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saab 9-3 audio upgrade - my long story
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Posted by thin2win [Email] (more from thin2win) on Sun, 22 Jan 2006 17:11:33 Share Post by Email
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I just finished upgrading the audio on my 2001 9-3 with aftermarket components, using the Audio System 3 as a model. There's so much good information on Saabnet, both in the audioguide FAQ and in the messages, that I wanted to say "thanks" and add to the available knowledge in hopes that other audio upgrade novices can learn from my experience.

First, to get started, the audioguide FAQ at http://audioguide.saabnet.com has the basics you need to know. There are a few changes for the OG 9-3 vs. the NG 900. I started with dash and rear speaker upgrades and then decided to continue with the audio system 3 configuration because I didn't want to run any additional speaker cables.

Dash Speaker Upgrade

As many people have posted, this is dead easy and the best use of your money and time. You just need a stubby torx screwdriver, or a torx bit set and a magnetic holder. The only difficulty was deciding the polarity of the speaker wires, since they're labelled "1" and "2" rather than the normal "+" and "-". I picked 1/+ and 2/- and that seemed fine. Get the best four ohm speakers you can put your mitts on. I got Infinity Kappa 32.5s. Sound clarity is so much improved that this should be a mandatory upgrade for all OG 9-3 owners.

Rear Speaker Upgrade

Following the dash upgrade, you can improve bass response with better 6x9s in the rear. Several posters have said that the rear speaker upgrade is not as cost effective as the dash upgrade, and that's true, but it's still worthwhile in my opinion. It's been suggested that the stock head unit doesn't have enough power to drive a top-notch 6x9, so I decided to select a less expensive 6x9 that would have high efficiency, a low stated minimum power requirement, and good stated bass frequency response. The Pioneer TS-A6971R had the right specs for around $65: 93db sensitivity, 28 Hz bass, 2-40 watt power. It's not really audiophile quality like the Infinity Kappa line, but if you don't bother with the door speakers, you mostly want the rear speakers to pump out bass, and if you do put in the door speakers, then ask yourself just how much you care about the sound quality for your back seat passengers.

This install is only slightly harder than the dash install. You will want a right-angle ratcheting screwdriver for your torx bits and probably a thin spacer for your speakers - the Pioneer basket was just a little too large. After the install, there was a noticeable improvement in bass depth and tightness. Note that I had to roll off the treble and boost bass on the head unit EQ, because the new rear speakers had much better treble response than the factory units. The back seat sound is bottom heavy with this EQ setting.

Door Speaker and Amp Upgrade

After hearing how good the speaker upgrades sounded, I wanted to follow through with an aftermarket equivalent to the "subwoofer" in the 9-3SE. I struggled a bit with this upgrade so I hope any other novice installers reading this report will learn from my experience - and I hope expert installers will at least get a little chuckle out of it.

You do have the option to buy a complete factory upgrade kit, maybe from a specialist Saab junkyard, and that might be the best approach, since there is so much custom work required for this upgrade. There are several difficulties to overcome: (1) the custom 8-pin DIN cable; (2) the small and awkward mounting location for the stock subwoofer amp; (3) the door speaker mounting. While aftermarket parts are undoubtedly better, the installation difficulty makes it hard to take advantage of the potential improvement in component quality.

Before starting, acquire the Haynes guide for the Saab 900 (NG), which will give you a better chance of removing the glove box, kick panel, and door panels without breaking any clips. Look around for push pins, there's one in the glovebox that I wasn't expecting. You'll probably want a torx screwdriver set to go with your torx bits, and a 10mm wrench too.

To make the 8 pin DIN cable, look at the wiring diagram from the audio FAQ at http://audioguide.saabnet.com/saab_images/pre_outXxX.GIF. For the OG 9-3 you *must* use a straight male 8 pin DIN plug (not angled). You can order the plug from digikey.com. The DIN plug is small, so you have to cut up a cheap RCA stereo cord - a good stereo cord won't fit. You also will need a "helping hands" stand and a fresh tip on your soldering iron. A DIN radio removal tool will make it easier to get the head unit out of the dash.

Now you have to fit a small 2-channel amplifier into the space where the stock amp goes. I could not find a new amp from a well-known manufacturer that would fit. I ended up with a Power Acoustik PS-120, which is a cheap little amp measuring about 5" x 9" x 2". It fit pretty easily in the space but there wasn't a huge amount of room left. Mounting the amp was a hassle, because the existing A-bracket won't fit an aftermarket amp, and I could only find two pre-drilled holes in the A-bracket. I made up an adaptor from a piece of 1" welding steel stock, cut to the length of the amp and with 4 holes drilled to match the A bracket and amp holes.. Aluminum stock would have been a better choice as it would be easier to work with. I don't recommend my method in any case, so be aware that you will have to create some type of mounting adaptor.

Also, since this is supposed to be a sort of pseudo-subwoofer using 6.5" midbass speakers, we need an active crossover. I could not find a small enough amplifier that had a built-in x-over, so I went with a cheap subwoofer x-over. The highest x-over frequency is 120Hz, but that's OK because it sounds like the dash Kappa 32.5s are getting close to that. I drilled some more holes in the A bracket to mount the x-over above the amp. Finally, since the stock head unit is reputed to only put out 4 or 5 volts for the remote turn on, I ordered a low voltage turn on. It might be possible to use a 6V relay here (also from digikey). I thought the electronic turn-on would stop the amp from thumping, but it didn't, so a relay would have worked just as well if the head unit voltage was high enough.

For the door speakers, there are a couple of companies making standalone 6.5" midbass drivers, or you could buy a 6.5" component set and throw away the tweeters and crossover. I bought some Visonik midbass drivers on a hunch. Not everyone is impressed with the Visonik brand, but these particular drivers seem to be pretty good build quality. The speakers came with an exceptionally detailed set of speaker specifications userful for building sealed or vented enclosures, so I am convinced that Visonik is serious about bass response, if nothing else.

The OG 9-3 has the door speaker cables prewired, so the toughest part of the install - once you get the door panel off - is making spacers to fit the existing mounting holes. The existing location has three mounting bolt holes making an equilateral triangle around the speaker hole. I jigsawed a spacer from 5/8" particleboard, with an inner hole for the speaker basket, and three "ears" extending the particleboard out to the three mounting holes. The spacers look homemade, but no one will notice with the door panels back on. The 5/8" depth is just barely enough. I had to force the left side speaker down a little because the spacer ears were off center. 7/8" MDF or clear pine would be a better choice.

After a few retries to get all the mounting pieces made and to correct some install problems, the door speakers are fully functional. They do improve the audio experience a great deal. With the bass coming from the front doors, there's a sense of being enveloped in the sound, and now the Kappas in the dash can truly show off. Plus, the back seat sound is much better, since I now have to roll off the bass a bit on the head unit EQ. I am definitely enjoying the bigger sound and hoping that my amateurish install holds together for a while.






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