Factory Radio vs After Market
#21
11-03-2012, 07:33 PM
I have a 97 XJR - anyone else had this kind of trouble replacing the stock unit or should I find a different installer?
#22
11-03-2012, 09:26 PM
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You are using an aftermarket radio with a facory amp? I'm not an audio expert and I don't know the details of what your installing but I *think* the OEM Alpine/HK set-up was unique in some way so the notion of some re-wiring doesn't seem far fetched. If it means running new wiring to the amp, a couple hours labor doesn't seem far fetched.
Or perhaps the issue is speaker wiring?
All the speaker wiring goes to the factory amp in the trunk. If, for your installation, that wiring needs to be brought forward into the cabin I can see a couple hours labor easily.
I'm just speculating. Someone who actually knows something will come along soon enough :-)
Cheers
DD
Or perhaps the issue is speaker wiring?
All the speaker wiring goes to the factory amp in the trunk. If, for your installation, that wiring needs to be brought forward into the cabin I can see a couple hours labor easily.
I'm just speculating. Someone who actually knows something will come along soon enough :-)
Cheers
DD
#23
11-04-2012, 12:05 PM
You are using an aftermarket radio with a facory amp? I'm not an audio expert and I don't know the details of what your installing but I *think* the OEM Alpine/HK set-up was unique in some way so the notion of some re-wiring doesn't seem far fetched. If it means running new wiring to the amp, a couple hours labor doesn't seem far fetched.
Or perhaps the issue is speaker wiring?
All the speaker wiring goes to the factory amp in the trunk. If, for your installation, that wiring needs to be brought forward into the cabin I can see a couple hours labor easily.
I'm just speculating. Someone who actually knows something will come along soon enough :-)
Cheers
DD
Or perhaps the issue is speaker wiring?
All the speaker wiring goes to the factory amp in the trunk. If, for your installation, that wiring needs to be brought forward into the cabin I can see a couple hours labor easily.
I'm just speculating. Someone who actually knows something will come along soon enough :-)
Cheers
DD
This is the only one I've been able to find but I'm not sure if it's legit:
Jaguar XJR 1994 - 1997 Car Radio Wiring Harness, ISO Lead - Car Hifi Radio Adapter.eu
#24
11-04-2012, 12:15 PM
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Apparently the wiring harness I bought is for non-amplifier cars (XJ6 not XJR). I'm now looking for a wiring harness for a 97 XJR.
This is the only one I've been able to find but I'm not sure if it's legit:
Jaguar XJR 1994 - 1997 Car Radio Wiring Harness, ISO Lead - Car Hifi Radio Adapter.eu
This is the only one I've been able to find but I'm not sure if it's legit:
Jaguar XJR 1994 - 1997 Car Radio Wiring Harness, ISO Lead - Car Hifi Radio Adapter.eu
I don't think it'll work. I think that'll just cover power, ground, and lighting.
I recall two round multi-pin connectors in addition to the flat connector. Geeeez....as often as I've had the radio out you'd think I'd remember for sure! But there's at least *one* round connector required.
Cheers
DD
#25
01-19-2013, 03:59 PM
speaking of speakers...
i just bought new pair of front door 5.25 speakers for my `97, because the R front sounded terrible, like "blown" or whatever. And the new Polk one I stuck in there sounds just as terrible! Yes, i tried the wires both ways. WTH? Do head units go bad on just one channel? Other 3 speakers sound fine?? thanks.
JB
JB
#26
01-20-2013, 03:40 AM
i just bought new pair of front door 5.25 speakers for my `97, because the R front sounded terrible, like "blown" or whatever. And the new Polk one I stuck in there sounds just as terrible! Yes, i tried the wires both ways. WTH? Do head units go bad on just one channel? Other 3 speakers sound fine?? thanks.
JB
JB
If you're not talking about a Jag unit then I don't know what to suggest!
