I have an Italian version of Saab 9-3 bought in 2003. It came standard with 7 loudspeakers and 1 amplifier connected to the built in CD-radio. Saab has an optional to upgrade this audio system with an additional 6 speakers and 1 more amplifier. The final result would still be a crappy sound (I tested it): to make it better few loudspeakers need to be replaced and the 2 amplifiers need to be replaced too. Unfortunately the CD-radio cannot be replaced (at least should I want to keep the overall cost of this exercize still accessable to my wallet) because it is strongly interconnetted with too many other funcions.
The CD-radio talks with the amplifiers via fiber-optics (proprietary protocol by Saab). This means that I cannot replace the amplifiers.
I have the same problem...I cn't beleive the money we spend on this car and the stereo system is pretty bad. I have the same set-up n my linear. I also have the 6 disk in dash cd player. I have been tring to find info on how to upgrade the head unit (player) and the speakers. lease let me know if you find any other info. Sorry I have nothing of value to add to your post!
Well ... nobody knows, not even the specialists at Saab (Italy).
Never mind. Here my last findings.
1) No way to manipulate either the radio or the existing amplifier.
2) Fiber Optics and a proprietary LAN are preventing any non-Saab amplifier/CD exchanger to be integrated.
3) Unfortunately the Amplifier which drives the 16cm cones in the front doors requires those to be 2 ohms (otherwise it is not powerful enough). The existing ones are not completely crap, but ther are much better available in the market. Unfortunately 2 ohm reduces the choice.
4) Since the radio doesn't go out with RCA (low voltage) signals, the only way to get the input for a second amplifier is to use the high-voltage one (the one which goes to the loudspeakers). Either using the Amplifier high-input or using any 30$ tool which convert high-voltage into RCA (Pioneer has one).
5) In the trunk there is it a couple of cables available for the second (Saab) Amplifier (positive and negative), but they are too thin (at least for me) therefore I decided to connet my positive directly to the battery. I'm studying now where to pass the firewall.
6) The front (left and right) speakers had (at least in my case) the polarity reversed. This was producing a strange sound, not completely bad but not a stereo sound definitely.
Fixed restablishing the correct polarity. And the stereo sound appeared.
7) I added, just as a preliminary test, 2 high quality tweeters to the front speakers. I connected them (4 ohm)in parallel.
This STRONGLY improved the sound. Both because of the tweeters themselves and also because this diminuisched the overall resistence of the speakers, making them better enjoy the not really strong power signal coming from the radio.
8) Having done that, I disconnected the totally useless (at the moment) back speakers. My intention is to add 2x 6"x9" (woofer only) which perfectly fit into the existing holes, and a sophisticated sub-woofer in the trunk (not an incredibly powerful one, because in any case the front is not powerful enough to make today's kids happy with it).
Any idea is welcome, this is becoming a longer exercize than I was expecting. Moreover it is an expensive one too: not because of what I have to buy now, but because of all the stuff that I bought for my previous cars that do not fit any longer into this one.
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