually surprised by the sound of the premium factory system in my 2003 (just got it a few weeks ago). Knowing me, I'm sure I'll improve it over time, but for now it's far better than what I expected.

Sorry if I derailed the thread.

Peace -T

 

Just for info, I have had success with installing after market head units to work with the original CD changer.

There is one proviso, they have only worked with Alpine units, kind of makes sense really.

I am about to install a Alpine 305s into a 2004 Convertible, I will make up my usual surround and post some pics up. I prefer to use this type of unit as it is IPod specific and does not rely on the aux input on the front for connection, this way you don't have the mess of wires hanging around, it also has USB and bluetooth capabilities, so you can fit both a hardrive if you wish and of course the BT unit.

No probs with steering controls or connectivity

 

Thanks for the info. I had wrongly assumed that the Alpine AI-NET was completely obsolete.

 

I have already carried out a simular modification, this can be seen on this link https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/x...ontrols-56937/

Good Luck

 

I actually have a 500GB hard drive running off the usb cable...over 2000 songs, all 320kbps bit rate mp3s, about 400GB space left over. one of JVCs selling points for me

 

You know that there are systems out there with built-in hard drives.
Pioneer has several units like this.

2000 songs, wholly cow, I could drive all year and never hear the same song twice.

 

I'm with Terrapin, the "trend" (or fait accompli, really) of CD changers going away is really a disservice to the music. I really enjoy the convenience of my iPod's vast library, but you can't beat the sound of a full CD recording. The iPod/Streaming music has been put through a mathematical calculation that literally strips away the "data" that it determines is redundant, or to "complicated" for most people's ears to tell. That's how they get 700MB of data down to a few dozen MB. And don't even get me started on Dolby Pro Logic or DTS, which upmixes (or re-integrates the sounds lost through compression by ANOTHER algorithm to put some of what was lost back!).

I'm currently designing my new XKR sound system. Because of my unnatural need to keep the stock HU, I'm going through hell and high water to expand the system that Jaguar put so many tight controls on. And spending $ to do it.

So to bring it back to Mick's original post- I support you keeping that CD changer in, and also getting a new Head Unit. You'll end up with a better sounding system, at only marginally more cost than trying to do what I'm doing. And if you have a iPhone/iPod, go with XKRacer's suggestion of an HU with integrated iPod specific connections. If you use a generic "aux" port, while more "universal", it creates more distortion from the iPod. iPod specific connections use the pre-amp signal from the iphone's bottom connector, and not the post-amp headphone jack. You get more sound distortion if you're amping up an already amped signal.

Good luck with the upgrade and let us know how it goes.

 

Crispy, precisely my logic for using the portable hard drive - CD quality sound w/o noticeable compression of the music.

As for as HUs with built-in hard drives, I'm sure there are some out there, but not in a single-din with DVD video capability. Essentially its the same thing, but I can now keep getting larger drives, for relatively cheap ($75 for this last one) if my library ever exceeds this amount (which I highly doubt). Plus, its portable, so I can take it wherever I go, such as to my office.

good luck with your audio upgrade crispy, final product will surely be nice!

 

Hi there, I am interested in knowing more details about this. I have a 2004 XK8 with the trunk (boot) mounted CD changer and the amplifier. I would like to know if when installing the new head unit, do you maintain the use of the amp (I think I read where the CD changer is still used, but I read nothing about if the amp is still used). I don't want to have to rewire to the speakers from a new HU, which is why I would like to use the existing amp. Also, I am interested in the blue tooth option, and I want my Garmin audio to work through the system, which I think can work using the audio interrupt input. Have you had any experience with any of what I am interested in here? Thanks, Steve

 

You have to rewire partially.
just break into the under the armrest plug to tap into your speaker cables.
So just run new speaker cables from the HU to the armrest and connect the lot together. Don't forget to disconnect the amp in the boot.
you have to remove the armrest anyway, so it is easily done.

You can use the IAnet cable towards the amplifier and reuse it for the cd changer.