#27
01-25-2013, 11:35 PM
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So - I have been following the thread and bought the wiring adapter from the UK that adapts the OEM radio harness to an ISO connector. Big problem - all the stereos I am looking at have a 16 pin connector? So now what? How have you installed a new stereo with the ISO? BTW - OEM radio tanked and would not even turn on so was looking at a Pioneer unit with Bluetooth that also can be green to match the other interior lighting.
#28
01-26-2013, 04:36 PM
So - I have been following the thread and bought the wiring adapter from the UK that adapts the OEM radio harness to an ISO connector. Big problem - all the stereos I am looking at have a 16 pin connector? So now what? How have you installed a new stereo with the ISO? BTW - OEM radio tanked and would not even turn on so was looking at a Pioneer unit with Bluetooth that also can be green to match the other interior lighting.
As far as I know, a pre-made X300-to-Pioneer adapter does not exist.
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#29
01-26-2013, 08:25 PM
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Your head unit will come with an open ended harness (Pioneer socket on one end, bare wires on other). If you have an X300-to-something adapter, then just cut off the 'something' and make your own adapter with the Pioneer one.
As far as I know, a pre-made X300-to-Pioneer adapter does not exist.
As far as I know, a pre-made X300-to-Pioneer adapter does not exist.
#30
01-26-2013, 10:19 PM
Yes, they will be listed in the manual, and the wires might even be tagged.
#31
01-26-2013, 11:02 PM
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#32
04-14-2013, 11:50 AM
I had the clock reworked by ModuleMaster.com with a lifetime guarantee on the LCD unit, all for under $100.00. I'm sure yours radio does look good. You ought to post some pics so we all can enjoy. I'm am pleased with mine though. JVC has always been a fav of mine. Thanks for your opinion.
Here is mine...
#34
08-21-2013, 01:33 PM
#37
06-24-2020, 06:26 PM
Hi Bob. Where did you get the facia face plate and wire harness
I need to fill you guys in first about my story before I get to the meat of this Title.
When I first brought this amazing car (1997 XJ6 {X300}), I completely fell in love! She had a few issues, but she deserved to shine! I wanted to bring her back like as she rolled off the assembly line. No varying, no substitute, she had to be original. So, I hunted down part after part. When I came to the radio, I found someone on eBay, who had one that had been factory reconditioned with a year warranty; the one I had worked except that the display was out. With the ski slope bezel, I knew it would be difficult to go with an after-market one. That in itself confirmed my ideas to keep it original. I won that bid and received the radio in about a week. But I wanted to play my IPod, so I found an item (MONSTER iCruze) that allowed me to disconnect my CD Changer and use the M-Bus connector on the radio, to hook up this device to play my IPod and keep everything as original as possible. Sounds perfect, right? Wrong. Well the new radio wouldn’t recognize the iCruze interface adapter. The display shows ‘NOT CONT’. So, I installed the original one back in and it did work, but the display was still out. I contacted the guy on eBay and he gave me such a run around and finally after 3 weeks we worked out a compromise and had Alpine rework the radio. When I got it back, it would work intermittently. Sometimes the iCruze would lock up and wouldn’t turn off. This meant I had to pull the unit out again, to get to the area behind the radio so I could disconnect & reconnect it. Then the display lights started acting up…….. A guy can only take so much, so I broke down and searched the internet for an after-market radio that had all the features I was looking for but that wouldn’t look weird in my console. I found a fascia adapter in the UK with the harness adapter that meant I didn’t have to cut into the radio harness and if I should ever want it back as factory, I could do it without any problems.
I found a receiver that I think I can be happy with, A JVC Arsenal KD-A725, It has a lot features but I won’t go into all of them except a few. One that I like is it has a separated variable color display, so I can match my dash lighting, but it can also cycle through all the colors continuously for a really cool effect. It also has two USB inputs (front & rear), AUX input jack, and an Expansion port for other external components.
I had to change out the speakers also, because the front two were blown. So decided to change out the front and rear and I went with Kicker KS600. Overall it went well. I would have prefered to keep the original equipment but, it was not performing like I thought it should. so I've opt'd to change to after-market with the option to revert if need be.
