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Not wanting to put an amp in the hatch of my 9-3, but wanting a reasonable amp to power two new 16cm door speakers, I have been searching for something that might fit in the Saab OEM amp location behind the front passenger kick-plate.
I have found what I think is a good solution, but I now have a couple of questions that I have not seen discussed in the other amp discussions.
The MTX Road Thunder 2120 (RT2120) is a small, efficient, 50Wx2 amp that is 6"x9"x2" (not counting the mounting feet) and runs fairly cool. Using a book of similar dimensions, I have verified that it will fit behind the kick-plate if positioned so the 9" dimension is parallel to the floor.
Now the question is how to mount/secure it in there? The only "fixed" item behind the kick plate seems to be an "A"-shaped metal bracket toward passenger seat end of the kick-plate area, but it does not line up with the mounting feet of the amp (it is behind the amp body and between the mounting feet). The other potential issue is that toward the firewall end of the kick-plate area, there appears to be some kind of pivot joint with plastic arms coming off the joint...although I can't figure out what it does or if/when it moves. The back side of the front end of the amp would sit beside this pivot joint. I don't think it would impede movement, but without knowing more about what it does, I am not sure. The interesting thing is I can't figure out what the Saab OEM amp would even attach to down there for that matter...
Most people with a 2000 base model 9-3 (as mine is) have said that they found the wiring for the door speakers already in place. While looking behind the kick plate, I only saw two medium-sized connectors. One blue and one sort of a brown-purple color. If I remember previous discussions here, one of those is the connector that plugs into the Saab OEM amp and the other is the connector for the Saab hands free cell phone unit. Should I have seen two other connectors for the speakers?
I hope to get around to installing this between Christmas and New Year's so if anyone has any ideas on these questions, I would greatly appreciate your advice. (I sound-tested the MTX amp at Sears and it did a great job for such a little amp...and this amp is on sale right now at Circuit City through the end of December. I have no connection with Circuit City, that is just what I saw when in the store last week.)
Mark
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