Basic needs, hopefully a simple answer...97 Jaguar XJ6...

[sayhitobaldy]

Hey, all--

I've got a 97 Jaguar Vanden Plas sedan. I upgraded the stereo and speakers to make my commutes more fun, but I'm still not happy with the result. I'm hoping you guys can help me get better sound. Here's what I did, and what I'm looking for...

I swapped out the head unit for a JVC KD PDR40, 50w x 4. It was the only one I could find in stores that hooked to the base of my iPod, not the earphone out. The head unit works just fine--I like it.

Jaguar mid-90's sedans are just not made to take great speakers....they only offer four ports, one in each door, for 6.5" speakers. Also, my install guys tell me that the space for them is very shallow, so this really limits what I can put in the doors. I swapped out the Jag factory speakers with the best I could find in-store (Fry's) that would fit, but I had almost no choices.

I had a Kenwood wOOx KSC-SW10 installed to help out with the bass. It's definitely helped.

Here's what's up: after a couple of years, I'm still not satisfied with the sound. The wOOx really only offers some subwoof 'thump', and a bit distorted at that. And the door speakers? I can't count on them for anything but pretty shallow sound, and I strain them all the time. Basically, I get high end from the doors and low thump from the wOOx.

It seems to me that the door ports are just not going to do anything but provide high end. I need to get something bigger and better than the wOOx in the back...something that will give me mid and low end. Fellas I know have said "You need a Bazooka", etc. You can't cut into the rear deck of a Jag because the gas tank is right underneath.

I'm looking for a recommendation for something I can put on the rear seats (it's a big sedan) that will give me some nice sound, and that I can disconnect easily and throw in the trunk when I have passengers in the back. Currently, the wOOx is set up to be easily disconnected (it fits in a footwell) and be tucked away.....I need something bigger to rest on the rear seats, that I can stow in the trunk when need be (I've got a nice-sized trunk).

So, gents--can you help with a recommendation? I don't know the first thing about separate speaker systems...

1. A self-contained unit I can put on the rear seats to give me some decent sound...a tube or box that will give me some decent-sized speakers, and light enough that I can disconnect it and toss it in the trunk when I take people out to lunch. I don't need a monster unit the size of a tailgating cooler...more like 1' x 2' or so.

2. If anyone is an expert with the doors in mid-90s XJ6s or XJRs, I'll take recommendations for the four door units....something that's durable and will fit in the shallow ports? I guess Jaguar doesn't give much room for door speakers.

Thanks a million for any advice.

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[Eddie_24 10+ year member]

Why not just buy 1 good subwoofer and a decent sized enclosure and put it in the trunk on a permanent basis? That way you dont have to constantly move it back nd forth when you have people riding in the back. The reason I said 1 subwoofer because from the things you've said I can tell you aren't a "bass head", and you're just looking for a spruced up sound system in your car. Add 1 good 12" woofer in your trunk with a good box, it doesnt have to be some insanely loud sub, just one that will give you the bass you need. I'd say a sub in the 400-500RMS range will impress you much better than what you're using right now.

 

[Eddie_24 10+ year member]

Oh and sweet car by the way.

Simple answer: Buy 1 Sub/Box/Amp to power it and put it in the trunk.

 

[sayhitobaldy]

Yeah, definitely not a 'bass head'...but do like my trance/house.

Problem: when I was initially researching, guys told me to forget about putting anything in the trunk, because the XJ6's fuel tank--between the trunk and back seat--is too huge. It severely dampens anything coming into the cabin. Jag's engineers have really made it tough to solve audio problems.

Question: what about the mids? That's where my real problem is. The door speakers are too small to give me any mid-richness whatsoever. I mean, what I imagine is the equivalent to a good pair of small studio monitors...with 9" cones. That would be enough for me, I think.

 

[keep_hope_alive Premium Member]

the door speakers suffer from two things

1. low quality coaxial speakers

2. no treatment on doors/baffles to ensure a good seal.

you lack warmth and bass from the speakers because you didn't seal them up well at all. any gaps, any holes in the door = cancellation.

see my build log for how i install speakers (link in sig). simple drop-ins usually give very poor results.

 

[Eddie_24 10+ year member]

and companys like Kicker, Rockford Fosgate, Alpine, Kenwood, all make speakers that would go in your door speaker holes.

 

[sayhitobaldy]

Hmm, hope, I think you're onto something with the baffling. Let me look into that. And I can always upgrade the speakers.

And thanks for the compliment, Eddie...it is a sweet ride. I got it so that it felt like relaxing on a cushy leather sofa in notorious LA traffic....but I'm looking for richness in the sound, too.

 

[Eddie_24 10+ year member]

Hmm, hope, I think you're onto something with the baffling. Let me look into that. And I can always upgrade the speakers.
And thanks for the compliment, Eddie...it is a sweet ride. I got it so that it felt like relaxing on a cushy leather sofa in notorious LA traffic....but I'm looking for richness in the sound, too.

Lol, thats whats up.

Id upgrade the speakers if you want the sound to be rich, theres much better coaxial speakers out there, and you can always get a component speaker system. I think theyd offer you the better sound honestly.

 

[TheUnderFighter 10+ year member]

You're in a fortunate area that we also have several members on this forum that are rather local to you; that could probably help you out if you needed it.

For your door speaker problems: You have crumby speakers in there. And the doors are not sealed up or deadened or treated for acoustics at all. There are plenty shallow mount component speaker options out there for ya. And your doors are 6.5", the best size you can have!

As for the gas tank being between the trunk and the cabin, and blocking out sound... I don't know about that. I know the Kenwood wOOx is a terrible supplement though. And having a subwoofer enclosure on your rear seat is a recipe for disaster if you ever get in an accident. That is a missile for your head. Hopefully we can find some Jag enthusiasts on here that have experience with bass in the trunk.

 

[sayhitobaldy]

Good point about the rear-end collision decapitation scenario.

I'm going to start with upgrading the door speakers and baffling like mad. I'll start with the two fronts and see if I can enrichen the sound, and work from there.

I've found a variety of Kickers on crutchfield.com that the site says will fit an XJ6.

If I feel I want to add more, I can put a simple subwoof in the trunk for some thump.

Thanks, gents--I knew it was just an easy solution if I just asked the right people.....

 

---------- Post added at 12:52 PM ---------- Previous post was at 12:51 PM ----------

 

And yes, the wOOx basically sounds like having a baby in the back seat going "PBBT, PBBT, PBBT" with their mouth.

 

[shpatb 10+ year member]

Adding a 4 channel amp to the inside speakers would also help out a lot. Almost anything is better then just head unit power.

 

[raptor727 10+ year member]

Well if your still stuck on the backseat idea a infinity basslink should suit you fine imo just put a breaker switch right by the basslink under the seat so you can disconnect power when take it out... just a thought

 

[sayhitobaldy]

Thanks--these are all good recs that I'm looking into.