Here is the final result of all my work. How does it look?
When I first brought this amazing car (1997 XJ6 {X300}), I completely fell in love! She had a few issues, but she deserved to shine! I wanted to bring her back like as she rolled off the assembly line. No varying, no substitute, she had to be original. So, I hunted down part after part. When I came to the radio, I found someone on eBay, who had one that had been factory reconditioned with a year warranty; the one I had worked except that the display was out. With the ski slope bezel, I knew it would be difficult to go with an after-market one. That in itself confirmed my ideas to keep it original. I won that bid and received the radio in about a week. But I wanted to play my IPod, so I found an item (MONSTER iCruze) that allowed me to disconnect my CD Changer and use the M-Bus connector on the radio, to hook up this device to play my IPod and keep everything as original as possible. Sounds perfect, right? Wrong. Well the new radio wouldn’t recognize the iCruze interface adapter. The display shows ‘NOT CONT’. So, I installed the original one back in and it did work, but the display was still out. I contacted the guy on eBay and he gave me such a run around and finally after 3 weeks we worked out a compromise and had Alpine rework the radio. When I got it back, it would work intermittently. Sometimes the iCruze would lock up and wouldn’t turn off. This meant I had to pull the unit out again, to get to the area behind the radio so I could disconnect & reconnect it. Then the display lights started acting up…….. A guy can only take so much, so I broke down and searched the internet for an after-market radio that had all the features I was looking for but that wouldn’t look weird in my console. I found a fascia adapter in the UK with the harness adapter that meant I didn’t have to cut into the radio harness and if I should ever want it back as factory, I could do it without any problems.
I found a receiver that I think I can be happy with, A JVC Arsenal KD-A725, It has a lot features but I won’t go into all of them except a few. One that I like is it has a separated variable color display, so I can match my dash lighting, but it can also cycle through all the colors continuously for a really cool effect. It also has two USB inputs (front & rear), AUX input jack, and an Expansion port for other external components.
I had to change out the speakers also, because the front two were blown. So decided to change out the front and rear and I went with Kicker KS600. Overall it went well. I would have prefered to keep the original equipment but, it was not performing like I thought it should. so I've opt'd to change to after-market with the option to revert if need be.
Here is the final result of all my work. How does it look?
#38
06-25-2020, 04:01 AM
Senior Member
The facia plate is available form lots of places, but I got mine here
https://incartec.co.uk/part-search?s=50-158
The harnes depends on which system you have, premium or standard.
This is the premium one,
https://incartec.co.uk/part-search?s=20-277
standard
https://incartec.co.uk/product/Jagua...Radio-ISO-lead
https://incartec.co.uk/part-search?s=50-158
The harnes depends on which system you have, premium or standard.
This is the premium one,
https://incartec.co.uk/part-search?s=20-277
standard
https://incartec.co.uk/product/Jagua...Radio-ISO-lead
Last edited by Cafcpete; 06-25-2020 at 01:48 PM.
#39
12-19-2021, 04:10 PM
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Premium stereo options, keep factory or put in new head unit?
I just purchased a 96 XJR, stereo is amazing with all the tweeters and amp, even the display is fine, except for the....you guessed it, volume control button. It is wonky! I understand a wiring harness is available from the UK to switch out the head unit but I have some questions about that:
1. will that allow the original system to work properly, including the tweeters and amp?
2. Will the new/modern unit still interface with the antenna and CD player?
3. If I do refurbish the old head unit, is there and adapter that can be installed so that I can use the factory head unit and also plug into my phone? I have this on my factory Bose system in my old Acura, works great!
Thanks in advance,
1. will that allow the original system to work properly, including the tweeters and amp?
2. Will the new/modern unit still interface with the antenna and CD player?
3. If I do refurbish the old head unit, is there and adapter that can be installed so that I can use the factory head unit and also plug into my phone? I have this on my factory Bose system in my old Acura, works great!
Thanks in advance,
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