Denso 6-cd changer

[Frits37]

My first post here. Previously (1980 or so) I owned a 12-year old 96 for six months, but it wasn't as reliable as I hoped. My second try is a 2006 9-5 estate vector, which I will receive in a week or two. I hope I made a wise choice ;-)

Anyway, the 9-5 has a Denso nav/audio unit, and a 6-cd changer inthe back. I am searching if it is possible to replace the cd changer with aYatour unit or something similar. So far it seems that only a saabaux cablewould be possible to play music from a phone, zune, ipod etc. Which is a pricysolution for a cable. I have a Yatour in my current car. It emulates a 10-cd changerand uses a USB stick for storage of audiofiles (max 10 maps with 99 mp3 trackseach). The Yatour isn’t available for he SAAB Denso yet but, if the Denso cdchanger is in reality some other, rebranded unit (Sony, Panasonic, whatever)there might be a Yatour solution. The simple solution than would be to get theright connector for the Yatour and simply replace the device?

A bit of a longshot, maybe, but my first question is: does anybody know what the real brand(and type) is of the Denso cd changer?

[GeoffR]

Simple answer, no.

More complete answer, the CD Changer communicates via a data bus and any changer you use must use the same communication method. Most CD Changers use a data bus to communicate control signals to and from the head unit but convert the output to analogue before sending it to the head unit. The Saab unit sends the audio via the data bus too so the vast majority of changers won't have a suitable output to drive the Saab head unit. The Yatour will have been designed to mimic a standard CD Changer.

I had a Saab CD Changer and it worked very well, why not give it a try. Though I understand why you want to change it.

If you really want something different I would suggest ditching the Saab head unit and fitting something like a Kenwood or Pioneer unit with all the current input options. I had a Kenwood in my 2005 9-5 and it allowed Bluetooth streaming, USB connection CD play, single disc, and offered FM and Digital radio as well as SatNav. Much cheaper, and easier, than trying to fit a different make of CD changer or alternative input.

[GeoffR]

I have done some more research and you car being a 2006 may be different from what I have described. Is your car one with the chrome trim around the headlights? This is know in the UK as a Dame Edna, for reasons that to UK and Australian audiences will be obvious. If so there may be a CD input port, in which case you may be able to interface with the head unit. I would however still consider replacing the Saab head unit but on the 2006 to 2009 cars it isn't as Plug and Play as it was on earlier cars.
You will see, from the diagram below, that the Yatour requires an analogue audio input to the car's head unit.

[Frits37]

Thanks for your answer. I indeed want to have more music options than 6 cd's in a closed trunk ;-) Which Kenwood did you buy and was it easy to replace the head unit? I have understood that there has to be a match between car and audio unit, for the last to be recognised.

Edit: your second answer cross-posted mine. This is the head unit:


Edit 2: is this a Dame Edna? In that case I do have one.

[GeoffR]

My Kenwood was easy to install because my car was a 2005 so all it required was an adaptor lead. If yours is a 2006 DE then it isn't so easy and will require rather more in the way of electrical work, if you aren't confident about that I will go no further. You can obviously get a new head unit and amplification installed professionally but at a cost. The unit I had is now discontinued.

[Frits37]

I'm not afraid of some simple electronic work, but I'm not an expert and would probalby need a step-by-step explanation to do the job. But reading your post, I will first experience the current setup and then decide what to do. Thanks so far!

[GeoffR]

Yes, that is a Dame Edna.
In terms of entertainment and navigation the differences between pre 2006 and post 2006 cars are significant. Unfortunately there were some cars registered in late 2005 that were not the 2006 model (DE) and thus there is some confusion.

The DE has a different audio system from the earlier 9-5 and it is less easy to fit a different make of head unit. It can be done but I have never done it because my 2008 9-5 didn't have a Nav system so it was equipped with an Aux input, also, being an Aero it had a 6 CD changer in the head unit. The changer in the cargo compartment of cars with the navigation unit was to retain the same functionality as with the non-navigation unit.

[nordwulf]

Here is a thread about replacing the regular head unit in a 2006 9-5: http://saabworld.net/showthread.php?t=32204

Not sure if the Denso navigation and stock GM head unit are very different when it comes to connections but there may be some helpful information in there.

[GeoffR]

I would advise working with the Saab wiring diagrams.
Here are some of my thoughts, originally posted elsewhere, on wiring termination and joining if you are going to tackle the job:

Interested in why you're not a fan of soldered joints?

Firstly, 45 years in aviation where such a repair would be considered a bodge and would not be approved.
Soldered joints in wiring are fine where there is strain relief applied, that is there is no mechanical load on the joint, not the case with boot lid wiring on a 9-5. Where the soldered joint is in a connector with a cable clamp it is indeed an excellent connection.

A much more robust splice in a wire is to use a butt splice, a crimped connection that, applied correctly with the appropriate tool joins the conductors and provides a grip on the insulation thus transferring the mechanical load away from the conductor.
Also worthy of consideration is that a soldered joint is subject to the skill, or lack thereof, of the operator. Crimped joints are much more consistent in their quality because there is less reliance on the skill of the operator. You will not find many, if any, soldered wire terminations in modern cars or aircraft, they are just too unreliable.

Joining wires with solder is difficult under workshop conditions because one requirement of a good soldered joint is that there should be no mechanical load applied during the soldering, almost impossible inside the boot of a car, otherwise there is a very high likelihood of a dry joint.

Scotch Locs are a type of connector called an Insulation Displacing Connector, your telephone sockets and most ethernet ports use IDCs. One required characteristic for an IDC to work well is solid core wire. Almost all car wiring is stranded core and is totally unsuited to the use of IDCs because the strands move in relation to each other and there is little or no mechanical force in the joint resulting in a higher than desirable resistance. They also fail to grip the insulation making the joint a mechanical weak spot just at the point where additional mechanical loads will now be applied.

[yazdo]

I realize this doesn't give an answer to a solution you're looking for as some of those devices do not have Bluetooth. However, the Saab Bluetooth device made by the same people as the saabaux works really well for me.

Bluetooth as an audio solution is not the best, I much prefer the aux. However, one less wire in front of the dash and being able to keep the tape player is cool.

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