SQ: Saab 9-3 Aero from the UK

[Griffin dai]

Hi, I'm Dave from the UK & following on from this thread here's my SQ build so far on my Saab.
http://www.bilstereoforum.se/showthread.php?t=33715

Probably best to just add any info (and help advice please....because I really need it!!) here and I'll update the project as I go on.

Here's the car, its a 2005 Saab 9-3 V6 Aero


I've done a little bit to it on the performance/handling side but wanted to concentrate more on the audio with this car then go mad on the power later this year and probably go for JZW's 20t tune.

So far I've done:
JZW Stage 1 remap (approx 320bhp & 415ft/lbs)
BSR Optiflow kit
Bilstein B8 dampers
Eibach springs
Maptun Strut Brace
EBC Yellow Stuff R pads
Mtec dimpled discs
HEL lines
RBF 600 fluid
Uniroyal Rainsport 3 tyres

I think that's about it on the go faster bits! The clutch needs upgrading though as it's not up to the extra torque, then needs a dyno to see what it's really putting down)

Onto the more interesting stuff! Music!

[Griffin dai]

Re: Saab 9-3 Aero from the UK

Here's the system that came with the car, got pretty lucky here as it's the full 13 speaker system but still sounds dreadful



ICM2 & single CD player (which doesn't work! But the Aux in works fine)


So there's no physical head unit on these like normal cars, the thing in the picture above is the Infotainment Control Module (icm 2 here) and the actual head unit is hidden behind the heater panel and called the EHU (Entertainment Head Unit) which pretty much controls everything via fibre optics and this fibre optic loop needs to be maintained to keep they system working plus have all the warning tones and turn signal bing/bongs working. Remove one of the amps or cad player and it doesn't work! you have to put in a loop back.

On this system the EHU powers the 3.5" dash mids and tweeters plus the 4" rear shelf mids & tweeters, then there's an amp under the passenger seat (AMP1) which powers the door 6.5" woofers and 4" centre dash mid. And one more amp (AMP2) which powers the rear 6x9 woofers. All speakers are 4ohm except for the 6.5" door speakers which are 2ohm. And its sort of an active set up wiith all speakers getting their separate frequencies from the EHU/amps so you have high for the tweeters, mid for the 3.5" & 4" mids and low for the 6.5" & 6x9's

Probably the worst system I've ever heard! I've removed the 6.5 & 6x9's now to fit new and with just the smaller dash & shelf speakers fitted its god awful! Really feel sorry for the guys with the basic set up as its a right pain to upgrade to this and still not much better.....I love my Saabs but this is crap

Basically its a real pain to upgrade!

[Griffin dai]

Re: Saab 9-3 Aero from the UK

What I've decided to do was run an independent system but keep most of the original one fitted as I want to keep it easy to put back to standard when I sell up in a few years (lesson learnt after the last Saab!)

So I'm keeping the EHU, ICM, Amps 1&2 fitted as normal but removing the CD player and looping the fibre optics to keep it working (but radio switched off) also keeping the rear 4" & tweeters fitted as they're not getting replaced but I've swapped the 6x9's for some Genesis P69 subs to give a cleaner bass and tie me over until I'm all done (really impressed with these!)

The CD players now gone and replaced with a Pioneer DEX-P99RS, took me months & month of searching to find a nice 4 way unit, and considered a Clarion DRZ9255 from the states, then missed out on a Pioneer P90 combo as my signal went on the phone so gave up and decided to just keep my DEH-80PRS from the old car, then a used p99rs popped up on ebay so had to have it! Ticks all the boxes and seems a logical step up from the 80prs...looks nice too!



I need to tidy this up though and cover the gaps either side, I'll try and cut the old CD players facia first to fit over it and make it look half decent!

Speakers again I considered a few different brands, budget was £350 (max) here so couldn't afford anything new & high end and mainly looked for 2 way. Choices were Morel Hybrid Ovation, Audison Voce K6 and a couple offerings from Focal. Then noticed these Sinfoni S series comps on ebay but they were way over budget at £750 so forgot about them, then they dropped down to £650 and then came within budget so stuck a bid in and won them for just over £300! Bargain! Took a massive gamble on these as I couldn't find any info on them and nobody recommended them, but I think the gambles paid off!

For the amps I was going to keep my old DLS A7 but decided to sell this and get a pair of Genesis series 3 instead. I've gone for a Dual Mono and Four Channel.



Sadly though these might be sold next month as I need the cash for a clutch! So I've sourced a few old 90's amps cheap off ebay, mainly Caliber but also a RF punch and a Denon DCA800. I'be gone a bit ott with the amps and started a small collection of White Caliber Competition amps! I've to another one coming this week



For the subs I considered a CDT 10" or another Focal 27kx but decided to go for a pair of Morel SW 9's instead. Not strictly subs I know and more mid bass, but should see me ok. I'm not after a deep deep rumbling sound anyway just a nice controlled bass.

[ChriZtoffer]

Re: Saab 9-3 Aero from the UK

Nice to see you and your car here! It's not very common with 9-3SS builds here in Sweden, most people only change speakers and stays happy with that. Sometimes someone may put in some damping material in the doors and maybe ad an amplifier to the doorspeakers, but that's unusual. So it's nice to see someone build a real system. If you want to you can take a look at my own 9-3SS build, sadly tough it's all in Swedish but at least you can look at the pictures, or use Google translate.

