For the last few weeks my right rear speaker started to distort with any kind of bass. It got worse and worse, I was sure that it was time for a new speaker.

Today I had enough. Searched our archives remembering David Yau, Gus, Devon Dave, and many others have posted useful feedback on nice replacements. BTW-it looks like every single one of their recommendations are no longer sold!

Okay I figured I'll just have to look harder. Now I've installed countless car stereo systems, been an audiophile all my life. Obviously I knew what a blown speaker sounds like (bet you can guess where this is going). Yes I thought, a loose speaker can distort the bass like this but there's no way it could loosen.

Well since all the recommendations are discontinued and whether you look at Crutchfield or the dozens of our threads, there is no consensus on this speaker's size! I decided to dive in and measure the speaker, confident that when I got there the foam surround would be in shreds.

Good news, you can reach in and get hold of enough of the Jaguar speaker cover tabs to remove the cover with your bare hands. I pulled it off to take a look, as I did 3 old maple leafs and a dozen pine needles fell out.

The speaker was in fine shape! Believe it or not 3 leafs and a dozen pine needles can make their way in there, and they can impede the speaker cone enough to cause annoying distortion.

So, file this away in case it happens to you someday. Wish all the troubles were this easy (and cheap!).

John

 

Thanks for sharing; things like this help us all. Nice to dodge a unneeded repair, isn't it?

 

Johnken,

Good dodge! Zero dollar fixes are great! Don’t you just hate annoying speaker buzz as you drive with music on.

 

Appreciate the suggestion. Hope it is a simple fix for my 1999 XK8. The replacement route seems complicated and expensive.
DrP