Speaker upgrades

[pacotaco]

im debating where im going to tap... i think im going to go after the rear amp idk i needa get the subs and an amp right now first.

[VAND'AERO]

I was trying to summarize the discussions in order to design my audio system upgrade and came up with the following.

These threads have been an enormous help to me! Thanks everyone!

Prestige 300 Sound System - ES3-13

Car
Saab 93 2003-2006


Audio System
Prestige 300 Sound System
Navigation
1 Head Unit
3 Amplifiers
---1 Head Unit (70W)
---AMP1 under drivers seat (80W)
---AMP2 in trunk (150W)
13 Speakers/300W
---4": 3
---3.5" woofer: 2
---6.5" woofer: 2
---6x9 woofer: 2
---Tweeters: 4


Center Dash
#Speakers: 1
Powered by: AMP1
Size: 4"/4ohm
Recommended: Boston Acoustics S45(Boston Acoustics S45 4" 2-way car speakers at Crutchfield.com)

Side Dash (BIGGEST BANG FOR BUCK)
#Speakers: 4
Powered by: Head Unit (17.5W per speaker/tweeter combination)
Size: 4ohm 3.5" woofer w/side tweeter
Recommended: Boston Acoustics S35(Boston Acoustics S35 3-1/2" 2-way car speakers - Features & Specs at Crutchfield.com)
Installation: http://saabworld.net/f69/saab-9-3-da...rs-upgrade-38/


Front Doors
#Speakers: 2
Powered by: AMP1 (40W per speaker)
Size: 2 ohm 6.5" Woofer
Recommended Upgrade: 6.5" Component set, use 6.5" woofer
(ex: Infinity Reference 6030cs 6-3/4" component speaker system — also fit in 6-1/2" openings at Crutchfield.com)
Installation (Best Match): Door sound proofing and rattly window switch fix guide - SaabCentral Forums


Rear Deck
#Speakers: 6
Powered by: Head Unit (4x17.5W) and AMP2 (2x75W) in trunk
Size: 4 ohm 6x9 (AMP2), 4 ohm 4"/tweeter (Head Unit)
Recommended: ?
Installation (best match):
Painted Rear Speaker Panel Thread? - SaabCentral Forums
Adding SAAB OES Tweeters is too easy - SaabCentral Forums


Amps
HU - Head Unit (70W): Powers Front and Rear 4"/tweeters combo (4x17.5W)
AMP1 - Drivers Seat (80W): Powers front and right door speakers (2x40W)
AMP2 - Trunk (150W): Powers 2 rear 6x9 (2x75W)

Subwoofer
Add to trunk
Bazooka or Basslink
Bazooka BTA850FH 50-watt powered 8" Bass Tubes enclosure® with included factory radio connection kit at Crutchfield.com
Infinity Basslink Powered Subwoofer at Crutchfield Signature


References
Reference for System Layout and Images

[spctm]

Hi, I have a 2006 Saab 93 with 13 Speakers and I am looking at upgrading the speakers. Thanks to all of you I have read through quite a bit of information in this thread. I still have a few questions before I get into this project and I would like to get your opinions

I would like to retain the 13 speaker set up. That means I would need to get 3.5 inch and 4 inch mid range speakers. I am not sure who carries them as I have looked at many online retailers but none of them have any good ones.

I am looking at a Polk MM6501 components for the front doors. However, it is rated at 2.7 Ohm impedance. Will it cause a significant drop in sound output? I have looked at many articles but without an impedance vs frequency graph I cannot possibly say how much it will affect. I like the sound from the Polks, its much more sweeter. If that is a no-no then I would go with the inifinity ones or the JBL P660C. Both the Infinity and JBL are essentially the same since they are the same company practically. I can use the tweeter from the components for the front dash but I need to replace the mid range in them to fully upgrade. For now I can probably leave the mids as they are.

For the rears I am looking at 6.5 inch components again -- JL Audio C3-650. These have got good review and have a nice bass response. I am going to go without a Sub and need a decent bass from the rear speakers. Again I have to either leave the mids as they are or find a good one.

So my questions really are

Is 2.7 Ohm fine for the front doors?
Where can I find good mid frequency speakers?
Do you really feel the need for the center speaker?

Thanks for your patience. I am really excited to start on the upgrade project. I have bought dynamat and thought I would install these in the front doors along with the speaker upgrade to reduce rattle.

[nordwulf]

spctm, I moved your post to this thread as it seems more appropriate here. Check out the post right above years and see if that gets you started.

[spctm]

spctm, I moved your post to this thread as it seems more appropriate here. Check out the post right above years and see if that gets you started.

Thanks, Wulf. I did see this thread and it is one of the open tabs in my browser :-) The specs are in memory but I am hoping to get an opinion from someone who has experimented with the speakers. If not, I will do the experiment :-)

[DrSchteeve]

The previous owner of my car tapped the rear 6x9s for his sub. He took it with him, so I don't know how it sounded. By the way I disconnected my center speaker in the dash and I must say it sounds so much better. That muddy flat sound wasn't the bad speakers, it was the center speaker ruining the stereo effect. I highly recommend it.

So do you lose anything when you disconnect the center speaker? Turn signal noise? Anything?

[DrSchteeve]

Anyone use the Image Dynamics CX62 woofers in the doors, or something else, that really improved the sound? The door speaker replacements seem to get mixed reviews.

[nordwulf]

So do you lose anything when you disconnect the center speaker? Turn signal noise? Anything?

You won't loose anything.

[DrSchteeve]

So I took my '06 Aero convertible with 7 speaker system. Installed BA 3.5's in dash (~$50), with Focal tweeters (scavenged from my last Saab install) to replace the stock tweeters, Infinity Kappa 62.9i 6.5's in the doors (pulled off the tweeters)($~90), Focal Polyglass 4" rears (~$200), JBL 300/4 amp (scavenged from last Saab install). Removed center speaker. Left headunit, stock amp to doors. Added Sirius. Total install cost (paid a professional) ~$600. Pricey setup, but outstanding sound. Very bright (Focal's always brighten the mids and highs). Bass is slightly more subdued than with the stock speakers, but much cleaner. Surprise was my installer telling me there was a subwoofer somewhere in the back - don't know what is up with that?! The other surprise was that the door speakers and the rear speakers and the stock tweeters all seemed decent quality, not paper, but of course nowhere close to what I put in. The amp brings the rears more into the sound stage - may be something my installer did to balance the sound. So I spent about $1100, would have been about $1400-$1500 if I hadn't scavenged the amp and the tweeters. Very, very happy.

[DjTicojon75]

Does the 7-speaker system have an amp in the trunk or is that only in the 13-speaker system? I actually can't find the amp under the drivers seat; is that amp standard? I can't find anyone willing to mess with an amp for my car. Does anyone have any advice for adding or modifying the amp situation?