[Griffin dai]

Re: Saab 9-3 Aero from the UK

Nice to see you and your car here! It's not very common with 9-3SS builds here in Sweden, most people only change speakers and stays happy with that. Sometimes someone may put in some damping material in the doors and maybe ad an amplifier to the doorspeakers, but that's unusual. So it's nice to see someone build a real system. If you want to you can take a look at my own 9-3SS build, sadly tough it's all in Swedish but at least you can look at the pictures, or use Google translate.

Thanks mate, I'm around 1/4 way through reading your build! Pretty awesome work there! My skill level isn't up there so I'm a bit limited with what I can do But I'll have a go at some fibreglass dash pods this year and see how I get on!

I skipped through it quickly a couple months back when I found this forum but thought I'd better get reading from the start as its full of info! I'll be spending another hour on it tonight! Google translates been earning its money this week!

[ChriZtoffer]

Re: Saab 9-3 Aero from the UK

If you get stuck at some point, just ask! I think i know most parts of these cars throughout by now. But you've allreade figured out the tricky part ("replacing" the in dash CD) so i think you'll do great with the rest of the build.

[Hewi]

Re: Saab 9-3 Aero from the UK

Nice!

I have heard this Sinfoni speakers in a 2-way setup and correctly mounted them sounds awesome!

[Griffin dai]

Re: Saab 9-3 Aero from the UK

If you get stuck at some point, just ask! I think i know most parts of these cars throughout by now. But you've allreade figured out the tricky part ("replacing" the in dash CD) so i think you'll do great with the rest of the build.

Thanks, I'll no doubt be asking some questions over the coming weeks. I'm at the stage now whee I can finally for the amps and speakers

[Griffin dai]

Re: Saab 9-3 Aero from the UK

Nice!

I have heard this Sinfoni speakers in a 2-way setup and correctly mounted them sounds awesome!

That's good to know! I took a bit of a gamble on these as nobody recommended them. I know the Sinfoni amps are highly regarded but no idea about the speakers. Once I sort the cars performance side (spec 3+ clutch & JZW stage 3+) I'll be looking to upgrade the amps again to a couple Sinfoni Amplitude.

Trie updating this last night but photobuckets not working again

[zrken]

Re: Saab 9-3 Aero from the UK

A killer bunch of components definitely!
We've a guy at the forum who build similarly looking Sinfoni in an Audi A6.. Even at the time I had my demo it wasent really configured it still blew my soundsystem thirsty soul away....

[JohanH]

Re: Saab 9-3 Aero from the UK

Damn...i wanted those on ebay...
Let me know if you are going to sell them in the future...one of mine tweeters is damaged so i run them from 8k now.

And it is an A4 i have...not A6
It sounds way beter now...

Amplitude series is a nice match for the speakers.. You'all find some amps on ebay.
Shadow edition works best on the mids for me, extreme controll and fast.
Tested it on the 4" and tweeter with the sinfoni passive crossover but..it sounded..not good.
Amplitude is warmer sounding and very natural..lots of power so forget the specified power

Not to many people have the speakers but..they cost around 5600 usd so it's not that strange

[Griffin dai]

Re: Saab 9-3 Aero from the UK

$5,600!!!!! Costs more than the car!
I guess that's why nobody recommended these then! My budget was only £350

How do these compare to Morel Ultimo? That's the other set I got offered but they were around £550 used.

Sinfoni amps are definitely on the cards once the performance sides done, I was going to get one sooner but this clutch needs upgrading asap!

[Griffin dai]

Re: Saab 9-3 Aero from the UK

In the last car I just used a cheap dual amp Autoleads 0 gauge kit which was ok but a pain to instal, was also CCA (copper clad aluminium) the wires protective jacket was very thick and wasn't truly 0 gauge imo, more like 4...so not the best really! Still decent value though but wanted something better for this car.

This time I've gone for a KnuKonceptz 0 gauge Kolossus kit which is miles better quality OFC copper cable (excellent quality for the price!) nice & thick and easy to work with which is a big bonus...





Also bought some Knukonceptz Kolossus 4awg wire to use between the distro block and amps, plus to beef up some cabling in the engine bay later on when I do TB3.


All to be covered with polyester braid to add a little protection and colour coded as I'll have to use the same cable for both +ve & -ve so don't want to get confused with the same colour wire! Also looks better!


Also bought a couple meters 70mm2 pure copper welding cable from ebay.



So now have enough wiring!

[Griffin dai]

Re: Saab 9-3 Aero from the UK

That wiring kit I bought comes with its own fuse holder but that wil be used for TB3 later on. (My 'later on' list is getting longer & longer)

To keep it a nice clean instal I decided to splash out on an Audison combined power/earth distro block.

Audison Connection SFD41C Combined Earth/Live Fused Distribution Block


This takes 0awg power in, splits it into 1x 2awg & 3x 4awg out and the same for the earth side. Keeps it nice for a cleaner instal instead of having cables running everywhere to separate blocks like last time, plus lets me add up to 4 amps now instead of just 2 like the last car.

[Griffin dai]

Re: Saab 9-3 Aero from the UK

So that fancy fuse block will go in the boot with the amps, at the battery end I've got this to fit-

Audison Connection BFH-11 0awg fuse holder


Just hoping this will be ok as it gets very hot under the bonnet with this v6, plus the battery lives right next door to the turbo!