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The one thing that made me nervous about upgrading the audio system in my '99 9-3 base 5dr was the need to drill through the firewall for a +12v connection to the battery to power an amp or powered subwoofer. Just the word "firewall" and thinking about what lies close to it on either side was enough to make me pretend to be happy with the stock sound.
I'm happy to say that I took a chance and found a good workaround!! My 99 was produced in mid-summer of 1998, so it's probably one of the earlier 1999 models out there -- and I had the needed connector, so everybody probably does. The factory amplifier would sit behind the passenger kickpanel, and all 9-3s came wired for it, regardless of whether or not the SE sound package was installed. There's a two wire plug behind this panel (remove glove compartment and panel with torx driver or allen wrench) with red (positive) and black (ground) wires. That's it! It's a 12v power source and ground, all prewired -- just disconnect the battery, cut and extend the wires to the location of your amp (mine is on the back of the 60 section of the fold down seat). So here is my sound upgrade, and it sounds FANTASTIC. I have friends who have spent over five hundred dollars on audio upgrades in their Hondas and Jeeps -- I'd even go so far as to say that mine sounds better at mid-volume range, and equal at reasonable peak performance. You just need to set the fade (front/back control) to direct sound mostly to the back. The one thing that theirs have is power -- but, realistically, who needs 6,000 watts?? That's rediculous.
$20 used JBL Loud&Clear 6x9" speakers, mounted with adhesive insulation to center them in the odd sized factory hole
$24 used Sony XM235 35 watt/channel amplifier
$35 Tsunami amplifier wiring kit, spliced into factory amplifier power plug
$45 modified Saab amplifier cable, purchased from a Saabnet poster who gave up on OEM
Next project: door 6.5" speakers powered by a (smaller) low frequency amp. Now that I have a power source for all my fun, I'm no longer scared of upgrades!!
When I bought the amp wiring kit at Circuit City, I asked the kid about the Viggen parked in the employee lot and the associated audio upgrades: this guy, the manager of something in the store, was having some sort of shelf for the rear speakers built.... some people are out of control.
Cory
99 9-3 base 5dr
94K miles
Central MA
posted by 64.63.21...
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