We removed the amplifier from our 1998 Coupe last night and got a disturbing surprise -- the part number seems coupe-specific.

Here's what it says on the underside of the amp:

Jaguar Harmon/Kardon Coupe Amplifier
LJB4170 AA
A4041
280-7-A-D
Made in USA

If I can swap this unit out for the version in the convertible, I'll save about $200. Everything coupe-related seems more rare. The amp plugs into the system via two connectors, one 18-pin and the other 12-pin.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Jess

 

Slightly different installations between Coupe and Convertible. The difference being the large single Sub under the parcel shelf in the Coupe versus the twin LH and RH 'assemblies' in the Convertible.

Amplifier Part Numbers, as you already know, are different:





The 'assemblies' in the Convertible are high cost which suggests they are a lot more than just speakers and a housing. This in turn makes it likely the Amplifiers will not be directly interchangeable.

Graham

 

Looks like a nine-speaker system in the coupe versus an eight-speaker setup in the convertible. The coupe has two additional cone midbass speaker in the rear quarters that appear to be identical to the two in the front door. Meanwhile, the convertible switches out those two rear midbass drivers for two subwoofer enclosures (side note: I suspect that's why the "assemblies" are expensive, as they are formed, along with their brackets and enclosures, into a single unit); this makes sense given that a convertible would have a higher standing noise floor and potentially more potent latent wave due to the lack of a roof.

The drawings of the amps are identical, however, as is the detail of the plugs. The million-dollar question is whether the ohm loads are the same. Theoretically, if you were to plug the convertible amp into the coupe and the ohm load was different at the amp, the extent of the damage would be a fried amp at some point in the future. There shouldn't be any speaker damage (provided the amp was not trying to send subwoofer-appropriate amplitude to the rear midbass drivers in the coupe) and the radio would be unaffected.

There is, of course, one other distinct possibility: The whole thing would just sound like horsecrap.

The problem we're having at the moment is that coupe-specific replacement parts on the used-part market are going for a ton of money just because there are more convertibles than coupes.

Jess